LONDON. Sept 8: Surrey's charge towards a second consecutive County Championship title continued unabated on Thursday as Durham were relegated from Division One. reports AFP.

Ian Ward and Mark Butcher, both on centuries overnight, added another 116 against Durham at The Oval Drlure departing. Ward for 144 and Butcher nine short of his double century.

Surrey declared on 453 lor four and leg-spinner Ian Salisbury then took four wickets to leave Durham, already reh -gated after falling to lakr enough bowling points. 165 lot six and facing a likely follow-on.

Darren Lehmann continued to mine his rich vein of form with a century In only 89 balls for Yorkshire against Kent. a fourth first-class ton of the season for the Championship's top run-scorer.

Anthony McGrath (133) and Michael Vaughan (69) played their part but for a mini-collapse to leave Yorkshire 365 for seven at stumps.

Derbyshire's batsmen made a defiant response to Hampshires huge first innings al -Southampton.

Luke Sutton and Aussie Michael Di Venuto -each hit half-centuries as Derbyshire closed the second day at 188 for two on a placid pitch.

Shane Warne (34) and Dimitri Mascarenhas (62) had pushed Hampshire from 368 for four overnight to 522.

In Division Two. former Australian Test batsman Matthew Hayden made a nonsense of speculation over the stale of the pitch with a magnificent century' to put his Northamptonshire side firmly in < barge against Essex.

Hayden's concentration and high-quality footwork earned him 164 oft 260 balls. Including a six and 17 fours, as Northants closed on 337 for seven, a lead of 104.

Andrew Harris (five for 69) claimed his fourth five-wicket haul of the season as Nottinghamshire ripped through Glamorgan to enforce the follow-on.

The Welshmen tumbled to 187 all out and then lost three quick wickets to end up 22 for tiiree at stumps, still 161 behind.

Australian Ian Harvey claimed Championship-best figures of six for 1 9 as one-day supremacists Gloucestershire kept their promotion drive alive in the four-day game at Hove.

Sussex were skittled out for 138 but the visitors showed the pitch was not to blame by reaching 74 for two.

Mark Rarnprakash (88 no) and Australian Justin Langer smashed Middlesex back into contention against Warwick shire at Lord's.

Langer hit a half-century in just 27 deliveries in his 70. and helped the hosts end their firsl innings on 350. 66 behind. Pool bowling then handed the lull la tlve back to the visitors. wh>> moved on to 109 for one. a lead of 175.