County Championship round-up: Notts stay in touch of top with win over Somerset

Durham’s Chris Rushworth helped bowl Sussex out for 182 (Getty)

Nottinghamshire wrapped up a straightforward win over Somerset to keep pace with Yorkshire at the summit of County Championship First Division.

Somerset had staved off an innings defeat, largely thanks to Peter Trego's century, but Nottinghamshire returned on the final morning needing only 44 runs to complete a chase of 110.

Nightwatchman Ajmal Shahzad was almost run out in the first over but that was the only alarm as he and Phil Jaques batted for a seven-wicket win.

Lancashire also made short work of Northamptonshire to win by an innings and 200 runs. Northamptonshire had followed on 470 runs in arrears of the Red Rose's mammoth 650 for 6 declared and, though they fared better in their second innings, they began on 231 for 8.

Simon Kerrigan took the two wickets required, finishing with 4 for 76, though Andrew Hall finished 50 not out and last man Azharullah hit 24 from 20 balls.

Just 2.5 overs were required for Durham to round off a 309-run win over Sussex, though James Tredwell completed his half-century before Chris Rushworth removed last man Lewis Hatchett to bowl the visitors out for 182.

Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty spun Surrey to a convincing 10-wicket victory against Leicestershire in the Second Division match at The Kia Oval.

Veteran off-spinner Batty and young slow left-armer Ansari, who led the way with 5 for 93, shared the spoils as Leicestershire's middle order offered little resistance on the final morning, collapsing from 213 for 5 to 225 for 9.

Charlie Shreck hit his maiden first-class half-century, at the age of 36, in an improbable last-wicket stand of 94 with Jigar Naik to leave Surrey requiring 69.

With Shreck hitting 56 off 69 balls and Naik punching predominantly through the off side to finish with an unbeaten 37, Leicestershire made it to a creditable 319 at the second time of asking. But Surrey still cantered home with a session to spare.

Resuming their second innings on 141 for 2 and needing another 110 runs to avoid an innings defeat, Leicestershire lost Ned Eckersley to the fifth ball of the day for 30.

Shreck brought up his 51-ball fifty in the first over after lunch but Ansari eventually finished the innings by trapping the former Nottinghamshire and Kent fast bowler lbw.

Surrey claimed 23 points for the victory to Leicestershire's four.

PA