Wednesday 23 April 2014 20:21, UK
Alastair Cook was again in the runs in LV= County Championship action as all four Division Two fixtures resulted in draws.
Derbyshire and Hampshire both settled for 11 points apiece at Derby after the visitors comfortably erased a first-innings deficit of 71, reaching 236-3 by the time stumps were drawn.
Their first-wicket pairing put on 117 before Michael Carberry was dismissed by Wes Durston for 47, while opening partner Jimmy Adams went on to make a top score of 84 until he was the third man out, trapped lbw by Mark Footitt.
The same bowler had already accounted for Liam Dawson (22), however James Vince and Will Smith managed unbeaten knocks of 50 and 25 respectively to steer Hampshire to 236-3 by the time the two teams shook hands.
There was also an early finish at the Oval in the match between Surrey and Essex, though not before England captain Cook had registered his second century in as many matches at the start of the new domestic season.
Left-hander Cook followed up his three-figure score in the win over Derbyshire last week with 127 against Surrey, his innings including 19 fours. Ravi Bopara helped put on 99 for the third wicket, contributing 42 until he became a maiden first-class wicket for Dominic Sibley.
Surrey had resumed in the morning on 217-6 but ended up adding only a further 20 runs to their first-innings score, their cause not helped by the absence of Zafar Ansari due to concussion. Tymal Mills claimed two of the three wickets to go down, giving him final figures of 4-45.
Glamorgan managed to escape with a draw at home to Gloucestershire, their last-wicket pairing putting on 20 runs in 7.5 overs to hold off their opponents at the end of a day that saw only 30 overs of play possible due to rain.
Michael Hogan made an unbeaten 19 and Dean Cosker faced 31 deliveries for his four not out as the Welsh county held firm at 146-9, meaning Will Gidman's six-wicket haul failed to fire Gloucestershire, who pick up nine points compared to Glamorgan's eight, to glory in the closing stages.
Kent also had to hold their nerve in their fixture with Leicestershire, ending up on 89-4 after being set an improbable 324 for victory by the visitors at Canterbury.
Having declared their second innings on 259-5, opener Greg Smith having made 118 at the top of their order, the Foxes looked to have a slim hope of forcing a positive result when they reduced their opponents to 36-4 thanks to Jigar Naik taking two wickets in the space of four balls.
However, Darren Stevens (34 not out) and Daniel Bell-Drummond - who finished up unbeaten on 39 - steadied the Kent ship with an unbroken alliance worth 53.
