Essex set Lancashire a victory chase of 320

BACK in the top flight, defending champions Essex left Lancashire a victory chase of 320.

Last year’s star duo of Jamie Porter and Simon Harmer took one wicket apiece to end the Red Rose’s first innings in the morning, both bowlers securing fivefors in the process.

Harmer then did more heavy lifting with the bat, scoring 49 in a century stand for the eighth wicket alongside top-scorer James Foster (69).

Tom Bailey, Graham Onions and Joe Mennie each took three wickets as the innings subsided for 313 at stumps.

Surrey built a strong position against Hampshire at the Kia Oval, reaching stumps with a 281-run lead and six second-innings wickets in tact.

Sam Curran and Rikki Clarke finished with matching figures of four for 39 as the visitors went from 52 for three overnight to 147 all out.

The Brown Caps then moved to 217 for four on the back of steady half-centuries from Scott Borthwick (74) and Ben Foakes (50no).

Worcestershire’s Ed Barnard kept his side in the conversation against a James Hildreth-inspired Somerset.

Barnard hit a maiden fifty and took career-best figures of five for 37, but Hildreth’s 111no meant it was Somerset who ended 278 in front on 255 for nine.

Elsewhere in Division Two, hosts Derbyshire saw Ben Slater and Luis Reece take control over Middlesex with an unbroken opening stand of 118.

South African seamer Duanne Olivier laid the groundwork with four wickets as Middlesex gave way for 157, then Slater and Reece took over to establish a 226run lead.

Australia’s Ashes star Shaun Marsh gave Glamorgan the edge over Gloucestershire in Bristol, cracking 111.

He underpinned the Welsh county’s 296 for five, a 60-run lead at the mid-point of the match.

A second first-class hundred from number seven, Michael Burgess, allowed Sussex to declare against Leicestershire, whose response was strong.

Burgess’ undefeated 101 and Ishant Sharma’s 66 allowed Luke Wright to call