Cricket: Bicknell brothers punish Kent

THE BROTHERS Bicknell put Kent to the sword as second-placed Surrey reduced the hosts to 47 for 7 in their County Championship encounter at Tunbridge Wells.

Darren Bicknell top-scored with 51 as Surrey's first innings produced 271, and younger brother Martin then got stuck into the Kent batting order as he claimed 3 for 23. They were 5 for 2 after Martin Bicknell removed the openers Trevor Ward and Robert Key, both without scoring, and Kent's problems deepened when Alex Tudor claimed David Fulton for five - Darren Bicknell taking the catch - and Alan Wells for two to leave them 9 for 4.

Andrew Symonds' score of 16 barely helped Kent's cause before he was caught and bowled for Martin Bicknell's other victim, while Tudor finished with 3 for 15 after removing Matthew Walker.

The Derbyshire pair Robin Weston (24 not out) and Matthew Cassar (29no) combined to stop the wickets tumbling after their first innings appeared to be going the same way as Yorkshire's at Derby. The visitors were skittled out for 117; Dominic Cork (3 for 19) and Phil DeFreitas (4 for 37) doing the damage, before Chris Silverwood and Matthew Hoggard each struck twice to reduce Derbyshire to 24 for 4 in reply. But Weston and Cassar, with 47 between them, prevented another collapse and Cork's men had made 71 for 4 by the close.

Somerset clocked up 300 for 9 from the 75.1 overs possible during two rain-sodden days at Chester-le-Street against Durham - a fine recovery after they were 126 for 7 at one stage. A seventh-wicket stand of 125 between Rob Turner (95) and Matthew Bulbeck (76no) helped the visitors fight back.

Devon Malcolm took four wickets as Nottinghamshire were skittled out for 220 by Northamptonshire.