Bichel hundred another boost for tail-enders

In a week of famous Australian tail-end Test batting, Andrew Bichel also showed the importance of the lower order in the County Championship. Listed at No. 9, Bichel hit a century on debut that saved Hampshire from destruction and propelled them to a comfortable defeat of Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.

Arriving at 81 for 7 in the first innings of the Division One match, Bichel shared a partnership of 257 with Nic Pothas, which was the county's record for the eighth wicket, as he cracked 21 fours and two sixes in 169 balls. While Bichel was freewheeling to 138 - his hundred came off 104 deliveries - Shane Watson (26) was part of the early collapse, but he picked up four wickets and another 52 as Hampshire easily defended their 385 and 7 declared for 388. Bichel, who replaced Craig McMillan and didn't bat the second time, picked up three victims for the match.

Stuart Clark also made an immediate impression at Middlesex with seven wickets, but it was not enough to prevent a close three-wicket loss to Warwickshire at Lord's. Stepping in for New Zealand's Scott Styris as an overseas player, Clark burst through with 5 for 61 as they earned a 51-run first-innings advantage. But Makhaya Ntini, Jim Troughton and Alex Loudon produced fine performances to set up a thrilling victory.

Andrew Symonds continued his brilliant start with Lancashire in the Division Two as he picked up his second century in as many Championship matches. Symonds made 45 in the first innings and improved with a 155-ball 121 as Lancashire set Leicestershire a target of 399 at Leicester. Stuart Law, who is having a slow season by his prolific standards with 564 at 37.60, had a double of 32 and 47 as Lancashire secured a comfortable 234-run win that put them in second.

A rare quiet game from Mike Hussey, who made 8 and 0, didn't help Durham, who lost to Essex by two wickets at Southend. Andy Flower's unbeaten, second-innings 132 proved the difference, but the good news for Durham, apart from the six wickets to Mick Lewis, was they still have an 18-point lead over Lancashire in the race for promotion.

Martin Love and Damien Wright both scored useful half-centuries as Northamptonshire took care of Worcestershire at Worcester. In the first innings Love made 53 and Wright failed to score before a reversal in the second with Wright taking 85 and Love 14. Wright also chipped in with four wickets as Northants secured their second victory of the season by 137 runs.

Michael Di Venuto, Derbyshire's best performed batsman, missed a cruel loss as his county dropped six wickets for 15 runs to fall six short of their target. After Di Venuto was ruled out with a back injury suffered in the National League win last Wednesday, Jon Moss, the Victoria allrounder, stepped up in the second innings with his first century of a frustrating summer. However, when Moss departed at 5 for 247 so did Derbyshire's hopes of winning the match. The defeat left them stuck 32.5 points behind Leicestershire at the foot of Division Two.