Image source, Rex Features

What an extraordinary Saturday it has been...

14 wickets fell at New Road on the opening day of Worcestershire's basement-battle against Durham on friday but that was just a warm-up for today, which produced another 20.

Durham's bowlers proved the difference on a helpful track as they whipped the Pears out for just 81 inside 24 overs after lunch to tee up a 108-run chase this evening, which they achieved with six wickets to spare to collect their first win of the season.

Notts will hope to strengthen their grip at the top of Division One tomorrow by polishing off Sussex in the morning and then completing a modest chase of their own, while in the other Division One game champions Surrey have built a slender lead over Somerset at the midway point as they seek their first win.

In Division Two Middlesex face a battle to save the game at Derby after former player Martin Andersson hit a career-best 107 in new club Derbyshire's 472, with the visitors already three down and with Leus Du Plooy retired hurt in their reply.

Bristol is setting up a thriller, I can sense it, with Gloucestershire 78 ahead of Leicestershire with eight wickets in hand ahead of day three.

The hosts are winless in 12 games at their home ground dating back to September 2022, but could that run end this week?

We'll be back at 10:45 BST tomorrow to watch all the drama unfold.

Thanks for your company today, we'll see you again tomorrow!

Enjoy your evening!

Division One

Surrey 321-7 Burns 76, Smith 58 v Somerset 283

Notts 300 - Hameed 85, Robinson 4-94 v Sussex 169 & 195-7 - Haines 64, O'Neill 3-60

Worcestershire 162 & 81 - Raine 4-20, Codi Yusuf 4-26 v Durham 136 & 108-4 - Durham win by six wickets

Division Two

Gloucestershire 252 & 88-2 Ollie Price 43 v Leicestershire 262 - Hill 55, Goodman 5-54

Derbyshire 472 - Andersson 107 v Middlesex 101-3 - Tickner 2-23

Single to John Simpson off Fergus O'Neill to fine leg.

Jack Carson pushes safely into the off side.

He nudges a wider ball behind square on the off side for two.

Carson blocks out the last ball and that's a wrap.

Sussex lead by 64 after a bright start from the openers was thwarted in the main by Fergus O'Neill (3-60) and Farhan Ahmed (2-48) while Josh Tongue continues to show plenty of promise with some hostile deliveries and the wicket of James Coles for 16.

Tongue played a vital role with the bat too, adding 71 runs with Liam Patterson-White and helping Notts to 300 from the depths of 210-8.

Notts have wrested control of this game away from Sussex and will fully expect to force a win tomorrow.

But don't write Sussex off just yet. John Simpson is still there for a calmly compiled 35 not out.

Two overs left tonight and Sussex lead by 60.

Notts have the upper hand but Sussex aren't out of it yet if this eighth-wicket pair can see out the day.

Farhan Ahmed is into his 19th over of the innings and John Simpson sweeps the third ball square for one.

A heart in mouth moment for Jack Carson, who follows a leg side ball and nearly taps it to leg slip but survives the over.

Ahmed ends Day Two with 2-48 off 19 overs and looks far too good an off spinner for the tender age of 17. He's a real prospect for sure.

Fergus O'Neill will see out the day at the other end.

This one is bubbling up beautifully, with Leicestershire picking up the prize wicket of Ollie Price for 43 in the final couple of overs of the day.

Ian Holland, Lewis Hill and Ben Cox made gritty fifties to drag Leicestershire to a batting point and a 10-run first innings lead this afternoon, though the returning Dom Goodman picked up 5-54 in his first action for the hosts since September.

Price and Cam Bancroft wiped out the deficit after Holland ousted Ben Charlesworth early-on (he later collected Price too) and Bancroft (36*) and nightwatcher Goodman will resume in the morning aiming to build on the lead of 78 they have amassed this evening.

Kasey Aldridge will bowl the last over of Day Two.

A full toss surprises Dan Lawrence and he bunts it gently to mid on for no run.

Single to Lawrence second ball to leg.

A swish and a miss by Gus Atkinson to a ball that keeps low and goes through to the keeper.

He's beaten outside off going forward and taps the last ball to mid wicket for one to see out the day.

The game is on a knife edge with the odd ball keeping low and Surrey have compiled a precious lead of 38.

Fine and contrasting half centuries from a busy Rory Burns, a patient Dom Sibley and an imperious Jamie Smith.

A superb new ball burst from Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory to prize out Ben Foakes and Ryan Patel, while Migael Pretorius accounted for Jordan Clark.

Surrey just about have the better of Day Two but this game could still go either way.

Four runs for Jack Carson via a flick behind square leg off the bowling of Brett Hutton.

Fergus O'Neill is back on at the other end and his second ball is clipped away by Carson for four more.

Sussex lead by 54.

Middlesex limp to stumps with three wickets gone and Leus Du Plooy having retired hurt after a painful blow on the foot from Luis Reece.

They are 371 behind and face a battle to avoid the follow-on as their first task.

Ryan Higgins and Blake Cullen will return in the morning but today belonged to their former teammate Martin Andersson who amassed a career-best 107, his second century in three matches, in his new side's mammoth 472.

Atkinson off the mark in stylepublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 26 April

18:20 BST 26 April

Surrey 316-7 v Somerset 283

Single to Dan Lawrence off Kasey Aldridge and Gus Atkinson is off the mark third ball with a swivel-pull over deep backward square for six!

Pressure? What pressure?

Four runs driven through extra cover two balls later.

Brett Hutton is back in the attack which will be a relief for Notts after he pulled up in the middle of an over this afternoon.

He bowls with a bit of width and John Simpson leaves it outside off.

Simpson tries to work the last ball to leg and nearly gets a leading edge to the fielder at cover.

Maiden over.

Image source, Rex Features

Ollie Price (38*, pictured) and Cam Bancroft (32*) have added 69 for the second Gloucestershire wicket so far at Bristol, where the hosts are 78-1 and 68 ahead of Leicestershire.

Just what the hosts needed as they try to set up a first win at their HQ since September 2022.

Six overs remain in the day.

Dan Lawrence turns a full ball from Kasey Aldridge leg side to take Surrey to 300 and a second batting point in the 92nd over.

Four overs left tonight.

Hazy sunshine and lengthening shadows over the Oval field as Migael Pretorius bowls to Jordan Clark, who rides the bounce and pushes the ball through backward point for four.

A full delivery is slashed through extra cover and a brilliant stop on the boundary from Tom Banton keeps it to two.

Great cricket all round. Surrey 14 ahead.

Dave Bracegirdle
BBC Radio Nottingham commentator

I have to say, that is not very clever cricket from Fynn Hudson-Prentice.

He came dancing down the track and just couldn't negotiate the ball.

He's out-bowled.

Another blow for Middlesex as Leus Du Plooy has retired hurt on 10* at Derby, with Blake Cullen coming out to nightwatch with six overs left in the day.

He joins Ryan Higgins (15*) with Stephen Eskinazi (27), Nathan Fernandes (16) and Max Holden (15) already back in the hutch.

The visitors remain 386 adrift of the hosts' mammoth 472 and face a battle to avoid the follow-on.

Dan Lawrence gets his fourth boundary with four runs driven through cover off the bowling of Migael Pretorius.

Six ahead now with seven overs left.

Four runs to John Simpson, beating Fergus O'Neill to the fence as he clips Josh Tongue through mid wicket to stretch the lead to 28.

Four more runs two balls later, driven through long on.

Tongue bowls a quick bumper and Simpson leans back to protect his nose, then ducks under another bouncer to see out the over.

Frank Watson
BBC Hereford & Worcester

Done and dusted in two days.

Worcestershire had a first innings lead of 26 but were shot out for just 81 this afternoon.

Worcestershire have a lot of reflection to do after this one.