Strauss still struggling for form

Andrew Strauss was looking forward to a solid month of county cricket as he and his Middlesex team-mates prepared for the season.

Four weeks down the road and the opener could be excused for wanting to get away from the domestic game and back on to the international stage.

The first Test of the summer is only just around the corner and Strauss is struggling for form, with an aggregate of 118 runs from eight innings, with a best of 37, hard to believe.

This is the batsman who made a century against New Zealand on his Test debut a year ago, added another when the West Indies arrived and took three hundreds off South Africa during the winter. Strauss's failure against Gloucestershire at Lord's yesterday, when he was caught at square leg for 10, leaves him with only next week's C&G match against Northants to make a pre-Test impression.

Warwickshire are already showing signs of losing their grip on the title. Their innings and 87 runs defeat by Sussex at Hove was their first Championship reversal since September 2003.

Frizzell Championship, Div 1 - Canterbury: Hampshire 328 & 191-2, Kent

305. Lord's: Middlesex 390 & 93-3, Gloucs 232. The Oval: Surrey 444 & 66-0, Glamorgan 345. Div 2 - Old Trafford: Lancashire 199 & 135-5, Durham 338. Leicester: Leics 278 & 183-5, Yorkshire 151. Northampton: Northants 552-7dec, Essex 156-7. Worcester: Worcs 478, Derbyshire 260-9.