became the first team to lose to Northamptonshire in the Championship, as they relinquished their play-off spot with an 82-run loss. They recovered well in the National League, though, beating Gloucestershire by 20 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method, before rain resulted in a no-result against Hampshire Hawks. A three-day match with the touring Australians ended in a draw, having been shortened to two days due to rain. August started with two losses to Northamptonshire Steelbacks – one in the National League and one in the Championship. After an eight-day break from cricket, Worcestershire came back strongly, though, amassing 696 for 8 declared and beating Somerset by an innings, which meant they could entertain a small hope of promotion. A mixed bag of results with a win and a loss in two games in the National League followed before a Championship match with Lancashire, which they lost by an innings and 73 runs. The month ended with a home draw with Leicestershire. Worcestershire moved out of the National League relegation zone with a victory over Gloucestershire on the first Sunday in September, before a draw with Yorkshire put them further adrift of a promotion spot in the Championship. Their National League luck was short-lived too, as they lost to Nottinghamshire and Essex on successive week-ends, leaving them precariously placed before their last match of the season – which would be a virtual play-off match against Lancashire. First, however, they drew with Essex in the Championship, before National League relegation was a fact thanks to a 75-run loss to Lancashire. Players Shoaib Akhtar Zander de Bruyn Chaminda Vaas Chris Gayle Kabir Ali Gareth Batty Steven Davies Will Gifford James Holloway Graeme Hick Shaftab Khalid Josh Knappet David Leatherdale Nadeem Malik Matt Mason Daryl Mitchell Stephen Moore Stephen Peters James Pipe Ray Price Ben Smith Stuart Wedge David Wigley Tables Championship totesport League Match details Derbyshire v Worcestershire (13–16 April) Worcestershire (21pts) beat Derbyshire (3pts) by 10 wickets At Derby, Worcestershire won the toss and chose to bat. Stephen Moore was run out early for 19. He held his pose, showing off his defensive shot during an appeal for leg before wicket, as Moss came in on the blind side and threw the ball at the stumps. The other opener, Stephen Peters, stayed around though, and made 55. Once Moore was out, Peters was joined by Graeme Hick, who was given lives on