Seamer Andre Adams helped Nottinghamshire get their LV= County Championship challenge off to a perfect start as they completed a comprehensive victory over Kent with more than a day to spare.

The Kiwi followed his four-wicket haul from Kent's first innings with three for 78 as the visitors were bowled out for 224, handing Notts a win by an innings and 32 runs.

Adams was ably assisted by Luke Fletcher (three for 43), who took the key wickets of Geraint Jones and Martin van Jaarsveld early on as Kent collapsed to 72 for five.

England one-day opener Joe Denly made 37 before he was lbw to Adams with the first ball after lunch, and Samit Patel wrapped up the win before tea with the wicket of Amjad Khan.

Michael Di Venuto and Dale Benkenstein's unbeaten half-centuries revived Durham's hopes of starting the defence of their title with a draw, despite having to follow on against Essex at the Riverside.

The dual champions lost nine wickets in the afternoon session to be bowled out for 198 in reply to 484 and then stumbled to four for two by tea on day three of their first Division One match of the summer.

But Di Venuto (75no) and Benkenstein (62no) dug in for an unbroken stand of 143 at stumps that left Durham still 139 behind.

Sajid Mahmood and Glen Chapple shared a 10th-wicket partnership of 77 inside 12 overs to help Lancashire set Warwickshire a daunting 319 for victory at Old Trafford.

Former England Test number eight Mahmood recorded his first half-century for Lancashire since 2005, making 52 from 41 balls, and Chapple (53 not out) reached his second of this fixture to boost the hosts to a second-innings total of 319.

Mahmood then added the prized wicket of England batsman Ian Bell, lbw for nine, and Tom Smith trapped Jonathan Trott in front for six as Warwickshire slumped to 34 for three in their chase. They closed day three on 52 for three from 29 overs, requiring a further 267 runs for victory.

A second consecutive County Championship victory is well within Yorkshire's grasp after they took control over Somerset on the third day of a hard-fought encounter at Headingley Carnegie.

Somerset were 201 for six in their second innings at close of play, a lead of only 54 runs.

In Division Two, Luke Evans and Jack Brooks took three wickets apiece as Northamptonshire bowled out Gloucestershire for 249 to complete a 94-run victory at Bristol.

Evans, in his first game since joining Northants on a month's loan from Durham, claimed the wickets of Alex Gidman, Chris Taylor and Gemaal Hussain as Gloucestershire, who started the day on 85 for two, never threatened to get the 344 required to win.

Evans finished with three for 53, while Brooks accounted for Hamish Marshall, Jon Lewis and Steve Snell in his return of three for 55.

Wayne White hit a maiden first-class century against his former county as Leicestershire built a big lead on the third day of their match against Derbyshire.

The 24-year-old Derby-born all-rounder completed an unbeaten 101 before Leicestershire declared their second innings half an hour before the close.

Ahead by 155 overnight, Leicestershire batted with tremendous patience to move onto 330 for eight, setting Derbyshire an imposing 403 to win. Derbyshire captain Chris Rogers was caught behind for nought to leave the home side 13 for one at stumps.

Glamorgan's pursuit of only their third championship win at Lord's was hampered by an obdurate three-hour stay by England Test captain and Middlesex opener Andrew Strauss.

Having built a 374-run lead, Glamorgan looked set to sweep to victory after reducing the hosts to one for two in their second innings.

Inspired by Strauss (44), Middlesex re-grouped to reach 187 for four by stumps - though they still require a further 188 to complete an improbable win.

Sussex moved to the brink of victory against Surrey, led by a superb all-round display from Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.

The Pakistani star blasted 68 not out from 65 balls, with five fours and three sixes, in a rapid-fire ninth-wicket stand of 124 with Robin Martin-Jenkins, who followed his five first-innings wickets with a knock of 64.

Rana then added three for 89 as Surrey were reduced to 243 for nine in their second innings - still just 32 runs ahead.

Luke Wright added three for 44 as only Usman Afzaal (87) and keeper Steven Davies (37) offered any serious resistance for Surrey, putting on 138 for the fourth wicket.