COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, New Road:
Worcestershire 334 & 242-6 dec drew with Nottinghamshire 219 & 351-7 (Worcs 10pts, Notts 8pts)

Brown was the top scorer in Nottinghamshire's run chase

Nottinghamshire's bid to keep their title hopes alive ran out of time as their thrilling chase ended just seven runs short of victory at New Road.

Ali Brown (84), skipper Chris Read (70 not out), Alex Hales (55) and Samit Patel (55) all hit half centuries.

But Notts finished on 351-7, also denying bottom side Worcestershire their best chance of a first win.

The home side had earlier declared on 242-6, Moeen Ali hitting 84 not out, setting a target of 358 in 74 overs.

But their attempts to force a first County Championship win of the season leaves Steve Rhodes' men still hopelessly adrift, 50 points shy of safety with four games left.

Notts have moved to within 27 points of leaders Durham, but, having now gone eight games without a Championship win, they have also played a game more.

And, after next week's home date with relegation-haunted Yorkshire, their last hope is the trip to the Riverside to meet the reigning county champions on 9 September.

The two sides did well to sustain interest after losing precious time in the morning session.

Rain held up the resumption for 45 minutes, Vikram Solanki allowing 40 minutes' batting time before making his declaration.

Alexei Kervezee tried to speed things up, making 30 from 22 balls before being caught at mid-off, going for a big shot off Charlie Shreck. But Moeen remained the more restrained, as he continued the innings which had dragged Worcestershire out of trouble at 34-4 on the third afternoon.

Worcestershire then nurtured serious thoughts opf that elusive first win when soon-to-depart wicket-keeper Steven Davies held the first two of his county record-equalling six catches in Gareth Andrew's third over.

On-loan Surrey opener Scott Newman registered his fifth single-figure score in his last five innings and Mark Wagh was also out for a duck when he gloved a lifting delivery.

But Patel then posted a half-century with nine fours from 49 balls and Hales marked his promotion to opener by completing his first championship 50.

After putting on 79 in 15 overs, both players were caught behind off Richard Jones for 55, although not before Hales had featured in another half-century stand with Bilal Shafayat.

Nottinghamshire still required 208 on reaching tea at 150-4 but Shafayat was out soon after the interval, giving Davies his fifth dismissal in a row and Jones his fifth wicket in the match.

Davies then dropped Brown on 55 off Imran Arif when there were still 17 overs to bowl. And he made the most of his let-off by reigniting the run chase with captain Chris Read, taking 31 off two overs of left-arm spin from Moeen.

Brown then drove Andrew to mid-on and Davies combined with Jones to remove Mark Ealham,

Read and the big-hitting Andre Adams (29 not out) put on 53 from 34 balls. But, despite a bonus of four wides from Andrew's first delivery, they could not quite make the 21 needed off the last over.

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