Rain denies Durham chance of win

Warwickshire 100 and 229 for 4 drew with Durham 379
Scorecard

Durham were denied a victory that would move them closer to the top of the County Championship First Division table following a final-day washout against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Champions for the past two years, Durham were in a good position to revive their bid for a title hat-trick until the rain returned immediately after an optimistic mid-afternoon report by the umpires.

Peter Willey and Rob Bailey initially planned a re-start at 3.45pm, which would have given Durham 36 overs in which to wrap up the six wickets they required for victory.

But Warwickshire remained on their overnight score of 229 for 4, after being asked to follow on 279 behind, when further downpours resulted in the match being called off at 4.30pm. Ian Westwood therefore remained 14 runs short of his century while debutant wicketkeeper Richard Johnson was on 20.

Durham took 10 points from the draw to be fifth, while six points for the hosts moved them above Hampshire at the foot of the table.