Another season of huge under-achievement for Nottinghamshire at least ended on a high note, with a final day victory over the Leicestershire Foxes to preserve their status in Division One of the Norwich Union League

Emotions ran high at Trent Bridge where the home side avoided relegation by beating Leicestershire - a result which meant the Norwich Union League title slipped from the visitors' grasp

Promoted Hampshire were forced to settle for a draw after a tense finish to their CricInfo Championship Second Division match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge

Finding themselves unexpectedly asked to bat again after a surprising tea-time declaration by Robin Smith, Nottinghamshire flirted with disaster in losing three quick wickets before recovering slightly to close on 88-3

On the day of his 38th birthday Hampshire captain Robin Smith led his side to the three bowling bonus points needed to secure promotion to next season's County Championship Division One

On a rain-shortened first day at Trent Bridge, Notts reached 164-5 against Hampshire

During Sunday's Norwich Union League match at Trent Bridge against the Surrey Lions Paul Johnson became the county's highest ever run scorer in the history of the NCL/Sunday League

A seemingly impressive Notts Outlaws total of 277-7 was made to look very inadequate as a typically explosive knock from Ally Brown lifted an under strength Surrey Lions to an improbable five-wicket win

Nottinghamshire's left-arm spinner Richard Stemp has suffered more injury woe and will miss the rest of the season

Notts duly completed a seven wicket victory over Derbyshire 45 minutes into the final day

Unless the weather cruelly intervenes Notts seem likely to complete a fourth innings victory over Derbyshire early on the final morning

An innings of the very highest quality from Kevin Pietersen thrilled a small, but appreciative, Trent Bridge crowd and helped Notts recover from a precarious 122-5 to finish on 322 all out, a first innings lead over Derbyshire of just two

Derbyshire captain Michael Di Venuto registered his highest score in England on the opening day of the CricInfo Championship Second Division match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge

A stand of 113 in 20 overs between Darren Lehmann and Craig White laid the platform for Yorkshire Phoenix to win a tense day/night thriller against Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge by three wickets with just four balls to spare

Nottinghamshire kept alive their faint hopes of a late push towards the promotion places when they bowled out Worcestershire for 259 on the final afternoon to claim their second CricInfo Championship victory of the season

Needing 321 to win Worcs ended the third day on 9-0 from four overs

Only 40 overs were possible due to frequent squally showers as Worcestershire maintained their grip over the side immediately above them in the Division Two table

A dramatic collapse, which saw Nottinghamshire slump from 73-0 to be all out for 149, typified their recent form and snuffed out any lingering hopes of a late-season push towards the promotion places

At 4pm on the third day of the Third npower Test match Australia duly reached their 158 run victory target to clinch the series and retain the Ashes

Despite frequent interruptions for rain England manoeuvred themselves into a dominating position on the second day, only to find themselves once again dragged back into the mire by their old tormenter-in-chief Shane Warne