match, sending them into second place in the Division Two table. A no-result in the National League extended their lead to ten points with four games remaining, before they declared twice in a rain-hit match with Somerset and lost by five wickets. The next day – the last Sunday in August – they won the National League win over Hampshire Hawks to take their first major trophy since winning the Natwest Trophy in 1997. County Championship: Essex v Durham (3–6 August) Essex (18pts) beat Durham (3pts) by two wickets Durham won the toss at Southend-on-Sea, and their first innings lasted two sessions for 196, New Zealander Andre Adams taking five for 60 while Danish Kaneria took three for 30 for Essex. Essex also lost five wickets on the first day, to trail by 89, and as Tony Palladino and James Middlebrook were dismissed in quick succession Durham were 62 behind with three wickets in hand, with Australian Michael Lewis having taken four for 69. However, opener Alastair Cook was still there, and he was eventually last out after batting for four and a half hours, crafting 107 as Essex made it to 245 and a lead of 49. Adams dug out both openers when Durham returned to bat, but four partnerships of more than 40 – the highest between Dale Benkenstein and Gareth Breese, who added 92 – saw Durham to a first-innings total of 347, as captain Benkenstein top-scored with 124. Essex needed 299 to win, and had four sessions to do it. They lost Ravinder Bopara after 12 minutes, caught off Liam Plunkett, but Andy Flower and Alastair Cook forged a 72-run partnership before Durham medium-pacer Mark Davies struck and had Cook caught behind. At stumps on day three, Essex were 129 for 2. Lewis and Gareth Breese did a lot of bowling for Durham on the fourth day, totalling 65.1 of Durham's total of 100.1 overs, and after Ronnie Irani departed for 48, Durham limited the Essex partnerships to no more than 25. Andy Flower stood tall, however, spending six and a half hours at the crease to end with 132 not out – and his eighth-wicket partnership of 25 saw Essex cut the target to 10. Palladino hung in there with Flower, contributing a single, and Essex won by two wickets. (Cricinfo scorecard) National League: Essex v Middlesex (7 August) Essex (4pts) beat Middlesex (0pts) by