Round-Up: Hussey makes Lancashire pay for losing early control

Lancashire let Nottinghamshire off the hook on the first day of their County Championship First Division match at Trent Bridge yesterday after reducing the home side to 107 for 5.

Nottinghamshire were made to regret opting to bat first as two wickets apiece from Dominic Cork and Tom Smith put Lancashire, in second place in the table, in control.

However, David Hussey, who hit 150, and Mark Ealham shared a sixth-wicket stand of 226 as Nottinghamshire finished on 397 all out.

Dale Benkenstein, who scored 125, and Gareth Breese, with 107, both scored centuries as Durham reached 379 for 6 against Middlesex at Lord's.

In the Second Division, second-placed Worcestershire's attempt to catch leaders Surrey was slowed by Derbyshire tailenders James Pipe and Graham Wagg at Chesterfield. Pipe made 46 and Wagg got 45 as Derbyshire recovered from 259 for 7 to 351 all out.

A 238-run second-wicket stand between Michael Powell (176 not out) and David Hemp (102) put Glamorgan in the driving seat against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.

After Brendon McCullum retired hurt on just 4 and Gareth Rees was out for 1, the pair helped to take the visitors to 346 for 2.

Stephen Peters and David Sales shared a 212-run partnership which lifted Northamptonshire from 154 for 3 to 366 for 4 against Essex at Northampton. Peter made 178 and Sales is 129 not out as the home side closed on 406 for 4.

Arjuna Ranatunga, the former Sri Lanka captain, claims he has received an offer to coach an English county next summer.

Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup-winning side, is considering the proposal from the unnamed side, as well as an offer to advise another country in the build-up to next year's World Cup in the Caribbean.