Saturday 25 August 2018 06:20, UK
Morne Morkel took all five Lancashire wickets to fall on the final day as Surrey strengthened their grip on top spot of the Specsavers County Championship, clinching a nail-biting six-run triumph at The Oval.
Morkel finished with 6-57 for the innings as a whole as last-placed Lancashire - resuming the day-night clash on 177-5 - were bowled out for 264 in pursuit of 271 and a much-needed win.
Steven Croft (43) and Josh Bohannon (32) took the visitors to within 68 of victory before Morkel blasted both out in consecutive overs to set Surrey on their way.
Or so they thought, as Tom Bailey (20no) and Graham Onions (29) put on 47 for the ninth wicket, the latter striking two sixes. But, with the winning target in sight, Morkel again struck in back-to-back overs, bowling Onions and then dismissing Matt Parkinson (7) to clinch a thrilling victory.
Moeen Ali added six second-innings wickets to his double-hundred as Worcestershire thrashed Yorkshire by an innings and 186 runs at Scarborough. SCORECARD
The all-rounder pushed his case for a Test recall as he became only the second Worcestershire player to score a double ton and take five wickets or more in an innings in a Championship match.
Ali (6-49) took two of the four remaining Yorkshire wickets on day four, bowling David Willey (5) before having Matt Fisher (0) caught behind three balls later, to finish with eight in the match as Worcestershire secured victory.
Another spinner pushing for an England Test recall is Somerset's Jack Leach, having bowled his side to a 45-run over Essex at Taunton, finishing with astonishing figures of 8-85 from 48 overs. SCORECARD
Chasing a daunting 336 to win, Essex were well-placed at 147-1 overnight, and while Tom Westley (56) soon joined Nick Browne (86) through to fifty early on day four, the pair fell within four balls of each other to turn the game - Browne became Leach's first of seven victims on the day, while Westley fell lbw to Jamie Overton.
Essex captain Ryan ten Doeschate too fired fifty, again taking the team to within striking distance of their target at 256-4, but Leach then bowled him and ran through the lower order as the final six wickets fell for only 34 runs.
Kyle Abbott returned his best bowling figures of the season as Hampshire alleviated their relegation worries by claiming a 270-run victory over Nottinghamshire. SCORECARD
Abbott took 4-36 runs as the hosts took the final six Notts wickets needed before lunch on the final day at The Ageas Bowl.
The visitors had been handed the unenviable task of batting out 96 last-day overs to save a draw - having been set an improbable 511 to win - and while captain Steven Mullaney (50) and Riki Wessels (69) both notched fifties, there was little resistance from the rest of the order as they were bowled out for 240.
In Division Two, Sussex leapfrogged Kent into the second promotion spot as they wrapped up a 243-run victory over Derbyshire at Hove. SCORECARD
Slow-left-armer Danny Briggs took 3-41, while Jofra Archer (2-21) and Ollie Robinson (2-36) pitched in with a pair of strikes each as Derbyshire were bundled out for 161.
Meanwhile, Middlesex edged out Northamptonshire by 31 runs on a thrilling final day, despite having been forced to follow on. SCORECARD
Resuming on 374-9 overnight, Middlesex's second innings lasted only three more balls, with James Harris stranded on 79 not out as Rory Kleinveldt bowled Tim Murtagh, leaving Northants with 216 to chase.
But, the home side came up short, skittled for 184, despite Ricardo Vasconcelos (52) adding to his first-innings hundred with a half century. Murtagh took 5-38 to help Middlesex to victory that keeps them in the promotion hunt.
Watch all four Vitality Blast quarter-finals on Sky Sports Cricket, starting with Kent v Lancashire from 6pm on Thursday.
