Friday 1 September 2017 13:42, UK
Lancashire batsman Liam Livingstone boosted his England Test chances with his maiden double hundred against Warwickshire at Old Trafford.
The 24-year-old started the day unbeaten on 41 and ended it unbeaten on 215 as the hosts took full control of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Warwickshire.
Livingstone, an England cap in the Twenty20 format, enjoyed a 211-run partnership with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (95) and a stand of 82 with Jos Buttler (49) to help his side to 484-6 in reply to Warwickshire's 200 all out.
Lancashire are looking to close the gap on Division One leaders Essex, who had Nick Browne and Adam Wheater to thank as they battled back against Somerset before rain struck on day two at Chelmsford.
Essex cleaned up the last five wickets of Somerset's innings for 46 runs, surrendering a first-innings deficit of just five having been bowled out for 159 on day one.
But they found themselves 39-3 in their second innings and needed a dogged 78-run partnership between Browne (66 not out) and Wheater (36no) to take them to 117-3 - a lead of 112 - before the heavens opened.
In Division One's other game, Surrey earned a first-innings lead of 33 as Middlesex bowled the hosts out for 280 at the Oval - a 125-run stand from Jason Roy and Ben Foakes for the fifth wicket boosted Surrey's total before Middlesex hit back to take the last four wickets for just 23 runs, with Toby Roland-Jones ending with 4-66.
In Division Two, leaders Nottinghamshire are on course for another victory - Riki Wessels' unbeaten 107 saw him pass 10,000 first-class runs and helped the hosts end the day on 317-8 against Northamptonshire at Trent Bridge - a lead of 389.
Second-placed Worcestershire bowled out Gloucestershire for 258 as they ended day two with a lead of 115.
Jack Taylor's unbeaten 101 was the only standout batting performance from the visitors at New Road, while Worcestershire's Ed Barnard added career-best figures of 4-23 to his 46 runs before his side reached 10-0 in their second go.
Graham Onions reached 600 first-class wickets as Durham took control against Derbyshire at Chester-le-Street - Onions had four scalps as Derbyshire were bowled out for 164, fewer runs than Durham skipper Paul Collingwood (177) managed by himself.
Glamorgan lead Sussex by 152 runs with four second-innings wickets intact at Colwyn Bay - the hosts secured a lead after bowling out Sussex for 268 but were reduced to 126-6 at stumps, with Ollie Robinson taking 3-29.
Sam Northeast fell three runs short of a century as Kent responded well against Leicestershire at Canterbury.
Lewis Hill (85 not out) and Callum Parkinson, who hit a career-best 75, finally saw their 10th-wicket partnership end for 122 as Leicestershire posted 350.
But Kent reached stumps 313-9, with Northeast's efforts boosted by 46 from Darren Stevens, who had scooped 8-75 with the ball.
