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<\/p>\nCOUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: Middlesex will attempt to bat out the day at Northampton after James Sales’ career-best hundred<\/p>\n
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Northampton (day three of four):\u00a0Middlesex<\/a>\u00a0341 & 109-1,\u00a0Northamptonshire<\/a>\u00a0409 – Middlesex lead by\u00a041 runs with nine wickets remaining<\/p>\n James Sales and Liam Guthrie both posted career-bests with the bat as their ninth-wicket partnership of 74 tilted a close contest in Northamptonshire’s favour against Middlesex at Wantage Road.<\/p>\n Sales was last man out for 164, having shared a lengthy stand with fellow centurion Nathan McSweeney before tailender Guthrie’s spirited assault on the Middlesex bowling yielded 51 from 49 balls to stretch their side’s first-innings total to 409.<\/p>\n That gave Northamptonshire, chasing their first Rothesay County Championship victory of the season after two draws, a handy lead of 68, but Middlesex fought back with the bat to reach stumps 41 in front for the loss of Josh de Caires.<\/p>\n Sam Robson was one short of his half century when the players went off for bad light, with Max Holden alongside him on 42.<\/p>\n Related:\u00a0Derbyshire suffer Mohammad Abbas blow<\/a><\/p>\n Related:\u00a0James Rew “absolutely” capable of opening for England<\/a><\/p>\n Bristol (day three of four):\u00a0Gloucestershire<\/a>\u00a0136 & 305,\u00a0Lancashire<\/a>\u00a0240 & 75-3 – Lancashire need 127 runs to win with seven wickets remaining<\/p>\n Lancashire’s injury woes continued as a James Bracey century helped Gloucestershire stage a spirited fightback on the third day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.<\/p>\n Having already lost seamer Ajeet Singh Dale to a hamstring injury on day one, the visitors had to make a second substitution when Luke Wells suffered a painful shoulder injury diving to prevent a boundary during the morning session.<\/p>\n Harry Singh was introduced in his place, with the go-ahead to bat and bowl, as Gloucestershire advanced their overnight second innings score of 58 for 3 to 305 all out, a lead of 201. Bracey hit 114, with 16 fours, and Miles Hammond contributed 82, sharing a fourth wicket stand of 148. There were four wickets each for James Anderson (4 for 51) and George Balderson (4 for 75).<\/p>\n Lancashire were left with 28 overs to bat in the day and closed on 75 for 3, Keaton Jennings unbeaten on 25, needing a further 127 runs to win.<\/p>\n Image: Jacob Hurry\/Gloucestershire Cricket<\/p>\n![\"april-webstory-banner25\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/april-webstory-banner25.webp.webp\")
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