The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during day four of round four of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Chester-le-Street (day four of four): Durham 358 & 131-2, Essex 488 - match drawn
Essex's Nick Browne scored his first first-class century for over a year and Callum Parkinson collected his maiden five-wicket haul for Durham, but the Vitality County Championship meeting at the Seat Unique Riverside ended in a draw.
Such an outcome had always appeared probable once the third day's play had been lost to the weather.
However, having made 488 and taken a 130-run lead on first innings, Essex did their best to force a victory on the final afternoon, only for their efforts to founder on the broad bat of Alex Lees, who made 48 not out in 128 minutes and had steered his side to 131 for 2 when bad light stopped play at 4.40pm.
The teams shook hands shortly afterwards, at which point David Bedingham, Lees' third-wicket partner, was unbeaten on 33.
Nick Browne scored his first Championship century for over a year [Justin Setterfield/Getty Images]
The Oval (day four of four): Hampshire 151 & 197, Surrey 359 - Surrey won by an innings and 11 runs
It took champions Surrey only 30.2 overs on the final day to wrap up victory by an innings and 11 runs against an overwhelmed Hampshire at the Kia Oval.
Dan Worrall finished with an impressive 5 for 47 as Hampshire, dismissed first time around for 151 on day one, were bowled out again for 197.
And Ollie Pope equalled the Surrey record for the most outfield catches in a first-class match, pouching three more at second slip to give himself six in the innings and eight in the game.
Surrey's thumping win, their second of the new County Championship season, would surely have been completed well inside three days had a total of 84 overs not been lost to bad weather on the second and third days.
Related - Nick Howson: Hampshire's sloppy start catches up with them as Ollie Pope stakes a claim
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Edgbaston (day four of four): Nottinghamshire 400 & 75-1, Warwickshire 361 - match drawn
Another stalemate landed in the ocean of early-season County Championship draws as the match between Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire petered out at Edgbaston.
In reply to 400 all out, Warwickshire extended their first innings to 361, Jacob Bethell posting a career best 93 (163 balls), before Nottinghamshire went in again and acquired 75 for 1.
As soon as Warwickshire reached 251, which they did with some comfort with five wickets down, the match was consigned to a draw, the home side's fourth in four Championship matches and Nottinghamshire's third in four.
It was a dreary conclusion to a match which delivered some excellence - particularly Ben Duckett's double-century and the seam bowling of Olly Hannon-Dalby and Dillon Pennington – but was ultimately smothered by a docile pitch and the loss of more than a day to rain.
Tom Lammonby scored his third half-century of the season to secure a draw for Somerset [Naomi Baker/Getty Images]
Kidderminster (day four of four): Somerset 309-9d & 190-4d, Worcestershire 451-9d - match drawn
Tom Lammonby continued his excellent start to the season and played a major role in Somerset earning a hard fought draw against newly promoted Worcestershire at Kidderminster.
Lammonby dug in to score his third half-century of the season in addition to his hundred against champions Surrey.
His unbeaten 81 lifted his run tally for the campaign past the 350 mark and he received excellent support from Andrew Umeed during a decisive fourth-wicket partnership.
When the duo joined forces, Somerset were still 76 runs in arrears at 66 for 3 but they effectively blunted the attack and batted throughout the afternoon session in adding 117 in 39 overs.
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