Northants unable to avoid drop

Marcus Trescothick and Jamie Cox powered Somerset to a comfortable 70-run victory at Wantage Road, condemning Northamptonshire to relegation from the First Division.

Responding to the hosts' 214 all out, the opening pair piled on 155 in only 24 overs to put the issue beyond doubt. Trescothick fell for 72 off 65 balls moments before rain stopped play, and the game was abandoned with Somerset a long way ahead of their Duckworth-Lewis requirement.

Cox was unbeaten on 76 and Keith Dutch – who had earlier taken the bowling honours with six wickets for the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy finalists – was not even required to face a ball.

Northants would have been in an even sorrier state but for Russell Warren, who hit two sixes and seven fours in a solid 93 from 103 deliveries. He and Graeme Swann (41) added 60 in 12 overs for the fourth wicket.

A century from Ali Brown helped relegation-threatened Surrey secure a 123-run win over Warwickshire at Croydon yesterday. Brown scored 116 off 108 balls including 14 fours and four sixes as Surrey rattled up 231 in their allotted 45 overs.

In reply Nick Knight (34) and Mark Wagh (14) put on a first-wicket stand of 44, but the rest of the Warwickshire batsmen offered little as they crumbled to 108 all out in 29.5 overs with Ben Hollioake the star of the show. The 23-year-old produced a devastating spell of three for 10 in eight overs and also ran out Mohammed Sheikh.