What began in the first week of April, with beautiful weather, comes to an end in the final full week of a dreary and wet September with all 18 first class counties in action across the final round of fixtures which get underway this coming Wednesday!

Whatever The Weather

Those halcyon days of April seem a million years ago for players and fans alike as the weather has turned from summer to autumn and draws have become the name of the game.

The last two rounds of fixtures across both divisions have produced 15 draws and only three wins, with Nottinghamshire securing two of those victories. Will the weather be the main winner in the nine final round games? We will have to wait and see but it’s certainly something to consider when thinking about where to bet on cricket over the coming days.

In The Driving Seat

All eyes were on The Oval in the last round where the top two, Surrey and Nottinghamshire, went head to head with only one point separating the sides and the hosts in pole position. However, that is no longer the case after a pulsating and enthralling contest was won by the visitors by just 20 runs as Surrey, who have won the title in each of the last three seasons, suffered only their second County Championship defeat at home since April 2022!

Notts will now take a 24 point into the final game where they will take on Warwickshire, who are safe from relegation, at Trent Bridge.

As for Surrey, it is no longer in their hands and they will travel to Southampton to take on Hampshire needing a win and a favour from Warwickshire in Nottingham.

Dropping Out Of The Top Flight

Worcestershire’s relegation to division two was confirmed on day three when they failed to pick up a third batting point away at fellow strugglers Durham but in truth their demotion was inevitable after winning only one game all season!

What is still interesting in the top flight is who will join Worcestershire in falling through the trap door with five teams – Sussex in fifth, Essex, Yorkshire, Hampshire and Durham in ninth – separated by only ten points.

Yorkshire will host Durham at Headingley in a basement battle, but with that one relegation place still to be decided, it means that all five final round fixtures in Division One have something riding on them.

Division Two Already Sorted

It’s all to play for in Division One but the same can not be said for those in the second tier after Leicestershire, who secured their promotion the previous week, secured the championship and Glamorgan confirmed their place in the top flight next April with a draw against Derbyshire.

Leicestershire last played in Division One in 2003 while the Welsh county were last at that level two years later, so Division Two will be without two of its regulars next season!

Gloucestershire were the only team in the second-tier to get a victory in the last round and they will be fighting it out with Derbyshire, Middlesex and Lancashire for third spot, while Kent’s season, which saw them convincingly win their opening two games in sunny April, is already confirmed to finish in damp September with them bottom of the pile.