Maddy and DeFreitas stall Kent

Kent's hopes of making up considerable ground on the County Championship leaders, Surrey, were frustrated yesterday as their match against Leicestershire ended in an entertaining draw.

Any chance of a positive result at Canterbury was scuppered by impressive innings from Darren Maddy and Phil DeFreitas. Maddy hit an unbeaten 156 after a first-innings 125, while DeFreitas compiled 94. Kent had reached 58 without loss before the respective captains agreed to bring the match to a close.

Relegation-threatened Lancashire completed a much-needed win by seeing off Sussex by seven wickets in the other match still to be completed yesterday.

Sussex added just one to their overnight total at Hove before Peter Martin claimed the final wicket at 227, which left his side chasing 93 runs for victory. The openers Mark Chilton and Alec Swann were both dismissed early but Stuart Law finished unbeaten on 45 as he eased Red Rose nerves.

Warwickshire condemned Somerset to the Second Division of the Norwich Union League next season with a comprehensive eight-wicket win at Taunton. The Sabres have won only two of their 12 games and produced another woeful batting display with only Jamie Cox (64) and Ian Blackwell (51) reaching double figures in a total of 188 all out.

Shaun Pollock took 4 for 36 and then hit an unbeaten 43 as Dominic Ostler (77 not out) and Nick Knight led Warwickshire home with 10 overs to spare.