The dust has barely settled on the 2026 Rothesay County Championship season and we're already looking ahead to next year.
Coaches and administrators across the country will be reviewing their seasons and drawing up their priorities. What went right and, more importantly, what went wrong? They probably don't need our help, but we've gone through each county and have suggested one area for improvement to ensure their 2027 season is better than 2026.
Division One
Warwickshire
Won: 7; Lost: 1; Drawn: 6
Most runs: Sam Hain - 1,048
Most wickets: Ethan Bamber - 69
2026 review: Warwickshire claimed their ninth County Championship title, and their first since 2021, with their late-season form seeing them soar to the top of the table when it mattered the most. Winning four games on the bounce to end the season, the Bears peaked at the right time to see off Somerset and Nottinghamshire in a thrilling title race.
Ethan Bamber enjoyed a breakout season, finishing as the competition's leading wicket-taker with 69, well supported by Ed Barnard (30) and Oliver Hannon-Dalby (28), while Sam Hain's 1,048 runs and Rob Yates's brilliant close catching underpinned the campaign.
How they can improve in 2027: It's tough to advise a winning team on how they can improve, but Warwickshire will be looking to build their dominance in an attempt to win a tenth title in 2027. Their seven wins was a league-high, but they failed to beat either of their title rivals in 2026, with two draws against Nottinghamshire and another against Somerset. Beating the bigger teams will give them a larger margin-of-error when it comes to the end of the season.
Somerset
Won: 6; Lost: 3; Drawn: 5
Most runs: Tom Abell - 1,287
Most wickets: Craig Overton - 53
2026 review: Another year, another second-place finish for Somerset as the West Country side continue their search for their first Championship title. All the pieces of the puzzle seem to be there, but Somerset just need to find the way to put them in the right place at the right time. Tom Abell had another great season, scoring four centuries and ending the year with a magnificent triple-hundred, while Craig Overton's all-round performance was a season highlight.
How they can improve in 2027: Become more ruthless. Somerset have enough batting to set up victories and enough bowling to finish them. The next step is identifying the matches that are there to be won and taking them rather than settling for another draw. Their 2026 season suggests the ingredients are already present; the improvement is largely about result conversion and maintaining their strongest XI through the decisive parts of the campaign.
Sussex
Won: 7; Lost: 3; Drawn: 4
Most runs: Daniel Hughes - 746
Most wickets: Henry Crocombe - 40
2026 review: On pure on-field production, Sussex were one of the strongest sides in the division. Their final 195 points included a 12-point deduction, meaning they would have had 207 before that deduction, 18 points behind Warwickshire rather than 30. Seven wins matched Warwickshire's total, while their 27 batting bonus points were second only to Somerset. The frustration is that the side also endured a late dip in form after being in the title picture. Henry Crocombe and James Coles were among their leading performers.
How they can improve in 2027: Financial constraints mean it will be difficult for Sussex to improve their finishing position in 2027. Several key players are already confirmed to be leaving Hove, including leading wicket-taker Henry Crocombe, while head coach Paul Farbrace has stepped down and will be replaced by former Kent boss Matthew Walker. If Sussex can retain more of their key young cricketers and find consistency through the back end of the season they will be more-than competitive next season.
Nottinghamshire
Won: 5; Lost: 3; Drawn: 6
Most runs: Joe Clarke - 1,288
Most wickets: Olly Stone - 50
2026 review: Nottinghamshire's title defence was built on remarkable resistance: only three defeats all season and six draws. The issue was that the six draws and only five wins left them unable to keep pace with Warwickshire and Somerset. Notts failed to beat a team in the top half of the table, with a draw and a loss against Somerset and two draws with Warwickshire hampering their title push. Olly Stone's late-season bowling surge was outstanding, while Joe Clarke was the leading run-scorer in Division One. Jack Haynes had one of his most consistent seasons yet, nearly reaching 1,000 runs, while the signing of overseas all-rounder Fergus O'Neill at the start of the season was inspired.
How they can improve in 2027: Add more victories to the same level of consistency. The six draws are not inherently a problem; the bigger issue is failing to turn enough difficult matches into wins. Beating fellow contenders more regularly would make their excellent defensive floor much more valuable. Notts' schedule was brutal in 2026, playing Somerset, Warwickshire and Surrey home and away, so they'll be hoping for a slightly easier ride in 2027.
Yorkshire
Won: 6; Lost: 4; Drawn: 4
Most runs: George Hill - 748
Most wickets: George Hill - 48
2026 review: Yorkshire produced a respectable return after an inconsistent campaign. Six wins gave them more victories than Nottinghamshire, while their 36 bowling bonus points showed that the attack was capable of keeping them in games. Their weakness was batting bonus production: only 16 points, markedly below the other sides in the upper half. George Hill was the standout performer of the season, leading both the runs and wickets charts, while Kuldeep Yadav's ten-wicket haul against Essex was a major individual contribution.
How they can improve in 2027: Raise the batting floor. They do not necessarily need spectacular totals every week; they need fewer occasions when the attack is asked to compensate for an under-par first innings. More consistent top-order partnerships and greater contribution from the middle order could turn a side with six wins into a genuine top-three contender. Yorkshire had five batters scoring between 509 and 609 runs on the season, while newcomer Sam Whiteman disappointed with just 401 runs in 19 innings. If one or two top-order batters can move towards the four-figure mark on the year, then Yorkshire will be competing in more games.
Glamorgan
Won: 4; Lost: 5; Drawn: 5
Most runs: Kiran Carlson - 942
Most wickets: Timm van der Gugten - 43
2026 review: Glamorgan's return to the top division after more than two decades was ultimately a success, but the final six rounds exposed the gap between being competitive and being consistently successful. Their 39 bowling bonus points were excellent, but just 16 batting bonus points were among the lowest in the division. Glamorgan produced some of the most heart-warming moments of the season, recording their first ever top-flight victory; seeing teenager Tom Norton take a stunning hat-trick; and witnessing Mason Crane's transformation into a genuine all-rounder and scoring his maiden first-class century.
How they can improve in 2027: Improve their batting depth. The bowling was good enough to win more matches; the 4-5-5 record suggests the attack was often not being given enough scoreboard support. A more reliable first innings should reduce pressure on the bowlers and turn draws into wins. They'll need to replace the retiring Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke in the middle order as a priority.
Surrey
Won: 2; Lost: 4; Drawn: 8
Most runs: Dan Lawrence - 982
Most wickets: Matthew Fisher - 37
2026 review: Eight draws tell the story of Surrey's season. Only two victories from 14 matches was comfortably their lowest win total among the sides finishing above the relegation places, although four defeats meant they were rarely out of contention. Their 23 batting bonus points were healthy, suggesting the issue was less an inability to score runs than an inability to convert competitive matches into wins. It's no new thing, but Surrey were regularly hampered by international call-ups, with the likes of Dan Lawrence, Jamie Smith and Matthew Fisher missing chunks of Championship action while away with England. Surrey used 25 players during the 2026 campaign, so a settled lineup was hard to come by.
How they can improve in 2027: Find a way to close out innings. On paper, Surrey's bowling attack is among the best in the country, but they regularly struggled to bowl teams out cheaply. especially in the first half of the season. Before August, the average first-innings score of Surrey's opposition was a staggering 449 runs, while they conceded four of the highest seven scores of the season. It was an inability to close out an innings that hampered Surrey, memorably letting Sussex reach 358/9 having had them 92/7, although they actually went on to win that game. If Surrey can find a way to become more ruthless with the ball, they'll be back at the top end of the table in no time.
Essex
Won: 4; Lost: 7; Drawn: 3
Most runs: Matt Critchley - 901
Most wickets: Sam Cook - 42
2026 review: Essex had a surprisingly difficult season for a county with so much Championship pedigree. Four wins sounds great, but they all came against Hampshire and Leicestershire during the late-season relegation battle, while seven defeats prevented them from building momentum. Their 13 batting bonus points were among the division's lowest, whereas 35 bowling bonus points were much healthier. Matt Critchley, Charlie Allison, Dean Elgar and Sam Cook were among their leading performers during the season.
How they can improve in 2027: Fix the batting base. The bowling was generating enough bonus points to keep Essex competitive, but they needed more substantial first innings and fewer matches in which the attack had to defend modest totals. They also need wins against sides in the top half of the table; four victories against relegation rivals is not enough to build a secure season. Dean Elgar is retiring and will need to be replaced, especially with Jordan Cox likely to be absent for large spells while away with England. The likes of Tom Westley and Paul Walter will be hoping to find better form with the bat in 2027 to help their side to more victories.
Leicestershire
Won: 3; Lost: 4; Drawn: 7
Most runs: Rishi Patel - 747
Most wickets: Ian Holland - 37
2026 review: Leicestershire's return to the top flight was a mixed bag and ultimately ended on a sour note, with relegation confirmed thanks to a points deduction for producing a poor pitch in their win over Glamorgan in August. While Leicestershire's appeal against what has ultimately become a 19-point deduction is still pending, their on-field performances meant they were flirting with the drop for the majority of the season. Five defeats in their first seven games was a tough start for the Foxes, while their final six games provided two wins, two losses and two draws. Should they be successful in their appeal against the 19-point deduction, Leicestershire may still stay up at Essex's expense, but that's one that is likely to play out in the coming weeks and months.
How they can improve in 2027: Getting more out of their bowlers. Leicestershire's 38 bowling bonus points were among the highest in the division, yet only three bowlers took over 20 wickets on the year, with top wicket-taker Ian Holland the only one with an average below 25. Given that Josh Hull averaged a remarkable 37.25 with the bat and his bowling average was nearly 20 runs higher (15 wickets @ 53.46) points to part of the problem. The Foxes will need more bowlers to step up, especially in the second innings.
Hampshire
Won: 2; Lost: 9; Drawn: 3
Most runs: Jake Lehmann - 965
Most wickets: Kyle Abbott - 64
2026 review: Hampshire were historically poor with the bat in 2026. Their four batting bonus points is the fewest in the 14-match era and speaks volumes to their overall record. Ten times in 14 matches they scored more in their second innings than they did in their first. Their bowling attack was fine, on the whole, but Kyle Abbott and co so often found themselves behind the eight-ball after a poor first-inning batting performance. Jake Lehmann was one of the rare bright spots in the batting lineup, living up to his billing with nearly 1,000 runs. Abbott was once again one of the top bowlers in the competition, finishing with 64 wickets at just 16 apiece.
How they can improve in 2027: Rebuild the batting structure. That is the single clearest priority. Division Two gives them a chance to give greater responsibility to players youngsters such as Manny Lumsden, Eddie Jack and Ben Mayes while ensuring the experienced players around Lehmann provide a stable platform. Hampshire need to stop matches being decided by the time the first innings is over.
Division Two
Durham
Won: 9; Lost: 0; Drawn: 5
Most runs: Ben McKinney - 1044
Most wickets: Matthew Potts - 60
2026 review: Durham were in a different league from the rest of Division Two. Nine wins, no defeats, 37 batting bonus points and 37 bowling bonus points produced 258 points; 47 more than Kent in second. Both Ben McKinney and David Bedingham passed 1,000 runs, while Matthew Potts finished with 60 wickets. Durham were promoted with two rounds to spare and completed the season unbeaten.
How they can improve in 2027: Prove that the dominance transfers to Division One. Their core is strong enough, but the standard of opposition will expose any weaknesses in batting depth and bowling support. The biggest challenge is maintaining the same relentless intensity while giving the squad enough depth to cope with England call-ups, injuries and tougher fourth-innings situations.
Kent
Won: 8; Lost: 2; Drawn: 4
Most runs: Sam Northeast - 890
Most wickets: Matt Milnes - 54
2026 review: Take out the month of April and Kent might have challenged Durham for the Division Two title. They started poorly and although they only lost one of their first three games, they were uncompetitive in the two draws at the start of the year. Following an innings defeat to Worcestershire at the end of April, Kent won eight games, lost one and drew two to shoot up the table and pip Northamptonshire to second spot.
How they can improve in 2027: Find more consistency from their bowlers. Outside of Matt Milnes (54 wickets) and Keith Dudgeon (42), Kent's wickets were spread pretty thin. They were unlucky with overseas player availability, to be fair. Glenton Stuurman's stint was cut short after one game, in which he took five wickets. Then later in the season Hasan Mahmud was recalled by Bangladesh having taken 14 wickets in two games in early September. Fellow Bangladesh bowler Khaled Ahmed took 16 wickets in the three matches he was available for in September. Bowling reserves will be vital if Kent are to survive in Division One.
Northamptonshire
Won: 5; Lost: 4; Drawn: 5
Most runs: Ricardo Vasconcelos - 1159
Most wickets: Ben Sanderson - 58
2026 review: Northamptonshire had enough statistical strength to challenge for promotion: 31 batting bonus points and 40 bowling bonus points were both excellent. The problem was the win total. Five wins and four defeats left too many points on the table. In the opening weeks of the season, Northants looked the nailed-on runners up to Durham, but too many draws in the opening weeks ultimately proved their undoing as the season went along. They recruited well from overseas, with Nathan McSweeney and Harry Conway proving shrewd signings, as well as Yuzvendra Chahal's end of season cameo, picking up 21 wickets in five games. Ricardo Vasconcelos shone with the bat, scoring six centuries on the year and leading the Division Two run charts.
How they can improve in 2027: Convert more results from winnable positions. This was probably the clearest example in the whole Championship of a side whose bonus-point numbers looked better than its win-loss record. They need to identify why strong positions were not becoming match wins, particularly late in games and against direct promotion rivals.
Middlesex
Won: 5; Lost: 5; Drawn: 4
Most runs: Max Holden - 879
Most wickets: Ryan Higgins - 58
2026 review: Middlesex were solid without being decisive. Their 16 batting bonus points were low, but 40 bowling bonus points were joint-highest in Division Two. Five wins and five defeats therefore produced an essentially balanced season. Ryan Higgins, Leus du Plooy and the younger bowling group were prominent contributors, while loanee Harry Duke's maiden first-class century was a positive late-season sign.
How they can improve in 2027: Improve the batting floor. The attack already generated enough bonus points to compete. Bigger and more frequent first-innings totals would make those bowling resources much more valuable. They may well be without Leus du Plooy, who will need to sign as an overseas player in 2027 after confirming his intention to declare availability for South Africa. The next step for the younger quicks is also to turn promise into sustained Championship workloads alongside experienced heads such as Toby Roland-Jones and Higgins. Naavya Sharma and Sebastian Morgan were real bright spots, taking 35 and 32 wickets respectively, so seeing how they build into the team will be fascinating to watch.
Worcestershire
Won: 5; Lost: 5; Drawn: 4
Most runs: Brett D'Oliveira - 838
Most wickets: Tom Taylor - 45
2026 review: Worcestershire were extremely close to Middlesex numerically and had a similar problem: not enough separation between good and bad results. Eighteen batting bonus points and 38 bowling bonus points suggest a balanced side, but five defeats cancelled out their five wins. Their promotion challenge faded during the final block, despite useful contributions from players such as Matthew Waite and Brett D'Oliveira.
How they can improve in 2027: Build a clearer winning identity. The pieces were broadly there, but they needed a greater ability to impose themselves on matches. In particular, they need to turn competitive first innings and solid bowling performances into a higher proportion of decisive results.
Derbyshire
Won: 4; Lost: 7; Drawn: 3
Most runs: Martin Andersson - 877
Most wickets: Ben Aitchison - 58
2026 review: Derbyshire were more competitive than their sixth place suggests in terms of bonus points. Their 27 batting bonus points were among the best in Division Two, and 37 bowling bonus points were also strong. The problem was seven defeats. Ben Aitchison's fantastic season was a major positive, as he scored two centuries and took 58 wickets, while Martin Andersson provided substantial batting production.
How they can improve in 2027: Reduce the number of matches they lose after building competitive positions. Of their seven defeats, two came in games where they held a first-innings lead and were let down by second-innings slumps. Better game management in second innings and more consistency from the core attack could turn their competitiveness into points.
Lancashire
Won: 2; Lost: 8; Drawn: 3
Most runs: Marcus Harris - 676
Most wickets: George Balderson - 53
2026 review: 2026 was a complete disaster for Lancashire fans, led mostly by a batting lineup that performed well below expectations. Only two wins and eight defeats produced 114 points, although 39 bowling bonus points show that the attack was capable of competing. George Balderson took 53 wickets, while 44-year-old Jimmy Anderson took 50 wickets at just shy of 18 apiece. Lancashire removed director of cricket Mark Chilton after the season in an attempt to turn a page on a shambolic season.
How they can improve in 2027: Rebuild the top order around a reliable group of Championship run-scorers. The attack is capable of earning bowling points; it simply spent too much of the season defending insufficient totals. Developing younger batters without asking them to carry the whole side will be crucial.
Gloucestershire
Won: 3; Lost: 10; Drawn: 1
Most runs: James Bracey - 1,096
Most wickets: Will Williams - 35
2026 review: In a competition where draws are so prevalent, Gloucestershire had to wait until the penultimate week of the season to have their first one. Up to that point, Gloucestershire had either won convincingly or been beaten convincingly, with nine defeats in their first 10 games consigning them to their fate at the foot of the table. That's not to say there weren't bright spots. James Bracey passed 1,000 runs, while Will Williams, Sai Kishore and loanee JT Langridge impressed with the ball. Two late-season wins provided encouragement but ultimately had no effect on their standing.
How they can improve in 2027: Solve the batting problem first. Seven batting bonus points is the clearest warning sign in the entire table. They need more substantial first innings, more partnerships and greater resilience when wickets fall. The late-season wins demonstrate that the bowling can win matches; the batting has to give it enough opportunity. Bracey and Miles Hammond were the two standout batters, but beyond that the cupboard was pretty bare.