Tim Murtagh took top billing again as his ten wicket haul took Middlesex to the top of the Championship table.

Murtagh had the excellent match analysis of 10-77 as Middlesex beat Somerset by 9 wickets at Taunton. That took his season tally to 30, making him far and away the leading wicket taker in the top flight.

It completed a good all-round match for Murtagh who scored 29 at number 11 in his only innings.

Another Irish player occupying the number 11 slot was Sussex skipper Ed Joyce who had to leave the game against Derbyshire to make an emergency dash home. On his return he made an unbeaten 25 as his side scored 401 which helped them to a nine wicket win.

Joyce has now 257 Championship runs at a very healthy average of 85.67.

The news wasn't so good for Warwickshire's Irish pair William Portefield and Boyd Rankin. The Irish skipper made 14 and 0 as they slumped to an innings defeat against Yorkshire. Rankin did claim the wicket of Tim Bresnan as he finished an 18 over spell with figures of 3 for 75.

Gary Wilson took his season tally to 312 runs at 44.57 when he made 49 in the first innings against Notts. That's where it went downhill as the Surrey star was dismissed for 0 as Notts claimed a 114 run win at Trent Bridge.

In the Yorkshire Bank40 Paul Stirling made 28 and Murtagh claimed 1-53 as Somerset avenged their championship loss, while Gary Wilson failed to score in Surrey's narrow seven run loss to Lancashire.

Craig Young returned to action for Brighton in a Sussex Premier League game - he played as a batsman only making six. Young received a fitness boost earlier this week when a medical scan gave him the all-clear.

Andrew Balbirnie is playing for Middlesex Second XI in an ongoing match against Hampshire - the Pembroke star made just two in the first innings.