Recap day two in this vital round of LV= County Championship games as relegation-threatened Middlesex crumbled at Taunton and Essex's two-day victory piled the pressure on Hampshire.
By Rob Barnett, Matt Somerford & Callum Dent
6.10pm - Here is a round up of the scores after day two:
Relegation-threatened Middlesex have an uphill task to save their game at Taunton after they were remarkably reduced to 64 for seven in reply to Somerset’s 532 for nine declared, which included 182 from James Hildreth and Peter Trego’s 91.
Debutant Jake Libby and James Taylor struck centuries, the latter’s unbeaten, to move Nottinghamshire 81 runs behind Sussex on 310 for three at Trent Bridge.
Hundreds from Scott Borthwick and Paul Collingwood led Durham to 362 for eight after Northamptonshire won the toss on the second day of their rain-affected match at the Emirates Durham ICG.
Essex moved level on 207 points with second-placed Hampshire after beating Leicestershire by an innings and 79 runs inside two days at Grace Road. James Foster’s ton led his side to a first-innings 332 before the winless hosts collapsed from 48 without loss to 117 all out.
Batting bonus points are on the agenda for Hampshire, who will resume tomorrow on 127 for three in reply to Kent’s 507 at the Ageas Bowl.
Derbyshire require 251 to win at the Kia Oval tomorrow after Surrey, for whom Jason Roy passed 1,000 championship runs for the summer during his innings of 81, were dismissed for 279 second time around.
STUMPS. The umpires have called an end to the day's play due to bad light. A superb day - centuries for @Borthwick16 and @Colly622. 362-8.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
5.50pm - After Essex's win, Hampshire have it all to do tomorrow. They will want to accrue as many bonus batting points as they can. They will resume on 127 for three in reply to Kent's 507.
Relegation-threatened Middlesex are in a heap of trouble at 64 for seven at stumps at Taunton.
Footitt bowls Jade Dernbach to dismiss Surrey for 279, leaving Derbyshire with a run-chase of 251 tomorrow.
The players have gone off for bad light here at Emirates Durham ICG. We are 362-8, with MacLeod unbeaten on 16 and Aaron on 8.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
5.40pm - RESULT! Essex (334) defeat Leicestershire (138 & 117) by an innings and 79 runs at Grace Road. Essex's fifth victory in six four-day matches puts the pressure on second-placed Hampshire. They are level with them on 207 points at present. Masters takes two wickets in three balls as Leicestershire collapsed from 48 without loss to 117 all out.
5.34pm - Leicestershire are folding fast at Grace Road. David Masters gets in on the act, dismissing Josh Cobb for 37 to reduce them to 115 for eight, 81 behind.
Notts reach the close on 310 for three courtesy of centuries from Libby and Taylor, the latter's unbeaten.
WICKET. Rushworth drives at a wide delivery from Wagner and edges through to Duckett for 11. 350-8 now. @VarunAaron comes to the crease.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
5.24pm - James Taylor makes his first championship century of the season.
Surrey are nine down with a lead of 233. Footitt has a second scalp, Hosein taking the catch to dismiss Gareth Batty, before Tim Linley is bowled by Wainwright.
James Vince has a half-century to his name at the Ageas Bowl.
Ryder takes another two to leave Leicestershire seven down. Will we have a result tonight? Niall O'Brien and Jigar Naik are the latest to depart for ducks.
5.19pm - Somerset skipper Marcus Trescothick is doing everything right in the field. Leach struck twice in his opening over and now Johann Myburgh requires just two balls to collect his first scalp, bowling Ollie Rayner for an 11-ball duck. This is turning into another horror session for Middlesex, who are 61 for seven.
Jesse Ryder took five wickets in the first innings and he now gets in on the act second time around. The New Zealander bowls Rob Taylor to leave Leicestershire five down and trailing by 83.
WICKET. Collingwood departs lbw to Wagner for an excellent 101. 332-7 as Chris Rushworth makes his way to the middle.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
5.06pm - Jack Leach strikes again in his opening over. After removing Dexter, the youngster accounts for John Simpson to leave Middlesex languishing on 56 for six, 467 behind.
Kent's spinners combine at the Ageas Bowl, Liam Dawson hitting Adam Riley to James Tredwell to depart for 19 of Hampshire's 98 for three.
WICKET! 56/5 Dexter goes for 14 and Leachy strikes in his 1st over as Kieswetter takes the catchy.
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) September 16, 2014
5pm - Collingwood continues to roll back the years with another hundred. The veteran all-rounder keeps his superb form going, reaching three figures from just 137 balls.
Libby and Roy's fine knocks are over for 108 and 81 respectively, Lewis Hatchett and Mark Footitt claiming their first scalps.
4.54pm - Derbyshire debutant Harvey Hosein claims his 10th catch to hand David Wainwright the scalp of Arun Harinath.
Leicestershire are four down when Monty Panesar accounts for Greg Smith for 36.
Take a bow young man, 100 on debut for Libby #NottsvSuss http://t.co/I0mC6zLclB pic.twitter.com/UC7AlcIbvl
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 16, 2014
4.49pm - Century for Jake Libby. The 21-year-old, who signed a two-year deal with Notts yesterday, marks a stunning debut by moving to three figures from 247 balls. The hosts are 271 for two, trailing Sussex by 120 at Trent Bridge.
Muhammad Azhar Ullah traps Gordon Muchall lbw to leave Durham 321 for six.
100 partnership between Arun Harinath and @JasonRoy20
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 16, 2014
4.26pm - Leicestershire are crumbling at the hands of Porter, who is playing just his second first-class game for Essex. Dan Redfern is the latest to go with Leicestershire 60 for three.
Jason Roy passed 1,000 championship runs for the summer earlier and now has fifty to his name.
WICKET. Borthwick tries to pull a ball from Azharullah but gets a bottom edge and is bowled for a superb 136. Well played @Borthwick16 !
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
4.18pm - Hampshire are not helping their cause at the Ageas Bowl as Jimmy Adams is run out for 26.
Neil Dexter and Eoin Morgan move Middlesex to 21 for four while Surrey hold a lead of 158 over Derbyshire with five second-innings wickets remaining.
4.14pm - Jamie Porter, in his fourth over, strikes again at Grace Road. The seamer bowls Ned Eckersley for one to leave Leicestershire 54 for two and still 142 runs behind.
3.59pm - Middlesex are in disarray now at 11 for four! Joe Denly edges Thomas behind to provide Craig Kieswetter with his second take.
WICKET Jamie Porter gets the breakthrough with a ball that comes back into Robson and strikes him on the pads. Out for 26, 48-1. #LeivEss
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 16, 2014
3.47pm - It goes from bad to worse for Middlesex, who are now 11 for three! Trego snares his second, pinning Dawid Malan in front.
Hampshire lose their first wicket with 30 on the board. Will Smith, fresh from signing a contract extension earlier today, is trapped lbw by Darren Stevens for 11.
Scott Borthwick and Paul Collingwood, with 125 and 77 respectively, take Durham to 277 for four at tea.
3.43pm - Relegation-threatened Middlesex get off to a terrible start at Taunton. Replying to Somerset's 523 for nine declared, they are nine for two when Chris Rogers and Sam Robson depart to Peter Trego and Alfonso Thomas respectively.
Tea arrives....Surrey 167-5 Roy 30*, Harinath 23* lead by 138
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 16, 2014
3.20pm - James Hildreth's brilliant innings ends on 182 when Ollie Rayner has him caught behind. Somerset declare on 523 for nine when Tim Groenewald departs to Denly. It's tea there now.
James Taylor makes his second successive four-day fifty at Trent Bridge, with Notts 198 for two at the interval. Debutant Libby has 70 to his name.
Leicestershire take tea on 16 without loss at Grace Road, 180 behind Essex.
100 for Scott Borthwick! 157 balls, 14x4s. We are 230-4 https://t.co/W05I9BGZ8o
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
3pm - Paul Collingwood moves to a half-century at the Emirates Durham ICG.
Joe Denly bowls Overton for 63, leaving Somerset 517 for seven.
2.47pm - Billings misses out on a century. The wicketkeeper-batsman was left with only Adam Riley so he tries a big swipe off Smith that Tahir does well to catch in the deep. Billings falls for 92 after another impressive knock. Kent are all out for 507. That's not the script promotion-chasing Hampshire were after.
2.43pm - Craig Overton becomes the fifth Somerset batsman to reach a half-century as the hosts go beyond 500 now.
Kent might not get many more than 500 as Imran Tahir does for Mitchell Claydon to leave them 503 for nine at the Ageas Bowl. That's a worry for Billings as he chases that century.
Surrey are 114 for five as David Wainwright bowls skipper Gary Wilson. The hosts lead by 85.
WICKET James Foster is out for 132 driving a ball from Charlie Shreck to Josh Cobb at mid-on. Essex all out 334, a lead of 196. #LeivEss
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 16, 2014
2.35pm - Jigar Naik bowls Monty Panesar for a single and Leicestershire are a wicket away from bowling out Essex and beginning the task of trying to run down this large first-innings advantage.
WICKET! @yozza18 gets Ansari! He is caught behind for 35 by Hosein and Surrey are 108-4 (30); lead by 79 #SURvDER
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) September 16, 2014
2.30pm - Hampshire can finally see the finish line as James Tredwell edges Will Smith to wicketkeeper Adam Wheater. Kent are eight down, but have also just brought up their 500. Billings is 10 away from a ton.
2.24pm - David Masters is caught behind off Charlie Shreck and, with Foster continuing on strong, Essex are 311 for eight - a lead of 173 runs.
Somerset continue to pile the runs up at Taunton. They are 478 for six. Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers is running out of options. He's used seven bowlers so far.
Sam Robson's leg-spin was mentioned as a viable alternative during the Test summer - but Rogers hasn't yet resorted to that, or his own wrist spin for that matter. Eoin Morgan is the only other Middlesex player who has not been required to roll his arm over aside from the keeper John Simpson.
Send your congratulations to @JamesFoster07 on his second hundred in two games using #FosterTon #LeivEss pic.twitter.com/q1h32MMBJd
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 16, 2014
2.14pm - Libby has a half-century on debut for Notts. He gets there from 119 balls and the hosts are 133 for two.
150 for Hildreth! From 328 balls including 18 boundaries.
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) September 16, 2014
2pm - James Foster brings up his second century in as many games, from 172 balls, and Essex are 285 for seven.
Calum Haggett has been run out by Tom Alsop for 34 as Hampshire slowly work through the Kent order.
Steven Davies is bowled by Alex Hughes and Surrey are 93 for three.
WICKET! Magoffin takes another as Michael Lumb is caught behind. Notts 97-2. #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 16, 2014
1.39pm - Hales is bowled by Steve Magoffin for 57 to end a 97-run opening stand with debutant Jake Libby.
Sam Billings and Scott Borthwick both get to their fifties for Kent and Durham respectively.
1.23pm - Ben Stokes' luck has run out this time as Andrew Hall holds on when the England all-rounder offers another chance off Neil Wagner.
Alex Hales has brought up his half-century at Trent Bridge.
Stokes edges the second ball after lunch between second and third slip and the ball runs away for four. 100 up now - 100-3 in the 25th over.
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014
12.42pm – Here are the scores on the doors:
Middlesex , seeking to avoid relegation, managed just one bowling point versus Somerset as centurion James Hildreth and Peter Trego extended their stand to 170. At the interval the Taunton hosts are 389 for six with Hildreth on 114.
Alex Hales and debutant Jake Libby are leading a strong reply to Sussex’s 391. Nottinghamshire are 70 without loss at Trent Bridge.
Play started a day late at the Emirates Durham ICG where relegated Northamptonshire won the toss and reduced Durham to 96 for three .
Daniel Bell-Drummond made a first-class best 153 as Kent , who are 406 for six , continued to frustrate promotion-chasing Hampshire , who had to make do with one bowling point at the Ageas Bowl.
Derbyshire extended their first innings to 210 thanks in part to Wayne Madsen’s fifty. Surrey then edged to 35 for two , six ahead at the Kia Oval.
James Foster has 73 of Essex’s 235 for seven , a first-innings lead of 97. Leicestershie’s Rob Taylor has a five-for at the Essex County Ground.
12.32pm – The lunch interval arrives. We’ll soon round up the scores.
Congrats to Zafar Ansari who has just moved passed 1000 FC runs this season pic.twitter.com/Rn3AKZ97li
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 16, 2014
12.24pm – Scott Borthwick and Michael Richardson bring up a half-century alliance but, next ball, the latter has his off stump uprooted by Andrew Hall.
Cotton has Vikram Solanki caught behind, giving debutant Hosein his eighth take of the game.
12.16pm – Trego departs for 91 as Dawid Malan breaks an alliance worth 170. Somerset are 373 for six.
Leicestershire’s Taylor has a five-for with Graham Napier going for cheaply while Cotton makes Rory Burns an early breakthrough for Derbyshire.
Alex Hales and debutant Jake Libby share a fifty partnership for Notts’ first wicket.
12.08pm – Hildreth reaches three figures, his 30 th first-class ton!
12.07pm – Jesse Ryder, who took five Leicestershire wickets yesterday, goes cheaply to Taylor and Kishen Velani soon falls to Jigar Naik, putting Essex on 217 for six.
350 up! And that brings up the 150 partnership between Hildreth 98* Trego 86*.
— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) September 16, 2014
That's a career best for @deebzz23 of 153. Great stuff DBD! @LV_Cricket pic.twitter.com/vIWJwE72yB
— Kent Cricket (@kentcricket) September 16, 2014
Tahir traps Bell-Drummond (153) lbw with a great delivery. Kent are now 371-6. Haggett is the new batsman. #LVCC
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) September 16, 2014
11.43am – Bell-Drummond reaches his maiden first-class 150 , strengthening Kent’s hand.
Derbyshire are all out for 201 , a first-innings lead of 29, as Meaker removes Ben Cotton.
Foster brings up a half-century but Bopara falls one short of that milestone when he is bowled by Rob Taylor, halting an alliance worth 101. Essex are 196 for four, 58 ahead of Leicestershire on first innings.
Durham and Northants are back on after the delay for bad light.
Middlesex manage one bowling point, giving relegation rivals Lancashire hope . The pair meet at Emirates Old Trafford next week.
11.32am – Peter Trego raises a fifty with the last of three fours in four balls off Tim Murtagh.
Wayne Madsen falls for 63, caught behind off Stuart Meaker. That makes Derbyshire 209 for nine, 28 ahead of Surrey.
11.20am – Muhammad Azhar Ullah traps Mark Stoneman in front for 27 shortly before bad light intervenes with Durham 41 for two.
Coles, who has bowled impressively today, makes Darren Stevens his fourth victim of the innings to leave Kent 341 for five.
11.11am – James Hildreth, with 87 to his name, is closing on a century for Somerset while Bell-Drummond, unbeaten on 143, is nearing a higher milestone for Kent.
Ravi Bopara and James Foster are going strong, having put Essex ahead of Leicestershire on first innings.
Varun Chopra has been named as the new Captain of Warwickshire CCC http://t.co/OUvYYqKtI6 #YouBears pic.twitter.com/vBFG4eQ5GV
— Warwickshire CCC (@CricketingBears) September 16, 2014
11.02am – Sussex are dismissed for 391 when Harry Gurney cleans up Ashar Zaidi for 37, the same figure as the last-wicket partnership with Lewis Hatchett.
Dernbach accounts for David Wainwright via a catch at second slip. Derbyshire trail Surrey by three runs with two first-innings wickets left.
MILESTONE! Madsen has now hit 1,000 first-class runs in 2014. The second year in a row he's achieved the feat! #P2bD pic.twitter.com/e84voGdtwO
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) September 16, 2014
10.50am – A brilliant stand of 244 between Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast ends with the latter bowled by former team-mate Matt Coles for 128. Kent are therefore 330 for four.
Tim Linley likewise snares Wayne White for six, making Derbyshire 173 for seven.
50 NOT OUT! An important half-century for the skipper from 66 balls with 9 fours! Derbyshire 172-6 (42.3); trail by 9 #SURvDER
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) September 16, 2014
10.36am – Northants make a ideal start as New Zealand seamer Neil Wagner has Keaton Jennings held at first slip.
Surrey get an early breakthrough, Jade Dernbach cheaply ousting debutant Harvey Hosein. Wicketkeeper Hosein took a record seven catches yesterday but has gone to a catch behind today.
10.30am – The action is starting. Stay here for the latest updates.
10.20am – In case you’ve not spotted the tweet at the foot of the page, Northants have chosen to field first versus Durham in a game starting a day late due to bad light and drizzle yesterday. Play there and in the other matches is set to start in 10 minutes.
Richard Scott and Richard Johnson inspect the pitch ahead of Day Two at Taunton... #middlesex150 pic.twitter.com/g2HMV9E6ss
— Middlesex Cricket (@Middlesex_CCC) September 16, 2014
10.15am – Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the penultimate round of 2014 LV= County Championship matches. Here’s how they stand after day one:
Craig Kieswetter, returning to action following a lengthy injury-enforced absence, was one of three half-centurions as Somerset limped to 266 for five after they were asked to bat by relegation-candidates Middlesex at Taunton.
Chris Nash struck a stunning 178 to lift Sussex to 358 for nine after winning the toss against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Bad light and drizzle ensured there was no play possible between Durham and Northamptonshire at the Emirates Durham ICG.
Promotion-chasing Hampshire were frustrated as unbeaten centuries from Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Northeast in a fourth-wicket stand of 226 took Kent to 312 for three at the Ageas Bowl.
An unbroken 58-run stand between Ravi Bopara and James Foster moved Essex to 153 for three, a lead of 15, after Jesse Ryder’s 5-50 helped dismiss winless Leicestershire for just 138 at Grace Road.
Derbyshire, for whom skipper Wayne Madsen has 48, are 17 runs behind Surrey on 164 for five at the Kia Oval. In-form paceman Mark Footitt took six wickets and first-class debutant Harvey Hosein claimed a record-breaking seven catches as the hosts, who lost the toss, managed just 188.
Northamptonshire have won the toss and will bowl first https://t.co/3P6rzH0Jpi
— Durham Cricket Club (@DurhamCricket) September 16, 2014