Stephen Moore and Graeme Hick guided Worcestershire to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Northamptonshire in the Frizzell County Championship at Wantage Road yesterday.

Stephen Moore and Graeme Hick guided Worcestershire to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over Northamptonshire in the Frizzell County Championship at Wantage Road yesterday.

The second-wicket pair needed a mere 50 minutes to knock off the remaining 53 runs to wrap up the match at 152 for 1 with two-and-a-half sessions to spare. Moore finished on 66 not out with Hick unbeaten on 63. Their stand was worth 132. It was Worcestershire's second win of the season, but Northamptonshire are still without a success from seven Division One starts.

Middlesex were unable to avoid an innings defeat at Lord's, falling eight runs short of the 229 they needed to make Warwickshire bat again. Chasing the visitors' first-innings total of 608 for 7 declared - which included Nick Knight's magnificent 303 not out - Middlesex resumed on 216 for 2 but soon lost the vital wicket of Ben Hutton, lbw to Mark Wagh for 126.

Dewald Pretorius proceeded to clean up the Middlesex tail, taking the wickets of Dion Nash, Paul Hutchinson and Nantie Hayward.

Yorkshire secured a quick win when they beat Essex by 137 runs at Chelmsford in the Second Division. Essex resumed on 108 for 8, needing an unlikely 146 runs to win, and they made just eight as Yorkshire removed Darren Gough and Graham Napier to take 14 points.

Chris Silverwood struck with the 10th ball of the morning when Matt Wood held a straightforward catch at second slip to get rid of Gough. The contest was then wrapped up by Phil Jaques as he took a spectacular one-handed catch to remove Napier off the bowling of Steve Kirby.

Glamorgan sealed their third consecutive Championship victory of the season as they beat Somerset by seven wickets at St Helen's in Swansea. Needing 212 to win, Glamorgan scored the remaining 166 required with 56.1 overs remaining. The chase was bolstered by a 109-run partnership between Matthew Elliott and David Hemp in 27 overs.

Glamorgan suffered a minor wobble when they lost Hemp and Elliott in the space of two balls. But Michael Powell and Matthew Maynard guided Glamorgan home.

Leicestershire were set a total of 81 in 14 overs after Derbyshire made 323 in their second innings at the Oakam School ground. The highlight for Derbyshire was 115 not out from Graeme Welch.