LONDON. May 4 Surrey struggled as Simon Katlch helped Durham build up a commanding position against the County Champions at Chester-Ie-Street on Wednesday. reports AFP.

The Western Australia lefthander batted 187 minutes for 43 not out when bad light ended play on Day Two with Durham on 121 for seven In their second innings and leading by 251.

Against excellent bowling from Simon Brown and Neil Killeen. Surrey were all out for 104

Martin Bicknell bowled superbly for Surrey. But the home side recovered from 14 for four with first-Innings hero Nicky Peng putting on 47 with Katlch -- before Bicknell had him caught at the wicket for 23.

Leicestershire fought back with a defiant unbroken last wicket stand between James Ormond and Anil Kumble to spoil one of Lancashire seamer Peter Martin's best displays on Day One at Old Trafford.

Martin bowled superbly to earn figures of 31-9-65-6. Including a spell of 12-3-18-4 after tea.

But when he was pulled out of the attack late in the day Ormond and Kumble responded with growing confidence, putting on 45 to haul Leicestershire to 263 for nine In the Division One fixture.

Yorkshire ended the first day in a strong position at Headingley as David Byas and Michael Vaughan batted solidly in an unbroken opening stand ol 74 in reply to Derbyshire's 239 all out.

But it could have been even better for the home side, who failed to make the most of

winning the toss on a testing pitch after reducing the visitors to 79 for five.

Matthew Hoggard did the early damage with three wickets in a fine opening burst, but Australian Michael Di Venuto took advantage of some loose bowling from Darren Gough, hitting 70 before he was caught by Yorkshire captain Byas in the slips off Ryan Sidebottom.

Australian star Shane Warne marked his first-class debut for Hampshire with a third-ball duck on the opening day of the clash with Somerset at Southampton.

Warne was trapped lbw by England paceman Andrew Caddick. who finished with five for 62.

But Derek Kenway hit an unbeaten 93 to rescue Hampshire from the perils of 123 for eight to 232 all out.

By the close Somerset had subsided to 14 for two. with Shaun Udal claiming the wickets of Marcus Trescothick and nightwatchman Caddick.

In Division Two. a second-wicket stand of 196 between Justin Langer and Mark Ram-prakash saw Middlesex take control on the first day against Northamptonshire at Lord s.

Captain Langer made 120. and Ramprakash -- the man the Australian has replaced in charge at Middlesex -- contributed 93 towards a total oi 282 for three.

Langer reached his half-century off just 43 deliveries and quickly notched his century before finally falling to Darren Cousins, beaten by a quicker delivery which clipped the top of his leg stump.

Ramprakash succumbed just seven nins short of his century when dragging a wide delivery

from Richard Logan on to his middle stump

At Edgbaston. Nick Knight underlined his determination to reopen a second phase In his England career as Warwickshire reached 252 for two against Glamorgan.

The 30-year-old left-hander batted faultlessly for an unbeaten 127 in nearly five hours and shared in an opening partnership of 172 in 47 overs with Michael Powell (73).

Chelmsford was lit up by Essex's Stuart Law as he hit a magnificent centurv on the opening day of their clash with Nottinghamshire.

The Australian finished unbeaten on 120 from a modest 216 for six total as bad light cut 41.4 overs from the day's schedule.

Law reached his century from 114 deliveries, but apart from Paul Grayson no one else looked at ease.

Essex were soon in trouble after being put in. Nasser Hussain caught at short leg off a Paul Franks lifter for just four.

But Law and Grayson put together a partnership of 126 in 29 overs before the latter was trapped lbw bv David Milins for 58

David Lucas brought Notts back Into it with four wickets in the space of 13 deliveries at a personal cost of three runs.

In the day's other matches. Gloucestershire plundered 425 for four against Oxford Universities at Bristol with Matthew-Windows hitting 166 and Tim Hancock 85. while at Fenner's z\ustralian Test star Glenn McGrath picked up four wickets for Just 10 runs as the students struggled to 109 for eight In reply to Worcestershire's 254 for six declared.