Lancashire go up while Somerset take top spot

DIVISION ONE
Somerset 199 & 329 beat Yorkshire 103/9 & 127/9 by 298 runs
Hampshire 149 & 431 beat Surrey 162 & 151 by 272 runs
Nottinghamshire 124 & 212 lost to Kent 303 & 259 by 227 runs
Warwickshire 516 drew with Essex 324 & 158/2

DIVISION TWO
Lancashire 418 beat Derbyshire 244 & 189 by an innings and 45 runs
Gloucestershire 200 & 243 lost to Sussex 370 & 74/2 by 8 wickets
Leicestershire 308 & 189 lost to Northamptonshire 357 & 142/3 by 7 wickets
Middlesex 143 & 151 lost to Durham 147 & 191 by 44 runs
Worcestershire 205 & 299 beat Glamorgan 193 & 156 by 155 runs

RED ROSE RISES AGAIN
Lancashire are back in Division One. After a year of toil and hard graft, the Red Rose return to the top tier at the first time of asking. Led by the indomitable Dane Vilas, who averaged over 100 with the bat this summer, Lancashire sweep past Derbyshire to secure their passage back with two games to spare. Sat atop Division Two for almost the entirety of the season, it was spinning pair Matt Parkinson and Glenn Maxwell who wrapped up the match, taking 6/67 between them, following Josh Bohannon's maiden century.

SOMER NOT SET ON TAUNTON DREAMS
In another dramatic twist to the Championship title race, Somerset leapfrogged Essex back to the number one spot, with only one game each to play before they meet at Taunton, in what it likely to be the silverware decider. A commanding victory over Yorkshire, thanks to Josh Davey's third day heroics with the ball, wiped out Yorkshire quickly in their pursuit of a 426-run target.

NOTTS THEIR YEAR
Nottinghamshire are relegated, two years after gaining promotion to Division One. Warwickshire picked up enough points to ensure their own safety for another season by drawing with Essex, in turn sending Notts down to Division Two. In a difficult year for the county, they failed to win a single match, with only two matches left to change that outcome. Kent were the latest side to beat them, Darren Stevens (87 & 10/92) and Sam Billings (100) both shining in a 227-run win.

THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
With Lancashire already taking up one of the three promotion places available it's looks set to be a four-way shoot out for the other two spots. Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire, Durham and Sussex are all in the hunt, while Glamorgan still have the possibility of forcing their way into the top three. Just 16 points separate the four main contenders, with matches between them still to take place.

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