County Championship round-up: Lancashire wilt before Morkel's assault

Lancashire suffered their first defeat in this season's Twenty20 Cup North Division after a blistering display of hitting by Albie Morkel galloped Durham to a six-wicket victory at Old Trafford last night. The South African all-rounder clubbed five sixes in making 45 off 19 balls as the visitors chased down their target of 181 with an over to spare.

Stuart Law and Mal Loye hit half-centuries in Lancashire's total of 180 for 6, but first Philip Mustard, England's discarded one-day opener, with 61 from 44 balls, and then Morkel made light work of a challenging target.

Northamptonshire made it four wins out of four in the Midlands/West/Wales Division. Rob White's unbeaten 94 from just 57 balls took them to a six-wicket win over Gloucestershire at Milton Keynes.