County round-up: Sidebottom wickets set up close call

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, after batting for seven and a quarter hours to score 193 against Yorkshire at Headingley last week, setting up the innings victory that kept Warwickshire right in contention for their first Championship title since 2004, gave the same opponents another four and a half hours to admire his crablike batting technique at Edgbaston yesterday, but with not quite the planned outcome.

The West Indian posted the 58th century of his career but his dismissal soon afterwards, caught behind as Ryan Sidebottom claimed his third wicket, left the vital return match in the balance. When Sidebottom struck again to have young spinner Chris Metters leg before, the relegation-threatened visitors had them six down with the scores level.

Yorkshire realistically must win after Worcestershire's defeat of Lancashire opened up a gap between themselves and the bottom two. But Warwickshire are equally eager to take advantage of Lancashire's defeat and were only a point behind the leaders at the close.

Third-placed Durham are in a strong position at Hove, leading by 247 after leg-spinner Scott Borthwick took 5 for 80 in dismissing Sussex for 218. But Somerset are up against it at Taunton, where Jimmy Adams hit an unbeaten hundred and shared a mammoth stand of 373 for the second Hampshire wicket with Michael Carberry.

* Nathan Lyon took 5 for 34 yesterday on his debut to put Australia firmly in control of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Lyons' effort ensured the home side were bowled out for 105 and even though Australia then slumped to 115 for 6, the tourists, who are 283 runs ahead, will be much the happier of the two teams at the end of day two.

Off-spinner Lyon claimed the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara with his first ball in Test cricket and followed it up with four more as Australia established a 168-run first-innings lead. All-rounder Shane Watson took 3 for 11. "To be able to take five wickets on a debut is something pretty special," Lyon said. "I'll hold it pretty close to my heart."