Tim Munton took 3 for 45 on his return to competitive action, three months after back surgery, as the defending champions Warwickshire scored their first AXA Equity and Law League win of the season on a faster scoring rate against Somerset at Edgbaston.

Warwickshire stacked up a formidable 260 for 7, Neil Smith making a Sunday League-best 71 and Roger Twose 58. Somerset then reached 177 for 5 chasing a revised target of 189 in 29 overs, Graham Rose making 49.

The Glamorgan veteran Steve Barwick took 6 for 43 to prove the inspiration behind an 11-run win as Kent, who were dismissed for 169 chasing 180 for 6, suffered their first one-day defeat of the season in a contest reduced by rain to 23 overs a side at Tunbridge Wells.

Mark Ealham, with a competition-best 47 off 24 balls, and Matthew Fleming - with 36 off 19 - kept the home side in the chase. But the efforts of Tony Cottey - who garnered 52 - proved crucial despite Dean Headley's Sunday best figures of 4 for 59.

Essex pulled off a thrilling two-run victory over Middlesex in a 37-over- a-side contest at Chelmsford - despite the all-round efforts of the visiting captain Mike Gatting, who claimed 4 for 44 with his gentle seamers and then became the top scorer on 46.

Middlesex, with the medium pace man Ronnie Irani taking 3 for 32, still fell short of their opponents' 178 for 6 which owed much to Graham Gooch, who came in at No 4 and struck 50 from 37 balls, and Paul Prichard who got 54.

Franklyn Stephenson took 4 for 37 as Sussex claimed their first Sunday victory of the season as they edged out Hampshire by eight runs at Portsmouth.

Sussex survived a spell of 3 for 5 in 15 balls by Kevan James, who finished with 4 for 35, to make 206 and then restricted the hosts to 198 for 9 despite 66 from Mark Nicholas.

Tom Moody scored 65 and later pulled off a sensational final-ball catch as Worcestershire, for whom Tim Curtis made an unbeaten 82, maintained their 100 per cent start to the Sunday season at Gloucester.

Jack Russell made an undefeated 56 as Gloucestershire, chasing a victory target of 181 in a rain-reduced 31 overs, needed three off the last delivery from Neal Radford, who finished with 5 for 57.

Martyn Ball was caught at long on by Moody to clinch Worcestershire's victory on a faster scoring rate.

Vince Wells, with an unbeaten 66, hit his third half-century in four Sunday League games to guide Leicestershire to their third win of the season in a rain-affected match against Durham at Grace Road.

Durham managed only 160 for 9 in their 40 overs, Wayne Larkins hitting 42 off 45 balls and Darren Maddy taking 3 for 31 having bowled just five previous overs in the competition.

Leicestershire had made 126 for 1 off 25 overs when rain brought a halt to the game. And by the time a restart was possible, they had already reached the revised target to win on a faster scoring rate.

Northamptonshire picked up their first Sunday League points of the season when their match against Yorkshire at Sheffield was washed out by heavy rain.

The acting captain Rob Bailey (43) and 17-year-old David Sales (27) added an unbeaten 58 in nine overs for the fifth wicket as Northamptonshire reached 145 for 4 in 31.4 overs before the weather closed in, Stuart Milburn having taken 2 for 29.