ON THE day England opener Adam Lyth was digesting yet another failure, his Yorkshire teammate and Ashes discard, Gary Ballance, was rediscovering his touch at Hove. Ballance, who was dropped after England’s defeat in the second Investec Ashes Test at Lord’s last month, scored his first century since April when he made 122 in England’s drawn first Test against West Indies in Antigua.
His seventh-wicket stand of 197 with Tim Bresnan, who was run out for 78, put county champions Yorkshire on top on day two of their match with Sussex. On 98 overnight, Ballance reached 100 from 200 balls and then scored 65 more off only 66 balls before being bowled by Chris Liddle. Yorkshire were eventually all out for 494 and Sussex responded with an Ed Joyce century but Adil Rashid pegged them back with three wickets.
Nineteen wickets fell at Durham where second-placed Middlesex lead by 145 with six second-innings wickets in hand. After Graham Onions had finished off Middlesex’s first innings with a season’s best seven for 68, Durham collapsed to 51 for six. They recovered, through a battling 64 from Gordon Muchall, to concede a deficit of only 27. Middlesex were initially reduced to 29 for four, with seamer Chris Rushworth taking three wickets including his 80th of the season, equalling Ottis Gibson’s Durham record.
Nottinghamshire took complete control against Warwickshire. The batsmen pushed on to 600, which included 69 from their captain, and sometime England wicket-keeper, Chris Read, who passed 15,000 first-class career runs. Warwickshire then lost four wickets for 41.
Relegation candidates Worcestershire were put to the sword at Taunton by Somerset. James Hildreth, who made an unbeaten 220, and all-rounder Peter Trego, who contributed 130 not out to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 221 before the home side declared on 565 for five. At stumps Worcestershire were 44 for four.
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In the second division, leaders Lancashire racked up 462 against Glamorgan with opener Karl Brown making his first championship century of the season. Ben Foakes made 140 not out for Surrey as his side built a commanding lead over Gloucestershire.
Derbyshire left-armer Mark Footitt, who has been part of England’s Ashes squad at Trent Bridge, took four wickets against Kent to take his season’s haul to 60 wickets. At Northampton, allrounder Steven Crook was carried off on a stretcher against Leicestershire after injuring an ankle.