Image source, Rex Features

The County Championship returned from a seven-week break and despite rain affecting several games, there have been a number of significant results.

Title favourites Surrey stretched their lead to 35 points in Division One after proving too strong for a largely inexperienced Yorkshire side.

Kent lost further ground in the battle to avoid relegation after losing to Worcestershire, while Yorkshire beat Division Two leaders Sussex and Middlesex also closed the gap in the promotion race with a final;-session win over Northants.

Thanks for your company. We'll be back on Thursday from about 10:30 BST for the start of the next round of matches.

Division One

Durham 531-7 dec v Nottinghamshire 229 & 285 (f/o)

Durham beat Notts by innings and 17 runs

Hampshire 424-8 dec v Essex 438-8 dec

Match drawn

Surrey 444-9 dec v Lancashire 204 & 177

Surrey won by an innings and 63 runs

Warwickshire 337 & 270 v Somerset 239 & 206-4

Match drawn

Worcestershire 447 & 102-2 v Kent 171 & 376

Worcestershire won by eight wickets

Division Two

Derbyshire 429 & 27-0 v Glamorgan 168 & 287

Derbyshire won by 10 wickets

Gloucestershire 544-4 dec v Leicestershire 402 & 304-5

Match drawn

Middlesex 264 & 114-2 v Northamptonshire 207 & 167

Middlesex won by eight wickets

Yorkshire 326 & 103-6 v Sussex 189 & 239

Yorkshire won by four wickets

Great win for Middlesex which keeps them in second place in the second division table behind Sussex, just six points behind.

It was a victory built around a towering performance from captain Toby Roland-Jones who took 11 wickets in the match and teed up a run chase today with a superb 6-58.

Once they were set on the chase the result never looked in doubt, Sam Robson galloping in the vanguard as Middlesex ran down a target of 111.

Yorkshire are third, three points behind Middlesex, with Leicestershire in fourth, 19 points adrift of the boys from Lord's.

Guy Swindells
BBC Radio London

Middlesex had to win after Yorkshire beat Sussex, they have won, and it's turning into a thrilling promotion race at the top of Division Two.

Northamptonshre will be disappointed, but Sam Robson has been brilliant.

A half-century in both innings and he's held things together.

Leus du Plooy brings home the win with a boundary cut through backward point area.

Sam Robson's contribution was an unbeaten 64 in a chase which the result never looked in doubt.

A quick reminder of the next round of games.....

Division One

Chelmsford: Essex v Worcestershire

Old Trafford: Lancashire v Hampshire

Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Surrey

Taunton: Somerset v Durham

Edgbaston: Warwickshire v Kent

Division Two

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Leicestershire

Bristol: Gloucestershire v Northamptonshire

Hove: Sussex v Derbyshire

Headingley: Yorkshire v Middlesex

100 up for Middlesexpublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 25 August 2024

17:58 BST 25 August 2024

Middlesex 264 & 100-2 Northants 207 & 167

Middlesex have taken any potential bad light out of the equation with this rapid chase. That is the 100 up.

Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton

Image source, Rex Features

He's not hanging around, one, two bounces into the champagne and coffee stall for four and that's fifty for Sam Robson.

It's his second half-century of the match. He just loves batting on this ground.

50 for Robsonpublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 25 August 2024

17:54 BST 25 August 2024

Middlesex 264 & 94-2 Northants 207 & 167

A very convincing knock from Sam Robson who has hooked that beautifully over the midwicket boundary for a 10th four of the innings.

Just 14 needed from here.

Guy Swindells
BBC Radio London

It's an absolute sitter at long on and Gus Miller, the substitute fielder, has put it down.

I'm really sorry, that wasn't a difficult one.

Leus du Plooy survives.

Postpublished at 17:53 British Summer Time 25 August 2024

17:53 BST 25 August 2024

Middlesex 264 & 92-2 Northants 207 & 167

Leus du Plooy is dropped on the long on boundary off Chahal's leg spin and Sam Robson rubs Northants noses in it smashing two beautiful shots all the way to the rope.

Just 19 needed.

Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton

Du Plooy comes down the wicket, hits him out to in, glorious shot inside out over cover for four.

That's a super bit of batting.

Image source, Rex Features

Ben Sanderson has been the pick of Northants bowlers with eight wickets in the match.

But he has got the treatment there from Leus du Plooy who elegantly hammers him through the covers.

Middlesex are cruising to this total. Just 28 needed now from 72 balls.

Guy Swindells
BBC Radio London

That has been absolutely nailed. Boy that was a good shot.

He got down on one knee and absolutely smashed it.

Image source, Rex Features

Yuzvendra Chahal's first over goes for 12 and 10 of them came from the bat of Sam Robson who moves to 41 from 26 balls.

Last throw of the dice for Northants. Yuzvendra Chahal is into the attack.

And Sam Robson has pounded his first delivery for a big four over midwicket.

Guy Swindells
BBC Radio London

That’s a nice shot from Sam Robson and it’s going to run down the hill.

Dom Leach isn’t a slow man across the ground and even he couldn’t catch it up.

Again Sam Robson has taken toll of a slightly loose last ball of the over.

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesex are well on course to bring home this win.

Two wickets down but the top order have got them well above the rate needed and the risk factor can be toned down a notch now.

Sam Robson clips Luke Proctor through midwicket for four and now chips Ben Sanderson over his head for another.

Leus du Plooy benefits from a misfield in the deep to get his first boundary.

Just 45 needed from 84 balls now.

With four games left to play, Surrey have 180 points following their win over Lancashire earlier this afternoon.

They are 35 clear of Somerset, who drew with Warwickshire at Edgbaston, with Essex third, a further three points further back.

Kent are 34 points adrift at the bottom following their eight-wicket defeat at Worcestershire, who have climbed up to sixth.

Lancashire are now next to bottom, one point behind Notts and six adrift of Warwickshire.

Leus du Plooy signals his intent with a lovely drive first ball which gets him two runs.

There are 60 needed from 95 balls now with eight wickets still in hand.