National Cricket League round-up
Lancashire won the National League Division Two title in style, with a nine-wicket victory over Northants.
Mal Loye hit 104 not out against his former team, sharing a 131-run stand with Stuart Law to clinch the win with eight overs to spare.
Phil Jaques hit a solo century as Northants were bowled out for 240.
Leicestershire's 168-run victory over Surrey was not enough to save them from National League relegation.
Kent's 104-run defeat of Warwickshire condemned the Foxes to Division Two even though they bowled the champions out for 115.
Leicestershire hit 283-9 after a 183-run third-wicket stand between Darren Maddy (69) and Brad Hodge, plus unbeaten 43 from Vasbert Drakes.
Kent's two-point advantage going into the match kept them ahead of Leicestershire after their win at Canterbury.
Ed Smith hit 74, sharing stands of 70 with Rob Key and 89 with Andrew Symonds as the Spitfires hit 267-7.
And Amjad Khan took 3-32 to bowl the Bears out for 163 with seven overs remaining.
Hampshire grabbed the final Division Two promotion spot despite a nine-run defeat to Derbyshire.
The Hawks looked set to reach the top flight comfortably after restricting their hosts to 172-7.
They were cruising at 143-3, but the last seven wickets fell for 20 runs, Kiwi Chris Harris taking two of them.
However, a two-point lead going into the match proved enough after rivals Middlesex were beaten by Durham.
The Dynamos took just 15.4 overs to overhaul the Crusaders' total of 112-9, Nicky Peng making 66 not out.
Middlesex had slumped to 27-7 at one point before Ben Hutton and Chad Keegan saved face with an 80-run stand for the eighth wicket.
The brightest fireworks of the season were at Hove, where Somerset hit a National League record 377-9 in a 191-run victory over Sussex.
But it was little consolation after a poor season for the Sabres, against a Sharks side hungover from their County Championship success.
In other matches, Gloucestershire closed the gap at the top with a three-wicket win over Yorkshire.
And Essex finished third, downing Worcestershire by four wickets.
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MMIX
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