Surrey's Rory Burns shows off skills with 157 against Essex

Rory Burns smashed a fine century for Surrey against Essex at Colchester as spinners continued to dominate proceedings.

Burns hit 22 fours in a 233-ball innings to help Surrey reach 301-7 by stumps on day two, still trailing the home side by 68 runs.

His innings was a vital one as no other Surrey batsman made more than 37, Monty Panesar claiming three wickets as Essex's most successful bowler on Saturday.

Panesar finished with figures of 3-95 after bowling 30 overs on a red-hot day, while young seamer James Porter claimed 2-68.

With Tom Westley and Aron Nijjar claiming a wicket apiece, five of the seven Surrey wickets to fall went to spinners, making it 12 from the 17 wickets so far in the match going to slow bowlers.

Captain Mark Cosgrove hit his first home century for Leicestershire as the Foxes passed 300 for the first time in 15 county championship innings against Derbyshire.

The Australian hit 15 fours and a six in going to his hundred off 114 deliveries before edging the following delivery, from Mark Footitt, to first slip, where opposite number Wayne Madsen held the catch.

Earlier Madsen had been left unbeaten on 172, made from 292 balls, after Derbyshire lost their two remaining first innings wickets in adding 25 runs to their overnight score of 320-8.

Footitt registered a first-class career best with the bat, scoring 31 before losing his middle stump to Charlie Shreck, and when last man Ben Cotton was bowled by Clint McKay for one, it left captain Madsen unbeaten.

The England squad member went on to claim the first three wickets to fall, reducing Leicestershire to 72-3, but Cosgrove and Niall O'Brien made sure there would be no collapse.

They put on 97 for the fifth wicket, a stand that proved vital, with Ireland 'keeper O'Brien scoring 60 before falling to Shiv Thakor (1-54).

Footitt finished with 4-49 and could find himself in the England side for the final Ashes Test if other bowlers are rested with the series already won.

Gloucestershire are within touching distance of their fifth County Championship win of the season after dismissing Glamorgan for 224 late on to leave themselves needing 108 for victory on the final day in Swansea.

After improving their overnight 301-6 to 416 and earning a first-innings lead of 117, Gloucestershire then hurried through the Glamorgan batting with seamers David Payne (4-50 and Kieran Noema-Barnett (3-28) doing much of the damage.

It might have been even worse for the hosts after they slumped to 165-9, but a last-wicket stand of 59 between Andrew Salter (38) and Michael Hogan (37 not out) denied Gloucestershire the chance to complete victory with a day to spare.

As things stand, though, the visitors will be confident of knocking off the runs they need on Sunday - weather permitting - to leave third-placed Glamorgan with a third successive Championship defeat, having won four of their previous five Division Two matches and drawn the other.