The ECB may still make some changes for the County Championship ahead of next spring, with teams and fans alike watching with interest, but the focus for now remains on championship, promotion and relegation issues still to be decided with two rounds to go in both divisions.
State Of The Divisions
The latest round of matches in both divisions concluded with only one confirmation achieved, that of Leicestershire’s promotion back to the top-flight for the first time since 2003.
‘Where is the Love’ by The Black Eyed Peas was at number one in the UK charts the last time the Grace Road side were in division one and this is the first time the county has ever experienced a promotion!
Leicestershire were able to celebrate following a draw at home against Gloucestershire, a result which was very much a dominant one with four of the five fixtures in division one and all four in division two ending that way.
Nottinghamshire were the only county to force a victory, beating bottom of Division One Worcestershire by three wickets and keeping their own hopes of a first top-tier title since 2010 alive.
Surrey vs Nottinghamshire
It’s looking like a two-way fight for the championship in Division One where Surrey, who have won the title in each of the last three seasons, lead Nottinghamshire by just one point.
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Just as the script-writers would have liked at the start of the campaign, the two sides will go head to head at The Oval when the penultimate round of fixtures gets underway on Monday!
The last three head to heads between the teams have ended in draws, including last season’s contest in South London where the two teams hit a combined 930 runs across their respective first innings.
Both Surrey and Nottinghamshire will be pushing for the win from Monday – Thursday, and victory for either will go a long way to deciding who wins the title.
Other Issues To Be Decided
Division One
Like at the top, the two relegation places are still to be decided in Division One, but few give Worcestershire any hope of playing in the top tier in 2026 following their latest defeat, and in doing so being the only county to lose during the round, to Nottinghamshire.
The Pears have won only one game all season, and that was back in mid-May, and begin Monday’s fixtures 38 points behind Durham in ninth and 44 points from Hampshire in the safety of eighth!
The biggest haul Worcestershire could take is 48 points but that looks extremely unlikely and so it looks like Durham, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Sussex and Essex, all separated by only 14 points, to fight it out for the final relegation spot.
Division Two
Leicestershire have a 25 point lead over Glamorgan in second and the title is theirs to lose while the Welsh county will confirm their promotion if they beat third place Derbyshire in Derby!
Middlesex in fourth and Gloucestershire in fifth, could still come into the equation but look increasingly likely to be back playing in division two once again come April.
