Tea at Northamptonpublished at 15:03 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 426 all out v Surrey 421
The fall of the last Northants wicket has prompted an early tea at Wantage Road.
Surrey's (unlikely) victory pursuit will begin after a cup of tea.
Summary
Title hopefuls Surrey go eight points clear at the top of Division One with draw at Northants
Warwickshire hang on for draw with Somerset in key game at bottom of table
Middlesex beat Glamorgan in key game in Division Two promotion race
Durham complete win over Leicestershire
Tea at Northamptonpublished at 15:03 BST 15 September 2022
NORTHANTS ALL OUT FOR 426published at 14:55 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 426 all out v Surrey 421
Ben Sanderson is bowled by Cameron Steel after he and Jack White had added 14 runs to the tally.
A terrific effort from Northants today, adding 217 runs to their lead.
Surrey must score 345 runs off 37 overs, at 9.3 per over, to claim an unlikely victory.
for Tom Alsoppublished at 14:48 BST 15 September 2022
Sussex 220 & 233-4 v Worcestershire 438-5 dec
Brett D'Oliveira drops short and Tom Alsop helps it to the boundary to bring up his century.
That is Alsop's fourth of the Championship season and eighth of his first-class career - he really has been a good signing for Sussex since joining from Hampshire.
Image source, Getty ImagesSussex leadpublished at 14:41 BST 15 September 2022
Sussex 220 & 221-4 v Worcestershire 438-5 dec
Tom Alsop hits Ben Gibbon to the boundary and takes his side into the lead as well as brings up the 50 partnership with Ollie Carter.
Alsop is into the nineties and a hundred looks in the offing for the Sussex batter.
WICKET Zaib c T Curran b Patel 124published at 14:39 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 412-9 v Surrey 421
Saif Zaib had hit two sixes off Ryan Patel's over and he goes for a third, only to be caught by Tom Curran right on the deep square leg boundary.
There ends a magnificent innings from Zaib. He came to the crease at 161-5 when Northants were right up against it.
it came off 204 balls with ten fours and two sixes and was a very valuable innings.
Image source, Getty ImagesWICKET - Davies c Goldsworthy b Aldridge 58published at 14:38 BST 15 September 2022
Warwickshire 132-3, set 364 to beat Somerset
Two wickets in successive Kasey Aldridge overs.
As so often happens when any stand ends, Batter B follows Batter A back the hutch.
In this case, Alex Davies who holes out for 58, just 14 balls after Dom Sibley's legside boundary rope departure.
Skipper Will Rhodes comes in to join Sam Hain. The run rate is still only above five an over. Don't panic Bears!
For now, it is simply a case, as The Queen used to say, of keeping calm and carrying on.
Postpublished at 14:34 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 406-8 v Surrey 421
Saif Zaib gets an easy single off Cameron Steel and that sees the total reach 400.
Next over, he helps a short one from Ryan Patel for a maximum.
Northants do not look like surrendering these last two wickets.
WICKET - Sibley c Davey b Aldridge 54published at 14:29 BST 15 September 2022
Warwickshire 125-2, set 364 to beat Somerset
Words you never thought you'd read . . . Dom Sibley caught on the deep square leg boundary.
Somerset skipper Tom Abell places a man back on the rope, Kasey Aldridge serves up the ideal delivery, Sibley swings the bat and picks out that man, Josh Davey, who never had to move.
Sibley is furious. Somerset are cock-a-hoop.
Sam Hain is is the new man and survives an LBW shout second ball, followed by Lewis Goldsworthy then spilling a decent chance over his head off Alex Davies when cut over point.
The Somerset gander is suddenly up.
WICKET Williams lbw b Roach 30published at 14:20 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 387-8 v Surrey 421
Has this come too late for Surrey?
Lizaad Williams is trapped in front by Kemar Roach and the eighth-wicket partnership is broken.
Williams goes for 30, having added 71 with Saif Zaib and they have really put Surrey up against it in terms of forcing a victory.
Dom Sibley's 50th 50published at 14:18 BST 15 September 2022
Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 120-1
Image source, Getty ImagesDom Sibley goes to his 50 for the 50th time in first-class cricket.
244 needed, from 48 overs. Alex Davies on 53. Sibley on 52.
Do-able?
Lead over 300published at 14:18 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 386-7 v Surrey 421
There is a droop in the shoulders of the Surrey bowlers and fielders as the Northants lead passes 300.
Lizaad WIlliams gets in on the act as he flays a weary Gus Atkinson for four.
for Saif Zaibpublished at 14:14 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 380-7 v Surrey 421
Saif Zaib deservedly punches the air as he gets the three needed to bring up his hundred.
It is only the second first-class century of the 24-year-old's career and it has come in his first Championship game since early May.
He is the fifth centurion of the match, and has probably done enough to ensure Northants draw this game.
Alex Davies's half-century at Edgbastonpublished at 14:12 BST 15 September 2022
Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 115-1
Alex Davies has raced past Dom Sibley since lunch at Edgbaston to be first to his half-century.
It's Davies's third of a generally disappointing summer since his move from Lancashire.
He is on 51 and Sibley on 49 - and the Bears still need another 249 to win.
Postpublished at 14:11 BST 15 September 2022
Sussex 220 & 193-4 v Worcestershire 438-5 dec
Tom Alsop has been joined by Ollie Carter and these two are doing their best to take the sting out of this game.
Sussex are moving closer to parity in this one.
Hundred up for Bearspublished at 14:07 BST 15 September 2022
Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 106-1
Alex Davies hoists the Warwickshire 100 with a straight six off spinner Sajid Khan.
It is the Bears' first of the match - and Davies's fourth of the season, some way behind their chief Championship six hitter, Michael Burgess, who has hit 14 of the Bears' 32 maximums this season. But they are still down on their usual numbers - and have been tonked for over 50 sixes themselves.
Davies is now on 44, Dom Sibley is on 47.
Warwickshire still need a further 258 runs to win
Surrey missing Jacks' spin optionpublished at 14:06 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 376-7 v Surrey 421
From 114-4 and 161-5, this is quite some effort from the Northants batters.
The Surrey attack has been blunted and they are certainly missing the off-spin of Will Jacks, who is in Pakistan with the England T20 squad.
Jacks has been an ever-present in their Championship side and without him, they have only had the part-time spin of Cameron Steel.
Matty Potts in the form of his life - Nixonpublished at 13:58 BST 15 September 2022
Durham (296 & 108-3, 21 pts) beat Leicestershire (202 & 198, 4 pts) by seven wickets
Durham match-winner Matty Potts' career-best figures of 13-101 were the key factor in Leicestershire suffering their eighth defeat in 12 games this season.
And, after becoming only the second county side to have to face England paceman Potts since his Test call-up in May, Leicestershire head coach Paul Nixon felt perhaps a bit unlucky,
“We came up against a bowler in Matthew Potts who is in the form of his life," he said. "It was a wonderful performance to take 13 wickets in the match. Hats off to him. He put the ball in good areas and asked questions of our batsmen and we weren’t good enough.
Image source, Rex FeaturesImage caption, Matty Potts took 6-52 in the first innings at Leicester, then a career-best 7-49 in the second
“Durham had the best of the conditions and they exploited them, but we can’t be 74-1 and 97-2 and be 200 all out. You don’t win matches like that.“There were good individual performances. Mikey Finan is a quick learner and looked a really high-class county bowler in that spell on Wednesday evening. But we batted poorly in the second innings. We were weak.”
Leicestershire have two more chances to win a game this season - at home to promotion-chasing Middlesex next week, then away to Derbyshire, as they bid to avoid another entire winless season, as happened in both 2013 and 2017.
50 stand for Sibley and Daviespublished at 13:52 BST 15 September 2022
Somerset 219 & 340-7 dec, Warwickshire 196 & 86-1
Dom Sibley is on 44 and Alex Davies on 27 as Warwickshire's second-wicket pair complete a 50 partnership.
At 86-1, the Bears still need another 278 to win this relegation tussle with Somerset. A long way to go.
50 partnershippublished at 13:50 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 367-7 v Surrey 421
A glorious on-drive from Saif Zaib is probably the shot of the day.
He follows up with a single off Dan Worrall and he is now up to 93.
Lizaad Williams then helps himself to an easy two and that brings up the 50 partnership between the pair.
Roach back onpublished at 13:45 BST 15 September 2022
Northants 339 & 358-7 v Surrey 421
Kemar Roach has been thrown the ball by captain Rory Burns.
Perhaps a surprise that he has not been used since lunch, given Surrey are getting desperate for these wickets.