Century in vain as Middlesex chase leaders

The home side put on a formidable 200-6 in their first innings, with captain-elect Neil Dexter top-scoring with a 37-ball 43, but the Eagles looked likely to succeed in the chase until Ten Doeschate's onslaught was brought to an end.

He finished with 102 from 54 balls, with seven sixes, and Essex's hopes ended with him.

South Division pace-setters Sussex beat Glamorgan by three wickets, with World Twenty20 winner Luke Wright hitting 39 in 21 balls to help chase down a target of 144.

Chris Nash also impressed, taking 2-17 in Glamorgan's 143-6 and then chipping in with 28 in the reply.

Kent eased to a handsome 36-run victory against hosts Gloucestershire, with openers Joe Denly (48) and Rob Key (44) propelling them to a score of 217 all out.

Chris Taylor (67) and William Porterfield (43) did their best to overhaul that total but the innings subsided for 181.

Sorry Surrey's miserable run continued as they lost by 10 runs to Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

Jimmy Adams set the tone with a 65-ball unbeaten 101 as Hampshire racked up 201-2 batting first and the visitors were toppled just short of their target after Mark Ramprakash's 61 had put them within touching distance.

In the North Division, leaders Nottinghamshire bested Worcestershire by six wickets at Trent Bridge.

Moeen Ali top-scored in the Outlaws' innings, with four fours and four sixes in his 67.

Australia seamer Dirk Nannes continued to impress, meanwhile, returning 2-24.

Inclement weather ensured there would be no result in two other matches.

At Derby, hosts Derbyshire reached 172-3 off 19 overs before the players were forced off, Loots Bosman (57) and Wes Durston (71no) among the runs.

The second innings did begin at Edgbaston after Jim Troughton's 66 underpinned Warwickshire's 196-6, but only one over was possible before the umpires ended proceedings.