County Championship round-up, 4th day

Rain deny Yorkshire and Durham

Cricinfo staff

July 23, 2007

Division One

Yesterday it was a 38-year-old, Ottis Gibson, who took the headlines - and today, another wise cricketer put Durham on the verge of an exciting win. Paul Wiseman, 37 years young, took 5 for 65 to give Durham hope of beating Hampshire at Chester-le-Street, but the hosts were thwarted by Michael Brown who produced a magnificent performance to carry his bat for the second time in the match. Durham declared on 221 for 5 to set Hampshire an unlikely 359, in 75 overs. And after reducing Hampshire to 121 for 5, only Durham had realistic ambitions of winning. Wiseman chipped away at the tail to reduce them to 252 for 9, but Brown was defiant, ending unbeaten on 126 to take his match aggregate to 182 runs.

Darren Maddy's dogged persistence, and equally determined rain clouds scuppered Kent's chances of beating Warwickshire on the final day at Canterbury. With Warwickshire resuming on a wobbly 187 for 5, Maddy found excellent support in Jim Troughton with whom he put on 90 for the sixth wicket, Troughton digging out a dogged 31 from 103 balls before he edged Andrew Hall behind. And with Maddy nudging his way towards 150, the rain fell to thwart Kent's hopes of taking the final three wickets.

Darren Gough took 6 for 50 to bowl out Surrey for 229 before rain forced a draw on the final day at Headingley. Stewart Walters and Mark Ramprakash put on 67 for the fourth wicket, before Walters fell to Jason Gillespie. And though Ramprakash made 59, and Rikki Clarke 65, Surrey's tail collapsed. Before the rain fell, Yorkshire lost Craig White for 2.

Division One points table

Division Two

Derbyshire escaped with a draw against Glamorgan in a tense final session at Derby, after Robert Croft ripped through the home side's top-order with 6 for 44. At the start of the day, Kevin Dean took 5 for 24 to dismiss Glamorgan for 127, leaving Derbyshire to chase 276 in no more than 46 overs. And they got off to a good start, too, with Travis Birt and Steve Stubbings putting on 84 for the opening stand. Then Croft struck, reducing them to 170 for 7 to give Glamorgan a scent of victory - but Graham Wagg (48*) dropped anchor and saw them safely through to a draw as Glamorgan ran out of overs.

Hilton Ackerman brought up his hundred from 148 balls to take Leicestershire past the 400 mark against Middlesex, before the match petered out into a draw at Grace Road. Jim Allenby smacked a quickfire 38 from 26 balls, carving six fours, as Leicestershire declared on 403 for 5. Middlesex lost Nick Compton in reply - Stuart Broad bowling him for 1 - but inevitably the rain forced an early close, and the end of the match.

Rain prevented any play on the final day at Taunton, as Somerset's match against Essex ended in a draw.

Division Two points table

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