Somerset win as rain denies Surrey

Frizzell County Championship Division One

Kent 472 drew with Middlesex 221 and 249 for 4
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Andy Strauss (93) and Seven Koenig (96) both fell just short of their hundreds, but, with the help of the rain, they ensured the game headed for its likely conclusion of a draw. Following on, Strauss and Koenig put together an opening stand of 176 in Middlesex's total of 249 for 4, before play was ended just after tea, leaving Kent still at the foot of the table.

Lancashire 375 drew with Essex 215 and 42 for 3
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Bad weather rescued Essex from a likely defeat against Lancashire at Old Trafford. Only four overs and three balls were bowled on the last day, in which time Glen Chapple bowled the out-of-sorts Andy Flower for 16 with the first ball of the day, before the game was abandoned as a draw. Both sides have drawn all four of their Championship matches so far this season.

Surrey 560 for 8 dec drew with Leicestershire 200 and 185 for 8
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Leicestershire's great escape was completed in the Surrey gloom with only two wickets to spare, as Surrey - who went to the top of Division One by two points - were cruelly denied a thumping win. Virender Sehwag (81) and Darren Maddy (40) restored some pride with a third-wicket stand of 101, but once Sehwag was trapped lbw by Saqlain Mushtaq for a typically rapid 81 from 84 balls, wickets continued to tumble. The spin duo of Saqlain (5 for 46) and Ian Salisbury (2 for 40) did all the damage, as rain halted Surrey's victory charge.

Frizzell County Championship Division Two

Durham 146 for 3 dec and 151 for 7 drew with Worcestershire 395 and /
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After yesterday's washout, the captains agreed to forfeit an innings each, leaving Durham to chase a target of 250. And while Jonathan Lewis and Gordon Muchall were cruising along with a second-wicket century stand, Ben Smith, the Worcestershire captain, thought he had got the wrong end of a raw deal. But, when Andrew Hall removed both Lewis for 43 and Muchall for 74 in quick succession, Durham then lost four wickets for three runs with Gareth Batty picking up three of them. Durham were left hanging on 151 for 7 before rain denied Worcestershire a likely win - what would have been the first of their season.

Gloucestershire 316 for 4 drew with Hampshire 369
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A second successive washout meant the match at Bristol ended as a damp draw, with Hampshire scoring 9 points and Gloucestershire 10, enough to keep them at the top of the table.

Northamptonshire 402 for 6 dec drew with Yorkshire 399 and 109 for 1
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Michael Vaughan followed up his 103 in the first innings with 64 not out in Yorkshire's second, as their game against Northants finished in a predictable draw. Earlier, Phil Jaques eventually fell lbw to Matthew Hoggard for a scintillating 222, made in over five hours at the crease, as Northants declared on 402 for 6. Vaughan then hit three fours and one six in his 64 in the final flourish of another game ruined by the weather.

Somerset 476 for 6 dec beat Glamorgan 200 and 133 by an innings and 143 runs
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Somerset raced up to second place in Division Two with a crushing win by an innings and 143 runs over a dispirited Glamorgan side, who slipped down one place to seventh. Glamorgan were on to a lost cause when they resumed the day on 29 for 1 and 247 behind, but they showed little fight to save the game as they crashed to 133 all out, with Nixon McLean, Ian Johnson and Aaron Laraman all picking up three wickets each.