Surrey are on the verge of a third successive County Championship title after beating Durham within three days at the Oval, and then sitting back to watch their challengers, Somerset, falter at Old Trafford.Dan Worrall’s two wickets in the first over of the day doomed Durham’s innings barely before it had breathed, and he finished with four wickets, as did Sam Curran.Only Emilio Gay’s 48 prevented an innings defeat for Durham, but Rory Burns and Dom Sibley quickly reached the 25 needed, to tick off Surrey’s sixth home win of the season.They will be champions on Friday if Somerset, six down, fail to score the 189 more they need to beat Lancashire and take the title race into the final round.In Manchester it was Luke Wells who all but crushed Somerset’s dreams under his big boots, first with an excellent counterattacking 130 to take Lancashire almost out of reach, then with two crucial wickets, one of them in the last over of the day when Kasey Aldridge was brilliantly caught off a quicker ball by Matty Hurst, ending a stoical 49-run sixth-wicket stand with James Rew.

The 18-year-old Archie Vaughan had earlier danced to a maiden championship half-century of great composure and timing, before being caught off the excellent George Balderson.Baring something extraordinary from Rew and partners at Old Trafford in the morning, Surrey will become the first side since Yorkshire in the 1960s to win three on the bounce.As Sam Curran said: “I’m sure the boys will be glued to the streams over the next day.”Sussex’s coach, Paul Farbrace, said “I’m not thinking beyond getting a nice cold beer and putting my feet up,” after his side thrashed Gloucestershire to earn promotion to Division One nine years after relegation.Sussex wrapped up victory in less than a session after Gloucestershire’s second innings imploded, and Henry Crocombe closed the curtains by -pinning Dom Goodman in front of his stumps, to collect his fourth wicket.

A bouncing team gathered together on the square for a jubilant group hug, accompanied by seagulls.To altogether glummer faces, Kent’s relegation was confirmed after an innings defeat by Nottinghamshire at Canterbury.It is the first time since 2018 that they will snuffle around among the tree roots and acorns.After a flurry of runs on Wednesday evening, Kent started the day with a spring in their step but Tawanda Muyeye’s dismissal in the first over soon knocked that away.The nine subsequent wickets fell for 139, leaving Nottinghamshire to knock off only 23 for victory.

Notts have shuffled further towards safety – meaning that even if Lancashire win and get 24 points in the final round, Notts will need only 10 points from their last game to stay up.A disembowelling of Derbyshire kept Middlesex’s hopes of -promotion just about alive.Their fifth win of the season came after Derbyshire lost their last seven wickets in the first 90 minutes of a dingy morning.Toby Roland-Jones pocketed five more wickets (10 in the match), to add to his handsome tally of 52 for the year.Northants won back-to-back championship matches for the first time in five years after -crushing Leicestershire at Wantage Road.

There were five wickets for Yuzvendra Chahal and though a maiden first-class century for Scott Currie orchestrated a plucky Leicestershire fightback, it was not enough,Liam Dawson’s quietly brilliant season continued – he added another half century and five more wickets (to reach 50 for the first time in a championship season) to usher Hampshire towards defeat of Worcestershire,Jake Libby was 55 not out at stumps, but Worcestershire’s task looks a ticklish one, with 277 still needed and only five wickets left,Yorkshire strolled towards victory at Sophia Gardens and will need only three more wickets in the morning to go into the final round with a cracking chance of promotion,Ben Coad chipped away at Glamorgan, who were set 396 in the final innings, picking up his 50th first-class wicket of the season on his way to four for 30.

Division OneHampshire 462 and 204 v Worcestershire 273 and 117-5Worcestershire need 277 with five wickets standingKent 225 and 230 (f/o) v Nottinghamshire 433 and 28-0Nottinghamshire won by 10 wicketsLancashire 140 and 398 v Somerset 146 and 204-6Somerset need 189 to win with four wickets standingSurrey 415 and 25-0 v Durham 262 and 177Surrey won by 10 wicketsDivision TwoDerbyshire 173 and 119 v Middlesex 358Middlesex won by an innings and 66 runsGlamorgan 239 and 141-7 v Yorkshire 361 and 273Glamorgan need another 255 with three wickets standingGloucestershire 109 and 195 v Sussex 311Sussex won by an innings and seven runsNorthamptonshire 383 and 137-1 v Leicestershire 203 and 316Northamptonshire won by nine wicketsWith eleven overs left at OT, and Aldridge and Rew carefully guarding their sticks, time for me to get scribbling for the paper,Do please chat on BTL – let’s hope there is something still in this tomorrow,Somerset 172-5, need 221 to take the Championship into the final round,Elsewhere:Glamorgan are being worn away by Yorkshire: 94-5, still need 302,Coad 4-22.

Northeast, Carlson and Cooke all gone,Forties from Procter and Bartlett have taken Northants to within 36 runs of victory over Leicestershire,And Worcestershire are hanging on, just,At 78-3, they need another 316 to beat Hampshire,Libby still there on 46, wickets for Dawson, Abbott and Abbas.

Not feeling fully confident in Somerset here – Lancashire’s bowlersseem to have gorged on shredded wheat at tea.A snorter from Balderson catches the outside edge of TKC’s bat.Bell again.TKC drags himself off.Aldridge marches on.

Quite a staircase to climb for Aldridge and Rew, both on 0.237 more needed.Caught at slip by little George Bell.A cracking innings of real maturity.Enter James Rew, who Anthony Gibson reckons is Somerset’s last hope.

“We’ve done our bit and we’d obviously love Lancashire to do their bit and beat Somerset,” says Sam Curran, “and I’m sure the boys will be glued to the streams over the next day,The next 24 hours will show where and we’ll see what we need to do at Chelmsford next week,”A downbeat Daniel Bell-Drummond: ““It’s been a really tough season and today kind of summed where we are as a team this year and yeah, we started the day as optimistic as possible, getting the win was the only option we had and we had some good chats coming in to it, but yeah, we just fell apart in that first session this morning and it just wasn’t to be,It kind of sums up the season as a whole,“I’ve always been optimistic deep down and yeah, I massively believe in the guys in the changing room and my own abilities but definitely, on paper, with some of the injuries we’ve had and teams you come up against in Division One I’d be stupid not to think we’d be scrapping again and when you’re scrapping half the time it just wears you down and the valve breaks.

”Vaughan is a charming-looking player - and as I type that, Phillip screams past the outside edge – all timing and exacting placement.He leans back and cuts Phillip effortlessly for four.Somerset 139-3.They’re back out.The sun is still shining.

Hello there Paul Hinson.“Somerset would need to make the highest ever successful fourth innings run chase at Old Trafford against Lancs to win.Currently it is 359/7 by Notts in 1991.”Excellent statting.It feels doable from here – though sharper eyes than mine think balls are occassionaly shooting low.

A 23-point victory for the 2022 and 2023 champs, which gives them a 12 point buffer over Somerset, even if they win a finely-balanced chase at Old Trafford.If Somerset don’t win, the title is Surrey’s with a round to go.The Oval Surrey 415 and 25-0 BEAT Durham 262 and 177 by ten wicketsRose Bowl Hampshire 462 (NRT Gubbins 201 no; LA Dawson 109) and 204 v Worcestershire 273 (EA Brookes 132) and 39-1.Canterbury Nottinghamshire 433 and 28-0 BEAT Kent 225 and 230 by ten wicketsOld Trafford Lancashire 140 and 398 v Somerset 146 and 120-3.Somerset need 273 more to winThe Oval Surrey 415 and 25-0 BEAT Durham 262 and 177 by ten wicketsEdgbaston Warwickshire 78 and 114; Essex 232.

Essex (19pts) beat Warwickshire (3pts) by an innings and 40 runs.Derby Middlesex 358 BEAT Derbyshire 173 and 119 by an innings and 66 runsCardiff Yorkshire 361 and 273 v Glamorgan 239 and 72-2Bristol: Sussex 311 BEAT Gloucestershire 109 and 195 BY AN INNINGS AND SEVEN RUNSNorthampton Leicestershire 203 and 316 v Northamptonshire 383 (JJG Sales 135) and 14-0No, no no! And in the last over before tea, Tom Abell finds his legs in altogether the wrong place against Phillip.Somerset 120-3, need 272.At Southampton, Worcestershire are in their fourth innings too.They’re chasing 394 to win after bowling Hants out for 204 – four wickets for Virdi, nine in the match.

And another fifty for Dawson.They’re currently 27-1, Roderick unbuckling his batting boots.Were Somerset to win, this would be their fifth highest fourth-innings successful chase.There may be a less convoluted way of saying that.Vaughan is hit on the helmet by Anderson Phillip, but presses on.

And with a single, and a little bat wave, a maiden fifty: 84 balls, 119 minutes, nine fours,Amazingly composed innings,And as I type, Lammonby is bowled for 49 by the rangy Luke Wells, bails a flying,A second wicket stand of 105,Tea is approaching at OT and Lammonby and Vaughan are riding the storm, making sweet runs.

They’ve knocked off 101, 291 needed,For those of you interested in the one-day cup final on Sunday, Simon Burnton will be covering it for the Guardian, while long-time reader Romeo’s site will be open hereDurham being crushed under the heel of the Surrey juggernaut,Four for Worrall, four for Curran, Durham 177 all out,Sussex coach, Paul Farbrace: “Winning promotion is wonderful for everyone associated with the club, from the chairman and the board to the office staff, people who work on the ground, the members and supporters,It’s for them and the players.

I am only in my second season and, while I am thrilled, there are a lot of others out there who will be equally delighted,“When I arrived, I talked about our goal being promotion and I wasn’t shy in saying that,To have won eight Championship games out of 13 this season is a fantastic effort from the players,“It means a lot that we go on to clinch the Division Two title because there are some very good teams who have been chasing us,Both Yorkshire and Middlesex have been breathing down our necks over the past few weeks and they are two very good teams.

“At the moment, I am not thinking beyond getting a nice cold beer and putting my feet up.We will see what happens next week.“It is traditionally a family club and a lot of people are starting to feel that is coming back.”A clarification: if Lancs win at Old Trafford and get 24 points next week, Notts will need ten points from their last game to stay up.No miraculous escape for Kent this year.

Relegated with a match to go, down amongst the tree roots and acorns for the first time since 2018.Ben Slater sealing the deal with a six.Notts will stay up if they avoid defeat next week against Warwickshire.Canterbury Nottinghamshire 433 and 28-0 BEAT Kent 225 and 230 by ten wicketsDe Leede out at The Oval.A third for Sam Curran.

Durham lead only by eight, eight wickets down,Signed sealed delivered there this afternoon,Leicester also eight down, with a lead of 91 over Northants – Chahal has four, eight in the match“ The patience shown by Rocky (Mark Stoneman) and Max in that crucial partnership was outstanding,That hundred of Rocky’s has to be up there with the best he has scored on a pitch that offered a lot to both pace and spin“He has been phenomenal in his time with us,He has not shied away from helping the guys on and off the pitch.

We are going to miss his runs and personality hugely.”And poor old David Lloyd after Derbyshire’s seventh defeat of the season:“Mickey had given us the belief that we need but at the end of the day it is down to us after we cross that line.We need to have a hard look at ourselves and work out how we are going to win games next season, to try to get the best out of ourselves going forward.“For me it has been extremely disappointing.I’ve done everything I can to try to get the lads ready to give their best but at the moment it is not working.

Obviously I’m new to the club but it is hurting for me as much as for anyone.”At CAnterbury, Evison becomes Lord’s third wicket for 42.Notts need 23 to win.Lammonby (on 20) slashes and the ball flies between first and second slip where Jennings gets a finger to it, but can’t hold on.Notts are going to have to bat again, which is a victory of sorts I suppose.

Four wickets for Duffy, two for Lord and Farhan Ahmed.Evision hanging on in there, 42 not out, Kent 230-9.This was Umeed’s rush of blood:You miss, @tombaildog hits! 💥🌹 #RedRoseTogether https://t.co/ftN4gMv3dC pic.twitter