Cottey hits 188 to put Sussex in command

Tony Cottey's 188 enabled Sussex to overcome a shaky start and take complete control against Warwickshire at Hove yesterday.

Sussex lost the opener Murray Goodwin for a duck, but that was quickly forgotten with Richard Montgomerie hitting 66 in a second-wicket partnership of 165 before Cottey came close to a double century, his innings featuring 31 boundaries. Tim Ambrose also hit 50 as Sussex closed on 395 for 5.

At Chelmsford, Kent rattled up a decent total against Essex, thanks to a 138-run opening partnership between David Fulton and Michael Carberry. Fulton hit 93 before being bowled by James Middlebrook while Carberry went for 50 when he was trapped leg before by Scott Brant.

Geraint Jones took up the scoring mantle and put on 84 before being run out as Kent reached 381 all out. Essex were 7 for 0 in reply.

In the Second Division Mike Hussey and Phil Jaques were again in the runs for Northamptonshire before a collapse against Derbyshire at home. Hussey scored 59 and Jaques hit 60, putting on 80 for the second wicket, but Nathan Dumelow struck to remove both shortly before lunch.

That triggered a capitulation and the hosts were skittled out for 203, with Lian Wharton taking 4 for 50 and Dumelow ending with figures of 5 for 83. In response, Derbyshire were 46 for 3 at the close after losing Michael di Venuto, Chris Bassano and Andrew Gait.

Somerset staged a stunning recovery from a shaky start to close in on a competitive total against Yorkshire at Taunton. The hosts looked in serious trouble on 19 for 4 as Peter Bowler, Jamie Cox and Michael Burns all left without registering a run, but Somerset dug in with Rob Turner's unbeaten 81 helping them to 275 all out.

At the Rose Bowl, Gloucestershire struggled to forge any significant partnerships against Hampshire and were dismissed for just 185. Phil Weston top scored with 39 as Wasim Akram took 3 for 31 and Hampshire were 17 for no loss at the close.

Michael Powell made an unbeaten 116 for Glamorgan but ran out of support against Worcestershire at Sophia Gardens. Glamorgan had been 6 for 2 at one stage but Powell helped them attain respectability, although his efforts deserved better than the first-day total of 228 for 7.