Langer's 97 in vain for Somerset

Justin Langer is taking to Twenty20 cricket like a duck to water, but his latest impressive knock - 97 against Northamptonshire at Taunton - was not enough for the current champions, Somerset, who are now watching the title slip from their grasp. Langer's innings pushed Somerset to 188 for 6, but David Sales responded with 62 not out from 42 balls as Northants crossed the line with three balls to spare.

Glamorgan and Warwickshire had to make do with a point each when rain washed out their match at Cardiff after just three overs. Preparations were made to have a six-over-a-side thrash but another deluge put paid to those ambitions. The match was finally abandoned at 9pm.

No change at the top as Nottinghamshire maintained their winning ways, beating Yorkshire by seven wickets in the final over at Headingley. In truth, the result was hardly in doubt with Stephen Fleming and Graeme Swann at the helm, giving them a decent start. Yorkshire were then in trouble at 22 for 3 - and had reached only 50 for 3 by the ten-over mark - but some powerful hitting lifted them to 160. Yet it wasn't enough.

Leicestershire dispatched Derbyshire for the second time in a fortnight to give themselves a chance of making the quarter-finals. HD Ackerman's 41-ball fifty boosted Leicestershire to a par 161 for 6, and then some tight bowling at the death helped them to an 18-run victory at Leicester. Steve Stubbings gave Derbyshire their best chance with a fifty but when he holed out to long-on the momentum seeped away from the innings and Leicestershire grabbed the points.