Summary

  • Final round of the 2026 County Championship; nine games

  • Warwickshire will be champions if they take 14 or more points against Leicestershire

  • A win or a draw with at least six batting/bowling bonus points would be enough

  • They have three already after bowling out Leicestershire for 125 - Ethan Bamber takes 4-42

  • Dan Lawrence hits unbeaten 105 for Surrey against second-placed Somerset

  • England's Emilio Gay makes 141 for Durham against Lancashire

  • Kent need a minimum of 15 pts to win promotion after Northants all out for 103 against Middlesex

Send us your county cricket views

  1. Signing offpublished at 18:52 BST 24 September

    Ethan Bamber takes a wicket for WarwickshireImage source, Getty Images

    It's not all been plain sailing for Warwickshire today, but they have tightened their grip on the County Championship title by bowling out Leicestershire for just 125 in 47 overs.

    Dan Lawrence made it a disappointing day for second-placed Somerset by hitting an unbeaten 105 at Taunton and England team-mate Emilio Gay was also in the runs with 141 for Durham against Lancashire.

    Reports of all of today's County Championship matches can be found on the BBC's dedicated county cricket page. Those not currently appearing there will hopefully do so in the next hour or so.

    Our live text and radio coverage will resume on Friday morning, ready for a 10:30 BST start of play.

  2. Close of play scorespublished at 18:47 BST 24 September

    Division One

    Glamorgan 318-3 v Essex

    Hampshire 55-4 v Sussex 244

    Nottinghamshire 242-9 v Yorkshire

    Somerset v Surrey 327-4

    Warwickshire 130-4 v Leicestershire 125

    Division Two

    Kent 71-1 v Gloucestershire 229

    Lancashire v Durham 355-5

    Middlesex 255 v Northamptonshire 103

    Worcestershire 214 & 5-0 v Derbyshire 88

  3. Close of playpublished at 18:41 BST 24 September

    Middx 255 v Northants 103 - (Middx lead by 152)

    What an incredible day's play it has been at Lord's - and what a damaging day it has been to Northamptonshire's promotion hopes.

    It feels like a long time ago but the visitors won the toss and chose to bat.

    How they may rue that decision. They were skittled all out for 103 as Ryan Higgins took centre stage, taking four-fer.

    But Northants still looked well in it when Ben Sanderson took four-fer of his own to leave the hosts in a spot of bother again at 32-4.

    Out came Higgins and, alongside Ben Geddes, the pair saw attack as the best form of defence.

    Higgins went on to hit a magnificent 115 to help push Middlesex to a commanding looking lead of 152 at the midway stage of the match following a manic opening day.

  4. wicket

    WICKET AND MIDDLESEX ALL OUT FOR 255published at 18:40 BST 24 September

    Helm b Harrison 7 (Middx 255 v Northants 103 - lead by 152 runs)

    Calvin Harrison tosses one up and it beats the defences of Tom Helm all ends up.

    The tailender goes for seven, seeing his off stump dislodged, and it's all over at Lord's.

    TWENTY wickets in the first day at the home of cricket.

  5. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 18:35 BST 24 September

    Higgins c Zaib b Chahal 115 (Middx 253-9 v Northants 103)

    A magnificent innings comes to an end.

    Ryan Higgins, with an attempted slog sweep, gets close to another boundary but is caught in the deep by Saif Zaib who makes no mistake with the pouch.

    Higgins gets a standing ovation from the home balcony, all those in the member's pavilion, and around Lord's.

    We will have an extra four overs with one wicket remaining. Calvin Harrison is on to bowl for Northamptonshire.

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 18:34 BST 24 September

    Use the yellow button on the left of the page to sharr your views

    Why have Somerset produced a batters wicket when they knew they had to bowl Surrey out twice to have any chance of winning the Championship? Absolutely ridiculous. Don’t deserve to win the league I’m afraid.

    Tim, Taunton

  7. 250 runs

    250 up for Middlesexpublished at 18:33 BST 24 September

    Middx 253-8 v Northants

    Heaved away into the leg side by Ryan Higgins (115*) to the boundary and that brings up Middlesex's 250.

    In doing so they claim a batting point.

  8. Close of play at Worcesterpublished at 18:31 BST 24 September

    Worcestershire 214 & 5-0 v Derbyshire 88

    What a day of in-out cricket as 20 wickets fall at New Road.

    Worcestershire send out Ben Allison and Fateh Singh to play out three overs to the close, which they do without loss despite Allison being dropped at slip, and lead by 131 after bowling Derbyshire out for just 88.

    Mo Abbas claimed 5-22 as the Pears were dismissed in 57 overs but Allison took three wickets with the new ball at the start of the visitors' reply and returned to finish them off for figures of 5-22.

    No promotion issues in this one, just a chance for both teams to register a fifth win of the season.

    Ben AllisonImage source, Shutterstock
  9. Postpublished at 18:30 BST 24 September

    Middx 247-8 v Northants 103

    Crunch.

    A terrific back-foot punch through cover for four by new man in Tom Helm.

    Not exactly the shot of a number 10, that's for certain.

  10. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 18:26 BST 24 September

    Roland-Jones b Chahal 0 (Middx 240-8 v Northants 103)

    An absolute beauty from Yuzi Chahal. This one looks like a googly.

    Toby Roland-Jones does not pick this one at all under dimming light at Lord's. Straight through the gate and his middle stump is dislodged.

    He walks for a six-ball duck. The 18th wicket today goes down at the home of cricket.

  11. Close of play at Edgbastonpublished at 18:24 BST 24 September

    Warks 130-4 v Leics 125

    Warwickshire batting against LeicestershireImage source, Shutterstock

    Warwickshire are three points closer to winning the County Championship at the end of day one against Leicestershire.

    Needing 14 or more points to clinch the title regardless of results elsewhere, they took maximum bowling points by bowling the Foxes out for 125.

    Leicestershire's failure to register any batting points - plus Essex gaining one bonus point - means they will be relegated if an appeal against a points deduction is unsuccessful.

    But they have shown some spirit with the ball to ensure that this game hasn't run too far away from them.

    That said, Warwickshire will be the happier team. Sam Hain (37 not out) and captain Ed Barnard (25 not out) saw them through to the close and they will hope to cement the Bears' strong position on Friday.

    Been attritional batting at Edgbaston by the Bears, but compelling nonetheless. Great patience from Sam Hain.

    Chris, Edgbaston

  12. Close of play at Canterburypublished at 18:24 BST 24 September

    Kent 71-1 v Gloucestershire 229

    A highly satisfactory day for Kent, which ends two overs early because of bad light, as they look to secure the second promotion place from Division Two.

    As rivals Northants collapsed at Lord's, Kent bowled out Gloucestershire in 70 overs despite an excellent innings of 86 by James Bracey.

    Matt Milnes took 4-55 to take him to 49 wickets for the season and Khaled Ahmed bowled a vital post-lunch spell which brought him three victims.

    Kent soon lost Zak Crawley at the start of their reply, but Ben Compton and Sam Northeast saw it through to the close with an unbroken stand of 70.

  13. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 18:21 BST 24 September

    Zafar b Sales 15 (Middx 239-7 v Northants 103)

    Bowled him! Straight through!

    Wide of the crease, James Sales' in-swinger is far too good, and far too quick, for Zafar Gohar.

    Swing and a miss and it's all over - middle stump. Toby Roland-Jones is in to bat for Middlesex who have a healthy lead.

  14. Postpublished at 18:20 BST 24 September

    Kent 70-1 v Glos 229

    Spinners operating now as Gloucestershire look to 'buy' a late wicket in fading light at Canterbury.

    A single each for Ben Compton and Sam Northeast off Ollie Price and there are three more overs to go.

  15. Close of play at Old Traffordpublished at 18:19 BST 24 September

    Lancs v Durham 355-5

    England opener Emilio Gay struck a brilliant 141 batting at number three for Durham to put his side well in the ascendancy at close on day one.

    He was more than ably supported by Ben McKinney who reached 71 and Mayank Agarwal's 66 to help the visitors bag a third bonus point by close.

    Ollie Robinson (34*) and Kasey Aldridge (9*) survived the final few overs and will be back in the morning.

    For Lancashire it was tough going again today but Tom Bailey was the pick of their bowlers with 2-52. Noman Ali also picked up two wickets but went for 110 runs in his 27 overs.

  16. Close of play at Trent Bridgepublished at 18:15 BST 24 September

    Notts 242-9 v Yorkshire

    Close of play at Trent Bridge and, after winning the toss and electing to bowl, it has been Yorkshire's day.

    Nottinghamshire had to dig deep early on with some really tight line and length bowling.

    Haseeb Hameed played very well for his 71 but once he was dismissed following an excellent delivery by Matthew Revis, Nottinghamshire fell away in their first innings.

    Ben Cliff has picked up 4-39 and Ben Coad has chipped in with another couple of wickets. A good all round performance from the White Rose.

    Nottinghamshire, meanwhile, will need a big performance in the field tomorrow.

  17. Durham secure third batting pointpublished at 18:13 BST 24 September

    Lancs v Durham 350-5

    Kasey Aldridge hits his first four of the innings to put Durham on 350 and give them a third batting point against Lancashire.

    Ollie Robinson onto 30 at the other end.

    Durham have 15 overs to get to 400 and grab a fourth bonus point with 95 overs bowled today.

  18. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 18:12 BST 24 September

    Abbas b Allison 1 (Worcs 214 v Derbys 88)

    Ben Allison matches Muhammad Abbas' five-for from earlier in the day as he bowls the Pakistan Test player with a delivery which was far too good for a number 11.

    Allison takes 5-22 from 11 overs as Worcestershire's bowlers earn their side a 126-run first-innings lead.

    Captain Wayne Madsen contributed the only score of note to Derbyshire's paltry total - making 40 from 79 balls before falling to Tom Taylor.

    The home side will have a couple overs or so to face before the close.

  19. 100 runs

    100 for Ryan Higginspublished at 18:11 BST 24 September

    Middx 226-6 v Northants 103

    Sensational from Ryan Higgins.

    He has put in an oustanding all-round performance at Lord's today.

    Picking up four wickets earlier, he surpassed 6,000 first class runs, and has now completed a magnificent century on a surface on which pretty much everyone else has struggled on.

    Not a bad day's work, all in all.

  20. Postpublished at 18:11 BST 24 September

    Kent 66-1 v Glos 229

    Stand-in keeper Miles Hammond takes off down the leg-side and claims a catch as Ben Compton tries to glance the ball fine.

    No contact with the bat is the umpire's ruling and Matt Taylor must wait for his first wicket.