Cricket: Round-Up: Hodgson on high-class century duty

FOR ONCE it was a good day at the office for bottom-of the-table Gloucestershire, writes Richard Wetherell. It was five hours before they lost a wicket to Hampshire and in the meantime Chris Broad and Dean Hodgson put on 279 for the first wicket. Broad eventually fell for 131 but Hodgson ended the day unbeaten on 156, a Championship best, and Gloucestershire finished on a hearty 342 for 2.

Runs flowed with gay abandon at The Oval and it was Alistair Brown who did most damage with 150 as Surrey pummelled the forlorn Durham attack to the tune of 473 for 9 after being put in. David Ward, Darren Bicknell and Paul Atkins all hit half- centuries but Brown's hard hitting dominated the day. His century came off 108 balls, relatively slow for him.

Another insertion that did little good was that of Allan Wells. The Sussex captain had to watch Somerset pile up 418 for 6 that included Nick Folland's 101, and three other fifties.

Chris Lewis enjoyed his exile from the England team, taking four wickets and brilliantly catching Allan Lamb as Nottinghamshire bowled out Northamptonshire for 212. When the tables were turned Nottingham- shire struggled to 162 for 7 and Lamb returned the compliment, catching Lewis off Kevin Curran for 16.

Worcestershire had the better of the day at Kidderminster. On an easy- paced pitch they bowled Derbyshire out for 251 in just 57.3 overs and then Tim Curtis and Phil Weston proved inseparable, putting on 118 in 49 overs. It need not have been so bad for Derbyshire. Kim Barnett and Peter Bowler had a first-wicket stand of 71 but as the runs flowed, so the wickets fell.

Lancashire's Alex Barnett cut apart a comfortably placed Leicestershire as they lost four wickets for one run either side of tea. Yet another century opening stand, this time by Nigel Briers and Tim Boon, preceded the collapse that started at 214 for 3.