In the end, Brian Charles Lara could rest easy, his record first-class score of 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994 was not surpassed by Somerset ’s Tom Banton. Resuming on 344 and with his county’s highest score freshly minted in his back pocket, Banton threw the blade at everything Worcestershire sent down on the third morning, a nick behind off the left-arm wrist‑spinner Tom Hinley the final act of an innings of 371.
Not bad for a player who admitted to “hating” cricket during times of paucity in recent years. Banton will now be on England’s radar in both red and white ball formats. Fifties from Adam Hose and Brett D’Oliveira delayed a three-day defeat for the Pears but they seem sure to go mouldy on day four, trailing by 236 runs with half their second innings wickets lost.
Ben Foakes was left stranded on 92 not out after scrapping for Surrey against Essex ’s well-rounded bowling attack at Chelmsford. The champions had the ignominy of following on in the first round of their title defence but Foakes’s rearguard has given them a chance of escaping back to south London with a draw, providing they can last out the day tomorrow.
Yorkshire ’s Adam Lyth gave Hampshire a scare with a second‑innings century that didn’t contain a boundary in its first 123 deliveries, but a target of 148 runs wasn’t enough – Ben Brown’s side prospering over Jonny Bairstow’s by five wickets in Southampton.
Sussex ’s Ollie Robinson looked to be getting back to his miserly best with the ball against Warwickshire but it was the 24-year-old off‑spinner Jack Carson who did the most damage at Edgbaston, picking up four wickets as the south coast side set up a lead of 200 runs and counting heading into the final day.
Durham and Nottinghamshire are still duking it out at Trent Bridge, the home side with an 87‑run lead and seven second‑innings wickets to winkle. In Division Two, Northamptonshire went down with a whimper at Wantage Road, dismissed for 114 in their second innings as Kent beat them by 145 runs. Leicestershire did the same to Glamorgan by dint of 10 wickets while Lancashire and Middlesex are locked in battle at Lord’s.
Derbyshire got their season off to a winning start with a nine-wicket victory against Gloucestershire . Coach Mickey Arthur paid tribute to the work his players have done “in those cold dark days in the middle of January” adding that his team have “worked unbelievably hard and cricket looks after people who work hard.” In Taunton, 177 miles away, a spent and sated Banton would likely agree.
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Updated at 11.51 CEST
