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Round-up: Chopra's dream run keeps a spring in Warwicks' step

Colin Crompton
Monday 02 May 2011 00:00 BST
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(GETTY)

April may barely have passed but already Varun Chopra is having a season to remember. Yesterday the Warwickshire opener recorded a career-best one-day century to add to the two double centuries that adorn his first-class efforts in the current campaign.

Chopra, a 23-year-old former England Under-19 captain, scored back to back double centuries in the Championship last month – the first Warwickshire player ever to do so – and now has scored more runs than he managed in the entirety of last season. Yesterday he batted with all the confidence of a man full of runs, scoring 115 from 100 balls against Leicestershire at Edgbaston in Warwickshire's opening game in the Clydesdale Bank 40.

With Mohammad Yousuf striking 56 from 46 balls it allowed the home side to post a commanding 294 for 5 from their 40 overs.

Nick Compton's century spared Somerset potential embarrassment against Unicorns. Marcus Trescothick fell to the third ball of the innings and when they slipped to 130 for 5 chasing 219 the part-timers sensed an upset, but Compton's 104 from 105 balls guided Somerset home by four wickets.

Surrey eased to victory over Scotland at The Oval thanks to a run-a-ball 96 from Steve Davies, the home side chasing down Scotland's total of 196 for 9 with seven overs to spare.

Northamptonshire bowled out Durham for 172 due to three wickers apiece from their evergreen captain Andrew Hall and James Middlebrook's off-spinners. Alex Wakley's unbeaten half-century saw the visitors to a five-wicket victory.

In the Championship on Saturday, Somerset earned a first win of the campaign at the third attempt. A career-best 169 from Liam Dawson was not enough to prevent Hampshire from staving off defeat at the Rose Bowl.

Somerset had little trouble in chasing a target of 114 and, despite the early loss of their captain Marcus Trescothick, they got home with nine wickets to spare. Hampshire's defeat was their second of the season and leaves them in trouble after a second innings collapse. They lost their last seven wickets in adding 129 and that was never going to be enough. Pace bowler Peter Trego did most of the damage ending with figures of four for 74 as Hampshire quickly fell away, their last four batsmen being dismissed for just 13 runs.

In the Second Division Derbyshire hung on for a draw against Leicestershire at Grace Road after a ninth-wicket stand between Azeem Rafiq and Tim Groenewald that occupied 22 overs.

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