Somerset's Charl Willoughby and Alfonso Thomas led their side's bowling attack to defeat the First Division leaders Durham by nine wickets at Taunton yesterday.

A Roses match that was seldom less than compelling ended with a narrow victory for Lancashire that will infuse Glen Chapple's players with excitement as winning the Championship begins to look a possibility.

Matt Prior produced batting of international quality ahead of next week's opening Test by guiding Sussex to a victory over Hampshire at Hove that moves them up to fourth in the First Division table.

Yorkshire should ease their relegation fears a little by completing only their second Championship win of the season provided a seaside crowd wanting their money's worth does not induce a fatal attack of the jitters against Worcestershire at Scarborough. Worryingly, there seemed every possibility that might happen yesterday as a succession of dropped catches turned a routine victory into something rather more tricky.

Yorkshire completed a Twenty20 double over their rivals Lancashire last night courtesy of two England Lions: Andrew Gale and Adil Rashid. The former, the Yorkshire captain, hit 60 out of a total of 178 for 4 before Rashid's legbreaks proved too much for the Lancastrians.

It is not long since Yorkshire were worried about their Championship cricket being undermined by multiple England call-ups. There seems little danger of that happening now.

In the nets at the back of the Adelaide Oval four years ago, it was instructive to watch the master spinner and his guru. Shane Warne bowled and occasionally, very occasionally, Terry Jenner spoke.

Lancashire pulled off a spectacular victory in the Roses match against Yorkshire to return to the top of the County Championship after a gripping final day at Aigburth.

Kent's hopes of a quick return tothe top flight of the County Championship are already looking thin after a third defeat in four matches left them bottom of Division Two.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid was today called into the England World Cup squad as a replacement for Michael Yardy.