Saturday 8 August 2015 19:32, UK
Adil Rashid did his hopes of a Test call no harm with a fantastic century as Yorkshire took control of their County Championship Division One clash with Durham.
Rashid smashed 21 fours in a sensational innings of 127 as he and Glenn Maxwell helped Yorkshire build a lead of 426 runs with two days remaining in Scarborough.
After 25 wickets had tumbled in fewer than four sessions and the game seemed to be rushing towards a two-day finish, Maxwell and Rashid tore up the record books with a sixth wicket stand of 248 in 46 overs.
It was the highest ever partnership for the sixth wicket at North Marine Road, overtaking the 201 by Phil Mead and George Thompson in the Gentlemen v Players match of 1911, and the fourth highest for that wicket in Yorkshire's history.
The Australian - who had made a stuttering start to his season with Yorkshire - raced to his maiden century for his adopted county from 101 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes.
His innings finished on 140, one of two victims for Ryan Pringle while Chris Rushworth was Durham's bowling star yet again with 3-48. Yorkshire finished the day on 420-9 and are on track for a sixth successive victory.
Half-centuries from Matt Machan, Mike Yardy and Luke Wells earned Sussex a 66-run first innings lead on day two of their Division One match against Middlesex at Lord's.
Machan hit a superb 81 from 107 balls, while Yardy's 70 and Wells' 61 were more gritty affairs as Sussex replied with a creditable 300 to Middlesex's first-innings 234.
But left-arm spinner Ravi Patel's 4-42 on a worn pitch gave notice that batting will not be easy in the fourth innings of this game and Middlesex, reaching stumps at 47 for no wicket in their second innings, are now just 19 runs behind and have the opportunity to set Sussex a demanding victory target on Sunday.
Fidel Edwards and Mason Crane claimed five wickets apiece as Hampshire took control of their clash with Warwickshire at the Ageas Bowl.
Warwickshire slumped from 78-1 to 125 all out in the face of some fine bowling from West Indies paceman Edwards, who claimed 5-32 and youngster Crane, whose five wickets came for the cost of only 35 runs.
Varun Chopra made 37 before being bowled by Crane, who was the chief destroyer at the top of the Warwickshire innings before handing over to his veteran team-mate.
Other than Chopra only Laurie Evans was able to pass 20, making 35 in a 127-ball knock that came to an end when he was the ninth wicket to fall - again to the red-hot Crane.
Hampshire extended their lead to 242 runs by the end of play, losing Jimmy Adams for six, with Michael Carberry and James Vince both on 34 not out - they ended the day on 82-1.
Chris Read guided Nottinghamshire into a strong position in their meeting with Worcestershire at New Road.
The former England wicket-keeper eked out a total of 330 by making 90 - his seventh score of 50 or more in 14 championship innings this season - and Worcestershire lost three wickets in clearing a deficit of 61.
After a backs-to-the-wall final session, they had moved 54 in front on 115-4 and will be looking for much more from Joe Clarke (43 not out) and Ross Whiteley (22no) when play resumes on Sunday.
