COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE ROUNDUP: Tom Taylor took 4 for 42 at Utilita Bowl as Worcestershire require seven wickets on the final day for an innings victory over Hampshire
Southampton (day three of four): Worcestershire 679-7 dec, Hampshire 221 & 86-3 - Hampshire trail Worcestershire by 372 runs with seven wickets remaining
Tom Taylor led an exemplary Worcestershire bowling performance as Hampshire wilted in the sun to head towards an innings defeat in the Rothesay County Championship.
Fast bowler Taylor belied a flat wicket, a Kookaburra ball and searing heat to claim 4 for 42 in 19 tireless overs.
Related: Surrey's Dom Sibley-inspired epic forges potential path to victory
Adam Finch and Worcestershire debutant Callum Parkinson also snared two wickets each to bowl Hampshire out for 221, a colossal 458-run deficit in reply to 679.
Following on, Finch and Parkinson then took centre stage to crash through the Hampshire top three again as Hampshire stuttered to 86 for 3 at close, still 372 runs behind.
Surrey's Dan Worrall enjoyed a good day as the hosts chipped away at Durham (Getty Images)
Kia Oval (day three of four): Surrey 820-9 dec, Durham 343-9 - Durham trail by 477 runs with one wicket remaining
A brilliant three-wicket burst with the second new ball by Dan Worrall resurrected Surrey's victory ambitions just when it looked as if Alex Lees and Ollie Robinson's 152-run stand had raised Durham's hopes of being able to force a draw at the Kia Oval.
Lees scored a superb 125 and Robinson a 105-ball 79 as Durham eventually reached 343 for nine by stumps on day three, but earlier both fell to paceman Worrall, as did New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, in a slide from 266 for 3 to 284 for 7.
When Matt Fisher removed George Drissell with the last ball before tea, Durham had lost four wickets for 29 runs in 12 overs immediately before the interval.
Afterwards, though, Graham Clark and Matthew Potts added 46 for the eighth wicket in 25 overs to hold up Surrey again as the Kookaburra ball lost its shine and hardness.
Potts resisted 79 balls for his 23, until Dan Lawrence spun an off break to pin him leg-before on the back foot, and then Worrall returned to hit Clark’s middle stump with his fifth ball back to end a defiant 30.
A hobbling Ben Raine, injured when bowling on day one, bravely emerged at No.11 to keep Daniel Hogg company until the end of play, with Hogg even taking two fours off Fisher in the closing overs.
Hove (day three of four): Warwickshire 415 & 88-1, Sussex 533 - Warwickshire trail by 30 runs with nine wickets remaining
James Coles made 150, and there were six wickets for Warwickshire off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, but despite their efforts, Sussex's Rothesay County Championship match against Warwickshire is heading for a draw.
Coles' second successive Championship hundred helped Sussex take a first-innings lead of 118 after their first innings ended on 433, 20 minutes after tea on day three.
Related: Kookaburra or not, silly shots bring wickets for both Yorkshire and Essex
James Coles made 150, but Sussex and Warwickshire appear to be heading towards a draw (Getty Images)
It left Warwickshire with 24 overs to get through to stumps, and they closed on 88 for one, losing Rob Yates for 11 when he inside-edged a fine ball from Ollie Robinson onto his middle stump.
Off-spinner Jack Carson nearly broke through late on, but Daniel Ibrahim put down a tough chance at short leg to reprieve skipper Alex Davies, who has so far added 66 with Tom Latham as Warwickshire closed 30 runs in arrears. But the effects of a slow pitch and the Kookaburra ball are likely to ensure a stalemate, especially with some rain in the forecast on the final day.
Lead Image: Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.