DERBYSHIRE did neither their hopes of qualifying for the First Division of the new Nationwide League nor the prospect of success in Saturday's Natwest Trophy final much good as Durham claimed a 22-run win with an over to spare at Derby, writes Neil Hallam.
Derbyshire must win their final AXA League game against Glamorgan and pray for failures elsewhere to make the top flight. They suffered an injury to seamer Kevin Dean who exacerbated an existing knee problem and must undergo intensive treatment to be fit for Lord's.
John Morris made 50 off 46 balls against his former county and shared a stand of 91 with Martin Speight to underpin Durham's 217 for nine.
Derbyshire were well placed after Matt Cassar's 61, but their challenge subsided as Paul Collingwood's nagging seam took effect.
Glamorgan (212-7) bt Sussex (175) by 37 runs
A CONVINCING all-round display by Glamorgan ended a Sussex run of three AXA League wins in a row and left Glamorgan fans wondering why their current run of six games with only one defeat has come so late, writes Tony Millard.
Put in by Sussex, Matthew Maynard gave his side a good start with 38 from 31 balls. Tony Cottey then batted just 21 overs for an aggressive 63 and Sussex's task had become unlikely.
Every Glamorgan batsman was out caught playing an attacking shot, three of them smartly by Nick Wilton, the 19-year-old Sussex keeper.
The Sussex batsmen had little scope from accurate bowling and even Chris Adams was stifled before losing a stump to Adrian Dale. As evening gloom fell rapidly, Sussex wickets fell almost as fast and the target became palpably out of reach, certainly for a team now without Michael Bevan.
Kent (172-3) by Northants (168-6) by 7 wkts
THREE sixes by Carl Hooper in a single over of Rob Bailey's off-spin, took Kent storming past Northamptonshire's modest score at Wantage Road and kept alive hopes of qualifying for the first division of next year's National League, writes D J Rutnagur.
Hooper had two fours and five sixes in his unbeaten 65, made off 61 balls.
Northants, who chose to bat first on the pitchthat saw the two sides finish their championship match on Saturday, progressed slowly. They were pressed hard by Dean Headley and Ben Phillips, who also accounted for Bailey and Tony Pemnberthy.
At the halfway stage they had made just 71 and added only 38 from the next 10. With just four overs remaining Snape redeemed fortunes too late with a six and two fours off Nigel Llong and Tim Walton hit Min Patel for two fours in the final over.