Storm stops Surrey at Somerset while Yorkshire close on survival

Champions Surrey were denied the chance to record a 10th successive Specsavers County Championship win when their Division One match against Somerset was abandoned without a ball bowled on the final day.

Overnight storms blew the covers off and rendered the pitch unplayable, leaving umpires Alex Wharf and Tim Robinson with no choice but to end the match.

The visitors, who clinched the title at Worcestershire last week, were well placed to continue their dominant form as Somerset had been due to resume their second innings on 168 for three, needing a further 171 to avoid an innings defeat.

Elsewhere, Yorkshire are within touching distance of avoiding relegation following a weather-affected draw with Hampshire.

Heavy rain on Thursday and overnight meant the outfield was unfit for play on day four.

While Hampshire's safety was secured earlier in the match, the eight-point haul gained by Yorkshire means they need a maximum of two points from next week's final-round clash with bottom side Worcestershire.

In Division Two, Warwickshire won promotion after drawing with Sussex at Hove to set up a title decider with Kent.

They are level on points at the top of the table with Kent, who confirmed their promotion on Thursday, ahead of next week's meeting at Edgbaston.

Warwickshire scored 440 in their first innings and Dominic Sibley made sure there would be no mishap on the last day when he scored his fifth first-class century.

The opener's 144 not out, along with 90 from Sam Hain and 88 from Will Rhodes, saw the visitors progress to 381 for three before declaring their innings closed with a lead of 478, and the players subsequently shook hands for the draw.

At Lord's, Tim Murtagh took four for 55 as Middlesex ran through Derbyshire to secure a 117-run victory.

Murtagh – who passed 750 first-class career wickets in the process – finished the visitors off for 210 in the seventh over after tea, despite an unbeaten century from Derbyshire skipper Billy Godleman.

Middlesex had declared on their overnight total of 199 for seven, setting the visitors a fourth-day target of 328.

Elsewhere, Gloucestershire's match with Northamptonshire was abandoned as a draw due to heavy storms.

Gloucestershire began their second innings 48 runs behind and had reduced the deficit by six before rain set in at Bristol.

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