Essex draw with Yorkshire and Lancashire draw with Warwickshire in Division One, while Hampshire claim an 87-run victory over Gloucestershire; Middlesex chase down 370 to defeat Sussex in Division Two, while Glamorgan beat Leicestershire
Sunday 8 May 2022 19:09, UK
Sir Alastair Cook scored a century in both innings for the first time in his illustrious career as Essex and Yorkshire fought out a sluggish LV= Insurance County Championship draw.
Cook, England's leading Test run-scorer and a veteran of 19 years at first-class level, had never previously reached three figures twice in a match - but he rectified that omission on his career record with an unbeaten 102 in the dying embers of this Chelmsford stalemate.
Any outside prospect of a positive result evaporated on the final morning as Yorkshire - needing to build quickly on their overnight advantage of 22 - lost their last five wickets for 39 and were dismissed for 465.
That left Cook, who had scored 107 in the first innings, and opening partner Nick Browne under little pressure in their second innings and the pair eased comfortably past the deficit with an unbroken partnership of 167 before the captains agreed on a draw at 4.50pm.
Hampshire maintained pace at the top of Division One and moved within eight points of early leaders Surrey as they patiently secured an 87-run victory over Gloucestershire.
Mohammad Abbas followed his first-innings six-wicket haul with 3-62 while Liam Dawson and James Fuller both grabbed two wickets apiece as they seized a final-session victory.
George Scott and Miles Hammond's half-centuries had given Gloucestershire hope of chasing down 368 and a first victory of the season but the arrival of the second new ball dented their chances.
Warwickshire drew their match against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford, despite Matt Parkinson taking three wickets during a dramatic afternoon session.
Some resolute defensive batting by Chris Benjamin (22no) and Danny Briggs (28no) ensure a share of the spoils, with their unbroken seventh-wicket stand worth 46 when the players shook hands with Warwickshire's lead on 138 and only 19 overs left in the match.
In Division Two, Middlesex chased down a target of 370 in an incredible final day at Hove, seeing them achieve their eighth-highest fourth innings total in history to leave Sussex without a win in five games.
A partnership of 209 in 49 overs between Sam Robson (149) and captain Peter Hanscomb (79), and then one of 99 between Max Holden and Martin Andersson in 13 overs, saw Middlesex get home with 3.1 overs to spare.
Glamorgan wrapped up a six-wicket victory over Leicestershire on the final day in Cardiff, with Sam Northeast undefeated on 40 as they chased down their victory target of 150.
The visitors resumed their second innings with three wickets in hand and just 41 runs in front, before an excellent half-century from Ben Mike and 29 from stand-in captain Callum Parkinson took them to 266.
Glamorgan got off to a flying start in their pursuit of the victory target thanks to a brisk innings from David Lloyd but three wickets from Parkinson slowed their progress, with the hosts eventually chasing down their target in the 41st over.
Worcestershire batter Jack Haynes scored his maiden first-class century as he and Azhar Ali batted through the majority of the final day to secure a defiant draw with Durham at New Road.
Haynes finished the day on 120 not out, with Azhar having made 92, as the hosts closed on 262 for three in their second innings after being set 442 for victory by the visitors.
