Promoted Kent gained their first top-flight win since 2010 although they were given a fright before beating Warwickshire at Edgbaston by eight wickets.
Wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose made 107 and Henry Brookes a career-best 84 in an eight-wicket stand of 145 before Warwickshire were dismissed for 280. Kent’s target was 123 and Australian Matt Renshaw steered them home with an unbeaten 48.
Harry Podmore earlier took 5 for 62 and Kent bowling coach Allan Donald was delighted with his bowlers’ perseverance.
“Taking 20 wickets on this pitch was a fantastic effort,” he said. “I loved how the guys hunted as a pack. We have been relentless with the ball, bowled very well in partnerships and thoroughly earned the win. It’s been a tremendous performance.”
Yorkshire bowled out Hampshire for 208 in their second innings at the Ageas Bowl to wrap up victory by an innings and 44 runs.
Skipper Steve Patterson led the way with 4 for 47 despite resistance from Liam Dawson (92) and Keith Barker (64).
“It is always nice to make a contribution but for me it is more important what we achieve as a team,” said Patterson. “The fact that we took 20 wickets on a surface like that is the most pleasing thing.”
England batsman Rory Burns just missed out on a century as Surrey batted through the final day to draw with Essex at the Kia Oval. Burns made 98 before becoming one of five victims for off-spinner Simon Harmer, who also picked up Ollie Pope (69) and Will Jacks (54). The game was drawn after Surrey finished on 324 for 6 and Burns bowled one over to ensure his side were not penalised for a slow over rate.
In Division Two, Glenn Maxwell took 5 for 40 with his off breaks to help Lancashire to a seven-wicket win over Middlesex at Lord’s. The Australian’s victims included Dawid Malan for 51 before Lancashire lost three wickets knocking off a target of 39.
“I don’t think I’ve taken a five-for since my teenage years,” said Maxwell. “Going down the slope against their left handers I got a few to go off both sides of the bat, it was nice to contribute to a good team performance.”
Charlie Morris returned career-best figures as relegated Worcestershire beat Leicestershire by an innings and 18 runs at Grace Road. The 26-year-old right-armer finished with 7 for 45, much to the delight of his captain Ben Cox.
“Charlie has been our most consistent bowler in pre-season and he thoroughly deserves those figures,” said Cox. “It’s the culmination of a huge amount of hard work on his part, everybody’s really pleased for him.”
Stiaan van Zyl made an unbeaten century as Sussex picked up their first win of the season against Durham at Chester-le-Street. The South African finished on 101 and Laurie Evans made 51 as Sussex won by six wickets after chasing 212.
The record books were re-written where Northamptonshire made 750 against Glamorgan, the biggest total the Welsh county have ever conceded, the highest at Sophia Gardens and the second-biggest score in Northants’ history. Rob Keogh (150) became the third century-maker of the innings while ten Glamorgan bowlers sent down 227 overs between them. Nearly 1,400 runs were scored and Northants’ captain Alex Wakely described the pitch as “very poor.”
Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen made an unbeaten double-hundred and passed 10,000 runs for the county in the draw with Gloucestershire at Bristol. Madsen finished with 204 while Alex Hughes contributed 109 – the sixth century of his career and third against Gloucestershire. Their fourth-wicket stand of 278 was also a record as the game was drawn.
