Cricket Somerset’s match with Surrey ends as a rain-ruined draw

NO play was possible on the final day of the heavily-curtailed LV= Insurance County Championship Group Two match between Somerset and Surrey at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.

Overnight rain on top of the day three downpours had left parts of the outfield under water when the players arrived at the ground. A dry start to the morning led to hopes of play resuming. But when the rain returned, umpires Nick Cook and Russell Warren took the decision to abandon the match at shortly before 11.30am.

Surrey were due to resume on 206-4 in their first innings, the only one of the match, so both sides collected one bonus point to go with the eight for a draw. The outcome was good news for Group Two leaders Gloucestershire, now clear by four points, with a game in hand on second-placed Somerset, who visit the Bristol County Ground for their next group match, starting on Thursday.

Hampshire have closed to within nine points of Somerset as a result of their victory over Middlesex.

Keith Barker helped set up Hampshire’s seven-wicket victory against Middlesex in their rainaffected Group 2 match at Lord’s.

Barker returned an impressive 84 - his highest score for the county to secure a valuable lead of 36 as Hampshire stretched their firstinnings total to 208.

The 34-year-old then chalked up a 50th red-ball wicket for Hampshire

as Middlesex fell to 101 all out inside 30 overs, with Kyle Abbott claiming another five-for to take his own match tally to 11 for 85.

Hampshire were left chasing a modest target of 66. Although rain intervened, there was still enough time to get over the line, despite Tim Murtagh taking two wickets, as opener Ian Holland made 22 and Sam Northeast finished 18 not out.