Guptill makes best of a bad job

Leicestershire and Derbyshire were frustrated by the weather as rain wrecked the prospect of an exciting finish to their Division Two match at Derby. Leicestershire set 314 in a minimum of 69 overs but heavy showers forced a draw at 5pm with Martin Guptill stranded on 67 from 75 balls in Derbyshire's 91 without loss.

Leicestershire had started the final day in a strong position with a lead of 220 and nine wickets in hand but they needed to press on to give themselves enough time to bowl Derbyshire out with rain forecast.

Matthew Boyce and Jacques Du Toit took their stand to 109 in 42 overs and had just started to accelerate when Du Toit fenced at a rising ball from Jon Clare and was caught behind for 48.

Ramnaresh Sarwan flicked David Wainwright over midwicket for six but Boyce drove back a return catch in the left-arm spinner's next over after scoring 65 from 134 balls. Sarwan went in the next over when he sliced a drive at Mark Footitt to cover. The declaration came at 169 for four.

That left Derbyshire with a potentially tricky four overs to negotiate before lunch but Guptill dealt harshly with some short balls from Robbie Joseph to score 20 by the interval.

Several heavy downpours delayed the restart until 3.15pm and cut the number of overs by 25 which left Derbyshire needing another 293 and Leicestershire 10 wickets in 40 overs. After yet another hold up, Guptill made the most of a drab situation to reach his second fifty of the season.

Leicestershire took nine points and Derbyshire, who stay top of Division Two, six.