Surrey have one hand on the County Championship Division One trophy, while Middlesex and Kent are locked neck-and-neck in the battle to avoid joining relegated Northamptonshire in Division Two following a pivotal round of fixtures.
Durham have won the Division Two title and Worcestershire are expected to be promoted to the top flight next season.
The week started with Essex chasing Surrey at the top of Division One. Northants need a win to keep their hopes of survival alive, while Leicestershire hope to close the gap on Worcestershire in Division Two.
Rain affected matches across the country, but at times it looked like both Northants and Leicestershire, who played Essex and Surrey, would get the wins they needed. Instead, the round ended with the top of both tables effectively tied, with the relegation slots confirmed.
At The Oval, Northants forced a rematch against Surrey, but unbeaten openers from Rory Burns and Dom Sibley kept the home side safe. A strong start on the final wicket gave Leicestershire a sizable lead over Yorkshire, but Yorkshire were forced to settle for a draw on the final day of the match. And Essex pushed Hampshire hard, claiming two games but losing a three-wicket thriller that ultimately took them to the final. A high-scoring draw between Worcestershire and Durham benefited both sides, with Durham securing the Division Two title and Worcestershire securing his second place.
The result means Surrey need just five points from last week’s game against Hampshire to win a second successive title, while Worcestershire need just five points from last week’s game against Hampshire to secure promotion to Division One. This means you need 3 points in the battle.
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However, the relegation battle may be nearing an end. Kent were forced to follow Somerset but held on, but Middlesex lost to Warwickshire late on the fourth day, leaving Kent one point behind Middlesex. Kent will host Lancashire in the final, while Middlesex will travel to Nottinghamshire.
