Watch highlights of the final day's play
By Matt Somerford
Lancashire suffered their second relegation in three seasons after Middlesex batted through the final day of their LV= County Championshiprelegation decider at Emirates Old Trafford.
After eking out the required bonus points they needed on the opening three days, Lancashire could not complete their last-gasp survival bid with a win to leapfrog their rivals.
Skipper Glen Chapple, in what could be his final game after a 23-season career, shook hands on a draw at 4.21pm to confirm relegation.
Middlesex were 341 for eight and, despite having not won in the championship since May, were able to celebrate like they had secured victory.
The relief of a drama-filled four days in the north-west was clearly evident, most notably on skipper Chris Rogers after his decision to bat on a gloomy first day.
His opposite number Chapple will now, however, be left to ponder his playing future following a first-class career that has brought him an incredible 970 wickets and 8,629 runs.
The 40-year-old is one of the candidates to take over the full-time coach's job at Old Trafford next season, although he confirmed in this match that his seemingly ageless body is willing and capable of at least another season on the county circuit.
That was underlined when he pulled the six to help steer Lancashire to the batting bonus point and keep their survival bid afloat yesterday morning with just four balls to spare.
It followed his four-wicket haul in the first innings, when Middlesex were skittled for 214, and while he bowled manfully today he and his team-mates were thwarted by Middlesex's resilience.
Despite their long run without victory - Middlesex were top of Division One in early June - they have been able to ground out draws when it has counted in the final two games to keep them up.
It was Rogers' double-century that proved invaluable at Somerset last week, but their second-innings performance at Old Trafford relied on an all-round effort as they ably saw off 134 overs.
Sam Robson kickstarted that with an overdue half-century yesterday and while none of his team-mates followed him to that landmark they diligently nullified the final kicks in Lancashire's season.
Overnight pair Eoin Morganand Neil Dexter both used up 105 balls, the latter scraping out just 17 in the process, before the tail dug their heels in.
James Harris hit his highest four-day score for two years, 41 from 109 balls, and with Tim Murtagh, they survived 161 balls together for the ninth wicket to steer Middlesex to safe waters.
There were still lingering doubts when they were joined, after a bright 34 from Toby Roland-Jones, with Middlesex 189 runs ahead at 2.17pm.
But they would not be separated for just over two hours, spanning the tea break, before Chapple finally called it quits, for this match at least.
Middlesex lost just one wicket in an opening session reduced to 10.2 overs because of rain.
Junaid Khan needed only five deliveries with the new ball to make inroads when he pinned Morgan with a peach of a delivery for 45.
The rain arrived a ball later, however, to force an early lunch and wipe 14 overs from the day.
A clear blue sky greeted the players on the resumption which, while not ideal bowling conditions for the hosts, ensured Lancashire would not lose any more time in their quest to avoid the drop.
Ending Dexter's stubborn resistance also offered further hope when he chopped Junaid on.
A Jos Buttler drop, Lancashire's seventh of the match, then only cost a single run when John Simpson lazily pulled Simon Kerrigan to Luke Procter in the deep.
Roland-Jones had opted to counter-attack Middlesex away from trouble before Chapple nipped an off-cutter into his front pad.
With two wickets in hand Middlesex led by 189 runs but the situation was calmed by Harris and Murtagh in a season-saving stand worth 64.