County round-up: Gatting and Joyce lead the way as Sussex smash 399

An awesome batting display earned Sussex an eighth consecutive win in the Clydesdale Bank 40 yesterday as victory over Worcestershire kept them on course for a place in the semi-finals.

Joe Gatting (122) and Ed Joyce (120) both made centuries in a club-best stand of 210 to set Sussex on their way to a record 40-over score of 399 for 4 at Horsham. Moeen Ali smashed a career-best 158 off just 92 balls to keep Worcestershire in contention but did not get the necessary support as they fell 80 runs short. The match also set a new record for aggregate runs in a 40-overs game of 718.

Durham snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Leicestershire at Chester-le-Street. They were bowled out for 192 by Leicestershire and then saw their opponents romp to 72 without loss in reply. But spinners Ian Blackwell and Gareth Breese then picked up six wickets between them as the visitors were dismissed for 155 to hand Durham a 37-run victory.

New Zealand Test opener Martin Guptill again turned on the style as Derbyshire crushed Yorkshire by six wickets at Queen's Park. Guptill scored an unbeaten 103 off 83 balls to take the Falcons past Yorkshire's total of 234 for seven with 38 balls to spare.

A weakened Somerset side suffered their first CB 40 defeat of the season as they went down by three wickets to Glamorgan at the Swalec Stadium. Despite the reversal Somerset still head Group C and remain well-placed to reach the semi-finals.

Essex won a thrilling game against Lancashire at Old Trafford by six wickets with two balls to spare thanks in the main to centurion Mark Pettini and Owais Shah. The visitors kept their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive as they chased down 258 (Karl Brown 101), all but ending their opponents' last-four hopes in the process.

An entertaining stand of 132 between Darren Stevens and Sam Northeast helped Kent to a four-wicket victory over the Netherlands. Stevens was at his fluent best with 70 from 67 balls, while Northeast more than played his part with 58 not out as Kent won with more than four overs to spare.