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County Championship Division One: Middlesex and Somerset frustrated as all three matches are drawn

Division One leaders Middlesex were saved by rain as their LV= County Championship clash with Durham ended in a draw.

The visitors, following on and still 148 runs behind, were due to resume on 90-2 on the final day at Emirates Durham ICG but wet weather prevented play starting and the umpires called off the match at 12.30pm.

It is the second successive week Durham have suffered a final-day washout – having suffered the same fate against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge - and means the defending champions have drawn six of their opening seven matches and are yet to register a win.

There was more good news for Middlesex as bad weather in Manchester meant Somerset could only draw with Lancashire, dashing their hopes of narrowing the gap at the top of the table.

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Third-placed Somerset would have been hoping to make a dent in Middlesex’s advantage as Lancashire began the day 95-3 in their follow on, still 122 runs behind.

Washout

However, rain in the morning at Old Trafford meant an early lunch was taken at 12.30pm and, with no improvement in the conditions, the match was called off two hours later.

Somerset left Manchester with 12 points, meaning they are still a dozen behind Middlesex, with the hosts taking eight from the game to still leave them second from bottom.

The third match in Division One also ended in a draw as Sussex held on against Nottinghamshire at Hove.

Chris Nash hit a season-best 86 as the hosts took 12 points to their opponents' 13 after ending the match 198-2 in their second innings.

England seamer Stuart Broad denied Nash the fourth century of an absorbing match, having him caught behind the stumps by Chris Read.

Nash, alongside Luke Wells, produced a 161-run opening stand in Sussex's second innings which ultimately saw the game peter out into a draw.

After the final morning was washed out, the duo eventually resumed with Sussex 29-0 with no chance of reaching the victory target of 434.

Instead rain and the inactivity of the pitch allowed the hosts to coast to the draw, with Wells reaching 73 before being clean bowled by Broad. Nash fell next and the contest was called off soon after.

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