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COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO ROUNDUP: In the battle of the bottom two, Lancashire are floundering against Gloucestershire, who are aiming to finish strong after a desperate campaign Chester-le-Street (day three of four): Durham 252 & 374, Middlesex 203 & 55-2 - Middlesex need 369 runs to win Durham need eight wickets to secure promotion back to Rothesay County Championship Division One after Ben McKinney's magnificent 184 reasserted the hosts' dominance over Middlesex on the third day of their match-up at Banks Homes Riverside. McKinney picked up from where he left off on day two as he had an excellent morning with the bat and while Middlesex took a couple of wickets, they couldn't dislodge the Durham opener until the last ball before lunch as he made his second highest first-class score. Middlesex struck back with the second new ball after lunch before a brief rain delay halted proceedings. A gritty 48 from Colin Ackermann then helped Durham set the visitors an imposing target of 424 after they were bowled out for 374, with Ryan Higgins the pick of the bowlers for the visitors. Brydon Carse then saw off both Middlesex openers to move Durham closer to promotion, but bad light denied the hosts the chance to pick up any more wickets. Ben McKinney made the highest score of his career (Stu Forster/Getty Images) Old Trafford (day three of four): Gloucestershire 212 & 169, Lancashire 134 & 120-6 - Lancashire need 128 runs to win Kamran Dhariwal and Rocky Flintoff each scored their maiden half century in first-class cricket but two wickets from a third impressive youngster, James Langridge, kept Gloucestershire on course for their second consecutive Championship victory in the battle of Division Two’s bottom two. Dhariwal's 66 in the second innings of his first-class debut frustrated Lancashire and left them needing to score an unlikely 248, which would be comfortably the highest total of the match, for their first Championship win since April. Rocky Flintoff made a half century for Lancashire (Kate McShane/Getty Images) New Road (day three of four): Worcestershire 200 & 182, Northamptonshire 289 & 96-4 - Northamptonshire won by six wickets Northamptonshire boosted their promotion hopes by romping to a convincing six-wicket win over Worcestershire at New Road, wrapping up a comprehensive victory inside three days. Yuzvrenda Chahal returned the standout figures of 4 for 46 as the visitors ran through the Pears for just 182, whose only defence came through captain Brett D'Oliveira's valiant 64. Chasing a mere 94 to win, Northants eased to their target with six wickets in hand, despite three consolation wickets from Usama Mir. The win keeps Northants well in the hunt for promotion back to Division One, edging in front of nearest rivals Kent with two rounds of action remaining.