Khawaja sets Glamorgan record with third century

Usman Khawaja became the first Glamorgan player to score a century in his first three championship matches for the club, but Ben Duckett ensured Northamptonshire ended the day on top in the Second Division match in Cardiff.

Northants opener Duckett smashed an unbeaten 111 from 123 deliveries as he guided the visitors to 169 without loss at the close – a sizeable second-innings lead of 196. Khawaja’s 103 ensured he surpassed the two consecutive hundreds achieved by Javed Miandad in 1980 and Shaun Marsh earlier this season, with the Australian adding to his centuries against Warwickshire at Edgbaston and Derbyshire at Swansea.

The left-hander brought up his century from 138 deliveries, striking 16 fours and two sixes, before he was caught at fine leg by Richard Levi off Brett Hutton for 103 as Glamorgan were dismissed for 254, 27 runs behind in the first innings.

Kent all-rounder Grant Stewart blasted a maiden first-class century from only 71 balls to leave

Middlesex with a mountain to climb.

Stewart, who starred with the ball by taking a career-best six for 22 to help dismiss Middlesex for 56 in their first innings, clattered 13 fours and five sixes as he and last man Ivan Thomas added 100 for Kent’s 10th wicket – to which Thomas contributed a single. Stewart’s 103, in only his fifth first-class game, was the highest ever individual county championship score by a Kent player batting in the No 10 berth.

Tony Palladino led a Derbyshire fightback before Leicestershire’s bowlers regained control at Derby. Palladino took four for 62 as Leicestershire slipped from 168 for one to 297 all out with captain Paul Horton top-scoring with 88. But the visitors exploited some helpful bowling conditions under the County Ground lights to make early inroads as Derbyshire closed on 43 for three, nine runs behind.