Nash's freak injury overshadows Kent's win

South Division

Kent's third win of the campaign, by five wickets over Sussex at Canterbury with three overs to spare, was overshadowed by a freak injury to Sussex's Chris Nash which left him with a suspected broken leg. The incident happened when Nash and Dwayne Smith collided when trying to catch a top edge from Geraint Jones. There was a 15-minute delay as paramedics treated Nash and he was taken to hospital by ambulance. Sussex's total of 133 never looked enough, and Jones smacked a 39-ball 56 before edging to the keeper with the scores level.

Mark Ramprakash's 73 off 47 balls was not enough to prevent Surrey going down to an 18-run defeat by Hampshire at the Rose Bowl. Hampshire made 191 for 6 in glorious sunshine, with Michael Lumb and James Adams getting the innings off to a flier with an opening stand of 92 in nine overs. Ramprakash just about kept Surrey in with an outside chance, but when he fell with 41 needed from three overs, the game was up.

North Division

Lancashire remained top of the division with their fourth straight win, easily beating Leicestershire by seven wickets at Grace Road with almost four overs in hand. James Allenby provided the backbone of the Leicestershire innings with 71, and briefly that appeared as if it might be enough as Lancashire slipped to 47 for 3. But Francois du Plessis hammered an unbeaten 78, including 13 fours and two sixes, in an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 104 with Ashwell Prince.

A tight last over from seamer Mitch Claydon helped Durham to an eight-run win over Nottinghamshire in front of around 5000 spectators at Chester-le-Street. With ten needed and two wickets remaining, Claydon bowled Luke Fletcher with the second ball and Mark Ealham with the fourth - he finished with 5 for 26. Earlier in the week in the reverse fixture at Trent Bridge, Claydon hit the winning runs off the last ball.

Nottinghamshire did well to take the game to the last over, as they were 132 for 7 chasing 178 with three overs remaining. Some destructive hitting from Andre Adams and Mark Ealham put them back in the game before Claydon's late show. Durham's innings was built on 55 from Michael Di Venuto and a whirlwind 48 not out from Dale Benkenstein, which included five sixes.

A bumper crowd at Chesterfield had little to cheer as Yorkshire cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Derbyshire with 23 balls to spare. On a slow pitch, Derbyshire's batsmen never looked at ease, and only a fourth-wicket stand of 56 in six overs between Wavell Hinds and Stuart Law helped them to 131 for 6. Andrew Gale had no such problem at the top of the Yorkshire order, smashing eight fours and three sixes in a 58-ball 79 not out.

Overall, it was a day to cheer for both the ECB and country treasurers. Crowds at the five matches were all good, no doubt boosted by the glorious weather across the country.

Midlands/Wales/West Division

Teams	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Northamptonshire	3	3	0	0	0	6	+1.128	513/59.0	454/60.0
Warwickshire	4	2	2	0	0	4	+0.032	628/77.3	643/79.4
Somerset	3	2	1	0	0	4	-0.242	444/59.4	461/60.0
Worcestershire	3	1	2	0	0	2	+0.013	433/60.0	413/57.2
Glamorgan	4	1	3	0	0	2	-0.150	562/80.0	568/79.1
Gloucestershire	3	1	2	0	0	2	-0.683	411/60.0	452/60.0

North Division

Teams	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Lancashire	4	4	0	0	0	8	+1.033	521/71.1	503/80.0
Derbyshire	4	2	2	0	0	4	-0.008	593/79.0	536/71.2
Yorkshire	4	2	2	0	0	4	-0.104	499/76.0	498/74.4
Durham	4	2	2	0	0	4	-0.638	604/80.0	655/80.0
Nottinghamshire	4	1	3	0	0	2	+0.232	631/75.1	653/80.0
Leicestershire	4	1	3	0	0	2	-0.481	570/80.0	573/75.2

South Division

Teams	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Kent	4	3	0	0	1	7	+1.706	431/55.2	365/60.0
Essex	3	2	0	0	1	5	+0.558	317/39.5	296/40.0
Hampshire	4	2	2	0	0	4	+0.292	574/76.1	559/77.1
Surrey	5	2	3	0	0	4	+0.137	812/100.0	797/99.5
Sussex	5	2	3	0	0	4	-0.259	708/97.1	703/93.1
Middlesex	3	0	3	0	0	0	-2.264	362/60.0	484/58.2