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.

Barring 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.

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 One

Hampshire 462 and 204 v Worcestershire 273 and 117-5

Worcestershire need 277 with five wickets standing

Kent 225 and 230 (f/o) v Nottinghamshire 433 and 28-0

Nottinghamshire won by 10 wickets

Lancashire 140 and 398 v Somerset 146 and 204-6

Somerset need 189 to win with four wickets standing

Surrey 415 and 25-0 v Durham 262 and 177

Surrey won by 10 wickets

Division Two

Derbyshire 173 and 119 v Middlesex 358

Middlesex won by an innings and 66 runs

Glamorgan 239 and 141-7 v Yorkshire 361 and 273

Glamorgan need another 255 with three wickets standing

Gloucestershire 109 and 195 v Sussex 311

Sussex won by an innings and seven runs

Northamptonshire 383 and 137-1 v Leicestershire 203 and 316

Northamptonshire won by nine wickets

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.”

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 wickets

Division One

Rose 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 wickets

Old Trafford Lancashire 140 and 398 v Somerset 146 and 120-3. Somerset need 273 more to win

The Oval Surrey 415 and 25-0 BEAT Durham 262 and 177 by ten wickets

Edgbaston Warwickshire 78 and 114; Essex 232.
Essex (19pts) beat Warwickshire (3pts) by an innings and 40 runs.

Division Two

Derby Middlesex 358 BEAT Derbyshire 173 and 119 by an innings and 66 runs

Cardiff Yorkshire 361 and 273 v Glamorgan 239 and 72-2

Bristol: Sussex 311 BEAT Gloucestershire 109 and 195 BY AN INNINGS AND SEVEN RUNS

Northampton Leicestershire 203 and 316 v Northamptonshire 383 (JJG Sales 135) and 14-0

No, 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.

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.

Durham 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.”

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 wickets

“ 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.”

Division One

Rose Bowl Hampshire 462 (NRT Gubbins 201 no; LA Dawson 109) and 99-5; Worcestershire 273 (EA Brookes 132).

Canterbury Nottinghamshire 433 (BT Slater 160); Kent 225 and 196-7.

Old Trafford Lancashire 140 and 398 v Somerset 146. Somerset need 393 to win

The Oval Durham 262 and 98-6; Surrey 415 (RS Patel 134).

Edgbaston Warwickshire 78 and 114; Essex 232.
Essex (19pts) beat Warwickshire (3pts) by an innings and 40 runs.

Division Two

Derby Middlesex 358 BEAT Derbyshire 173 and 119 by an innings and 66 runs

Cardiff Yorkshire 361 and 224-6 v Glamorgan 239.

Bristol: Sussex 311 BEAT Gloucestershire 109 and 195 BY AN INNINGS AND SEVEN RUNS

Northampton Leicestershire 203 and 172-7 v Northamptonshire 383 (JJG Sales 135)

Balderson bowled, after adding another 42 since “le incident”. Lunch at OT, lunch round the grounds, scores to follow.

87 minutes of capitulation mean that Middlesex go into the final round with a mathematical chance…

Derby Middlesex 358 BEAT Derbyshire 173 and 119 by an innings and 66 runs

Well played! For the first time in ten years, Sussex will be in Division One.

Bristol: Sussex 311 BEAT Gloucestershire 109 and 195 BY AN INNINGS AND SEVEN RUNS

Leach makes the breakthrough… but too late? The lead 380.

Bedingham is out.

What. A. Knock. An appreciative standing ovation from the crowd, a foot-stamping one from the balcony, and an admiring hand clap from the Somerset players. 196 balls, 12 fours, one six. Paul Edwards tells me it is Wells’ first since a blissful afternoon in Canterbury during which he put on 312 for Lancashire’s second wicket with Josh Bohannon. “It was late June.” Lancashire’s lead 328.

Hamilton joins Yorks in a new role of general manager, responsible for “delivering cricket success across all formats of the game” – a sort of hybrid job, with the expectation that they will bring in a head coach to replace Ottis Gibson - who leaves at the end of this season.

Hamilton played international cricket for both England (once) and Scotland, was with Yorks as a player for 11 years, and part of the winning Championship team in 2001. He also played for Durham for two years.

He will officially start on November 1.

The Dukes refuses to go through the gauge – dew soaked? – and the umpires rummage through the cardboard box of replacements. Lancs 302-7, a lead of 296.

The heavy roller, the sun, five penalty runs and a hue and cry over a contentious not out decision in the final overs all added up to a gripping day at Old Trafford in the crucial promotion-relegation headlock.

After 21 wickets fell on the first day, only seven fell on the second, as Lancashire played with earthy grit to grind a lead of 292 over Somerset, who are chasing Surrey for a tilt at the title. Josh Bohannon’s 60 and an unbeaten 78 from Luke Wells, plus plucky innings from Rocky Flintoff and Harry Singh, frustrated Somerset, and nostrils later flared when George Balderson was adjudged not out after Craig Overton appeared to throw down his stumps from slip.

At the Oval, perennial understudy Ryan Patel hit a merry 134 to give Surrey a vital 153-run first innings lead over Durham. Durham then lost the nightwatcher Callum Parkinson to the first ball of their second innings as the sun dropped and Conor McKerr held a snorter at third slip.

Essex completed an innings victory over Warwickshire, who will want to forget a truly dismal five sessions at Edgbaston. Bundled out for 78 in their first innings, they made only 36 more in their second, once more bamboozled by Jamie Porter (six for 36) and Sam Cook (three for 36). Only Danny Briggs offered any ballast, with 51. In a bizarre morning session, Essex had added 43 more for the last wicket, as Warwickshire set nine fielders on the rope.

It had seemed easy pickings for Hampshire after they first pocketed maximum batting points, thanks to a Nick Gubbins double century, and then had Worcestershire 61 for five after Mohammad Abbas hit a magic patch. But a maiden first-class century from a bold Ethan Brookes and 94 from Gareth Roderick provided some fight – and crucially secured the much-loved Worcestershire’s place in Division One next season. Liam Dawson had time to add a fifth five-wicket haul of the season to his tally, before Hampshire declined to enforce the follow‑on.

It was another tricky day for Kent down in the bowels of the First Division, forced to follow on after Nottinghamshire first made 433, then dismissed them for 225, with four wickets for Farhan Ahmed. Tawanda Muyeye’s unbeaten 55 as the light faded was a lone bright spark.

In Division Two, Sussex shimmied a little closer towards promotion as a seventh-wicket stand of 112 between Jack Carson and John Simpson eased the game away from Gloucestershire, despite six wickets for Zafar Gohar. Chris Dent’s unbeaten 61 proved the early glue in Gloucestershire’s second innings.

A sprightly opening partnership of 115 between Adam Lyth and Finlay Bean sprinkled the sugar on Yorkshire’s day away to Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens, while a century from Mark Stoneman put Yorkshire’s promotion rivals Middlesex in a strong position against Derbyshire. After play, Stoneman revealed he would be leaving Lord’s at the end of the season as he hadn’t been offered another contract.

A career-best 135 from James Sales, the second century of his career, and a twinkle-toed 71 from Saif Zaib helped Northants lay down a chunky first-innings lead of 180 against Leicestershire – who then slipped to 69 for four.

Division One

Rose Bowl Hampshire 462 (NRT Gubbins 201 no; LA Dawson 109) and 3-0; Worcestershire 273 (EA Brookes 132).

Canterbury Nottinghamshire 433 (BT Slater 160); Kent 225 and 85-0.

Old Trafford Lancashire 140 and 298-7; Somerset 146.

The Oval Durham 262 and 1-1; Surrey 415 (RS Patel 134).

Edgbaston Warwickshire 78 and 114; Essex 232.
Essex (19pts) beat Warwickshire (3pts) by an innings and 40 runs.

Division Two

Derby Derbyshire 173 and 74-3; Middlesex 358 (MD Stoneman 115).

Cardiff Yorkshire 361 and 116-1; Glamorgan 239.

Bristol Gloucestershire 109 and 140-3; Sussex 311.

Northampton Leicestershire 203 and 69-4; Northamptonshire 383 (JJG Sales 135).

It’s slipping away, the light, the year, the Championship. But we still have six days left and nothing is yet decided – other than the happy news of Worcestershire’s Division One status.

Play starts at 10.30 am – see you (t)here.