Graeme van Buuren’s fighting 172 provided a solid base from which Gloucestershire pulled off a remarkable win over Worcestershire in the County Championship.

It was his unshakable, unbeaten innings, constructed over six hours, off 307 balls, which enabled Gareth Roderick to bravely declare, 75 behind Worcs’ 439 and offer a challenge.

The Glos bowlers picked up the gauntlet to bowl out Worcs for 239, presenting a target of 315. Roderick started with 30 off 35 balls and Van Buuren added 42 before Aussie Mike Klinger (102) and Jack Taylor (107 off 72) opened up for an improbable win.

Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Ryan McLaren who did as well as he could in a losing cause, remaining unbeaten with a defiant 33 as Hampshire went down by an innings and 116 runs to Middlesex.

Hampshire were always on the back foot after Middlesex had piled up 467, including 147 from the former Bolander Dawid Malan (who was born in London). McLaren emerged with honour amid that mayhem, conceding 2.8 an over from his 17.

But following on, there was no real support for Jimmy Adams, who scored 78 off 177 balls. McLaren came to the crease when the score was 162-6 and tried desperately to stop the rot.

Alviro Petersen, too, endured a tough couple of days at the office as Lancashire went down by 175 runs to Yorkshire in the battle of the Roses.

He picked up just 34 runs across the two innings (8, 24) as Lancashire were offered a target of 349 to win.