Weather wins at Wantage Road

Northamptonshire and Essex’s attempts to force a result in the LV County Championship Division Two match at Wantage Road were washed away despite opener Stephen Peters’ smashing an unbeaten 130.

Essex allowed Northamptonshire to rattle off 251 in just 24 overs, giving the visitors a target of 300 for victory in the remaining 70 overs.

Although the hosts snared three wickets, they were unable to press home the advantage as the rain once again intervened.

The draw leaves Northamptonshire’s hopes of promotion hanging by a thread, but Essex, who have a game in hand, retain an outside chance after picking up five bonus points.

After Essex declared on their overnight 256 for two, captains Mark Pettini and Nicky Boje agreed to some declaration bowling in an attempt to avoid the draw.

Essex skipper Pettini, who had never previously bowled in first-class cricket, and wicketkeeper James Foster, who had sent down 12 deliveries, formed the bowling attack for the visitors.

Stephen Peters helped himself to a century against some part-time bowling this morning

Northamptonshire’s openers Peters and Niall O’Brien helped themselves to some easy runs with both reaching their half-centuries in double quick time.

However, Ireland international O’Brien (58) embarrassingly became Foster’s maiden scalp when he drove his fellow wicketkeeper straight to Pettini at mid-on.

Peters, though, was able to bring up his ton by hitting Foster to the boundary for four, while new batsmen Rob White quickly settled into his stride, hitting three consecutive sixes off Pettini.

Pettini was unlucky not to claim his maiden wicket when White edged him to Ravi Bopara, who put the chance down in the slips.

The hosts declared on 251 for one after just 80 minutes at the crease with Peters plundering his 130 off 76 balls, while White was unbeaten on 61.

Foster finished with bowling of figures of 1-122 from 12 overs, while Pettini ended his 12 overs wicketless at a cost of 129.

But Essex’s reply started in the worst possible fashion as Jason Gallian went for a duck, trapped lbw by David Lucas.

The visitors reached lunch at 31 for one and soon after the break Bopara was nearly run out, only for Lucas’ attempt at the stumps to go for four overthrows.

Bopara also survived a bat-pad chance against Boje but his luck ran out next ball as he was trapped lbw for 24.

That left Essex on 46 for two and they were really wobbling when opener John Maunders edged Lance Klusener – in his penultimate championship game at Wantage Road for Northants – to Boje in the slips.

But that proved the last action of the day as the fielders joined Maunders in departing the field when the heavens opened.