Second Eleven Championship – Day 3 of 3
Northants (456-8 dec and 238-7 dec) drew with Notts (428-4 dec & 160-6)
Northants 8pts Notts 10pts
 
The wishes for early breakthrough on the final morning of this match failed to materialise as squally showers prevented any play before lunch.
 
Play resumed at 2pm which left a minimum of 59 overs remaining. The much needed breakthrough did not come until nearly ten overs into the day when Ben Phillips had the middle stump of Wootton (59) cart-wheeling out of the ground as he comprehensively beat him for pace with the score on 151.
 
The remainder of the innings belonged to the opposition skipper Rob Newton who, having been dismissed for 91 first time round, reached his century being unbeaten on 101 when the declaration came on the stroke of the tea interval.
 
Phillips ended with 4-29 and George Bacon claimed two wickets both to catches by keeper Adeel Shafique.
 
Notts were set 267 to win in a minimum of 33 overs, a tall order.
 
Scott Elstone and Akhil Patel started off at an express pace carving the bowling to all parts and had added 79 from just 8 overs before Elstone was out for 43 from 32 balls.
 
Benham went quickly and then Patel fell to a wonderful catch from David Willey, who managed to grab the ball one handed on the boundary as it crossed the line but kept his balance to stay in the field of play. Patel scored 39 from 26 balls.
 
Ali Brown then hit Ali, who really suffered in the onslaught, for two sixes which caused a delay in  play as the fielders retrieved the ball from an adjoining field. He then fell caught at cow corner by Willey for 18.
 
When Jake Ball was out with the score on 135 there were still eighteen overs remaining. Sam Kelsall and Adeel Shafique called off the chase and were still together with eight overs remaining when the sides shook hands.