Wednesday 3 September 2014 18:31, UK
Matt Coles and Sean Ervine each took three cheap wickets as Hampshire took a giant step towards promotion by crushing Leicestershire by an innings and 34 runs at the Ageas Bowl.
Coles took 3-67 to give him seven for the match and Ervine, an occasional bowler these days, took two wickets in his first over to finish with 3-22. But in truth the resistance they encountered was late and spasmodic.
Leicestershire were second best throughout and now have three matches in which to prevent an unenviable statistic of going through a season without a win for the second successive year. On the evidence of their last-day capitulation, all out for 160 in the south coast sunshine, it is going to be difficult.
Hampshire's sixth win and with it 24 points was achieved even though only 10 overs were possible on the second day because of rain and bad light.
Victorious captain Jimmy Adams said:' 'Our seamers worked hard for their rewards and their efforts were complemented by our slip catching, which was excellent.
"For a while we held every half-chance and made it a great day for us. The early wickets put Leicestershire under immense pressure and we went from there.
"We had a few draws in mid-season but now we have put together back-to-back wins to put ourselves in the frame. With two matches to go we are in a great position."
The second century of Graham Wagg's 12-year county career saved Glamorgan from defeat at Canterbury and all but put paid to Kent's second division promotion hopes.
The one-time Warwickshire and Derbyshire all-rounder hit a career-best 116 not out to help Glamorgan bat out the final day and reach 415-9 - an advantage of 357 - before the sides agreed on the stalemate.
Kent's sole century-maker of the match Sam Northeast said the hosts were disappointed not to secure a win.
He said: "I'm glad to have got over the line to three figures, but equally I'm disappointed not to have gone on to score a big one that would have given us a better chance of enforcing the victory.
"The pitch lost a bit of life as the game went on and although we had them where we wanted them going into today we couldn't quite capitalise on our chances. There was no talk of a deal because we felt we could win this game the right way, but it just didn't quite happen for us."
Having seen his side bank nine points for the draw, Glamorgan coach Toby Radford praised the contribution of his senior pairing of Mark Wallace and Wagg.
"We were really up against it when we lost two early wickets," said Radford: "But Wallace hung in there well and batted time, David Lloyd showed some maturity for a youngster in chipping in with 41 then 'Waggy' stole the show.
"People will look at scorecard in the papers and think this was a dull old draw, but either side of lunch we were batting for our lives out there. If we'd lost one or two quick ones after lunch it would have been an easy chase and an easy win for Kent, but the guys showed a lot of character."
Worcestershire's promotion hopes were dented by Derbyshire when an inspired career-best spell of spin bowling from Wes Durston sent them crashing to a 138-run defeat.
The Division Two leaders collapsed dramatically after tea in pursuit of a target of 268 and were bowled out for 129 runs to give Derbyshire a third consecutive championship victory for the first time since 2002.
Durston took 5-19 to condemn Worcestershire to a second consecutive defeat after Derbyshire skipper Wayne Madsen had set his side up with 98 out of 296 with New Zealand seamer Mitchell McClenaghan taking 5-78.
Madsen, who was dropped by Richard Oliver at square leg of Charlie Morris on 13, moved through the gears in the morning, scoring 76 of Derbyshire's 123 that gave them a 239-run lead at lunch.
Derbyshire scented victory when Durston had Joe Leach caught at slip pushing forward in his next over to leave Worcestershire on the ropes at 89-6 with 29 overs remaining.
Shaaiq Choudhry became Durston's fourth victim when he was caught at silly point and Durston held a sharp slip catch in the next over when Ben Cox edged David Wainwright.
Jack Shantry and Mitchell McClenaghan held out for 13.2 overs but Durston switched ends and had Shantry pouched at short leg before Chesney Hughes bowled McClenaghan with 10.2 overs remaining.
Worcestershire's director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "Derbyshire got the toss right and selection right with two spinners coming into their own as the wicket really turned and bounced and they outplayed us and certainly deserved to win.
"If we had held a few catches they wouldn't have got the score they would have done and we lost our top order within 25 overs and you are really struggling then to survive."
