Champions Durham took control of their LV County Championship Division One match against Hampshire at the Riverside today.

After skittling the visitors for 105 yesterday, Durham turned their overnight 84 for two into 311 - a first innings lead of 206 runs.

Captain Will Smith led by example with 80, while all-rounder Ian Blackwell added to Hampshire's misery with 68.

The visitors did not fare any better second time around, with Steve Harmison claiming two of the wickets to fall as Hampshire closed on 52 for four - a deficit of 154 runs.

Wicketkeeper Gerard Brophy (75) and number nine David Wainwright (36) were the chief contributors as Yorkshire totalled 225 at Headingley, before reducing Sussex to 78 for three.

Corey Collymore (four for 68) and Robin Martin-Jenkins (three for 38) impressed with the ball for the visitors but they were in trouble on 43 for three and needed Ed Joyce (38 not out) and Matt Prior (18no) to steer them to the close without further loss.

After a first day washout at Old Trafford, Lancashire reached 281 for nine against Somerset.

Paul Horton (69) and Ashwell Prince (48) put on 87 for the third wicket and captain Glen Chapple made 55 - but there was little else for the home support to cheer, with David Stiff (three for 70) faring best with the ball for Somerset.

There was frustration at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire and leaders Nottinghamshire were denied by the weather for a second successive day.

In Division Two, Steven Finn took five wickets and Gareth Berg four to help Middlesex take control of their match against Essex at Chelmsford.

The hosts, replying to Middlesex's 274, were in deep trouble at 98 for eight before Danish Kaneria (37) led a rearguard action.

Finn returned figures of five for 57, with Berg weighing in with four for 35 as Essex were skittled for 157.

Middlesex made slow but steady progress in their second innings, closing on 60 without loss for an overall lead of 177 going into the third day.

At Cardiff, Surrey reached 159 for three on a truncated second day against Glamorgan, with the influential Mark Ramprakash (50no) and Mark Butcher (65) putting on 98 for the third wicket.

The latter departed shortly before stumps but it was a satisfying return for the former England batsman in his first match back after more than a year out with knee trouble.

Gloucestershire lost Kadeer Ali cheaply but Hamish Marshall (30no) and Grant Hodnett (28no) repaired the early damage in the match against Derbyshire, before the weather resumed its grip on the Chesterfield clash.

There was no action at all for the second successive day at Grace Road, where bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire were facing Kent.