irws LONDON. June 5: • I Uf Prolific Pakistan —— batting ace Salim | Malik smashed a

•" career-best 215 on Tuesday as Essex ran riot against Leicestershire at Ilford in the English county championship, reports AFP.

Th® 28-year-old maintained

his superb recent form, which has seen him blast Gloucestershire for 163 in his last championship match and Kent for 173 last month, with 31 boundaries in a 196-ball innings.

His effort allied to a solid 63 from Mike Garnham steered second-placed Essex to 355. It would have been more but for an impressive six for 85 from Australian pace-man John Maguire.

Salim's Pakistan teammate, all-rounder Wasim Akram, was also among the runs in the championship on Tuesday.

He hit 122, one short of his career-best score, with two sixes and 15 fours to rescue Lancashire from a desperate 115 for five against Hampshire at Basing Stoke.

Wasim shared a sixthwicket stand of 135 with wicket-keeper Warren Hegg (69) to transform the visitors’ fortunes as they were finally dismissed for 332.

Salim's and Wasim's tons highlighted a great day for the batsmen in the championship, with centuries galore being the order of the day.

South African Jimmy Cook(152) and ex-England man Chris Tavare (162) tormented Glamorgan with a third-wicket stand of 242 as Somerset piled up a formidable 422 for five against Glamorgan at Swansea.

Cook’s 45th century of his career came from 186 balls with 13 boundaries, while Tavare's 41st hundred was four balls quicker with 16 fours.

A chanceless 125 by Darren Bicknell boosted Surrey to 290 for three from 96 overs in their rain-affected match against Nottinghamshire at the Oak

Bicknell chalked up 16 boundaries and one six in his four-hour stay before falling to Eddie Hemmings.

Graham Cowdrey and Mark Benson both celebrated centuries for Kent against championship leaders Warwickshire at Tunbridge Wells, though their stand of 169 was marred when Benson was run out.

Cowdrey, on 50 at the time, atoned for this mishap, by completing 114 from ^239 deliveries before falling In a five-wicket surge from Hong Kong-born England candidate Dermot Reeve.

Ian Hutchinson compiled a defiant 114 off 245 balls against Gloucestershire at Bristol out of. a meagre Middlesex total of 209.

But former England off-spinncr John Emburey put the champions back in the match

by removing three of the top home batsmen as Gloucester shire finished on 79 for four

Northamptonshire seamer Tony Penbcrthy enjoyed a crucial thfce-wicket spell as well at Northampton to send Worcestershire sliding from 193 for two to 236 for six.

Openers Tim Curtis and Kevin Curran both recorded half-centuries and with run-hungry Australian Tom Moody .firing 71 from 91 balls, a big total loomed before Pen berthy's triple strike.