Middlesex CCC

Time for the pitch inspector to get involved.

Greg Mike has taken six wickets so far for Leicestershire.

So I don't think we're going to see a Mike drop.


Adelaide

Although Lancs' valiant effort to get a tie has practically ensured that Surrey will be champions, I can't help feeling pleased that the inevitable two-day finish hasn't gone the way Somerset planned.

The next round of county fixtures bring the old friends Yourkshure and Lancs together.
Playing at Headingley,could be a feisty game,will the losers be going down to join us?

I can see a good crowd turning up,not sure about both clubs committee members making public appearances though!

Somerset escape points deduction-

[www.ecb.co.uk]

This is quite a good outcome, because a points deduction now wouldn't matter, as in they can't win the championship, and they can't be relegated- so better carry the warning over to next year (again!)

Congratulations to Surrey, who are now officially county champions.

I'm watching and listening to Northants v Derbyshire.

It seems Surrey have won 9 games in a row.

'Derbyshire haven't won 9 games in all the years I've been covering them' said the Derbyshire commentator.



Seriously, the best team won the championship. There can't be any argument about that.

Surrey seem to be the team who everyone loves to hate and hate to love, but I have to admit that it is difficult to hate them at the moment thanks to the amount of players they are producing for England and the amount of people they attract to county cricket and the Twenty20 competition in particular. Also, some of their supporters and staff are vocal opponents of The 100.

It only seems like yesterday when Surrey’s quest to build something special was devastated by the death of Tom Maynard, which contributed to Rory Hamilton-Brown’s career suddenly ending. It actually happened in 2012. The likes of Rory Burns, Arun Harinath, Jason Roy, Stuart Meaker, Gareth Batty, Jade Dernbach and Matt Dunn were at the club then and are still there now (as are some younger players who hadn’t broken into the side in 2012), so will have witnessed the club’s turnaround. Therefore, Surrey’s County Championship triumph fills me with a degree of pride.

It looks like Lancashire and Worcestershire will be relegated and Warwickshire and Kent will be promoted. However, you never know, maybe there will some twists in the last two rounds of matches.

Jonathan-

You're right. Life is too short to have imaginary enemies, because they are from the other side of town.

The Surrey of today is rather different to the one of a few years ago. They are doing the right things in the right way. I'm past disliking a team (even if it is 'pretend, joking dislike') just because they are 'rivals'. If I wanted to do that I would join a football forum.

I do have a sense of fair play. They deserve their title.

Quote:

chunkyinargyll
Jonathan-
You're right. Life is too short to have imaginary enemies, because they are from the other side of town.

The Surrey of today is rather different to the one of a few years ago. They are doing the right things in the right way. I'm past disliking a team (even if it is 'pretend, joking dislike') just because they are 'rivals'. If I wanted to do that I would join a football forum.

I do have a sense of fair play. They deserve their title.

Totally agree with this.

I find it satisfying that Surrey won the County Championship by their sheer volume of victories, as opposed to just relying on bonus points.

It is also refreshing that it is generally a squad with a nucleus of home grown youngsters. There are a number of experienced signings but they appear to have earn their places along with their other colleagues.

Kent getting promotion,congratulations,they have had a bloody good season and deserve it.
Shame the div 1 county championship was cancelled this year.

An extraordinary finale to the Championship season at the Oval, where Surrey nearly pulled off a comeback that would have made ours this season look commonplace - nearly 400 behind on the first innings, but eventually losing to Essex by just 1 wicket.

But of course 4 day cricket is so old-fashioned and boring...

Essex at one stage must have regretted declaring their first innings with plenty of time left in the game.

---

Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele

Apologies if this has been pointed out before.

Lancs got relegated by one point. They had one point deducted for a slow over rate against Notts!

Just like last year, points deductions turned out to be absolutely crucial. We avoided any this year, possibly because of, ahem, player availability.


Adelaide

Simon Lee of Somerset has won the award for 'one day groundsman of the year'.

I assume that must be for his championship pitches.