Surrey rewrite record books while Lancashire and Northamptonshire take control
Surrey equalled the first-class record for the number of players making half-centuries without passing three figures.
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Surrey broke the world record for the highest innings score without a batter making a century after piling up a massive 671 for nine declared in their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Kent.
The Division One leaders also equalled the first-class record – seven – for the number of players making half-centuries without passing three figures.
After Ollie Pope and Ryan Patel had made 96 and 76 respectively on day one, Jamie Overton smacked 93 from 92 balls, Ben Foakes made 91, Sam Curran 78, Colin de Grandhomme 66 and Jordan Clark 54 not out for the dominant visitors, for whom last man Dan Worrall added an unbeaten 44.
In reply, Kent reached 45 for one at stumps at Beckenham – a deficit of 626.
Northamptonshire racked up their biggest total against Warwickshire – 597 for six – to put the champions under serious pressure at Edgbaston.
Needing 448 to avoid the follow-on, Warwickshire will resume on 88 for two, their decision to bowl first on a benign pitch having spectacularly backfired.
After Ricardo Vasconcelos and Will Young scored centuries on the first day, Luke Procter added another – an unbeaten 100 from 199 balls – supported by Josh Cobb’s 66.
Tom Abell’s 10th first-class century tightened Somerset’s stranglehold on their match with Gloucestershire at Bristol.
The visiting skipper managed a measured 142, while Lewis Gregory contributed a sparkling 89 as their side took their first-innings total from an overnight 319 for four to 591 for seven declared.
By the close, Gloucestershire had struggled to 119 for four in reply, Jack Leach claiming three for 29 from 13 overs.
At Headingley, Keaton Jennings completed a superb 238 to record Lancashire’s highest individual score in a Roses match during another dominant day against Yorkshire.
The opener’s third career double century underpinned his side’s mammoth total of 566 for nine declared before Yorkshire closed on 53 for two, leaving them trailing by 513 runs.
In Division Two, Shan Masood scored his third century of a remarkable season to stay on course for 1,000 runs before the end of May as Derbyshire took the upper hand against Worcestershire.
The Pakistan left-hander made 113 from 131 balls for the hosts to take his cumulative total to 826 for the season.
Derbyshire plundered 172 runs in 36 overs between lunch and tea before Worcestershire hit back to leave the home side on 274 for four, trailing by 94.
Former Australia bowler James Pattinson returned four for 49 as Nottinghamshire dismissed Middlesex for 195 en route to establishing a 226-run lead at Lord’s.
Pattinson’s sterling effort came in the wake of Luke Fletcher’s thrilling 50 at number 11, which lifted the the visitors to 415, despite four for 64 for Toby Roland-Jones and six catches for Middlesex wicketkeeper John Simpson.
After electing not to enforce the follow-on, Nottinghamshire added six runs without loss before stumps.
Billy Root orchestrated a Glamorgan fightback against Durham at the Riverside.
Glamorgan looked in deep trouble at 163 for seven in reply to Durham’s 311 but Root, well supported by Michael Neser, turned the tables and helped the visitors total 365 with a knock of 88.
Michael Hogan and Neser then nipped out Durham batters Sean Dickson and Keegan Petersen to leave the hosts struggling on 39 for two in their second innings, still 15 runs behind.
Elsewhere, a fine century from Tom Clark helped Sussex establish a commanding position against Leicestershire.
Only five wickets fell on Friday at UptonSteel County Ground, with Sussex closing on 386 for six and holding a first-innings lead of 176.