May 11, 2005	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 2, 1426

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LONDON, May 10: Shane Warne took four for 58 as Hampshire beat Middlesex at the Rose Bowl on Monday to maintain their unbeaten start in the First Division of this season’s English County Championship. Australia leg-spinner Warne, the Hampshire captain, played a key role in kick-starting a Middlesex collapse as the visitors lost three wickets for as many runs on the fourth and final afternoon in their pursuit of a testing 301.

Pace bowler Chris Tremlett, recently called up to England’s development squad, was also in form with four for 59 as Hampshire ended the day third in the table. Leaders Nottinghamshire, who have a similar record to Hampshire and second-placed Warwickshire, stayed ahead on bonus points, after a crushing innings and 71-run win away to Surrey at The Oval.

Not even a combination of a century from ex-England batsman Mark Ramprakash (107) and London rain could prevent Surrey being bowled out for 404 in their second innings.

To make matters worse for Surrey they face a points deduction after the umpires discovered ball-tampering during Nottinghamshire’s huge first innings total of 692 for seven declared.

Gloucestershire, resuming on 59 for three, easily got the 60 runs they needed for a seven-wicket win away to western rivals Glamorgan to complete a maximum 22-point victory.

Defeat meant Glamorgan has lost all three of their matches.

Scores on results on Monday:

County Championship (final day of four):

First Division: Gloucestershire (22pts) beat Glamorgan (4pts) by 7 wkts

At Sophia Gardens: Gloucestershire 466 (C.G. Taylor 176, C.M. Spearman 73, S.J. Adshead 59, Kadeer Ali 55) and 119-3; Glamorgan 239 (M.A. Wallace 52, A.P.R. Gidman 4-47) and 345 (M.T.G. Elliott 123, D.L. Hemp 57; U.D.U. Chandana 5-117, I.D. Fisher 4-89).

At The Rose Bowl: Hampshire (19pts) beat Middlesex (5pts) by 64 runs

Hampshire 275 (J.P. Crawley 84, M.J. Brown 51; S.B. Styris 4-45, A. Richardson 4-53) and 304 (N. Pothas 65; S.B. Styris 6-73); Middlesex 279 (O.A. Shah 83, E.C. Joyce 70) and 236 (E. Smith 52; S.K. Warne 4-58, C.T. Tremlett 4-59).

At The Oval: Nottinghamshire (22pts) beat Surrey (3pts) by an innings and 71 runs.

Surrey 217 (J.G.E. Benning 56; M.A. Ealham 4-53) and 404 (M.R. Ramprakash 107, M.P. Bicknell 59; G.P. Swann 4-94); Nottinghamshire 692-7 declared (S.P. Fleming 238, J.E.R. Gallian 141, D.J. Bicknell 91, D.J. Hussey 74, M.A. Ealham 57 not out).

Second Division:

At Chelmsford: Essex (21pts) beat Leicestershire (4pts) by 6 wkts

Leicestershire 220 (D.D.J. Robinson 73) and 332 (H.D. Ackerman 93, D.D.J. Robinson 57, C.W. Henderson 55; D. Gough 4-60); Essex 362 (W.I. Jefferson 93) and 191-4 (A Flower 74 not out, A.N. Cook 59).

At Headingley: Yorkshire (20pts) beat Northamptonshire (5pts) by 10 wkts

Northamptonshire 281 (J. Louw 58, B.J. Phillips 55 no; G.J. Kruis 5-59) and 175 (P.S. Jones 51); Yorkshire 328 (P.A. Jaques 176, I. Dawood 51; D. Wright 8-60) and 132-0 (P.A. Jaques 70 no, M.J. Wood 56 not out).

At Stockton: Durham (19pts) beat Somerset (5pts) by 4 wkts

Somerset 252 (J.C. Hildreth 70; P.D. Collingwood 5-52) and 288 (I.D. Blackwell 87, A.R. Caddick 54; S.J. Harmison 4-84); Durham 298 (L.E. Plunkett 74 not out, M. Davies 62; A.R. Caddick 6-106) and 244-6 (G.R. Breese 79 not out, D.M. Benkenstein 51, M.E.K. Hussey 51; A.R. Caddick 6-98).

At Old Trafford: Lancashire (22pts) beat Derbyshire (3pts) by an innings and 72 runs.

Derbyshire 215 (L.D. Sutton 95; J.M. Anderson 4-62) and 182 (S.D. Stubbings 65; G. Keedy 6-60); Lancashire 469 (S.G. Law 112, M.B. Loye 101, B.J. Hodge 65, M.J. Chilton 50; A. Botha 6-104).—AFP