County Championship round-up: Durham held up as Compton heads towards 1,000 runs
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Your support makes all the difference.Durham's attempt to lift themselves off the bottom of the First Division and record their first win of the Championship season was thwarted by a spirited Somerset side on the second day at Taunton.
After the visitors had been bowled out for 384, Nick Compton scored 64 to move within 67 of reaching 1,000 first-class runs before the end of May, and James Hildreth smacked a rapid 53 with 10 fours and a six.
Peter Trego (67no) shared a seventh-wicket stand of 99 with 18-year-old Craig Overton, who hit 50 off just 54 balls with 10 fours, as Somerset finished on 357 for 8. Left-armer Jamie Harrison took 3 for 88 on his Championship debut.
Champions Lancashire are also still looking for their first victory. Against Middlesex at Liverpool their fragile top-order were reduced to 55 for 3 before Ashwell Prince and Steven Croft shared a stand of 176 to enable the home side to close on 276 for 4.
Prince finished unbeaten on 121 while Croft made 78. The captain, Glen Chapple, who was deemed fit following a side injury, and coach Peter Moores had talked of the need to build bigger partnerships and the fourth-wicket stand allowed Lancashire to reach 200 for only the fourth time in 11 innings.
Surrey have enjoyed mixed fortunes on their return to the top flight, and yesterday they were bundled out for 223 at The Oval by Championship leaders Warwickshire after choosing to bat first. Captain Rory Hamilton-Brown and Steven Davies were both run out for 34. Warwickshire cruised to 106 for 1 with Varun Chopra unbeaten on 59.
James Middlebrook, largely known for his off-spin while at Yorkshire and Essex, recorded his highest score for Northamptonshire, opening the batting against Gloucestershire at Wantage Road. The home side amassed 302 for 4 with Middlebrook, now 35, making 121 off 204 balls with 17 boundaries, and Kyle Coetzer undefeated on 81.
At the Rose Bowl, Hampshire made 316 thanks to Shaun Ervine's unbeaten 109 off just 149 balls after they were reduced to 96 for 5 by lowly Glamorgan. Opening bowlers Will Owen and John Glover both took four wickets.
Essex were skittled out for 182 at Chelmsford, Derbyshire's slow left-armer David Wainwright grabbing 5 for 51. And Leicestershire were dismissed for 141 by Kent at Canterbury with medium-pacer Matt Coles grabbing 5 for 41.
Nottinghamshire coach Mick Newell has had talks about becoming Bangladesh coach. He has previously worked with England Under-19s and England Lions.
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