5.42pm Wow... can you hear the shrieks at Canterbury? In fact, they are playing the Great Escape over the PA. Kent cling onto the top flight by the skin of Nottinghamshire's tail. Middlesex did everything they could, most particularly Sam Robson, who scored his third hundred - and his county's fourth of the campaign - then ripped his legbreaks with elan to give his side real belief. But they were forced to gamble on a gettable run-chase due to their desperation, and in the end 207 to win was not enough.
Here ends the County Championship, and just like last year's hi-jinx with Warwickshire, we've had a relegation humdinger to see us into the winter. In the end, Middlesex showed spirit, but it's been a grim season for them on and off the field, and it's ended with a return whence they came two years ago. Cheers for joining us... See you again in 2024 tomorrow, for England's first World Cup warm-up match in Guwahati ... it's all go in these parts....