Ryan McLaren gave Hampshire the edge by taking two wickets as Middlesex ended the day on 84-3, chasing 336 in the County Championship.

McLaren, who was parachuted in late last season to save Hampshire from relegation, was rewarded with a full contract for this campaign. He has responded with two fifties and five wickets in successive drawn matches and looks to make a significant contribution to this, if it goes the distance on the soggy island.

Jacques Rudolph‘s Glamorgan have got their backs to the wall after Kent scored 488 in reply to the visitors’ 260, to which Craig Meschede was the main contributor with 63 off 74. Chris Cooke added a useful 45, but Rudolph bizarrely laboured his way to 4 off 54 balls. Meschede stepped up again, taking three Kent wickets for 105, but they did not fall fast enough.

Worse was to come when Glamorgan batted again, for Rudolph was gone for 0 as his team ended the day on 16-1, still 212 behind.

Lancashire have been hampered by a slow pitch and unsettled weather, but they owe their imposing total to a fine contribution from Alviro Petersen, who was denied what looked like an inevitable century by the new ball.

In the absence of the retired Ashwell Prince – who scored 1 478 Championship runs in 2015 – Lancashire needs someone to stand up. Petersen did just that with an an authoritative innings which brought him 83, with eight fours and two sixes. Lancashire declared on 492-9. Maritzburg College’s Tim Groenewald picked up 2-50 off 28 and Roloef van der Merwe, now officially a Dutchman, 3-87. Somerset were 14-0 at the close.

Matt Pillans, the pace bowler who was lost the Dolphins at the end of the season, has been given his first senior outing with Surrey. Rain is making a mess of his debut, for he has been permitted to bowl just seven overs for 29.  Surrey are in a good position, having scored 457, with Durban-born Jason Roy adding 64. Durham, though, responded well, led by Keaton Jennings‘ 53 to end on 156-2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

sussx Leices no interest