Lancashire accelerated flamboyantly at Blackpool, the tower peering curiously around the clubhouse as Ashton Turner (154 on debut), Josh Bohannon (124) , Luke Wells (152) and Michael Jones (a preppy 41) peppered the boundaries. Two balls were lost over the wall and into trees, one landed dangerously near the two shiny red showroom cars parked on the top of the grassy bank as Kent conceded 639, the highest total in matches between the sides.
Surrey strode into June by dispatching Worcestershire in two-and-a-half days. Nathan Smith – six for 38 – and Matt Fisher – four for 47 – nipped them out for 125, leaving Surrey 49 to win. They sit, temporarily at least, back at the top of Division One.
Jacob Bethell had time to hit an effortless six on his return to county cricket, before he was sent on his way, bottom-edging a pull for 20. Warwickshire just avoided the follow-on against Somerset, and the game seems destined for a draw.
Tilak Varma’s century on debut and Liam Dawson’s hundred and double-wicket day put Hampshire on top against Essex, despite Simon Harmer’s 500th wicket for Essex.
Gurinder Sandhu, Sussex’s 6ft 4in fast bowler, collected five wickets on a damp day at Chester le Street, as Durham lost their last four wickets for 26. Jofra Archer added four overs to his comeback campaign.
Runaway Leicestershire declared with a lead of 223 over Glamorgan, after some hearty bat swinging from Logan van Beek and Ben Green, though a defiant 72 not out from Sam Northeast took the game into day four. Finlay Bean’s 224 helped Yorkshire fight back against Notts.
Gloucestershire fought back against Derbyshire thanks to an all day unbeaten 170 from Cameron Bancroft and 105 from Graeme van Buuren. Middlesex’s Ryan Higgins grabbed a hat-trick against Northants, after Saif Zaib reached his fourth century of the summer.