Read and weep for Essex

Chris Read © Getty Images

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Chris Read starred with bat and gloves as LV County Championship Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire disposed of Essex with a day to spare at Trent Bridge.

The Nottinghamshire wicket-keeper followed up his 165 in the second innings with three catches as the home side dismissed Essex for 235 to seal victory by an innings and 12 runs.

Mark Ealham was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-47, and it was the 37-year-old who caught Essex’s top scorer, Ryan ten Doeschate (102) off the bowling of Paul Franks.

After a weather-affected morning, the visitors always looked in trouble having being reduced to 35 for four and ultimately had no answer to Notts’ mammoth 664 for seven.

In Division One, Darren Stevens’ century helped Kent build a commanding lead in their clash with Hampshire at Canterbury.

The home side added another 310 runs to their overnight total before declaring on 533 for eight, 443 clear of their opponents going into the fourth and final day.

Stevens, who knocked 12 fours along the way to 105 before eventually being bowled by Jimmy Adams, joined team-mates Robert Key (120) and Martin van Jaarsveld (109) on three figures.

Darren Stevens made his first ton of the year © Getty Images

Andrew Hall and Stevens made 83 between them before Hall became Shane Warne’s first victim of the second innings on 48.

Ryan McLaren (25no) and James Tredwell (27no) moved Kent beyond the 500 mark before they eventually declared, with Adams and Jimmy Brown moving Hampshire to 18 without loss at stumps.

Spinner Mushtaq Ahmed took 5-22 to put Sussex on course for a crushing victory over woeful Worcestershire in a one-sided match at New Road.

The Pakistan star was in deadly form to rip out the hosts for a grim 100 when they replied to the reigning champions’ bumper 512 for eight declared.

Following on 412 behind, bottom-of-the-table Worcestershire were on nought without loss when bad light ended play early with 12 overs remaining.

Ottis Gibson’s 10-wicket match haul and 71 for Durham ensured leaders Yorkshire were facing a battle to preserve their unbeaten record going into the final day at the Riverside.

Gibson added another three wickets to his first-innings total of seven and was not the only bowler to shine on day three.

Graham Onions took 4-53 as the visitors led by 130 runs with just one wickets remaining at the close of play, with Durham still having their second innings in hand.

Graham Onions continued his good form with four wickets

Onions took opener Craig White, Tim Bresnan and skipper Darren Gough all for ducks as well as Younus Khan for just five as Yorkshire struggled to 218.

However, Anthony McGrath (62) and Jacques Rudolph (79) introduced some stability for the visitors to keep them in the hunt.

Earlier Durham had added another 188 to their first innings total - with Gibson again impressing - before eventually declaring on 481 when Mark Davies was trapped lbw by Darren Gough for 21.

In Division Two, Grant Hodnett hit his maiden first class century as Gloucestershire fought back hard on the third day against Somerset at Taunton.

The 24-year-old opener was run out for 108, made off 138 balls, with 17 fours.

And, with Marcus North contributing an unbeaten 101 and Kadeer Ali a patient 95, the visitors ran up 389 for four to lead by 95 at the close.

At Wantage Road, Derbyshire’s unbeaten start to the season looked under threat as Northamptonshire defied the weather and Stephen Stubbings’ brave century to move towards victory.

Stubbings hit an impressive 107 but the visitors were made to pay for their poor first innings total of 160 as they were dismissed for 283 second time round.

Simon Katich (85) also contributed with the bat but there was little resistance elsewhere as the final five wickets fell for just 32 runs.

Derbyshire trio Davey Jacobs, Usman Afzaal and David Wigley were all bowled out in the closing six overs - leaving Northants requiring just 60 more runs on the closing to day to wrap things up.