At 425 for 8 still 51 behind Surrey Essex continued their first innings for two more balls the second of which bowled by

At 425 for 8, still 51 behind Surrey, Essex continued their first innings for two more balls, the second of which, bowled by Brendan Julian, Peter Such struck into the hands of short extra cover.At this point, Paul Prichard declared, his hand forced by the fact that the last man, John Childs, was suffering from food poisoning. He was at the ground and would gallantly have batted in an emergency, but this was not deemed to be one.So, by the time Surrey began their second innings, 15 minutes had evaporated and Essex were were 51 behind. It came as something of a relief for players and spectators alike, therefore, when a fierce thunderstorm broke over Southchurch Park in mid-afternoon.
The day had begun with the sort of unfathomable mystery which is so peculiar to cricket. Surrey 476-8 dec & 167-2 Essex 425-9 dec Match drawn

With the first innings not yet completed, there was never the slightest chance that a definite result would be achieved on yesterday’s final day. In what little time that remained he thumped a good-looking 37 in an unbroken partnership of 59 with Mark Ramprakash Mercifully, more rain then cut proceedings short.. First, Jason Pooley obligingly allowed a delivery from Small to hit his stumps.

Then Michael Edmond, on his Championship debut, took his first first-class wicket when he had Paul Weekes leg before for 42. That left the Middlesex opener with a pair – Weekes having also scored 42 in the first innings.Unfortunately Edmond could not complete his opening over after tweaking his left Achilles tendon. He hobbled off to be replaced in the field by Phil Neale, Warwickshire’s director of coaching.Typically, things became more entertaining with the arrival of Richard Johnson. But Middlesex hearts were set a-fluttering in the second over of their return to the middle. Jason Harrison, struggling for a decent score, stepped back to one that kept low and fell leg before to Gladstone Small’s third ball.Two interruptions for rain later, they had lost a further two wickets.

Tufnell emerged with honours as he finished with a summer’s best of 5 for 71, his second five-wicker haul of the season. He has now taken more Championship wickets (26 at around 28) than either of England’s spinners for the third Test against India.But with so many overs having been lost – a total of 102, effectively a day’s play – there was little hope of salvaging anything without some crazy declarations. Ten balls later rain drove them off and they declared 32 ahead on the first innings. Out on the ropes, in front of the Tavern Stand, Tufnell tottered first one way then another before collapsing under the ball.As he lay triumphant, flat on his back, he raised the hand that holds his cigarettes with the ball safely in it and allowed himself a broad grin before sharing high-fives with his team-mates That was the ninth Warwickshire wicket to fall. Phil Tufnell took a catch that brought laughter from the scattering of spectators as well as guffaws from his team-mates. It accounted for Paul Smith, who had hoisted a delivery from Angus Fraser into the ionosphere over wide midwicket. Both sides ended up going through the motions, all of them slow.
There was the odd high spot.

On the restart Tony Wright survived a testing time against Melvyn Betts to reach a 75-ball half-century before being run out in the last over before lunch when called for a quick single by Tim Hancock.In the afternoon, Hancock managed to complete his 50 off 111 balls and finished on 59 not out to add to his unbeaten 65 in the first innings.India’s preparations for the final Test at Trent Bridge later this week were interrupted when rain washed out the last day of their Tetley Challenge match against Hampshire at Southampton, where only 18 overs were possible.Hampshire resumed their first innings at 383 for 9 in response to India’s total of 362 for 5 made on the first day.Their last pair, Martin Thursfield and Stuart Milburn, batted through the 18 overs of the morning session before rain at lunch washed out the remainder of the match.Milburn took the opportunity to record the first half-century of his career and was 54 not out when the match was abandoned as a draw.. Middlesex 413 & 122-3 Warwickshire 445-9 dec Match drawn

Appalling weather and a marked reluctance by either side to give the other even a glimmer of hope of victory saw events petering out into a poor draw. Torrential rain prevented a resumption until 4.30 and another shower forced a further 20-minute break before stumps were drawn at 5.30 with Gloucestershire on 150 for 2.
They began the day on 39 without loss but lost a wicket to the first ball of the morning when the Durham-born Nick Trainor shuffled across his stumps and was lbw to Simon Brown.The first hint of the frustration to come arrived after just two overs when rain drove the players off. Gloucestershire, chasing a target of 395, had not given up hope of victory themselves against the depleted Durham attack when they reached lunch on 113 for 2. Durham’s gloom deepened when rain at Chester-le-Street yesterday cost them the chance of securing their first County Championship victory of the season and left them at the foot of the table.

Twelve Worcestershire batsmen perished in this manner in the match but no one, from either camp, could have been bored.. Solanki, despite one flirtation per over, took Worcestershire into the last hour and might have stayed but for a rash pull off Michael Vaughan, the ball looping to second slip.Scott Ellis edged to slip but Stuart Lampitt and the injured Illingworth then defied Yorkshire, extending the tension for another 20 minutes before Gough was recalled to win two more lbw decisions with 10 minutes remaining. Worcestershire were handicapped by the loss of Illingworth, who cut a finger on his right hand trying to stop a drive by White, at mid-on, shortly before Bevan’s dismissal, fifth out.Worcestershire’s thought was only of survival. Twenty-five balls had been bowled before a run was scored, during which time Phil Weston had been missed – a sharp chance to cover off Darren Gough, who was not long denied: Matthew Church was leg before and Tim Curtis caught behind. Tom Moody, offering no stroke, was then leg before to Richard Stemp’s second ball.Chris Silverwood’s seamers removed Weston and Reuben Spiring, at which point Yorkshire’s major worry was the weather. Bevan’s speed and power of stroke must have left the close field, usually five men, a bag of nerves.