Durham moved into a good position to force an LV= County Championship victory against Surrey after a rain-shortened third day at the Kia Oval.

Essex Eagles powered their way to a 59-run win over Scottish Saltires in a Yorkshire Bank 40 match at the Grange reduced by rain to 29 overs a side.

Nottinghamshire Outlaws maintained their 100 per cent Yorkshire Bank 40 Group A record as Alex Hales made 72 from 41 balls in a five-wicket victory over Worcestershire Royals under the Duckworth/Lewis method.

No play was possible in the Yorkshire Bank 40 Group C clash between Gloucestershire Gladiators and Middlesex Panthers at Bristol.

Derbyshire Falcons and Lancashire Lightning were frustrated by the weather at the County Ground as their Yorkshire Bank 40 Group B match was abandoned with only three overs bowled.

Rain ruined Glamorgan's chances of making it three wins from three at the top of Yorkshire Bank 40 Group C as their match against the Unicorns at the SWALEC Stadium was abandoned without a ball bowled.

Warwickshire Bears were left still seeking their first win of this season's Yorkshire Bank 40 after their Group A match against Sussex Sharks at Edgbaston was washed out without a ball being bowled.

On a rain-hit day, there were LV=CC draws at Edgbaston, Bristol and New Road. Somerset recorded a thumping victory at Headingley in the Yorkshire Bank 40, while England Lions moved ahead of New Zealand.

Jos Buttler delivered the star performance as Somerset powered to a 131-run victory over Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Bank 40 Group C match at Headingley.

After LV= County Championship debutant Ryan Buckley took the opening day's bowling honours, Surrey's veteran skipper Gareth Batty won the plaudits on day two of the Division One clash with Durham.

Michael Klinger took his score to 163 and Alex Gidman moved to 69 before Gloucestershire were forced to settle for a draw in the rain-ruined LV= County Championship match with Hampshire at Bristol.

Leicestershire followed the logical course by batting through much of the final day as their Division Two basement battle with Worcestershire in the LV= County Championship drifted to a draw at New Road.

Warwickshire and Middlesex had to settle on a battle for bonus points as their rain-affected LV= County Championship match meandered to a tame draw.

In-form Yorkshire paceman Jack Brooks faces a six-week lay-off after breaking a bone in his left thumb.

Gloucestershire have prescribed 10-day rest periods for injured bowlers Will Gidman and Jack Taylor.

Australia batsman Ed Cowan returns for Nottinghamshire Outlaws’ Yorkshire Bank 40 game with Worcestershire Royals at New Road to offset the loss of three England players: James Taylor, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad.

Derbyshire have added Steve Stubbings to their coaching team in a move that will see AJ Harris become a specialist bowling coach.

Joe Root and Michael Carberry prospered for England Lions, while there was a dramatic win for Lancashire over Essex on a busy day of action.

For the second Friday in succession Lancashire's cricketers achieved a memorable victory, beating Essex by three wickets on a thrilling final afternoon at Emirates Old Trafford.

A magnificent partnership between Chris Nash and captain Ed Joyce proved crucial as Sussex Sharks got off the mark in the Yorkshire Bank 40 with a 61-run Duckworth/Lewis victory over Northants Steelbacks.