A review of Thursday's action in the LV= County Championship.
Ian Westwood and Jim Troughton's attritional partnership helped LV= County Championship Division One title challengers Warwickshire make a decent start on day two as they bid to chase down Middlesex's first innings score.
Chris Rogers' side were all out for 402 at Uxbridge this morning and they were further boosted when Tim Murtagh took the wickets of Varun Chopra and Will Porterfield.
From 26 for two, Westwood and Troughton guided Warwickshire to 178 without further loss in a partnership that lasted 60 overs.
Westwood will resume on Friday needing just 11 runs for his century while Warwickshire captain Troughton was unbeaten on 60.
Third-placed Somerset faltered badly in their reply against Lancashire at Aigburth.
Captain Marcus Trescothick was dismissed for one in his first championship match since April and only James Hildreth (45) mustered an innings of any real significance as Somerset were all out for 149.
Earlier, Peter Trego and Alfonso Thomas took four wickets apiece as Lancashire were dismissed for 185.
Ed Joyce's century put Sussex in pole position against struggling Worcestershire.
The opener made a tremendous 107 from 260 balls in Sussex's total of 325 for seven, with Luke Wright contributing a fine 78, which contained eight fours and a six.
It could have been worse for Worcestershire, who now trail by 163 runs, but for Alan Richardson taking four for 67.
In Division Two, Stephen Peters' unbeaten 74 allied with Rob Newton's 40 not out put Northamptonshire in a good position against Yorkshire.
Just 57.4 overs of play were possible at Wantage Road, where Northamptonshire closed on 175 for three - just 74 runs behind Yorkshire's first-innings total.
A final wicket partnership between Dean Cosker and Huw Waters sparked a dramatic Glamorgan recovery on the second day of their encounter against Gloucestershire at Swansea.
After resuming the day in real trouble at 64 for six in their first innings Cosker and Waters added 83 runs to take Glamorgan to 208 all out. In reply Gloucestershire struggled and finished on 91 for seven, 117 adrift on first innings.
Openers Tom Westley and Jaik Mickleburgh both completed their centuries for Essex against Leicestershire at Chelmsford.
Mickleburgh was the first to reach three figures and went to make 126, with Westley one run less as Essex declared on 434 for three, while Leicestershire closed on 32 for two - David Masters taking both wickets against his former county.
Kent reached 238 for eight after being put in to bat on day one of their clash at Derbyshire.
