Thursday 19 June 2014 00:01, UK
Jos Buttler's first century for Lancashire was not enough to propel the Red Rose to victory as they suffered a 27-run LV= County Championship defeat to Durham at Chester-le-Street.
Buttler, England's limited-overs wicketkeeper-batsman, did his chances of Test recognition no harm with an unbeaten 100 off 131 balls, but his county slipped into the bottom two of Division One after an agonising defeat.
The visitors appeared to be on course for victory when Buttler and Steven Croft put on 129 for the fifth wicket to lead their side to 203-5 in pursuit of 340.
However, Durham fought back and Chris Rushworth's four-wicket haul, including last man Simon Kerrigan, gave them an overdue triumph.
Elsewhere, Jonny Bairstow batted through the third day at Arundel to score his first Championship hundred since April 2011 and put Yorkshire in a position to force victory against Sussex.
The 23-year-old, who lost his England place to Matt Prior after playing in the last two Tests of the Ashes campaign, showed great powers of concentration on a slow pitch which inhibited his attacking style.
When Yorkshire declared on 471-7 with ten overs of the day remaining Bairstow had compiled a chanceless 161 with his side 154 runs in front.
Sussex openers Chris Nash and Luke Wells survived to reduce their arrears by 21 at stumps but Yorkshire will feel they can still force victory on the final day, especially with Sussex captain Ed Joyce, who was off the field for much of the day with a sore hamstring, unable to bat until No.7.
While Bairstow celebrated there was agony for Jack Leaning who fell one short of a maiden hundred in only his fifth first-class match. Leaning nonetheless departed to a standing ovation after facing 257 balls and hitting 12 fours.
Steve Magoffin finished with 4-81 from 42 overs and Sussex's fielding remained solid even though they had been in the field for the best part of six sessions with wicketkeeper Ben Brown conceding a solitary bye in 173 overs.
Finally, Warwickshire recorded an innings victory as they saw off Northamptonshire on the final day at the County Ground.
The home side, who resumed on 51-3, resisted for the best part of two sessions, but could not deny the superior visitors who dismissed them for 185 shortly before tea to win by an innings and 105 runs.
Chris Woakes, who did the initial damage last night, finished with 4- 53 and he was assisted by Jeetan Patel who took 3-45.
