Northamptonshire head coach Darren Lehmann says one of the worst advertisements for the county game was on show during his side’s draw with Derbyshire.

Bad light and drizzle brought Northamptonshire’s pursuit of 349 to a halt when they needed just 23 more runs with four wickets in hand.

The players were taken off at around 16:20 BST on Friday’s fourth and final day and failed to get back on the pitch.

Batters Lewis McManus and George Bartlett were evidently frustrated when they were told the game could not continue by the two umpires.

The draw leaves Northamptonshire four points below Kent, who are in the second and final promotion spot, in Division Two.

Northants will head to Lord’s to face Middlesex on Thursday, a side who are fresh off their One-Day Cup final victory, while Kent host bottom-of-the-table Gloucestershire.

“It was one of the greatest advertisements for the four day game. The pitch was unbelievable,” Lehmann told BBC Radio Northampton.

“And then, conversely, it was one of the worst advertisements for the county game.

“I’ve got to be very careful with what I say but there were 10 blokes on the boundary and Shoaib Akhtar wasn’t bowling.

“If Shoaib Akhtar was bowling, I could probably see a little bit of merit in it but that’s the decision the umpires have to make and we just have to live with that, there’s nothing we can do about it.

“We move on to Lord’s four points behind. But we have to win at Lord’s any way. So there’s no dramas. It doesn’t change too much.

“I know it’s a little bit disappointing for the players.

“I’m more disappointed for the fans, the media, and the people watching the game because that would have been a great finish for everyone. So for the game of cricket, that’s what misses out.”