Kent beat Essex by an innings and 207 runs at Tunbridge Wells Kent 633 for 8 dec (Harmison 123, Billings 100*, Bell-Drummond 81, Key 71, Denly 69) - Essex 260 (Westley 77, ten Doeschate 54, Stevens 4-37, Haggett 3-54) and 166 (Hunn 4-51, Haggett 4-53)
Mike Yardy, the last link with the Sussex side that won the Championship three times between 2003 and 2007, has announced his retirement at the end of the season. Yardy, 34, was part of the England side which won the World Twenty20 title five years ago but his England career ended in Colombo the following year when he left the World Cup with depression.
Durham County Cricket Club's Chris Rushworth has managed an unusual hat-trick over three overs and two innings in the team's championship game at Hampshire. Rushworth bowled James Tomlinson for 0 at the end of the 109th over of Hampshire's first innings. He then finished that innings with the first ball of his next over as Gareth Berg was caught for 31. With the first ball of the second innings he had Michael Carberry caught behind. Now that is good.
Yorkshire beat Worcestershire by seven wickets at Scarborough Yorkshire 430 (Gale 164, Bairstow 139, Leach 4-139) and 157 for 3 (Bairstow 74*, Lees 58*) - Worcestershire 280 (Clarke 88, Patterson 3-34) and 306 (Whiteley 101, Brooks 3-41) 5 wins in a row for Yorkshire
Lancashire beat Glamorgan by an innings and 157 runs at Colwyn Bay Lancashire 698 for 5 dec (Petersen 286, Prince 261, Croft 57*, Brown 54) - Glamorgan 348 (Hogan 57, Chapple 4-62) and 193 (Cooke 56, Kerrigan 4-28)
Hampshire drew with Durham in Southampton Hampshire 307 (Smith 85, Carberry 73, Rushworth 6-39) and 179 for 9 (McManus 53*, Pringle 5-63, Rushworth 3-39) - Durham 421 (Muchall 145, Richardson 91, Arshad 60) and 190 for 4 dec (Stoneman 88, Crane 4-72)
Not looking good for sure, but not insurmountable - especially as the teams chasing Yorkshire will have to go all out to win and that could lead to sporting declarations, batting collapses etc.
Leicestershire's longest serving player Matt Boyce has retired with immediate effect to pursue a career in finance. After making his debut in 2006, Boyce, 29, scored 4,882 runs at an average of 27.89 in 104 first-class matches.
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was dropped for Yorkshire's final T20 Blast group game on Friday against Birmingham Bears for disciplinary reasons.
Sussex have signed Somerset seam bowler Alfonso Thomas on a one-month loan ahead of their One-Day Cup campaign. The 38-year-old South African is available to make his debut against Lancashire at Horsham on Sunday.
Royal London Cup Nottinghamshire 221 for 1 (Hales 103, Wessels 85*) beat Warwickshire 220 (Bell 52, Christian 5-40) by nine wickets Durham 313 for 8 (Collingwood 132, Mustard 65) beat Northamptonshire 259 (Levi 87, Duckett 69, Hastings 4-35, Rushworth 4-41) by 54 runs
Royal London Cup Derbyshire 134 for 7 (Madsen 45) beat Somerset 74 (Cotton 3-11) by 29 runs (DLS method)
Royal London Cup Essex 163 for 3 (Bopara 101*) beat Lancashire 161 for 9 (Davies 37, Bopara 4-31) by seven wickets Surrey 343 for 5 (Roy 108, Davies 99) beat Northamptonshire 123 (Duckett 56, S Curran 4-32) by 220 runs Hampshire 343 for 6 (Vince 103, Dawson 73*) beat Sussex 256 (Machan 93, Wright 58, Dawson 6-47) by 87 runs Yorkshire 239 for 6 (Ballance 69, Leaning 42) beat Derbyshire 189 for 9 (Rutherford 56, Godleman 45, Patterson 3-37, Brooks 3-40) by seven runs (DLS method
Middlesex have signed Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan as a replacement overseas player for Joe Burns. Left-armer Junaid, 25, is available to play in the One-Day Cup and also in the Championship if required. He has played 22 Tests, 52 one-day internationals and nine Twenty20 games for his country.
Australian all-rounder John Hastings has committed to a third season with Durham, extending his stay for the 2016 County Championship campaign.
Leicestershire duo Clint McKay and Angus Robson have signed new two-year contracts, keeping them at Grace Road until the end of the 2017 season.
Royal London Cup Glamorgan 321 for 7 (Ingram 109, Cooke 94*, Bragg 59, Coles 3-53) beat Kent 317 for 7 (Stevens 110, Northeast 74, Billings 56) by three wickets
