County Championship Division Two: Liam Norwell stars for Gloucestershire

Liam Norwell continued his superb season with a return of 6-41 as Gloucestershire bowled out Northamptonshire for 246 on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival despite a fine 104 from Alex Wakely.

Norwell helped justify Ian Cockbain's decision to bowl first with a devastating burst of 5-16 in seven overs either side of lunch, which included having Ben Duckett caught at long leg for 53.

Northants hit back well with the ball in the closing 24 overs of the day as Gloucestershire were reduced to 82-4 in reply.

Wakely's contribution from 222 balls was crucial as Duckett's breezy 53 from 70 balls was their only other significant score.

Duckett was Norwell's first victim of the day, with Wakely undone by James Fuller at 215-8, albeit after a helpful 69-run seventh-wicket stand with Steven Crook (27).

Gloucestershire's reply saw Chris Dent edge Olly Stone low to Rory Kleinveldt at third slip to depart for a second-ball duck and when Will Tavare fell lbw to Kleinveldt, they were 12-2. 

That became 35-3 when the South African paceman had Michael Klinger caught behind and although Hamish Marshall and Gareth Roderick rallied with a stand of 41, they were broken when Roderick missed a legside flick and was lbw to Crook.

Essex will need to be careful on the final day of their clash with Lancashire after slipping to 139-5 in reply to the hosts' 402-8d at Old Trafford.

Lancashire will be hoping for some early wickets on Thursday in order to push for an unlikely victory from a match that has been beset by weather interruptions. 

Resuming the day on 275-5, Lancashire had captain Steven Croft reach his century off 210 balls and although he was the first wicket to fall - removed by Reece Topley for 122 - his side's lower-order did brilliantly to frustrate Essex.

James Faulkner dug in for a 68 as those around him played more expansively, specifically Arron Lilley, who crashed an unbeaten 40 from 31 balls to send the total past 400 before Croft called his side in.

Faulkner then took over with the ball, removing Ravi Bopara, Jesse Ryder and Ryan ten Doeschate cheaply after Toby Lester had bowled Jaik Mickleburgh and Liam Dawson to leave Essex 81-5. 

But Nick Browne stayed firm, reaching stumps 78no alongside James Foster to give Essex hope of seeing out the final day with a draw.

Glamorgan's push for what would be a record-breaking victory was held up by a combination of determined batting and rain on the third day of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

When the weather closed in with 23 overs still to bowl, Derbyshire were 37-0 following-on, still 121 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat and with a lot of batting ahead of them to deny Glamorgan five consecutive championship victories for the first time in their history.

The home side earlier fell nine short of the follow-on target when they were bowled out for 252 with opener Billy Godleman the only batsmen to pass 50 while seamer Ruaidhri Smith returned career-best figures of 3-23 in 11 overs.

Resuming the day on 122-2, Derbyshire lost Wayne Madsen in the fourth over of the day when Michael Hogan found some late movement to have him caught at third slip for 24.

Godleman's resistance was then ended when Graham Wagg swung one back in and when Wes Durston was squared up in the all-rounder's next over, the home side had lost 3-7 in 17 balls.

Shiv Thakor and Alex Hughes added 44 in 17 overs but David Lloyd had Hughes taken at second slip and after Thakor (41) was given a life on 17, Smith struck to account for Harvey Hosein and Tony Palladino.

Thakor fell skying a sweep at Andrew Salter, prompting Tom Taylor to tear into Hogan with three big sixes before the Australian bowled him on the stroke of tea to end the innings.

Glamorgan immediately enforced the follow on but Godleman and Hamish Rutherford were largely untroubled in the 18 overs before bad light resulted in the sixth and final stoppage of the day.