Rain affected the latest round of County Championship matches with four drawn matches and Nottinghamshire recording a seven wicket win over Northamptonshire. Derbyshire, with a day to go were up against it leading by 63 runs with only five second innings wickets in hand against Essex.

Nicky Boje had a easy weekend for Nottinghamshire only having to bat once, scoring 36, and only bowling four overs taking 1/29. Team mate Greg Smith ended the match having taken 2/56 and 2/48 in the two innings while not having scored a run when the first innings declaration came.

Another dismal weekend for Neil Johnson and Nic Pothas as Hampshire drew with Yorkshire. Five runs and no wickets for Johnson and eight runs for Pothas, together with the rain, saw them spending a lot of the time in the change-rooms.

Mark Davis scored 34 with the bat and took 2/56 for Sussex in their rain affected draw with Leicestershire.

Andrew Gait, scoring zero and eight in his two turns at bat, also did not have the best of matches. With a day to go Derbyshire need a miracle against Essex.

Neil Carter from Boland, having come back from a back injury, has joined Shaun Pollock at Warwickshire and will be in action this weekend after a bye in the last round. Sven Koenig from Middlesex, after a bye, will also be playing this coming weekend.

© CricInfo LTD