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County Championship: Middlesex's Nick Gubbins hits double hundred

Stevie Eskinazi also scores century in his second game for Middlesex

Nick Gubbins
Image: Nick Gubbins turned his second century for Middlesex into a double hundred

Nick Gubbins hit a maiden first-class double hundred on day three of Middlesex's Specsavers County Championship clash with Division One leaders Lancashire at Lord's.

Gubbins (201no) started the day 71 not out - with the hosts 146-1, still trailing by 367 after Lancashire's mammoth 513 first-innings score - and the 22-year-old opener soon raced through to only his second ton in county cricket.

Stevie Eskinazi (106) also scored a century in his second first-class outing, sharing a 208-run stand with Gubbins for the second wicket.

Gubbins made sure it was he who grabbed the headlines though as he brought up his double-hundred shortly before rain interrupted play, Middlesex 419-5 at the close of play.

Somerset are still strong favourites to beat Hampshire at The Ageas Bowl despite rain ruining most of the third day on the south coast.

Image: Lewis Gregory was among the wickets again for Somerset on day three against Hampshire

Hampshire trail Somerset by 82 runs with only six second innings wickets remaining, reaching 173-4 when the weather brought play to an early finish.

Lewis Gregory (3-26) added two further wickets to his strike of Jimmy Adams for a duck late on the second day, bowling Will Smith for a 120-ball 33, and removing Liam Dawson for three.

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Tom Alsop though hit 53 for the hosts, while Michael Carberry (37no) and Sean Ervine (34no) shared an unbroken 52-run partnership to help boost Hampshire's slim hopes of holding on for a draw on the final day.

Warwickshire were another to be frustrated by the weather as they look to force a victory over Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston.

Keith Barker, Warwickshire
Image: Warwickshire's Keith Barker took one of two Notts wickets to fall on day three

The hosts had Notts 81-2 in their second innings - still trailing by 78 runs - when heavy rain arrived 6.3 overs into the second session on day three.

Steven Mullaney (38no) and Michael Lumb (32) rebuilt with a 67-run partnership after opener Jake Libby fell to Keith Barker (1-14) for one, but the latter was out lbw to Jeetan Patel (1-18) shortly before play was halted.

In the morning session, Warwickshire took their first innings tally from their overnight score of 283-8 to 311 all out.

In Division Two, Derbyshire took control of their game with Kent in Canterbury, earning a 195-run first innings lead on day three.

Wayne Madsen cuts for four against Gloucestershire
Image: Wayne Madsen's 163 helped Derbyshire to a healthy first innings lead over Kent

Wayne Madsen (163) and Shiv Thakor (123) both scored centuries, sharing in a 144-run stand for the sixth wicket as Derbyshire racked up a score of 574-9 in reply to Kent's 379.

The hosts then reached 32-0 in their second innings, surviving the final 11.3 overs through to stumps.

Clint McKay smashed 55 off 56 balls as Leicestershire took their first innings total to 334 on a rain-affected second day against Gloucestershire at Grace Road.

Leicestershire batsman Neil Dexter
Image: Leicestershire batsman Neil Dexter added further to his century on day three against Gloucershire

McKay's half century came in a 86-run stand for the eighth wicket with Neil Dexter (136), who added 29 runs to his overnight score before he was the first wicket of the day.

Liam Norwell (4-72) removed the centurion, on his way to taking all three wickets to fall to bowl the hosts out, before Gloucestershire reached 69-0 in reply - Gareth Roderick 23 not out and Chris Dent 34 not out.

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