29 May 2004	Saturday	09 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

LONDON, May 28: Surrey captain Jon Batty equalled the world record of eight catches in a first-class innings against Kent at The Oval here on Thursday.

Wicket-keeper Batty's catches came as Surrey bowled out Kent for 239, the visitors following on 240 behind.

His efforts behind the stumps followed on from Batty's 129 in Surrey's first innings 479 all out. Batty is the third Englishman and fourth keeper overall, following on from Australia's Wally Grout, to have taken eight catches in an innings (Queensland v Western Australia at Brisbane, 1959-60).

Others were David East of Essex against Somerset at Taunton in 1985 and Kent's Steve Marsh versus Middlesex at Lord's in 1991. But Kent rubbed some of the shine off Surrey's day by making 254 for four in their second innings - a narrow lead of 14 as the sides' headed into Friday's final day of four.

Kent and England batsman Robert Key was unbeaten on 134 not out. The record for most catches taken in a first-class innings by an outfielder is seven, held jointly by Surrey's Micky Stewart against Northamptonshire at Northampton in 1957 and Tony Brown for Gloucestershire against Nottinghamshire in 1966.

Results and scores on Thursday:

County Championship:

(Third day of four):

Division One:

At Edgbaston: Warwickshire beat Worcestershire by nine wickets.

WORCESTERSHIRE 379 (G.A. Hick 158, B.F. Smith 67; N. Tahir 4-47) and 185 (N. Tahir 4-43);

WARWICKSHIRE 405 (N. Carter 95, D.R. Brown 82, J.O. Troughton 67; A.J. Bichel 5-126, M. Mason 4-80) and 161-1 (N.V. Knight 83, M.A. Wagh 63 not out).

At Old Trafford:

MIDDLESEX 382 (S. Koenig 171, D.C. Nash 81 not out) and 117-2 (O.A. Shah 66 not out);

LANCASHIRE 417 (M.B. Loye 98, M.J. Chilton 93, I. Sutcliffe 59).

At The Oval:

SURREY 479 (M.R. Ramprakash 157, J.N. Batty 129, A.D. Brown 79);

KENT 239 (R.W.T. Key 86; Azhar Mahmood 4-56) and 254-4 (R.W.T. Key 134 not out, M.A. Carberry 61).

At Hove:

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 570 (G. Brophy 181, D.J.G. Sales 171, U. Afzaal 69, B. Phillips 58; R.S.C. Martin-Jenkins 5-96);

SUSSEX 406 (C.J. Adams 200, R.R. Montgomerie 82; B. Phillips 4-103) and 31-0.

Division Two:

At Derby:

GLAMORGAN 474 (M. Wallace 87, M.T.G. Elliott 77, M.J. Powell 56) and 188-6 (D.L. Hemp 69 not out);

DERBYSHIRE 392 (S.B. Stubbings 96, Hasan Adnan 95, C. Bassano 64).

At Trent Bridge:

DURHAM 300 (J.J.B. Lewis 77, G. Muchall 60; S.C.G. MacGill 6-81) and 315 (G. Pratt 71, P.D. Collingwood 68; P. Franks 5-41);

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 325 (D. Hussey 166 not out; M. Davies 6-78) and 86-2.

At Taunton:

ESSEX 400-9 dec (J. Middlebrook 115, W. Jefferson 95, G. Napier 79; A.R. Caddick 6-80) and 413 (A. Flower 172, J.S. Foster 104 not out; N.A.M. McLean 5-87);

SOMERSET 339 (J. Cox 86, R.L. Johnson 58, A.R. Caddick 54) and 23-0. -AFP