Cricket / Round-Up: Ward shows way home

WITH Glamorgan otherwise engaged, giving the Australians more of a battle than most sides have managed this summer, Surrey had a chance to apply some pressure at the top of the AXA Equity and Law League yesterday, writes Ben Clissitt.

They were pushed surprisingly hard by a Nottinghamshire side they disposed of by tea on the third day of their Championship match, but David Ward, who reached three figures in 99 minutes steered them out of trouble at The Oval. Alec Stewart hit the boundary which eclipsed Nottinghamshire's 314 for 7 off 48 overs.

Sussex and Derbyshire took advantage of inactivity to leapfrog into fourth and fifth places respectively.

Derbyshire made light work of Gloucestershire, bowling them out for 99 and then racing to the target in under an hour. Simon Base took 4 for 14. Alan Wells played a captain's innings for Sussex, scoring the winning runs with three balls to spare in an unbeaten 69, after Neil Lenham had taken five of Durham's wickets for 28.

Elsewhere, Yorkshire beat Somerset by four wickets, Peter Hartley scoring 46 off 42 balls, and Graeme Hick scored 120 not out in Worcestershire's four-wicket victory over Essex. Robin Smith all but matched him, scoring 118 not out for Hampshire in their win over Warwickshire, for whom Asif Din made 132 not out.