Cook scores a century in both innings

Alastair Cook scored a century in both innings for the first time as Essex and Yorkshire fought out a sluggish LV= Insurance County Championship draw.

England’s leading Test run-scorer reached another milestone moment in his career with an unbeaten 102 in the dying embers of the Chelmsford stalemate.

Any prospect of a positive result evaporated on the final morning as Yorkshire – needing to build quickly on their overnight advantage of 22 – lost their last five wickets for 39 and were dismissed for 465.

That left Cook, who had scored 107 first time around, and opening partner Nick Browne to ease comfortably past the deficit.

At Southampton, Hampshire patiently secured an 87-run victory over Gloucestershire. Mohammad Abbas followed his first-innings sixwicket haul with three for 62, while Liam Dawson and James Fuller each took two wickets. George Scott and Miles Hammond’s half-centuries had given Gloucestershire hope of chasing down 368 and a first victory of the season.

At Emirates Old Trafford, Matt Parkinson took three wickets in a dramatic session but some resolute defensive batting by Chris Benjamin and Danny Briggs ensured Warwickshire drew against Lancashire. Benjamin was 22 not out and Briggs was unbeaten on 28.

Middlesex chased down a target of 370 to defeat Sussex by seven wickets at Hove, while Glamorgan wrapped up a six-wicket success over Leicestershire in Cardiff.

Worcestershire batsman Jack Haynes scored his maiden first-class century to help secure a draw with Durham at New Road.

Haynes finished unbeaten on 120, while Azhar Ali contributed 92.