Dirk Nannes is the only certain Australian player through to the Twenty20 semi-finals after Stuart Law's Lancashire were knocked out and Michael Di Venuto's quarter-final for Durham against Yorkshire was cancelled amid farcical scenes over an ineligible player. Yorkshire's failure to register Azeem Rafiq, a 17-year-old with a Pakistan passport, led to their eventual dumping so Durham will have to replay their quarter-final - this time against Glamorgan on an as-yet undisclosed date.

Even the installation of Glamorgan was not without its hiccups: at one point Nottinghamshire were awarded the match where Rafiq had played against them and those two points meant they would progress to the quarters. But Adam Voges and Darren Pattinson were denied a chance for further practice for the Twenty20 Champions' League when Yorkshire's appeal, although unsuccessful for Yorkshire, led to Nottinghamshire not receiving the points.

Glamorgan eventually went through on superior run-rate, but won't necessarily be represented by an Australian; Jason Gillespie was replaced by Herschelle Gibbs as their overseas player for the Twenty20 competition.

As for Law, he travelled to the Oval for Middlesex's home tie and was made to field, eventually looking at a chase of a mighty 176. Lancashire lost wickets at key times in the chase - Law himself making 11 - and were always behind the last-eight ball.

The Twenty20 fracas largely overshadowed another Championship week where Law led Lancashire to another win. Law may have been the shining star the previous week, with 158 against Sussex, but his contributions of 43 and 36 were enough to help bring up a six-wicket win against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Sean Ervine's 2 and 19 and one wicket were barely worth writing home about.

With rain spreading across the country, this was one of only two wins from eight Championship matches this week. Matt Nicholson was back for Surrey who had a good chance of bringing up their first Championship win, but they ended with a draw against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. His 38 helped lift his side to 403 - despite Pattinson's 5 for 72 - and then his three wickets helped to force Notts to follow on. But with Notts six down in the second innings, they just ran out of time, having only fitted in 30 overs on the opening day, while Samit Patel's century also played a part in thwarthing them.

Justin Langer made a bold declaration for Somerset who drew against Durham at Taunton. He had a positive approach, declaring Somerset's first innings once they'd passed 350 - he himself bagged a duck - and did not bat second time round. But Somerset were barely into their second innings, and Durham didn't have time for theirs before stumps. For the record, Di Venuto made 40 and took three catches in Somerset's second innings. In the same week, Langer extended his deal at Somerset for 2009.

It was draws all the way in Division Two, but there were some quite exciting ones in there. Chris Rogers made a fifty and 20 on return for Derbyshire, nearly helping them to kill off Leicestershire at Derby but with the visitors eight down, yet requiring only 18 runs, the draw seemed a fair result.

Marcus North's Gloucestershire just about staved off defeat at Middlesex's hands at Bristol. They were nine down with 200 runs still required at the close, North having made 7 and 21. Rain wiped out so much of Glamorgan's match against Essex at Cardiff that even though they were skittled for 132 in the first innings they were able to escape with the draw - a better second innings also helped. Gillespie's contributions were muted: 4 with the bat and 18 wicketless overs for 58.