Wednesday 17 September 2014 07:28, UK
Hampshire began their penultimate fixture as strong favourites to make sure of the second promotion spot from Division Two of the County Championship, but their problems at home to Kent and an Essex victory have complicated the equations.
Opener Daniel Bell-Drummond batted for almost seven-and-a-half hours in Southampton, taking his career-best to 153 after he and Sam Northeast (128) extended their fourth-wicket partnership to 244.
They could add only a combined 31 to their first-day hundreds. But wicketkeeper Sam Billings (92) took over - and even though Matt Coles took 4-84 against his former employers, Kent's first innings was worth 507.
Hampshire then closed day two on 127-3, James Vince contributing a vaulable 64 not out after Jimmy Adams (26) and Liam Dawson (19) failed to capitalise on starts.
Essex completed victory by an innings and 79 runs over bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire inside two days, but passed up two precious batting points despite a second successive hundred from captain James Foster in their 334 all out, a first-innings lead of 196.
The win was the fifth in the last six games for Essex and provided a boost to their promotion hopes as they closed the gap on second-placed Hampshire with one match to go.
Leicestershire were bowled out for 117 in 38.5 overs in their second innings, with the last six wickets falling for just four runs in five overs. The humiliating defeat stretched Leicestershire's winless run in the championship to 31 games.
David Masters, Jesse Ryder and 21-year-old Jamie Porter took three wickets each as Leicestershire collapsed from 48-0 , losing all 10 wickets in the space of 25 overs.
Jason Roy hit an aggressive 81 from 86 balls to lead a Surrey counter-attack on the second day against Derbyshire.
Roy's thrilling strokeplay either side of tea transformed a contest which seemed to be Derbyshire's for the taking when they had reduced Surrey to 114-5 in their second innings, after earlier reaching 210 themselves for a 29-run first innings lead.
But with Arun Harinath supporting him solidly with 42, in a sixth wicket stand worth 122, Roy quickly took control on a pitch on which 25 wickets had tumbled in a day-and-a-half.
Surrey, bowled out for 279 just before stumps, have set Derbyshire 251 for victory on day three.
