Sussex retain Pro40 title

Sussex's players show their delight as they retain the NatWest Pro40 title despite losing to Worcestershire

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Sussex claimed the final NatWest Pro40 Division One title despite losing to Worcestershire as Durham killed off Somerset’s hopes in a dramatic close to the season.

The competition has been disbanded, although counties will still play 40-over cricket next season, meaning the Twenty20 Cup champions are the last Pro40 winners.

Sussex lost by a heavy margin of 49 runs against Worcestershire at New Road and were made to wait nervously for news from Taunton, where the county champions Durham decided the destination of the silverware with victory over Somerset.

The trophy ends a mixed season for Sussex, who have also won the Twenty20 Cup but been relegated from the top tier of the LV= County Championship.

On the field, Sussex made a below par 165 all out in reply to the hosts’ 214 for six.

Piyush Chawla and Murray Goodwin both made 32 but there was little else of note as departing spinners Gareth Batty and Ian Fisher shared six wickets for the Pears.

A little more than half an hour later Durham completed a two-wicket win that ended Somerset’s hopes.

They chased down a target of 243 for the loss of eight wickets, with Gordon Muchall (61) and Gareth Breese (38no) the standouts.

Somerset fell two balls short of closing out the win in the field, despite the best efforts of Ben Phillips as he took 3-34.

Warwickshire took the Division Two title after sealing a three-wicket win on the final ball of their match against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Justin Langer snicks behind his final ball as a Somerset batsman at Taunton as they slip to defeat against Durham

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Keith Barker and Neil Carter had shone with the ball to dismiss the hosts for 166 but what should have been a regulation reply ended in a tense run chase.

In the end, though, Jonathan Trott’s 86 at the top of the order proved decisive.

In Division One, Nottinghamshire were blitzed by Gloucestershire in the briefest of encounters at Trent Bridge.

The hosts collected six ducks in a dismal total of 57 - 41 of which were scored by Akhil Patel.

It took Gloucestershire only 7.3 overs at the cost of a single wicket to take the win.

At Headingley Carnegie, Essex beat Yorkshire by seven wickets.

Debutant Joe Root made a fine 63 for the White Rose in a score of 187 for seven but that paled against Mark Pettini’s match-winning - and unbeaten - 101.

In the second tier, Northamptonshire routed Kent by 99 runs at Canterbury.

Niall O’Brien’s 70 and Rob White’s 72not out helped Northamptonshire to 244 for six batting first and Kent could muster no more than 145 all out in response.

James Hockley made 55 of those but David Lucas’ 4-28 stole the plaudits.

Tom Maynard struck 69 not out to see Glamorgan to a five-wicket win over Derbyshire at Derby.

The hosts made 214 for nine but could not defend it against the Welsh side who won with seven balls left.

Surrey made 228 for six to beat Leicestershire’s earlier 225 for four at Grace Road, Matthew Spriegel hitting 81no to carry his side over the line.