Good night!
An arse-nipper to the end – congratulations to Warwickshire and commiserations to Yorkshire and all those trying to do good things with the club. That’s it from me for this year – thanks to all of you for making following the County Championship such fun. Stay healthy and warm, y’hear? Good night.
Oh, and one more thing – for a live stream of Warwickshire’s tireless groundstaff pushing the mowers and sorting out the pitch for one last time, click here.
Updated
County Championship results
Champions: Surrey
Second: Lancashire
Relegated: Yorkshire and Gloucestershire
Promoted: Nottinghamshire and Middlesex
Handshakes from Hampshire and huge cheers for Liam Norwell. Unbelievable. Warwickshire, from no-where, stay in Division One.
Warwickshire beat Hampshire by five runs! Yorkshire go down
Liam Norwell nine for 62, the Warwickshire players whoop for joy. Massive bear hugs for Liam Norwell. Yorkshire go down.
A REMARKABLE WIN 😱
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 29, 2022
Liam Norwell finishes with 9/62 as @WarwickshireCCC bowl Hampshire out for 133 to REMAIN in Division One 👏#LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/hriDS8loke
Updated
oh my– Hampshire 133 for nine – five runs for the tie. Or Yorkshire are going down.
10,207 via Youtube https://t.co/l9ahasLpG8
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) September 29, 2022
Sussex draw with Glamorgan
Sussex 258 and 554-8dec DRAW with Glamorgan 533-9dec
A century for Dan Ibrahim
A maiden hundred in the very last hours of the season. Very well played, and just 18.
Liam Norwell has a banana boost.
A ball change works its magic! Gubbins lbw to Norwell for 46. Hampshire eight down. Two wickets in 13 runs needed if Warwickshire are to stay up. Norwell seven for 55.
Essex beat Northants by 47 runs
Essex 263 and 110 BEAT Northamptonshire 163 and 163
Pretty scores but still a defeat for Northants, Simon Harmer takes 6 for 49 to finish leading wicket taker in Division One this season.
Northamptonshire lose to Essex, but finish sixth in Division One - their best since 1995, the year of Anil Kumble and Allan Lamb.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) September 29, 2022
Updated
Barker Bowled!!!
Hampshire 81-7. Off stump gone. Ten wickets for Liam Norwell back in the side after injury. Woah. I suppose this makes it easy for the ECB to dock points off Yorkshire.
That average is just ridiculous, @samcook09 🤯
— Essex Cricket (@EssexCricket) September 29, 2022
Our Chelmsford-born, England-in-waiting seamer has surpassed 50 first-class wickets this season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/N5gYcyNSje
A fifth for Liam Norwell!
Hampshire slip-sliding – now 85-6, needing 54 to win. Yorkshire all a-ghast.
Latest from Edgbaston where Warwickshire need 61 to win
Hampshire now 73 for five chasing 139 ... Liam Norwell bowling his heart out, Warwickshire still just about breathing and Yorkshire looking on nervously
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) September 29, 2022
Tea-time scores
Kent 492 BEAT Somerset 202 and 139 by an innings and 151 runs
Old Trafford: Lancashire 512 BEAT Surrey 209 and 173 by an innings and 130 runs
Wantage Road: Northants 163 and 157-8 v Essex 263 and 110 all out Northants need 54 to win
Edgbaston: Warwicks 272-4dec and 177 v Hampshire 311 and 78-5 Hants need 61 tow in
Headingley: Gloucestershire 190 and 233 BEAT Yorkshire 183 and 222 by 18 runs
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 568-9dec v Leicestershire 249 and 363-5
Trent Bridge: Notts 662-5dec and 121-2 BEAT Durham 207-9 and 114 by 463 runs.
Hove: Sussex 258 and 485-7 and 406-4 v Glamorgan 533-9dec
New Road: Worcs 225 DRAW WITH Middlesex 509
Wicket! Wicket! at Edgbaston
Ben Brown lbw t0 Norwell – – Hants 73-5, need 66 to win and send WArwicks down.
Simon Harmer rolls over his arm for one more afternoon and Northants are 141 for eight. Tom Taylor his last wicket, for 26. Northants 145-8 need 66 to win.
Middlesex Head Coach Richard Johnson on Middlesex's promotion to Division One
Middlesex Head Coach, Richard Johnson, said: “It feels amazing to have secured promotion. We would have liked to have played today and tried to put a win on the board and really celebrate.
“Securing that fifth batting point last night, on a wicket that was tough work, showed everything that we’ve been trying to do all year.
“It all came together really nicely at the end. To be able to battle hard on that wicket, defend the good balls and score 500 on there was an amazing achievement.
“I’m very proud of the lads for all the hard work they have put in this year, and this has just topped it off nicely.
“These last three games have been amazing, back to back, really hard work, and I’m just so glad the lads got their rewards at the end of it.
“We’ve just spoken about how brilliant the whole squad has been. Everyone who has come in has contributed in some way to every game.
“You are going to get a couple of stand-outs and Mark Stoneman and John Simpson’s seasons have been oustanding.
“To get 1,000 runs in a 14 game series is really, really good and Toby Roland-Jones, to get 67 wickets on good wickets, has been a terrific achievement.
“That is the best season he has had all his career, and probably on the hardest wickets he’s had to bowl on, flatter this year.
“He’s got better and better as the season has gone on and our ‘go-to’ bowler every time we needed a breakthrough.”
A century for Rehan Ahmed
A marvellous 122 for Rehan Ahmed in Leicestershire’s 341-5 – 22 ahead of Derby. A maiden century. Hope, for Leicestershire at the last.
💯 𝐘𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍𝐍 💯
— Leicestershire CCC 🏏 (@leicsccc) September 29, 2022
What a moment for @RehanAhmed__16, who has played a phenomenal innings to reach his 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐲 off just 99 balls. 👏
This. Boy. Is. Special. 💫
🦊#CountyTogether pic.twitter.com/vZO4gN989D
Notts captain Steven Mullaney on being promoted to Division One.
“I’m relieved, emotional, very proud. After the adversity we went through in not winning a red ball game for almost three years up to last year, and then the disappointment of starting this year in Division Two after finishing third in last year’s format, it feels all worthwhile at the minute.
“I’m very proud of everyone, and immensely proud to be lifting that trophy.
“The way we’ve gone about it this year, we’ve had probably four or five bad sessions, which cost us two games against Glamorgan and Worcester last week, but apart from that - if we always had just four or five bad sessions in a season we’d be there or thereabouts every year.
“That’s not saying that we’ll win every game, it’s just the intensity that we bring and the right attitude. I’m just proud of everyone involved these last two or three years. Even when we’ve not won, if you ask any fan or member who comes to watch I think they’d be proud of the Nottinghamshire team again.
“The way we bounced back in this game - after a heavy defeat at Worcester last week, when we only got three points, we knew this was a massive game, but to then put 660 on the board was fantastic.
“And I think it epitomises the club when Stuart Broad has got some time off, he’s booked some time away with his fiancee, who is heavily pregnant, but he wanted to play in this game. It wasn’t a question of asking him - he texted me and said he wanted to play. Obviously we are very thankful to him for that.
“Of the players this year, Haseeb Hameed has been unbelievable, 1250 runs I think. Ben Duckett, who is not here today, he’s had a stellar season, more than 1,000 runs even though he has missed three or four games.
“And Dane Paterson, 50 wickets two seasons in a row, I don’t think anyone has done that since Andre Adams.
“But whenever we’ve needed someone to stand up, someone has. It has been a great team effort, from the players to the backroom staff. And we look forward to playing in Division One next season.”
James Vince making it interesting – flicking the ball into the hands of Hannon-Dalby. Hamts 49-4, 90 to win. Have Yorkshire gathered to watch on tv at Headingley?
A Warwickshire wobble – 37 for three – and Vince just misses playing onto his stumps.
Is Sam Cook going to finish the season in style? Of course he is! A wicket in consecutive overs reduces Northants to 65 for four. 146 needed to win.
Events at Warwickshire where Hampshire are 14 for two, a wicket each for Norwell and Hannon-Dalby. 122 needed.
At Hove, Tom Haines has his eye on a double hundred to go with his first innings hundred. Currently 177 and moving on a flat pitch. The Sussex lead has grown to 151 against Glamorgan.
Middlesex are promoted!
Signed, sealed and delivered after rain washed out the last day at New Road.
Ten point deduction for Durham due to massive bat
Nic Maddison’s extra-large bat turned out to have huge consequences. Durham have accepted a ten point deduction.
“The CDC considered the points put in mitigation by Durham CCC and Maddinson, that the offence was committed unintentionally, but confirmed that the matter had to be dealt on a strict liability basis with the responsibility on players to ensure the equipment they use conforms to the laws of the game.
The CDC therefore decided a 10-point deduction in the 2022 LV= Insurance County Championship was the appropriate penalty with no further sanction.”
Nottinghamshire are Division Two Champions!
Trent Bridge: Notts 662-5dec and 121-2 BEAT Durham 207-9 and 114-9 by 463 runs.
Worthy champions – who barely slipped up on the way. Three wickets to Patterson-White and happy chaps all over the Trent Bridge outfield.
A thrashing for Durham, their heaviest defeat in terms of runs and the fourth highest in Championship history.
Lunch-time scores
Kent 492 BEAT Somerset 202 and 139 by an innings and 151 runs
Old Trafford: Lancashire 512 BEAT Surrey 209 and 173 by an innings and 130 runs
Wantage Road: Northants 163 and 19-1 v Essex 263 and 110 all out
Edgbaston: Warwicks 272-4dec and 177 v Hampshire 311
Headingley: Gloucestershire 190 and 233 BEAT Yorkshire 183 and 222 by 18 runs
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 568-9dec v Leicestershire 249 and 229-3
Trent Bridge: Notts 662-5dec and 121-2 BEAT Durham 207-9 and 114 by 463 runs.
Hove: Sussex 258 and 406-4 v Glamorgan 533-9dec
New Road: Worcs 225 v Middlesex 509
Warwickshire have collapsed like the economy, crumbling from 113 for two to 177 all out with Dom Sibley’s final innings for the club ending lbw for 77 when trying to slog sweep Ian Holland. He’s being given a decent send-off from the members on the balcony below but more importantly, Hampshire have been set 139 to win in 72 overs after lunch, Warwickshire need 10 wickets to stay in Division One.
Notts on the brink of securing top spot in Division Two with Durham 99 for eight, but whoopee – a huge six from Jonathan Bushnell in a last what-the-heck attack.
Warwickshire need to bowl Hampshire out for 137 to stay in Division One
If they fail, Yorkshire are safe. If they do it and Hampshire have one of their moments, Warwickshire are saved and Yorkshire drop to Division Two. Unlikely.
Rotten luck for Jasprit Bumrah:
Oh no https://t.co/QL9Ur3aVLS
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) September 29, 2022
No hat-trick but I think events at Edgbaston are going to dribble to a conclusion mid-afternoon.
This was Yorkshire coach Otis Gibson’s view of events yesterday evening: ““Very disappointing. With one day to go, we hope things go our way in Birmingham. But you ask yourself the question, ‘Do we deserve that bit of luck from Birmingham?’
“The way we’ve played in the last three weeks, and I’ve just said it the players in the changing room, we’ve not played anywhere near our potential. Therefore, if we end up in the second division, it’s our own fault. We can’t blame any other factors.
“Today, our destiny was in our own hands. We had a really good morning session to knock them over. Then, to chase 240 to make sure we control our own destiny and end up 19 runs short is very disappointing.”
James Fuller on a hat-trick as Warwickshire crumble – the lead 134.
“Hello Tanya,” Hello Andrew Benton!
”The only good thing about Gloucestershire’s demotion (why-oh-why did they only start winning when it was too late?) is that next year we’ll hopefully be able to watch Marcus Harris and Marnus Labuschagne face each other. Which will be nice.
“And thanks for all the county OBOing this year .” A pleasure!
Glamorgan, incidentally, still haven’t managed to dismiss Tom Haines in the match – at the time of typing, he has compiled 267 and not been out. The Sussex lead now 109.
Sam Hain’s ordeal is over, run-out for nine. Warwicks 158 for six, just 119 ahead.
In his fourth game for Nottinghamshire this season, Stuart Broad has picked up his fourth wicket fo the match, his second of Durham’s second innings. Durham 80 for five, a lifetime behind. Chris Benjamin is now the highest scorer with 33, in a partnership of 44 with Jonathan Bushell.
It was a surprise to see young Jacob Bethell emerge ahead of Sam Hain in Warwickshire’s supermarket trolley-dash but we have our answer, Bethell’s demise for two followed by the sight of Hain walking out with a runner for company. No obvious limp but then first ball, a defensive shot, he recoils in pain like he’s tasered in the leg. Could be an ankle problem but not 100% sure, this is the first we’ve known about it. Warwickshire are 107 runs ahead, six down, with 80 overs remaining.
In Division Two, there will be no play before lunch at New Road. At Hove, Sussex have scraped to a lead of 98 over Glamorgan – Tom Haines still there on 152, but the usual carnage underneath him, as Sussex lose four for 30.
Northants need 211 to win
Essex make it past 100, thanks to a boundary-laden 17 from Sam Cook. White finishes with six for 38.
Prize money
Thanks to Ali for the numbers
County Championship - total prize-money: £1.5million
Winners £580,000.00
Runners-up £290,000.00
Third £145,000.00 – so Hampshire get £145,000 more if they finish second rather than Lancashire.
The two relegated teams don’t get any prize-money
Div 2 Champions and runners-up get £65k and £58k respectively.
Feelings shared by many, I’m sure.
Feeling slightly deflated this morning, with the realisation that the cricket season is coming to an end.
— Anthony Galvin (@galvogalvo) September 29, 2022
No more @lancscricket to follow, and just the @stewkleycricket end of season BBQ ☔️before another summer is over. Winter well. https://t.co/Q5pR1lXMjd
But remember there is plenty of cricket to follow remotely this winter, as reminded by this cheerful email from Robert Burton.
“Hi Tanya, I am really looking forward to the twenty- twenty world cup and I think it is a very open cup and any nation can win it. I am pleased that England at last selected Alex Hales and I believe with him in the team England has a better chance of success. I have watched plenty of cricket on TV this summer and long may it continue especially the Twenty Twenty leagues.”
Aye chihuahua! Mohammad Abbas has just pulled off a stunning catch at Edgbaston to see Warwickshire hit 113 for four and a lead of 75 runs. Will Rhodes was looking to repeat the thrash that powered last year’s title win and after cracking a four and six, leaned back to attempt an uppercut off Brad Wheal. But there was Abbas on the rope at third man, leaping like an Aussie Rules champion and taking the mark over his head, before hitting the deck with it safely tucked into his body. Breathtaking skill. At the other end Dom Sibley has cruised to a half-century in his final outing for the club and, have to say, fair play to the groundstaff - they have did very well to get today started on time after morning rain. Now to seek out the footage of that catch...
An absolute cracker of a catch by Mohammad Abbas gets rid of Will Rhodes, Warwicks only lead by 82 – feels like they should be getting more of a wriggle on – no? They could of course still be saved from relegation if Yorkshire get deducted points from the CDC later this year.
Essex ending the season in *style – bowled out for 107, 59, 263 and now 89 for nine. Jack White six for 27 to keep his cockles warm as the night closes in. Essex lead Northants by 189.
Fifty for Dom Sibley in his last innings for Warwickshire
Great stuff in his farewell innings. Wishing him much luck at Surrey, where presumably he slots in to replace Hashim Amla. And Surrey will have two ex-England openers at their disposal. We were talking at Headingley yesterday about how a “Sibley” is exactly what Yorkshire need in their batting line up – a good experienced player, who will average 40, and is not likely to be called up for England – a Northeast or a Duckett or a Has. Or a Tom Bailey with the ball.
The BBC have done their team of the season. Do we want to do an official CCLive one? Do send me your team by email or BTL and I’ll compile one after lunch.
A few wifi issues this end – apologies, what I was going to do was sing a glorious descant for the the Sussex babes in the wood who I didn’t have space to write about yesterday. Ali Orr – just run out for 198 (No!) and Tom Haines 126 not out in an opening partnership of 328 against Glamorgan.
Haines and Orr spoke yesterday evening:
Tom Haines, who scored two centuries in the day, said, “It was just great to be out there, it was a special day. In the second innings the way Ali took down their spinners made it a lot easier for both of us and hopefully we can come back tomorrow and do the same again. The broken hand I had earlier in the season came at the wrong time for me personally and coming back was tough, but in the second innings at Durham last week I began to feel back to normal so it’s been really pleasing to get the runs in this game and hopefully I can get a few more tomorrow.
“We had a lot of work to do in the second innings but the way Ali batted took a lot of pressure off me and allowed the partnership to build. We need to get through the first hour tomorrow but we want to finish on a positive note. If we can get a draw after they got 533 it will be a decent outcome.”
Ali Orr, who made an unbeaten 185, said, “Tom was really good because when I started I didn’t feel that good, I was on the move a lot. We’ve been in some tough situations this season and it was actually nice today not to be batting under the clouds with the floodlights on for once. Records didn’t cross my mind, I just enjoyed batting in those conditions without too much pressure.
“I thought I was a bit one-dimensional last season but knowing I have the shots and when you play them is the most important thing - that’s been the biggest development in my game this season.”
There’s rain about – at New Road at the moment but drifting with intent.
A collection of BTL terms for new readers to the blog
With many thanks to Romeo who compiled the list over night. Click here to read. A bit late for this year but if we’re back next year I’ll repost it again.
Shan Masood confirmed as club captain at Yorkshire next year
An great appointment – Masood is by all accounts an excellent human being.
Scores on the doors
Kent 492 BEAT Somerset 202 and 139 by an innings and 151 runs
Old Trafford: Lancashire 512 BEAT Surrey 209 and 173 by an innings and 130 runs
Wantage Road: Northants 163 v Essex 263 and 63-5
Edgbaston: Warwicks 272-4dec and 62-2 v Hampshire 311
Headingley: Gloucestershire 190 and 233 BEAT Yorkshire 183 and 222 by 18 runs
DIVISION TWO
Derby: Derbyshire 568-9dec v Leicestershire 249 and 131-2
Trent Bridge: Notts 662-5dec and 121-2 v Durham 207-9 and 14-2
Hove: Sussex 258 and 312-0 v Glamorgan 533-9dec
New Road: Worcs 225 v Middlesex 509
Wednesday's round-up
A seat-squirming day at Headingley could not provide a happy ending for club institution Steven Patterson, last man out after a valiant 27-ball duck as Yorkshire fell just 18 short of victory against Gloucestershire. The result leaves them reliant on Hampshire denying Warwickshire victory in order to stay in Division One next year.
Dom Bess was stranded on 79 not out, nearly carrying Yorkshire over the line after the middle order had foundered. Zafar Gohar and David Payne finished with four wickets each, and already-relegated Gloucestershire end a forlorn season with two victories and a spring in their step. One bit of good news for White Rose fans came from Otis Gibson, who confirmed Shan Masood as Yorkshire’s captain next year.
Warwickshire fought desperately to bowl out Hampshire at Edgbaston but were held up by a pretty 98 from James Vince and 76 from their former player, Keith Barker. The visitors reached 311, with Warks 62-2 in their second innings, a slender 23-run lead. The home side’s only hope of avoiding relegation is to somehow complete a victory on the last day of the season.
Lancashire delivered six of the best to Surrey, thrashing them by an innings and 130 runs to hand the champions their only defeat of the season. Surrey were dismissed for 209 in their first innings and folded for 173 in the second, with young slow left-armer Tom Hartley taking five for 52, including Rory Burns, for 61, and Hashim Amla. The trophy presentation followed, as dusk blew the collar of Old Trafford for the last time this year.
Middlesex are but an outstretched finger from crossing the line in their quest for Division One status. They pocketed maximum batting points with just 10 balls to spare, thanks to a century from Stevie Eskinazi and 90s for John Simpson and Pieter Malan. A draw tomorrow against Worcestershire ensures they are promoted alongside Nottinghamshire – who declined the chance to make Durham follow on, but still had them 14 for two at stumps chasing an unlikely 577 for victory.
Somerset collapsed like a faulty deckchair against Kent, losing by an innings and 151 runs. Hamidullah Qadri hit a career-best 87 as Kent reached 492, Kasey Aldridge collecting six wickets and Craig Overton limping off with an injury. Somerset were then blown away for 139 in just 40.4 overs.
Preamble
And, for the very last time this season, good morning! It feels about time, I wore wellies to walk the dog and have the first knockings of a winter cold. Hibernation approaches.
But before that, we have on last day of Championship cricket and the sky is still blue, the sun still has a milky warmth. Most things are sorted now, the Champions, the promoted teams (unless something extraordinary happens to Middlesex); and Gloucestershire’s three-day victory over Yorkshire has given them a boost, but only to start Division Two next April. The game to watch is at Edgbaston – where if Warwickshire can beat Hampshire, they stay in Division One. They currently lead by 23 with eight wickets remaining. It is shit or bust for the Bears. Yorkshire, who will go down if Warwickshire do manage to pull of a win, will be watching nervously
Play starts at 10.30am.
