Monday 15 June 2015 20:27, UK
England Test captain Alastair Cook made 80 as Essex batted through day two of their LV=County Championship Division Two clash against Derbyshire to build a huge lead.
Replying to 148, Essex closed on 449-8 at Chelmsford, to lead by 301, and they are firmly on course to claim their second Championship win of the season.
The hosts resumed on 108-0 and Nick Browne (60) and Cook took their opening stand to 134 before Browne was trapped lbw by Wayne White (4-102).
Cook, who started the day with 50 to his name, looked so at ease that a century in his first Championship outing of the campaign appeared inevitable but, having moved to 80 with the help of 10 boundaries, he was bowled by off-spinner Wes Durston.
However, the runs continued to flow for the hosts as Tom Westley (43) and Ravi Bopara (57) added 62 for the third wicket.
And, although none of the home batsmen were able to go on and reach three figures, there were also very useful contributions from Jesse Ryder (52), James Foster (51 not out) and Graham Napier (35).
Essex opener Browne said: “I was disappointed to get out because, when I arrived at the ground this morning, I was dreaming of another century to add to the couple I got last year against Derbyshire.
"But that's the game. The important thing as an opener is to get through the new ball and set things up for the run-scorers in the middle of the order and that's what's happened today."
Elsewhere, second-placed Surrey posted a first-day score of 289 for six against Glamorgan at Guildford thanks to a century from Arun Harinath (120) at the top of the order.
Harinath got his ton off 157 balls including 13 fours, while fellow opener Zafar Ansari (91 not out) will continue his knock on Tuesday.
Harinath was only playing because of Rory Burns' unfortunate accident on Sunday, but struck the fourth century of his career and dominated an opening partnership of 208 with Ansari.
After electing to bat, Surrey's openers were seldom in trouble, but in the penultimate over before lunch Harinath was reprieved when he was dropped at second slip off Michael Hogan.
The first-wicket pair went on to share a partnership of 208, just four runs short of the record for that wicket for Surrey against Glamorgan - set by Alan Butcher and John Edrich at Cardiff in 1977.
Surrey were without six regular players, including such key figures as Kumar Sangakkara, Steven Davies, Jason Roy, Burns and Henriques.
The latter pair were ruled out after a very nasty collision between them in a T20 match on Sunday.
Graham Wagg (2-67) and David Lloyd (2-40) took two wickets apiece as Glamorgan hit back by taking six wickets in the final session.
Leaders Lancashire are in a good position once again, having reached 314-4 at stumps on day two at Old Trafford, after bowling Leicestershire out for 207 on the first day.
Karl Brown narrowly missed out on a first county championship ton since early 2011 but his composed knock still ensured Lancashire reached the halfway stage in total control.
The 27-year-old right-hander hit 14 fours and a six in 231 balls from the top of the order as the Division Two leaders responded strongly to Leicestershire's first-innings 207 all out with 314 for four from 96 overs at the close on day
two.
Brown shared in half-century stands or better for Lancashire's first three wickets before falling lbw to Ben Raine in the first hour of the evening, leaving the score at 248 for three in the 76th over.
He added 91 inside 32 overs with opening partner Paul Horton before lunch, 83 inside 25 with Alviro Petersen through the majority of the afternoon and 74 inside 20 either side of tea with Ashwell Prince.
Horton made 54 off 104 balls, Petersen 46 off 65 and Prince an unbeaten 74 off 110.
