Sales left to battle on as Surrey pile on pressure

Determined batting kept Northamptonshire precariously afloat on an awkward pitch in their Frizzell County Championship relegation scrap at home to Surrey.

Determined batting kept Northamptonshire precariously afloat on an awkward pitch in their Frizzell County Championship relegation scrap at home to Surrey.

Half-centuries from Tim Roberts (57) Martin Love (51) and captain David Sales (50no) dragged Northamptonshire to 304 for nine by stumps on day two, in reply to 402, which Surrey reached after losing four wickets for 20 runs in the morning. The hosts off-spinner Jason Brown took five for 113.

Surrey's slow left-armer Nayan Doshi (four for 87) eked out opener Roberts and Australian debutant Love following a century stand for the second wicket, and the seamer Azhar Mahmood nipped out two lower middle-order wickets to leave Sales to try to edge his team towards parity tomorrow.

At Cheltenham, Kabir Ali took four for 33, including three wickets for no runs in 15 deliveries, as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 189 to set Worcestershire a victory target of 361.

Graeme Hick, Gloucestershire's bête noire over the years, was unbeaten on 46 at close of play on day three as Worcestershire reached 100 for one at stumps.