Moeen Ali switches to medium-pace bowling, Warwickshire close in on Division Two title
Saturday 29 September 2018 09:16, UK
Somerset skipper Tom Abell took a remarkable hat-trick as the County Championship runners-up forced Nottinghamshire to follow on at Trent Bridge.
Abell - who bowled just nine balls without conceding a run - dismissed Luke Fletcher, Matt Carter and Harry Gurney in consecutive deliveries to wrap up the Notts innings for 133, with Craig Overton taking 4-27. SCORECARD
James Hildreth's knock of 137 had enabled Somerset to post 463 all out and the home side - whose Division One survival was guaranteed when Lancashire failed to collect a third batting bonus point against Hampshire - reached 115-3 at stumps, still trailing by 215.
Simon Harmer's maiden century for Essex kept the visitors in a commanding position as they amassed a colossal first-innings lead of 410 against champions Surrey at the Oval. SCORECARD
Harmer hit 102 not out after Tom Westley's 134 had laid the foundations for Essex to declare on 477-8, despite losing Adam Wheater to injury after he was struck on the hand by a ball from Morne Morkel.
Michael Pepper took over the wicketkeeper's gloves from Wheater for Surrey's second innings, with the home side - who still remain 322 behind - reaching 88-1 at the close.
Gary Ballance advanced towards a double century as Yorkshire edged ahead in their game against relegated Worcestershire at New Road. SCORECARD
Ballance, who shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 171 with Jack Brooks (82), remained unbeaten on 189 at the close, with Yorkshire 417-9 in reply to the home side's total of 340.
Brooks was eventually caught behind off Moeen Ali - the Worcestershire all-rounder abandoning his usual off-spinning mode to bowl medium pace and being rewarded with figures of 2-44.
Dominic Sibley's century cemented Warwickshire's advantage in their Division Two title decider against Kent at Edgbaston as the Bears built a strong first-innings lead. SCORECARD
Sibley hit 119, while Jonathan Trott - who was given a guard of honour on his way to the crease for the last time in first-class cricket - bowed out with just eight in Warwickshire's total of 380.
Kent closed on 38-1 in their second innings, still 175 short of making the home side bat again.
Ben Curran's unbeaten 83 enabled Northamptonshire to complete a six-wicket victory over Sussex inside two days at Wantage Road. SCORECARD
The visitors were rolled over for 118 in their second innings, with Ben Cotton taking 5-48, and Curran then shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 90 with Adam Rossington (51no) to seal Northants' triumph.
Derbyshire all-rounder Luis Reece - who missed much of the season through injury - returned career-best figures of 7-20 as they set Gloucestershire a target of 179 in a low-scoring game at Derby. SCORECARD
The visitors were bowled out for 163 before Alex Hughes hit an unbeaten 55 in Derbyshire's second innings total of 157. Gloucestershire closed on 29-2 to set up an intriguing third day.
A second-wicket stand of 159 between Nick Gubbins and Stevie Eskinazi guided Middlesex back into contention as they wiped out Durham's first-innings lead at Chester-le-Street. SCORECARD
Gareth Harte's 112 underpinned the home side's total of 310, but Gubbins (90no) and Eskinazi - who fell to Matt Salisbury four runs short of a century - steered Middlesex to 255-2, a lead of 66.
Rock-bottom Glamorgan opted not to enforce the follow-on as they chased only their second red-ball win of the season against Leicestershire at Cardiff. SCORECARD
Craig Meschede and Timm van der Gugten both scored half-centuries and took two wickets apiece as Leicestershire were shot out for 132, with the Welsh side reaching 106-4 in their second innings - a lead of 333.
