Kirtley takes six as bowlers dominate

The Second Division leaders, Northamptonshire, were overwhelmed by fellow promotion hopefuls Sussex on the first morning of the current round of County Championship matches.

The Second Division leaders, Northamptonshire, were overwhelmed by fellow promotion hopefuls Sussex on the first morning of the current round of County Championship matches.

Matthew Hayden, the visiting captain, won the toss at Eastbourne and elected to bat first but the Australian was one of four men dismissed in the opening 90 minutes. Jason Lewry struck twice to dismiss Adrian Rollins (two) and Jeff Cook (four), while James Kirtley trapped Hayden for six and David Sales for nine, both lbw, as Northants struggled to 32 for 4. Wickets continued to tumble, and they were all out for 110, James Kirtley taking 6 for 41.

When they batted, Sussex were also soon in trouble, and by tea they were 72 for 3, with Jonathan Taylor taking two wickets for 22. Another three Sussex wickets fell soon after, leaving them on 89 for 6 with an hour of play left.

At Taunton, Jon Lewis (31) and Michael Gough, who went on to make 33, shared a half-century opening stand for Durham against Somerset. The pair put on 52 before Lewis fell to the veteran all-rounder Graham Rose, and Durham continued in similar gritty vein to reach 296 for 6, with Nick Speak hitting 78.

Glamorgan were dismissed for 288 against Nottinghamshire at Cardiff, where both Matthew Maynard and Steve James hit 77.