Sussex won promotion back to LV= County Championship Division One at the first time of asking after securing four batting points on the second day of their clash against Northamptonshire at Hove.

Replying to their visitors' 125 all out, Sussex made 381 with opener Chris Nash top-scoring with 164.

They then reduced Northants to 48 for two in their second innings before bad light and rain ended play early.

Earlier the hosts had sealed promotion when Ollie Rayner's single took them to 350, although Gloucestershire's subsequent failure to take any batting points at Grace Road against Leicestershire meant they were already assured of a top-two finish.

Division One leaders Nottinghamshire produced a valiant fightback against Yorkshire but will still face an uphill task to avoid a defeat that will throw the title race wide open.

After Andre Adams completed his third five-wicket haul in consecutive matches to bowl out Yorkshire for 264, half-centuries from Mark Wagh, Paul Franks and Adam Voges helped the hosts to reach 357 for six in their second innings.

Chris Wright and Tony Palladino produced their best figures of the season as relegation-haunted Essex carved out a first-innings lead of 91 against Durham at Chelmsford.

Wright claimed five for 70 and his new-ball colleague Palladino four for 57 as the visitors were bowled out for 177.

By the close Essex had moved to 103 for one in their second innings, thanks largely to an unbeaten 61 from Alastair Cook, to go into the third day with an overall advantage of 194.

Craig Kieswetter hit his highest Championship score of the season as Somerset moved into a strong position against Lancashire at Taunton.

The England one-day international made 84 off 80 balls, with nine fours and a six, to help his side to 350 for eight - a lead of 91 runs, by the time heavy rain ended play an hour early.

Gary Keedy took five for 81 to reduce the home side to 276 for eight before an unbroken stand of 74 between Ben Phillips (29 not out) and Murali Kartik (37no) took Somerset to a fourth batting point.

Hampshire's James Tomlinson bagged four for 59 to help skittle Kent for 182 and give his side a slender first-innings lead of 22 runs on a second day cut short by rain and bad light.

In Division Two, Leicestershire dominated the second day of against Gloucestershire at Grace Road to keep alive their slim chances of promotion.

After dismissing Gloucestershire for 159, Leicestershire moved into a commanding position by reaching 147 for one at stumps to lead by 283 runs.

Greg Smith was still there at the close on 70 having shared stands of 69 with Matt Boyce and 78 with Jacques Du Toit to complete an impressive day for the home side.

Owais Shah, in his final game for Middlesex, closed in on a farewell century at Lord's despite bad weather cutting short the second day of the match against Worcestershire.

Shah was 70 not out when torrential rain ended play for the day at 4pm, having guided Middlesex to 244 for five in reply to Worcestershire's first innings 313.

Bad light and rain meant just 45 overs were bowled on day two of the clash between Surrey and Glamorgan at the Brit Oval, which ended with the visitors on 72 for two.

Surrey had earlier been bowled out for 380, but their hopes of making significant inroads on the visitors' batting line-up was frustrated by the weather.