A wrap of today's LV= County Championship action with Worcestershire increasing their lead at the top of Division Two while Kent boosted their promotion bid with victory over Surrey. Jonathan Trott also hit his first hundred since his return to cricket.
By Rob Barnett & Matt Somerford
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6.50pm - Here is a re-cap of what happened today.
Division One
Jonathan Trott scored his first century of the summer for Warwickshire, but Sussex hold the power as they closed on 202 for four - to lead by 284 runs - with skipper Ed Joyce to decide when to declare in the morning.
Division Two
Worcestershire increased their lead at the top of the division to a healthy 43 points as they beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets at Cheltenham.
Kent stepped up their promotion push with an 89-run win over second-placed Surrey at Guildford. Evergreen all-rounder Darren Stevens took 5-68 as Surrey were bowled out for 213 on the final day.
6.32pm - A curious final over of the day at Horsham as Chris Jordan plays out a maiden after the previous two overs went for 20. Sussex close on 202 for for and that represents a lead of 284. They will probably want more quick runs in the morning before a declaration.
WICKETS - Rankin grabs 2 in an over, removing Joyce and Cachopa. Sussex 184-4 #YouBears
— Warwickshire CCC (@CricketingBears) July 23, 2014
6.13pm - Craig Cachopa has ticked over to his half-century from 67 balls for Sussex in the only match still going this afternoon. The former New Zealand Under-19s batsman only signed a deal last week - it looks like good business.
5.58pm – RESULT! Worcestershire (395 & 51/2) beat Gloucestershire (156 & 289) by eight wickets at Cheltenham. The Pears extend their lead atop Division Two thanks to a win they had to wait longer than expected for thanks to Liam Norwell and Craig Miles’ last-wicket heroics. Their batsmen wasted little time knocking off their 51-run target though - they got there in 7.4 overs.
That's 50 for @edjoyce24 as he pushes Barker through the covers for two. Sussex on to 151/2 now at Horsham. A lead of 231 #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) July 23, 2014
5.46pm - Oliver has followed Mitchell back to the pavilion with the score still on 33. Benny Howell striking with his first ball. The margin of victory for Worcestershire is not going to be as emphatic.
5.42pm - Worcestershire are pretty keen to wrap up matters quickly at Cheltenham and enjoy the festival atmosphere there. Daryl Mitchell has just departed for 15 from 14 balls but Richard Oliver is going strong with 18 off nine balls. The Pears are 33 for one after four over - they need 18 more.
5.35pm - That score of 78 by Norwell is the highest score by a Gloucestershire number 11 in first-class cricket.
Gloucestershire 289 all out. Miles 62 not out, Norwell bowled Morris 78. Stand of 137. Worcestershire require 51 to win. #BDCheltFest
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
5.05pm - RESULT! Kent (408 & 292) defeat Surrey (398 & 213) by 89 runs at Guildford. The visitors prevail on an exciting last day that saw Surrey go after a target of 303 and falter doing so.
4.46pm – Ed Joyce and Luke Wells share a fifty partnership before the latter is caught and bowled for 31 by Jeetan Patel with Sussex 150 ahead of Warwickshire.
Tea. Glos 261 / 9 & lead by 21. Superb century stand from @LCNorwell24& @CMiles34. Scorecard: http://t.co/lux4bD0MGWpic.twitter.com/RA3xvaYXHv
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
Surrey 206-9...Batty c Riley b Stevens 15
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 23, 2014
4.32pm – Liam Norwell and Craig Miles remarkably each register fifties and share an unbroken century partnership to give Gloucestershire a slender lead. It’s now tea at Cheltenham with the hosts 261 for nine, 22 ahead.
Darren Stevens has Stuart Meaker caught behind, leaving Kent two wickets from victory and Surrey 108 runs.
3.51pm – Warwickshire's Chris Woakes strikes an early blow, snaring Chris Nash caught behind.
Gloucestershire 204-9. Half-century stand for last wicket between Miles 33 and Norwell 23. #BDCheltFest
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
3.42pm – It’s tea at Guildford with Surrey on 180 for seven, theoretically needing 123 more to win but realistically batting for a draw.
Sussex start their second innings with a lead of 80.
3.34pm – Surrey skipper Gary Wilson was playing sensibly but Stevens has his scalp for 27, making the Guildford hosts 175 for seven.
Last-wicket pair Craig Miles and Liam Norwell are delaying the inevitable for Gloucestershire.
Thanks to the @TheRLCBand who entertained the crowds today at the @brewindolphin Cheltenham Cricket Festival pic.twitter.com/qcEJ8iBH6I
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
WICKET and ALL OUT..Warwickshire are bowled out for 333 at Horsham as Hatchett takes the final wicket. TEA will now be taken #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) July 23, 2014
3.07pm – Kent must be favourites for victory now as Dilshan departs to Darren Stevens for 68 from 64 deliveries, making the hosts 158 for six.
Sussex’s Steve Magoffin has Patel caught behind for 32, halting a ninth-wicket stand of 60 with Woakes.
Gloucestershire 132-9. Rouse caught second slip off Leach 15. #BDCheltFest
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
2.40pm – Worcestershire move two wickets from victory when Jack Shantry bowls Benny Howell for 24.
Warwickshire bank a third batting point thanks to Chris Woakes and Jeetan Patel.
Dilshan moves to fifty from 36 balls with 11x4 pic.twitter.com/ILYZPfP136
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 23, 2014
2.32pm – No, Surrey are very much chasing victory as Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 36-ball fifty shows. The Sri Lanka star perhaps holds the key to the outcome.
2.25pm – Surrey are in strife now, Jason Roy going lbw to Claydon for 13 from 12 balls. They surely have to play for a draw?
Gloucestershire 133-7, still needing 106 to make Worcestershire bat again. Cockbain lbw Shantry 15. Howell 24 not out. #BDCheltFest
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
2.07pm – Surrey are going after a target of 303, but it could cost them the game. They slip to 82 for four when Steven Davies falls to Mitch Claydon for a 21-ball 25.
The wicket of Keith Barker was the 50th @LV_Cricket Championship wicket of the summer for STEVE MAGOFFIN @magsy64#GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) July 23, 2014
WICKET..Barker edges to Chris Jordan at slip and Steve Magoffin strikes! Warwickshire 266 for 8 now at Horsham #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) July 23, 2014
1.47pm – There’s a wicket in each game soon after lunch. Sussex’s Chris Jordan gets Rikki Clarke caught behind for 24, Surrey’s Vikram Solanki falls to Calum Haggett and Worcestershire’s Charlie Morris has Will Gidman held at square-leg.
1.15pm – While eating lunch, why not digest the news that Yorkshire and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has been banned from bowling by the ICC?
1.07pm – Here are the scores on the doors:
Division One
Jonathan Trott was out for 106 to herald lunch with Warwickshire247 for sixin reply to Sussex’s 413 on day three at Horsham.
Division Two
Surrey, on 43 for two, need 260 more runs and Kent eight wickets to win on the last day at Guildford. Stuart Meaker took 7-90 as the visitors were today dismissed for 292 with Sam Billings 57 not out.
Gloucestershire are in trouble at 103 for five, following on against leaders Worcestershire on day three at Cheltenham. The hosts still trail by 136.
1pm –Trott is caught behind for 106 off Steve Magoffin, having just shared a fifty partnership with Rikki Clarke. Doubtless Trott will be delighted with his first century since returning from stress-related problems. We’ll soon round up the lunch scores.
12.53pm – Surrey suffer a second early blow when Haggett gets Zafar Ansari caught behind via an inside edge.
That's 100 for Jonathan Trott as he flicks Chris Jordan off his hips for four runs. 224 balls it took him. Warwickshire 236/5 #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) July 23, 2014
12.34pm – Claydon has Rory Burns caught behind for a run-a-ball 11 early in Surrey’s chase.
Sussex take the new ball with Trott on 97.
Gloucestershire 84-5. Marshall caught behind off Shantry 15. #BDCheltFest
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) July 23, 2014
12.24pm – Jack Shantry breaks a stand of 49 between Alex Gidman and Hamish Marshall by bowling the former for 37. Gloucestershire are in deep trouble at 79 for four, following on, still 160 behind.
Trott is into the nineties for Warwickshire…
And @SMeaker18 makes his way off with the ball that brought him 7 wickets @GuildfordCCpic.twitter.com/iHF4FwcoIR
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) July 23, 2014
12.14pm – Meaker fittingly ends Kent’s innings by dismissing Adam Riley for nought, earning figures of 7-90 and leaving Billings unbeaten on 57. Surrey need 303 for victory, which would move them up a place to second in the Division Two table.
12.02pm – Tim Linley gets rid of Charlie Hartley for nought so Kent are nine down.
50 for Billings! Sam's half century came from 85 balls including 5x 4s. Kent 286/8 (80 overs) #SURvKEN
— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) July 23, 2014
11.46am – Meaker and McClenaghan strike again! The former ousts Mitch Claydon, leaving Kent 283 ahead with two wickets left, and the latter snares Will Tavare, making Gloucestershire 30 for three.
Tim Ambrose plays on to Chris Jordan, reducing Warwickshire to 193 for five. Half-centurion Jonathan Trott remains in situ.
11.28am – Surrey's Stuart Meaker makes an important breakthrough for his fifth wicket of the innings. Calum Haggett goes for 44, ending a stand of 85 with Sam Billings.
Gloucestershire suffer an early blow when New Zealand paceman Mitchell McClenaghan has nightwatchman Tom Smith caught behind.
Another glorious day. Come on @SussexCCCpic.twitter.com/YIPRZxurzR
— KirstieH (@Kirstie2k11) July 23, 2014
WICKET..Hain is pouched at first slip by Chris Jordan as the batsman goes back to Tredwell. Warwickshire 176 for 4 now at Horsham #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) July 23, 2014
11am – While waiting for the action to unfold, why not read our exclusive interview with Chris Jordan about his England debut at the Ageas Bowl and the Test there starting on Sunday?
10.50am – There were two championship results yesterday: Yorkshire sensationally took Middlesex’s last six wickets after tea on the last day at Scarborough to go top of Division One and Division-Two Derbyshire made it two wins in a row for the first time this year.
10.40am – Hello and welcome to our LV= County Championship blog. Here’s how the remaining games stand:
Jonathan Trott is unbeaten on 62 after Warwickshire closed day two on 163 for three as they set after Sussex's first-innings 413 at Horsham.
Leaders Worcestershire appear on course for another win after asking Gloucestershire to follow on, 239 runs behind, and then reducing them to 10 for one at stumps on the second day.
Kent are 229 for six and leading by 239 runs against fellow promotion-chasers Surrey following three days at Guildford. Stuart Meaker has 4-67 for the Brown Caps.