Champions Somerset took half-an-hour to complete an innings-and-121-run win over second-placed Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Mike Munday took two of the three wickets to fall, finishing with career-best figures of 8 for 55 - he had never taken more than three wickets in a Championship innings before. Ryan Sidebottom fell for a duck and then Jason Gallian, in his final match for the county, batted at No. 10 because of a back problem and made 14. Ian Blackwell polished off the innings by bowling Paul Franks. Somerset, who set a second division record of 266 points, were presented with the trophy in front of the pavilion.

Essex finished their season with an emphatic 10-wicket win over Middlesex inside three sessions Chelmsford. Following on 194 in arrears, Middlesex resumed on 104 for 3 and soon lost Ed Smith, trapped lbw by Tony Palladino, and he should have had two in two but Tim Phillips at slip dropped Jamie Dalrymple. Eoin Morgan with Dalrymple and then Ben Scott kept Essex at bay while making 71 but Middlesex's last five wickets added only 21. Varun Chopra and Grant Flower knocked off the runs in 17.1 overs.

Derbyshire solidified their position against Northamptonshire securing a 223-run lead in the second innings at Derby, with seven wickets in hand. Resuming on 132 for 4, Northants added a further 101 runs before subsiding 147 runs behind at the turn. Jonathan Clare again impressed, with four wickets, and there were four too for Tom Lungley. Rain halted Derbyshire's second dart, and when they resumed they lost three wickets in a flurry: Paul Borrington, one short of a fifty opening stand with Steve Stubbings; then Hassan Adnan (4) and Greg Smith (8) both fell cheaply to Nicky Boje. Stubbings, though, is well placed on 46.

For the second day running there was no play in the match between Glamorgan and Gloucestershire at Cardiff .

Includes all points as at the close of play