County Championship Division Two: Essex boost title hopes

Essex took a big step towards landing the Specsavers County Championship division two title - and promotion - by beating second-placed Leicestershire by an innings and 10 runs inside three days at Grace Road.

Essex turned their overnight 368-8 into 423 - a first-innings lead of 185, thanks to the efforts of Dan Lawrence (154) and Graham Napier (31).

The hosts were then dismissed for 175 second time around, with Jamie Porter and former Leicestershire seamer David Masters each taking four wickets, Porter's match figures of 8-99 giving him 49 championship scalps for the season.

Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell scored his first championship hundred for 13 months on a drastically curtailed third day against Northamptonshire at New Road.

Only 17.2 overs were possible in the day as Worcestershire added 42 runs for the loss of two wickets in reaching 195-3 - still 356 in arrears.

However, Mitchell's 164-ball century ended a lean run of form - it was his first three-figure score since a double hundred against Hampshire at New Road in July 2015. Unbeaten on 102, he needs another 28 runs to complete 10,000 in his first-class career.

Rain prevented Glamorgan and Sussex making much progress at Cardiff.

Glamorgan reached for 149-2 - an overall lead of 118 - on a day when only 19.3 overs were bowled because of rain and bad light.

With one day remaining, and Sussex seeking a win that will boost their hopes of overhauling leaders Essex, there is a possibility captains Jacques Rudolph and Luke Wright will agree on a target that Sussex could chase.

Light drizzle and bad light forced the umpires at Bristol to take the players off the field on three separate occasions - but Kent turned the screw on Gloucestershire when play was possible.

A career best first-class score of 171 from Sam Billings put Kent firmly in the driving seat.

The 25-year-old wicketkeeper batsman, who scored 175 for the England Lions against Pakistan A at Canterbury in July, featured in a partnership of 258 for the fifth wicket with Darren Stevens (140) and then played his part in a 91-run stand for the sixth wicket with Will Gidman (58no).

Kent eventually declared at tea on 533-6 and then reduced Gloucestershire to 34-4, meaning the hosts still need another 279 runs to make the visitors bat again.