DeFreitas denies Lancs a win

LONDON: Leicestershire all-rounder Phil DeFreitas put a dent into his former County Lancashire's title hopes with a career-best 123 not ou...

LONDON: Leicestershire all-rounder Phil DeFreitas put a dent into his former County Lancashire’s title hopes with a career-best 123 not out in the drawn game at Grace Road on Friday.

Lancashire desperately needed victory to give themselves a real chance of pipping leaders Surrey for the First Division title but DeFreitas led a Leicestershire recovery on the final day. At one stage they were in trouble at 195 for five but the brilliant innings from DeFreitas saw them finish on 408 for six. DeFreitas hit 18 fours and three sixes in his 145-ball knock, beating his previous best score of 113 against Notts at Worksop 12 years ago during his first spell at Leicestershire.

Lancashire are eight points adrift of Surrey who also have a game in hand.

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At the other end of the table Martin McCague took five for 52 as Kent beat fellow strugglers Hampshire by 15 runs, a result that leaves Robin Smith’s team bottom of the division with only a faint chance of avoiding relegation.

Derbyshire needed just five overs for a 232-run win over Durham and boost their chances of staying in Division One.

In Division Two Adrian Dale took five for 46 as Glamorgan polished off Sussex by an innings and 60 runs despite half-centuries from Robin Martin-Jenkins and Chris Adams.

Division One

At Derby: Derbyshire 167 (Bailey 54) and 476-7 dec (Cork 200 n.o., Dowman 140) bt Durham 144 (Dean 6-52) and 267 (Katich 70, Collingwood 66) At Canterbury: Kent 323 (Nixon 134 n.o.; Mullally 5-90) and 146 (Warne 6-34) bt Hampshire 156 (Prittipaul 52; Saggers 5-47, Masters 4-31) and 298 (Kendall 72; McCague 5-52)

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At Leicester:Leicestershire 372 (DeFreitas 97, Habib 93, Dakin 50) and 408-6 dec (DeFreitas 123 n.o., Habib 73) drew with Lancashire 574-5 dec (Crawley 139, Fairbrother 100 n.o., Saurav Ganguly 87, Hegg 65 n.o., Flintoff 55)

Division Two

At Colwyn Bay:Glamorgan 718-3 dec (James 309 n.o., Elliott 177, Maynard 67, Powell 64) bt Sussex 342 (Adams 156, Rashid 110; Wharf 5-68, Watkin 4-76) and 316 (Martin-Jenkins 77, Adams 68; Dale 5-46)