Wednesday 27 September 2017 11:42, UK
Joe Clarke's unbeaten 46 helped Worcestershire overcome a stuttering start at New Road against Durham as they look to secure promotion to Specsavers County Championship Division One.
The Division Two leaders were 13-2 after 10 overs after Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions dismissed Daryl Mitchell (5) and Tom Fell (10), respectively.
However, Clarke and Brett D'Oliveira (22) put on 56 for the third wicket and, although Keaton Jennings removed D'Oliveira, Worcestershire advanced to 90-3 when stumps was called on a rain-affected first day.
Worcestershire require just six points to be sure of promotion.
Nottinghamshire were held up in their pursuit of the 12 points that would guarantee them a return to the top flight at the first attempt as Sussex's Delray Rawlins and Michael Burgess shared an unbeaten sixth-wicket stand of 123 at Hove.
Three wickets for Steven Mullaney and one apiece for Luke Wood and Brett Hutton had Sussex in trouble at 107-5.
Rawlins (55no) and Burgess (67no) dug in, though, and had progressed to 230-5 when bad light stopped play.
Northamptonshire's hopes of accumulating the points they need to try and snatch the second promotion place were dealt a blow as day one of their game against Leicestershire was abandoned without a ball being bowled, at Grace Road.
Joe Denly's century helped Kent recover from a nightmare start to their game with Glamorgan, at Canterbury.
Kent had slipped to 39-4 but Denly, with the help of Zak Crawley (37) and then Adam Milne (33), dragged the hosts out of trouble.
He was eventually out for an excellent 152 as Kent were bowled out for 302. In reply, Glamorgan were 18-1 at the close.
Ben Slater top-scored with 45 for Derbyshire on a heavily rain-affected first day against Gloucestershire, in Bristol.
The opener shared an opening stand of 65 with Luis Reece (13) but both fell to left-arm seamer Matt Taylor in the space of two overs.
Wayne Madsen (24no) and Alex Hughes (10no) took the total into three figures and they will resume with the score on 104-2.
