Smith puts Warwickshire in control

Round-up

Warwickshire crushed Leicestershire by an innings and 89 runs in two days at Grace Road to move four points ahead of Northamptonshire at the top of the Championship table.

The home side, runners-up behind Warwickshire last season, were bowled out for 67 in their second innings, Tim Munton taking 4 for 14 and Dermot Reeve adding two wickets to his four from the first innings.

It was the champions' third win in a row, and they now look a strong bet to retain at least one of their three titles. Starting the second day at 102 for 3, they were hoisted up to 307 thanks largely to a ninth- wicket stand of 92 between Neil Smith (67 not out off 51 balls) and Allan Donald.

Chris Cairns, Nottinghamshire's New Zealand all-rounder, returned match figures of 15 for 83 at Arundel as Sussex, conquerors of the West Indies, succumbed to the second two-day defeat of this round of Championship matches.

Yesterday Cairns took 7 for 36 in Sussex's second-innings total of 149, which left the visitors needing 29 for victory after their first-innings had ended at 255. Neil Lenham was unable to bat second time around for Sussex owing to a broken left index finger.

Keith Parsons and Graham Rose almost pulled off a thrilling victory for Somerset over Young Australia at Taunton. Parsons struck his maiden first- class century and Rose a rapid 71 as the home side fell 30 runs short of a daunting 461 victory target. Mark Lathwell had earlier added 84 to his first-innings 89.