Thursday 21 May 2015 10:46, UK
Warwickshire took control of their clash with Durham at Edgbaston after reducing the visitors to 50-3 in reply to their own 450.
Beginning the day on 417-7 after rain wiped out the morning session, the hosts lost Jeetan Patel (58) to a run-out and although the lower order could do little to trouble the scoreboard, they hung around long enough to see Keith Barker to an unbeaten 102. Barker hit 12 fours and a six while watching three fall at the other end in eight overs.
Graham Onions did his England hopes no harm with figures of 5-85 in the innings, his 22nd five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, but Durham soon contributed to their own downfall with some careless dismissals.
Both openers were caught in the deep on the leg side with Richard Jones the beneficiary as Mark Stoneman top-edged a pull to long-leg before Scott Borthwick scooped to deep square.
In between those wickets, Keaton Jennings edged Barker to first slip to leave Durham with much work to do reach the 301 follow-on figure.
Great, no doubt, was their relief when the last 11 overs of the day were lopped off after rain was detected nearby, the umpires directed the players off and the full covers were rolled out to lay there in dry weather for some time, in which probably half a dozen overs could have been bowled.
At Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire crawled to 195-8 at stumps, losing six wickets in the 44 overs that were possible having begun the rain-affected second day on 57-2 in reply to Somerset's first-innings 312.
Craig Overton was the pick of the bowlers, taking the wickets of Chris Read, Vernon Philander and Luke Wood to leave Somerset in the ascendancy.
Heavy overnight and morning rain prevented any play before 3.25pm, but under improving skies Lewis Gregory earned his side a first bowling point - trapping Brendan Taylor in front for 22 - the third lbw decision of the innings.
After Riki Wessels fell for just eight, the situation might have been even worse for Notts but for a great show of sportsmanship from Alex Barrow, Somerset's wicketkeeper, who dived to gather a leg side nick from James Taylor from the bowling of Tim Groenewald.
Umpire Tim Robinson, at the bowler's end, raised the finger as Somerset appealed loudly but after a period of consultation it appeared that Barrow acknowledged that he had not taken it cleanly and the batsman was allowed to remain at the crease.
Taylor could not capitalise though, bowled shortly afterwards by Groenewald for 45.
Overton followed up his first day heroics with the bat, where he scored 55 from 31 deliveries, by taking the final three wickets of the day - taking sharp return catches to send back both Chris Read and Luke Wood either side of bowling Vernon Philander.
Samit Patel survived until the close, with 35 to his name, with Nottinghamshire still five runs short of securing their first batting point.
Hampshire and Middlesex were the first to get any play in on Monday as the rain cleared from the south and after resuming on 295-5 at the AGEAS Bowl, the hosts looked to be heading to a formidable score at 388-6, before the loss of Gareth Berg for 50 prompted a collapse that saw them lose their last four wickets for 25 runs.
Neil Dexter was the man who did the damage, taking all four to wrap up figures of 5-64 from his 27.2 overs.
Middlesex are 102-3 in reply, still 311 runs adrift, with out-of-form Sam Robson bowled by Bradley Wheal for just 10 before Nick Gubbins was trapped in front by Fidel Edwards.
Nick Compton (32no) and Joe Burns (38) added 69 for the third wicket, but Sean Ervine had the latter caught behind with what proved to be the last ball of the day.
