Zen Malik and Beau Webster impress as Warwickshire see off Worcestershire

Needing 338 with eight wickets in hand at the start of the day Malik scored a career-best 142 with Australian Webster hitting an unbeaten 100 off 166 balls.

Dan Mousley chipped in with 69 before Kai Smith (48 off 40) joined Webster to see the hosts home with almost 14 overs to spare to leave bottom side Worcestershire staring at relegation.

Essex inflicted Sussex’s first championship defeat at Hove since May 2022 after wrapping up only their second victory of the season inside 25 minutes on the final day.

The home side began play needing another 55 just to make Essex bat again and while James Coles got the single he needed for his third consecutive century there was little else to cheer as they were bowled out for 261 to lose by an innings and 39 runs.

Top two Surrey and Nottinghamshire both had to settle for draws, at Yorkshire and Hampshire respectively.

Dom Bess, captaining Yorkshire in the absence of Jonny Bairstow after partner Megan went into labour in the early hours, finished with seven for 162 as the visitors were bowled out for 537 at Scarborough, a first innings lead of just 20.

Yorkshire were 120 for five when time was called and slipped into the bottom two after the draw.

Nottinghamshire are just a point behind the leaders after Felix Organ scored a first-class high of 122 not out to ensure Hampshire avoided the follow-on.

The hosts finished on 454 all out, 124 behind, and that just left Nottinghamshire duo Haseeb Hameed and Freddie McCann to score unbeaten half-centuries on their way to 108 for one before the end.

A draw leaves Hampshire 13 points above Yorkshire.

Division Two leaders Leicestershire strengthened their promotion push with a 189-run victory over Derbyshire at Derby.

England all-rounder Rehan Ahmed finished with seven for 93, and 13 wickets in the match, as the hosts were dismissed for 256.

Second-placed Glamorgan kept up the chase with a five-wicket win at home to struggling Kent after Kiran Carlson scored an unbeaten 89 in a successful pursuit of 189, the hosts knocking off the remaining 164 required for the loss of only three further wickets.

England spinner Tom Hartley claimed five for 99 – and match figures of 11 for 215 – as Lancashire beat Gloucestershire by nine wickets with five overs to spare at Cheltenham.

Following-on at 98 without loss Hartley took advantage of a helpful pitch to leave the visitors needing 110 from 26 overs and an unbeaten second-wicket stand of 103 between Keaton Jennings (57no) and Josh Bohannon saw them home.

Middlesex boosted their hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon with an innings and 107-run victory over Northamptonshire.

The visitors began the day 64 for three following-on and despite battling Rob Keogh’s unbeaten 61 made in nine minutes short of five hours they could not stave off defeat.