Final day washed away at Chester-le-Street

Not a ball was bowled as persistent showers washed out the fourth and final day of the County Championship match between Durham and Somerset at Chester-le-Street. The prospect of at least some play looked a possibility for a time when the rains cleared at shortly after the scheduled start time; when they returned within the hour, though, the die was cast.

Having found itself at a score of 73/3 overnight - and in the lead by eighty-five runs overall - the home team would have been expecting to use the last day to push for a victory and to narrow the gap between these two teams on the Division One table. As it was, though, the abandonment ensured that both sides left with nine points to show for their efforts in the match.

Somerset, which did well to share the honours after finding itself in massive trouble at 88/6 at one stage in its first innings, now heads home to prepare for a battle with Yorkshire beginning on Wednesday. Durham, meanwhile, is not engaged in action again until the occasion of a National League clash with Glamorgan on Sunday. The break will be a welcome one and should allow both Melvyn Betts (who is nursing a knee strain) and Steve Harmison (who begins his comeback in the county's second eleven team tomorrow following a shin complaint) some much-needed time to prepare themselves.