Cricket / Update: Donald's trump card

CHASTENED by their near-miss at Taunton the previous evening, Warwickshire could scarcely have wished for a better pick-me-up than Durham's visit to Edgbaston yesterday. Allan Donald proved their trump card, recording Championship-best figures of 7 for 37 to sweep aside the newcomers for 136, writes Rob Steen.

Ian Botham offered some resistance with 44 from 59 balls to delay the final curtain, Warwickshire, who began the day in joint second place 30 points behind Essex, pressing home their advantage as Andy Moles (65) drove them to 89 for 1 by stumps.

Derbyshire may still be clinging to a mathematical chance of landing their first Championship title since 1936 but the numbers failed to add up to much at Eastbourne, Sussex dispatching them for a humdrum 248.

Middlesex's summer of discontent in the Championship continued apace at Lord's where Gloucestershire, who have now failed to glean maximum batting points in 17 attempts, spent the day plodding to 279 for 6.