Double ton for Hameed but draw looks certain

HASEEB Hameed made a superb double hundred but his Nottinghamshire side’s chance of denying Surrey a fourth consecutive Division One title are receding with their Rothesay County Championship contest with Somerset almost certain to end in a draw.

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With half-centuries from Jack Haynes (70) and Lyndon James (72), Nottinghamshire finished day three at 511 for six in their first innings for a lead of 73.

Yet the combination of a dead pitch and the Kookaburra ball seems to have left no realistic route to a positive result on the final day.

They began this round - the 11th of the 14 - a point behind Surrey but the latter's victory against Durham at Chester-le-Street puts clear daylight between them and the chasing pack, although Nottinghamshire still have to go to the Kia Oval in September.

Somerset, in third place, arguably need nothing less than a win at Trent Bridge to maintain their outside chance.

Unless the hosts can rapidly extend their lead to a couple of hundred on the final morning and then bowl out Somerset, which seems highly improbable, all four of Nottinghamshire’s matches using the Kookaburra ball will have ended in stalemate.