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County Championship round-up

Strong Gale bolsters Yorkshire

Cricinfo staff

May 23, 2008

Andrew Gale was in good touch for his 150 © Getty Images

First Division

Third day
Andrew Gale led Yorkshire to 525, way past Surrey's declaration total and in reply Surrey ended the day trailing by eight runs, having slipped to 56 for 2, including the wicket of Mark Ramprakash for 14. His hundred hundreds hunt stretches to another match, then; his next opportunity will now be against Somerset at Whitgift School next week. Gale's 150, meanwhile, was his third first-class century, the 100 brought up with a straight single. Jacques Rudolph reached his hundred with the third ball of the day but was later trapped fairly high but playing no shot to Usman Afzaal, who bowled unchanged throughout the morning at The Oval. Rudolph and Gale helped Yorkshire save the follow-on - the mark coming with a straight six from Gale off Afzaal - in a stand worth 206, before pushing on to gain the lead. The powerful Tim Bresnan was left stranded on 84. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan could be out for a few weeks after retiring hurt from batting with a hamstring injury.

Marcus Trescothick and Ian Blackwell gave Somerset the edge heading into the final day after their batting efforts helped to set Kent 271 at Tunbridge Wells. Charl Willoughby bagged three wickets and limited Kent to 134 for 5 after Trescothick made a big century, but Joe Denly was making a good fist of the chase. He was unbeaten on 64 and his side require a further 137 with 5 wickets in hand. It's anyone's game, but Somerset will be favourites.

Fourth day
For John Ward's account of how Sussex earned their first win of the season against Nottinghamshire click here.

Second Division

Third day
Glamorgan will in all likelihood be asked to follow on at Swansea after Johan van der Wath and Nicky Boje bowled them out for 278, still 253 adrift. van der Wath combined with David Sales to dismiss the openers Gareth Rees and Matthew Wood as Northamptonshire worked their way through a stubborn Glamorgan line-up. Michael Powell and Jamie Dalrymple made fifties but Northamptonshire are still very much in with a chance of the win despite rain scooping out a huge wedge of the second day.

Leicestershire's batsmen manoeuvred their side into a dominant position heading into the final day against Essex at Chelmsford. Hylton Ackerman converted his overnight 90 to a century, then Paul Nixon made his second fifty of the game - he was left on an unbeaten 92, as three wickets fell for seven runs. Claude Henderson also struck a half-century as Leicestershire set Essex a daunting 445. Before the close, the home side lost Tom Westley to close 69 for 1.

Warwickshire's game with Middlesex looks to be meandering towards a draw at Edgbaston, after Middlesex moved in sight of parity with Warwickshire, who are still to bat. Billy Godleman and Owais Shah closed the deficit to 17 runs - Godleman with 56 not out, Shah unbeaten on 46 - with Ed Smith Middlesex's only faller.