Cricket: Round-up - Lara's men in charge

BRIAN LARA'S Warwickshire are on course for a County Championship win after forcing Worcestershire to follow-on 308 runs behind and then reducing their second innings to 29 for 5 at New Road yesterday.

Ed Giddins (2 for 14) and Tim Munton (2 for 15) did the damage after Giddins and Dougie Brown had each claimed three victims in Worcestershire's first total of 236, in reply to Warwickshire's 544.

Lara had added three runs to his overnight 141 before his dismissal sparked a Warwickshire collapse from 476 for 5.

Yorkshire's Australian batsman, Darren Lehmann, scored a memorable 99 before lunch only for Essex to hit back and dismiss their hosts for 314 on day two at Scarborough.

Michael Vaughan (71) and Richard Blakey (51) also made useful contributions as fifth-placed Yorkshire gained a first-innings lead of 114. The Tykes had Essex 97 for 3 at the close.

The Hampshire opener John Stephenson held his side together with a knock of 84 before they were all out for 224 to take a first-innings lead of 37 against sixth-placed Sussex at Hove.

Sussex then slumped to 87 for 4 before a stand of 103 between Michael Bevan (42) and Rajesh Rao (40) boosted their second innings to 200 for 6 and a 163-run advantage by stumps.

Northamptonshire's openers, Rob Bailey and Alec Swann, put on an unbeaten 153 to leave their side 65 runs behind Kent.