Key events
Division Two table
1 Nottinghamshire 215
2 Middlesex 188
3 Glamorgan 176
4 Derbyshire 169
5 Worcestershire 160
6 Durham 158
7 Sussex 115
8 Leicestershire 79
Division One Table
1 Surrey 225
2 Hampshire 217
3 Lancashire 182
4 Essex 178
5 Northamptonshire 147
6 Yorkshire 132
7 Somerset 123
8 Kent 115
9 Warwickshire 115
10 Gloucestershire 74
Fixtures
DIVISION ONE
Chelmsoford: Essex v Lancashire
Bristol: Gloucestershire v Warwickshire
The Rosebowl: Hampshire v Kent
Taunton: Somerset v Northants
The Oval: Surrey v Yorkshire
DIVISION TWO
The Riverside: Durham v Sussex
Sophia Gardens: Glamorgan v Derbyshire
Grace Road: Leicestershire v Middlesex
New Road: Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire
Preamble
Good morning! Speeding down to London, horses grazing under turning trees, a day late for the Queen’s funeral but just in time for the penultimate match of the County Championship which, yet again, is screaming to a tight finish
Surrey and Hampshire are locked in battle for the title – Surrey eight points ahead but with tougher opponents ahead in Yorkshire and Lancashire – and a tussle for relegation and promotion brewing at both ends of the tables.
Leaders Surrey, frustrated by Northamptonshire last week, entertain Yorkshire – who couldn’t hold out against Essex in a thriller at Headingley. Essex have Simon Harmer back for their final game of the season at Chelmsford, where they take on Lancashire, their rival for the bronze medal spot and the runner’s up in the weekend’s Royal London Cup.
Coming up on the outside Hampshire, who have won their last four matches, host eighth placed and just outside the relegation zone Kent; while Craig Overton (but not Jack Leach) returns to help out Somerset against Northants. Precariously-placed Warwickshire, boosted by Mohammed Siraj, need to notch up a victory against bottom and seemingly doomed Gloucestershire.
In Division Two: promotion certainties Notts are taking on mid-table-with-pretensions Worcestershire; winless Leicestershire will have their work cut out against second placed Middlesex; Durham retain the services of Matthew Potts to play Sussex, one spot below them in the table; and Glamorgan and Derbyshire lock-horns for a last-gasp run for a promotion spot.