County Championship round-up: Nash nudges Sussex towards second place

Sussex might have to accept defeat in their bid to deny Warwickshire's title bid but an unbeaten century from Chris Nash has put them in a good position to beat Somerset at Hove and claim second place.

Five wickets for the pace bowler Tim Linley raised Surrey's hopes of escaping relegation when they claimed a first-innings lead of 42 over Nottinghamshire at The Oval, despite an unbeaten 85 from Chris Read, who rescued his side from a dreadful start that saw them slip to 60 for 5 in reply to Surrey's 269.

A win for Surrey would all but seal the fate of 2011 champions Lancashire, who finished on 236 for 3 at Lord's after half-centuries from Tom Smith, Paul Horton and Ashwell Prince but still trail Middlesex by 210 runs.

In the Second Division promotion race, Yorkshire are well placed against Glamorgan at Headingley, where Adam Lyth contributed 95 to a first-innings lead of 72. Steve Patterson then dismissed Nick James and John Glover as Glamorgan closed on 27 for 2. Third-placed Kent have a lead of 120 with seven wickets in hand against leaders Derbyshire at Canterbury but fourth-placed Hampshire trail Essex by 168 at Southampton.