Jaques doubles up again as rain denies Yorkshire

Phil Jaques raised his fifth first-class double-century and passed 1000 runs for the season as he provided the brightest Australian note during a rain-troubled round of the County Championship. Batting at No. 4 for Yorkshire, Jaques piled on 219 from 261 balls as he shared a county-record partnership for the third wicket against Derbyshire with Anthony McGrath, who made 134.

The pair's 310-run stand at Headingley put Yorkshire in a strong position before they lost 7 for 24 to close the innings at 570 after Ian Harvey chipped in with 83. Surviving chances on 21 and 94, Jaques, who last summer became the first New South Wales batsman since Bob Simpson to score two double centuries in a season, reached 217 by the end of day one, but was part of the collapse on the second morning and now has 1039 Championship runs at 64.94.

After watching their Australian counterparts plunder, Michael Di Venuto and John Moss both picked up half-centuries before the third day was washed out. Yorkshire then enforced the follow-on and Moss's second half-century, his fourth of the season, helped his side to a draw. Derbyshire remain at the bottom of the Division Two table while Yorkshire are second, 15 points behind Durham.

As Paul Collingwood was pushing for England selection with twin hundreds, Mike Hussey stepped in with 63 and 27 as Durham avoided the rain in their 207-run win over Somerset at Taunton. Mick Lewis, the short-term replacement for the injured Ashley Noffke, was wicket-less in the first innings but cleaned up the second time round with three late victims. The victory was Durham's sixth of the season.

In Division One, David Hussey added 29 and 30 as Nottinghamshire, who top the table, held on for a close draw against Surrey at The Oval. Notts have a six-point buffer over Kent while Hampshire, who also didn't play this week, are 19 points adrift.

Stuart Law struck 59 off 45 balls in the final of the Twenty20 Cup at The Oval on Saturday, but it was the highlight of a dismal innings of 112 as Lancashire easily gave up the trophy to Somerset. Andrew Symonds, who made 52 from 30 deliveries in the semi-final against Surrey, collected 12 before he was run out and then watched Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, sweep Somerset to victory.