Hampshire given hope by Laney

Yorkshire's Paul Hutchison completed his first-innings demolition of Hampshire at Portsmouth yesterday to help enforce the follow-on, before a fightback from the hosts threatened to restore the balance.

Hutchison added the wicket of Lee Savident to finish with 7 for 50 on his Championship debut as Hampshire managed only another 17 runs after a delayed start to finish on 281, in reply to Yorkshire's 501 for 8.

Jason Laney (81) led the charge for the hosts second time around, after Hutchison had removed Matthew Hayden, caught behind for four. Laney was finally dismissed by another young Yorkshire pace bowler, Gavin Hamilton, who also dismissed Robin Smith for a duck, and Hampshire finished on 173 for 3, still 47 runs adrift.

Ashley Metcalfe's 79 and 42 from Paul Franks helped Nottinghamshire milk another 125 runs for their last four wickets to reach 356 and a 19-run first-innings lead against Somerset.

The visitors were 248 for 4 by the close with Simon Ecclestone hitting 65 and Marcus Trescothick returning to form with 70 in an unbroken fifth- wicket stand of 67 with Michael Burns.

Kent earned a second-innings lead of 120 as Australia go into the final day of their county programme. Trevor Ward, Ed Smith and Alan Wells, who all made ducks in the first innings, did not miss out a second time. Smith made 46, his highest score for Kent, Ward scored 68 and Wells hit 65. Australia's 315 was based around Steve Waugh's fourth hundred of the tour. He was last out for 154 in 278 minutes and 225 balls, and hit 26 fours.

Dougie Brown claimed seven wickets in an innings for the first time in his career to leave the English Cricket Board XI poised for victory over Pakistan A at Chelmsford. The 26-year-old Warwickshire pace bowler has so far taken 7 for 83 from 20 overs, the tourists ending the day just 99 runs ahead with only one second innings wicket remaining.