This was particularly significant for 32-year-old Fordham who is due a benefit next year but made only his first Championship appearance of the season in this match.Fordham has been making big scores in the second XI and marked his return to the main stage with a determined 72 on Friday. Cornishman David Roberts, who scored his maiden first-class century against Essex a fortnight ago, fished so often outside the off-stump to Bicknell that it would not have been a surprise if Emburey had strode up from square leg to give him an impromptu coaching session. Roberts eventually succumbed to a straight, fast delivery from Lewis which uprooted his off-stump.Richard Warren lost his middle stump to Joey Benjamin but Robert Bailey and Alan Fordham went on to forge an untroubled partnership. Martin Bicknell and Chris Lewis, who inflicted the damage on Taylor on Friday, both bowled hostile opening spells and got some movement off the pitch. Darren Bicknell (tonsillitis but forced to field) and Paul Taylor (severe bruising to an arm) rounded off the casualty list.The fit players did their best to provide some entertainment amongst the gathering gloom. Umpire John Harris was suffering from a migraine and Northamptonshire’s John Emburey donned the white coat to take up duties at square leg.

Gilbert was eventually relieved by Saqlain Mushtaq, who had flown in from international duties with Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Nor was illness and injury solely confined to the players. The opening overs of the day were enlivened by the unusual sight of both sides’ coaches on the field. Surrey’s Dave Gilbert was pressed into service as an emergency fielder due to injuries to Ian Ward, who was nursing a swollen knee, and Ben Hollioake, who had succumbed to a bout of food poisoning. Persistent drizzle after lunch dampened even the most hardened optimist’s hopes that Surrey might force a result in this run-drenched match.

The bat’s dominance over the ball in the preceding three days showed little sign of abating during the morning session, which saw Northamptonshire inch their way to a deficit of 35 runs for the loss of two wickets. Some balls scuttled through shin high, while others occasionally reared past the batsman at chest height. But the pitch was less culpable than the weather and the final hour’s cricket by Leicestershire for the near victory by Nottinghamshire.. The re-laid pitch deteriorated over the four days and all the batsmen were suitably mistrustful of the inconsistent bounce. This season they have lost more than 1,500 overs to bad weather and the rain meant they needed to be more aggressive after lunch, which affected their batting.In the morning, Darren Maddy was caught behind off a Mark Bowen leg-cutter and nightwatchman Adrian Pierson was the victim of a grubber. With 46 runs needed Millns was obviously suffering from delusions of grandeur.James Ormond, 19, and Alan Mullally kept the tension high but survived, although Ormond was lucky not to be run out stealing a quick single to keep the strike. He played out the last over with aplomb.Nottinghamshire are proving to be a resilient side , but they sorely missed Paul Franks in this second innings.