Essex take Division Two title

Essex have taken the Division Two title in the Frizzell County Championship, beating Nottinghamshire by seven wickets at Chelmsford. Nottinghamshire were already assured of promotion themselves. Essex began the day needing another 211 runs with eight wickets in hand. They lost Mark Waugh when the Australian had made 76 at better than a run a ball and had put on 125 with Will Jefferson who was joined by Aftab Habib. The pair took Essex to their target without wasting any time. When the Jefferson hit the winning runs off the bowling of the Paul Johnson, playing his last match for Nottinghamshire before retiring, the tall opener was on 165, with Habib on 57.

Worcestershire were set 373 to win by Derbyshire - and got them with one wicket to spare. That last man was none other than Graeme Hick, who came in at number 11 suffering from a fractured thumb. David Leatherdale with 89 not out and Gareth Batty with 74 had made the win possible with a stand of 122 for the fifth wicket, Matt Mason, who went into this match with a first-class batting average of 7.50, scored fifty, but when the ninth wicket fell there were still 13 runs required. Hick scored ten of them. Kevin Dean finished a fine season with another five wickets.

Glamorgan batted on to reach 528 for seven before declaring. M.J. Powell (Michael) was out for 92, while Robert Croft was 71 not out when he set Northamptonshire an unlikely 447 to win. Another M.J. Powell, this time Mark, was the man to hold up the Glamorgan bowlers with an innings of 108 as his side made 242 for six to secure the draw.

In Division One, Warwickshire pulled of a stirring victory by three wickets against Sussex at Hove to secure runners-up spot behind Surrey. Warwickshire needed 401 to win in the fourth innings and thanks to a hundred from - that's right - M.J. Powell (Michael again), ninety from Dominic Ostler and 79 not out from Dougie Brown, Warwickshire made it.

Meanwhile the champions, Surrey, went on to 492 for nine before they declared with Adam Hollioake recording a double hundred and Ali Brown a mere single. Leicestershire were in all sorts of trouble at 11 for four before 68 from Neil Burns halted the slide. But the reprieve was only temporary as Tim Murtagh finished with five for 39, Leicestershire were bowled out for 142 and Surrey finished their triumphant season with a win by the little matter of 483 runs.