Wednesday 12 July 2017 17:07, UK
Jonathan Trott's majestic 99 set up a thrilling climax to Warwickshire's crucial Specsavers County Championship tussle against reigning champion Middlesex at Edgbaston.
Standing in as captain for the injured Ian Bell, Trott's performance propped up his side's second innings and left Middlesex requiring another 198 runs on the final day to win.
Tom Helm bowled with pace and aggression to finish with figures of 5-59 as the visitors' weakened attack did well to restrict the hosts to a second-innings 233.
Middlesex ended day three on 36-2 in pursuit of their target of 234, with victory for either side set to provide a welcome boost in their respective relegation battles.
Somerset enjoyed a dominant third day as they closed in on their first Championship win of the season against Yorkshire at Scarborough.
Tim Rouse and James Hildreth did most of the damage as they shared a third-wicket stand of 144 as Somerset closed on 234-3 to lead by 289.
Yorkshire had been hit by injuries to Liam Plunkett, who did most of the damage in Somerset's first innings, and Ryan Sidebottom.
Resuming on 159-7, Yorkshire had earlier been dismissed for 213, with Adil Rashid the last man out on 49.
Surrey's stand-in captain Rory Burns scored his first century of the season as his side battled to save the follow-on against Hampshire at the Kia Oval.
Burns scored an unbeaten 174 in a Surrey total of 410-7 as they pursued 499 just to avoid having to bat again.
Dominic Sibley also scored a dogged half-century as Surrey, who started the day on 1131 in reply to Hampshire's 648-7, just about managed to keep the match alive.
DIVISION TWO
Alex Hughes also scored his first ton of the campaign as Derbyshire gained the upper hand on the third day of their Division Two match against Durham at Chesterfield.
Hughes finished on 108 out of his side's 214 to set Durham, who finished the day on 36-0, a target of 282 for victory on the final day.
Max Holden and Adam Rossington both hit the century mark as Northamptonshire reached 528-7 in response to Kent's mammoth 701 for seven declared at Beckenham.
Requiring 552 just to avoid the follow-on, the visitors resumed on 180-1 and lost Ben Duckett to only the sixth ball of the day.
But they were rescued by the fifth-wicket partners, with Holden lasting until the final hour of play for a career-best 153, and Rossington reaching a season's best 112.
Clint McKay took four wickets to give Leicestershire hope that they can win their first game of the season against Sussex at Arundel.
The Australian fast bowler picked up 4-59 in searing heat as Sussex were bowled out for 262 and appeared to have squandered the advantage of winning the toss.
But a two-paced pitch, which is expected to turn, gave seamers assistance all day and Sussex's new-ball pair of Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer each picked up one of the Leicestershire openers as they closed on 77-2.
