Storm Dave caused significant disruption to the County Championship on Easter Sunday, toppling the camera gantry and loosening a cover at Chester-le-Street, rendering the pitch unplayable for the Durham versus Kent match. The storm left day three abandoned at Durham, with the home side on 83 for 2 in their second innings, leading by 221 runs.
Elsewhere, Essex claimed the first win of the season, thrashing Hampshire by an innings and 136 runs at Southampton. Matt Critchley starred with five for nine in 4.3 overs during Hampshire's follow-on, while Jamie Porter, Sam Cook, and Shane Snater had earlier dismantled the visitors' first innings. Simon Harmer chipped in with three for 49.
Leicestershire made a mess of their chase against Sussex at Grace Road, slumping to 125 for 5 in pursuit of an improbable 481. Rishi Patel was run out in the second over, and Henry Crocombe struck twice, including dismissing Lewis Hill for a pair. Rehan Ahmed fell for 34, leaving Leicestershire needing 356 more runs.
Middlesex's Toby Roland-Jones took five for 37 to force Gloucestershire to follow on at Lord's, while Mason Crane claimed five wickets for Glamorgan against Yorkshire. At Wantage Road, Northamptonshire's Harry Conway removed three Lancashire batsmen in one over, but Tom Bailey (35) and Ajeet Singh Dale (44 not out) rebuilt to set Northants a target of 321.
Shoaib Bashir took his first wicket for Derbyshire but later conceded five penalty runs for feigning a throw. James Rew scored a century for Somerset against Nottinghamshire, and Surrey remain in trouble at Edgbaston, still 47 runs short of avoiding an innings defeat against Warwickshire.
