County Championship round-up: Jaydn and Joe Denly combined as Kent drew at Essex; Surrey fell short in run chase vs Somerset in draw; Hampshire secured draw vs Lancashire; Matthew Potts century helped Durham earn draw vs Warwickshire; Nottinghamshire vs Worcestershire washed out
Tuesday 16 April 2024 12:52, UK
An unbeaten 41 from 18-year-old Jaydn Denly in a solid sixth-wicket stand alongside his uncle Joe helped guide Kent to a draw in their Vitality County Championship match at Essex.
After a rain delay, Essex declared on their overnight 257-4, setting Kent a victory target of 375.
Essex seamer Jamie Porter cut into Kent's top order before first-class debutant Jaydn Denly and his uncle ate up 16 overs while putting on 51 runs before the latter was out for 39.
Kent, whose batters wore black armbands to mark the death of former England spinner Derek Underwood, steadied the innings from 65-5 and, following another rain break, finished on 164-7.
At the Oval, Surrey fell short in a run chase against Somerset as the match also ended in a draw.
Chasing 209 in 19 overs, openers Dan Lawrence and Jamie Smith (45) put on a stand of 90 to set up the prospect of a first win of the season for the champions.
However, three quick wickets in nine balls all but ended Surrey's challenge as Kasey Aldridge picked up two in the 12th over.
Lawrence was unbeaten on 53 from 34 balls when the players shook hands with five overs left, Surrey at 123-5.
At the Utilita Bowl, Nick Gubbins batted out the final day as Hampshire secured a draw against Lancashire.
Gubbins crafted an unbeaten 69 to end any chance of a Hampshire collapse, while James Vince and Tom Prest were equally stubborn in their resistance as the hosts finished on 179-4.
Matthew Potts scored his maiden first-class century to help Durham earn a draw on their return to Division One action against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Warwickshire began the final day scenting victory as their newly-promoted opponents, following on, resumed on 12-2 and still 169 behind.
But stubborn batting, led by nightwatch Potts (149 not out), saw Durham close on 293-6 and earned them a draw after their first match back in the top tier against Hampshire was abandoned without a ball being bowled last week.
Nottinghamshire's game with Worcestershire ended in a draw after the final day's play at Trent Bridge was washed out.
In Division Two, Derbyshire earned a draw at Glamorgan on the back of a superb unbeaten stand from Luis Reece and Brooke Guest.
Derbyshire had an improbable target of 401 to chase as they resumed in Cardiff on 40-1.
The early dismissals of David Lloyd and Wayne Madsen gave Glamorgan hope of victory, but those were the last wickets to fall.
Reece ended unbeaten on 91, with Guest 72 not out as the pair took Derbyshire to 225-3.
Ollie Price's career-best 147 and a century from James Bracey helped Gloucestershire to an unlikely draw with Yorkshire in Bristol.
The pair shared a fifth-wicket stand of 199, Bracey making 102, as they rescued the hosts from 97-4 overnight, chasing 498 to win.
Yorkshire's attack was left frustrated on a placid pitch as Gloucestershire closed on 405-6.
Heavy rain and blustery winds ruled out any play on the final day between Northamptonshire and Middlesex, leaving Middlesex's Leus du Plooy four runs short of a double century.
Frequent heavy showers also ended an prospect of a positive result between Leicestershire and Sussex.
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