Students made to suffer

Cambridge University's opening bowler, Arnie Clarke, wicket-keeper David Churton and their senior batsman, John Ratledge, were all taken to Addenbrookes Hospital after being struck painful blows on the hand on the second day of their match against Yorkshire at Fenner's.

Ratledge suffered only bad bruising and was able to return, but Churton and Clarke will be out for up to three weeks after X-rays revealed they had broken bones. Ratledge was back at the ground in time to bat at No 6 and bolstered the University innings with 56, hitting six fours in his 123-ball stay.

He shared a 55-run eighth-wicket partnership with Nick Haste to frustrate a Yorkshire attack that generally bowled without conviction on a flat, true pitch.

The England all-rounder Craig White, who had caused Churton's discomfort in his pre-lunch spell, produced a late flurry when he dismissed Ratledge and Adam Janisch, who were trapped lbw to successive deliveries late in the day.Yorkshire declined to enforce the follow-on when Cambridge were eventually dismissed for 174 - 305 runs behind.

Oxford University hit back well against Durham at The Parks. Durham resumed on 272 for 4, but five wickets fell for the addition of only 16 runs in the first nine overs and the only resistance came from last pair, Simon Brown and John Wood, who added 34 before Mike Roseberry declared at 322 for 9.

Oxford's early batting was as enterprising as their bowling had been. Resuming after lunch at 22 without loss, Gregor Macmillan, their new captain, hit 36 off 30 balls and, after he was bowled by Wood for 46, Ian Sutcliffe and Chinmay Gupte added 66.

The departure of the Indian for 48 at 166 signalled a collapse even more spectacular than in the morning. The last seven wickets fell for the addition of only 17 runs off 14 overs and the innings closed at 183.