A review of the day Yorkshire claimed their first LV= County Championship first division title since 2001 while Worcestershire produced a dramatic comeback to seal promotion.
By Matt Somerford & Will Jackson
5.30pm - Here's the recap on everything that happened today, plus some of the celebrations that are probably just starting to hit full swing in Nottingham and Worcester:
Man-of-the-match Ryan Sidebottom's second-innings figures of 6-30 confirmed Yorkshire's first LV= County Championship title for 13 years as Nottinghamshire were cast aside by an innings and 152 runs at Trent Bridge.
Durham lost their champions tag to Yorkshire but secured a 141-runwin over Middlesex at Lord's to preserve their top-flight status.
Warwickshire moved up to second in the table - to sweeten the pill of their treble hopes being ended - with an innings and 16-run win over last-placed Northamptonshire at Edgbaston.
Lancashire suffered a seven-wicket defeat to Sussex at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground which could see them relegated while inactive next week. Craig Cachopa was unbeaten on 78.
Great to be there!!RT @joeroot05: Nice of @AaronFinch5 and Kano to come back for the celebrations! #alltykes! pic.twitter.com/Tv0pIU3e74
— Aaron Finch (@AaronFinch5) September 12, 2014
Worcestershire confirmed their return to the top-flight with a 27-run win over Surrey, who lost their last eight wickets for 58 runs to see their promotion bid ended.
Will Gidman scored a hundred in his last innings for Gloucestershire at Bristol before the handshakes were made on a high-scoring draw with Leicestershire.
That's it I'm afraid. Lancs lose by seven wickets with more than 13 overs to spare. Cachopa 78 not out.
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) September 12, 2014
5.15pm - RESULT Sussex (434 & 251/3) have beaten Lancashire (320 & 364) by seven wickets at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground - Sussex coast home to victory in the end and Lancashire face the very real prospect of returning to the second tier next season. That could happen next week while they're inactive - if Middlesex can get something from their match against Somerset. Otherwise it's a relegation shoot-out at Emirates Old Trafford in a fortnight.
4.54pm - Ed Joyce is bowled by Steven Croft but it is too little, too late for Lancashire. Joyce has set up victory for Sussex with 79 from 80 balls. The Irishman leaves with 44 runs needed.
Big six from @CraigCachopa to bring up his second half-century of the match! Sussex 202/2 now needing another 49 to win #GOSBTS
— Sussex CCC (@SussexCCC) September 12, 2014
4.25pm - Ed Joyce slaps Kerrigan for six to bring up his half-century from 55 balls. Sussex need 98 from 25 overs for victory in the last remaining game of the round.
Well played @wgiddo 100* pic.twitter.com/lENxGqCSwk
— Gloucestershire CCC (@Gloscricket) September 12, 2014
4.20pm - RESULT! - Gloucestershire (646 & 306/9) have drawn with Leicestershire (565) at Bristol - Will Gidman brings up a century in his last Bristol appearance for Gloucestershire and that prompts the handshakes to be made. This game had been heading towards a draw for a long time.
4pm - Sussex are going for the win which will leave Lancashire as firm favourites for the drop. Craig Cachopa drives James Anderson through the covers for a boundary that takes the hosts to 125 for two and just beyond halfway in their chase.
There arent enough words for how proud i am of the @WorcsCCC lads!! What a team!! #coyp#pride
— Matt Mason (@mattymase0417) September 12, 2014
3.45pm - Lancashire strike after tea. Simon Kerrigan finds Chris Nash's edge and Jos Buttler does the rest behind the stumps. Sussex are 102 for two.
Gloucestershire are 268 for nine with Dan Redfern grabbing a wicket. Liam Norwell is the man to fall.
Could not be happier. What a result. #COYPpic.twitter.com/lBLgO7GElI
— Jack Shantry (@JackShantry) September 12, 2014
3.14pm - We have reached tea in the two remaining games, and it's looking quite bleak for Lancashire fans at the moment.
Worcestershire win and are promoted!!!!!!!
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) September 12, 2014
3.03pm - RESULT! Worcestershire (272 & 350) beat Surrey (406 & 189) by 27 runs and seal promotion to Division One. Zafar Ansari fought bravely for his 67 but was the last man out as Surrey capitulated from 131 for two to 189 all out.
2.58pm - Gidman has reached a half-century in his final home innings for the county as the game looks to be fizzling out.
2.48pm - Matt Dunn is lbw to give Shantry a 10th wicket in the match, to go with his hundred and Worcestershire are on the brink of promotion. Just one more wicket needed!
Meaker bowled Shantry for 4. Surrey 177-8 #COYP#ShantrysAshes
— Worcestershire CCC (@WorcsCCC) September 12, 2014
2.38pm - RESULT! Durham (377 & 294) beat Middlesex (276 & 254) by 141 runs at Lord's. Durham take a huge step towards safety with a win against Middlesex, who have dropped deeper into the mire and face a crucial game against Lancashire next week that could decide their future.
2.32pm - Lancashire have their first breakthrough, and it had to be Anderson to do it. They'll need a heroic performance from their talisman if they are to win this game.
2.19pm - A partnership of 74 from Will Gidman and Tom Smith has seemingly put any outside hopes of a dramatic result at Bristol to bed, even after the dismissal of Smith to Jigar Naik.
Ben Stokes has removed Ollie Rayner for 38, leaving Durham on the cusp on an important win.
Very, very proud of our lads! YORKSHIRE! #strongunit#teamwork#YCCC
— Jason Gillespie (@YCCCDizzy) September 12, 2014
2.05pm - Zafar Ansari is still at the crease for Surrey and has gone past 50, but his partner Gareth Batty has become Moeen's third victim of the afternoon. 53 runs needed with three wickets left.
REACTION FROM THE DRESSING ROOM: http://t.co/7yjerRhKoRpic.twitter.com/Z1r9vMTVLs
— Yorkshire CCC (@Yorkshireccc) September 12, 2014
1.55pm - Peter Chase moves Durham one step closer to safety this season with the wicket of Toby Roland-Jones. Remember if Durham win and Lancashire fail to beat Sussex, their Division One status will be maintained.
1.45pm - Lancashire are all out for 364, setting Sussex a target of 250 to win.
Moeen gets through the defences of Aneesh Kapil and Surrey are still 65 runs short with just four wickets in hand.
1.32pm - James Anderson had a bit of fun at Hove but he's gone for 20, and Tom Smith returns to the crease with the game finely poised.
Another big wicket at New Road! Jason Roy has gone cheaply, caught and bowled by Moeen Ali.
1.30pm - We'll keep providing you with the Yorkshire reaction. Here's man-of-the-moment Ryan Sidebottom's reaction on Twitter:
Hey all ! Thankyou so much for your kind messages an support , absolutely amazing :) #Wow#Cheerspic.twitter.com/sGDmHp7aWz
— Ryan Sidebottom (@RyanSidebottom) September 12, 2014
1.29pm - Shantry strikes again! The match has been turned on its head as Gary Wilson goes for a five ball duck.
1.25pm - It's that man again for Worcestershire. Jack Shantry gets Steve Davies for 14, but surely a Surrey win is inevitable? 86 needed...
1.14pm - Intriguing afternoon at Bristol where Ian Cockbain has fallen to Charlie Shreck. Could we possibly see a result on what has been a complete run-fest down there? Gloucestershire are four wickets left and 225 runs ahead.
That's more like it!!! Congrats @Yorkshireccc and @GaleyLad for a special year! Enjoy tonight!! #WellDeservedpic.twitter.com/xbPY0zckk7
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) September 12, 2014
12.59pm - RESULT! Warwickshire (573/9d) beat Northamptonshire (273 & 284) by an innings and 16 runs. Keith Barker has Neil Wagner caught by Jonathan Trott to seal victory for the Bears. The title may be gone, but they have moved up into second place with that win.
12.45pm - Here is a wrap of the scores at lunch:
Yorkshire confirmed their first top-flight County Championship since 2001 with an innings and 152 runs over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Ryan Sidebottom was named man of the match after returning figures of 6-30 in the second innings.
Durham snared six morning-session wickets to accelerate towards a win over Middlesex to preserve their Division One status as the hosts slumped to 139 for seven.
Lancashire's need for a win to boost their relegation fears meant they went after quick runs this morning, moving to 328 for eightand a lead of 217 against Sussex.
Vikram Solanki was the only morning wicket to fall, for 58, as Surrey made steady progress to 122 for twoin pursuit of a 217 victory target that would keep their promotion bid alive, and deny Worcestershire from going up today.
A draw was still very likely at Bristol despite Gloucestershire losing four wickets before lunch to be 143 for five- with a lead of 224 runs over Leicestershire.
Winners pic.twitter.com/5BdSaDEmy8
— Liam plunkett (@Liam628) September 12, 2014
12.28pm - Barker bowls Andrew Hall just before the lunch break would have been taken, but with Northants nine wickets down now they will continue on at Edgbaston. We've gone to lunch at the other grounds and I'll update you on those scores in a moment.
How good for YCCC and the boys, congrats Dizz and the whole club, well done enjoy ! pic.twitter.com/LHbwUoZVOg
— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) September 12, 2014
12.19pm - Paul Collingwood bowls Paul Stirling and Middlesex have lost five morning-session wickets to crash towards defeat.
Simon Kerrigan has been snaffled by Michael Yardy at slip off Hatchett while Solanki departs to leave Surrey 106 for two and work still to do.
.@jbairstow21 chats to the media pic.twitter.com/7D38ruaBsB
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 12, 2014
12.15pm - Glen Chapple has been caught in the deep off Jordan for two and Lancashire are 321 for seven. With a lead of 207 runs they probably want a few more than that.
.@BrooksyFerret (67 Ch'ship wkts) & @RyanSidebottom (46 wkts) - "a terrific pair", says @BumbleCricket. @Yorkshirecccpic.twitter.com/Aa7FR6Ttvh
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) September 12, 2014
12.10pm - After the Jack Shantry-led antics of yesterday, which has threatened to scupper Surrey's promotion hopes, they have settled matters down at New Road today and are working away at running down a victory target of 217.
Vikram Solanki has just passed 50 and with Zafar Ansari they have taken the score past 100 with just the loss of Rory Burns.
Dickie Bird is a happy man! @Yorkshirecccpic.twitter.com/vt8ZAb3Sfh
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) September 12, 2014
11.59am - Middlesex's woes deepen as John Simpson is lbw to Peter Chase, Durham's hero from their win over Nottinghamshire last time out. Durham need five more wickets for a win that will preserve their top-flight status.
11.47am - Croft falls for 87 to Jordan and Lancashire are 191 ahead with four wickets in hand. Ben Duckett has moved to his fifty at Edgbaston.
11.37am - ecb.co.uk’s Callum Dent at Nottinghamshire (203 & 177/9) v Yorkshire (532/9d): Yorkshire are county champions! James Taylor advances down the track and can only thrash Sidebottom to point.
11.36am - Rushworth is having a great morning at Lord's as he now removes Neil Dexter and Middlesex are in some trouble at 83 for four. Jeetan Patel has also had David Willey caught by Barker to leave Northants 197 for seven.
11.33am - ecb.co.uk’s Callum Dent at Nottinghamshire (203 & 177/9) v Yorkshire (532/9d): Yorkshire are on the brink now as Adil Rashid traps Jake Ball in front for a duck.
11.30am - Eoin Morgan edges Rushworth behind for 21 and Middlesex are three down now with 317 runs needed to win.
Alex Gidman's last innings for Gloucestershire at Bristol ends by edging Rob Taylor into the slips cordon for 38. Gidman, who gets a standing ovation as he walks off, is headed for Worcestershire next season.
The Champagne's on ice. #NottsvYorkspic.twitter.com/RShe3APNER
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) September 12, 2014
11.17am - ecb.co.uk’s Callum Dent at Nottinghamshire (203 & 172/8) v Yorkshire (532/9d): Sidebottom is on fire! Luke Fletcher edges to Adam Lyth at second slip to collect a five-wicket haul. Two more are required for the White Rose.
Buttler's fun at Hove is over too for a run-a-ball 33 as England team-mate Chris Jordan holds on at square leg off Liam Hatchett. That stand with Croft was worth 75 in 13 overs. Lancashire lead by 163.
Two sixes in quick succession for Croft. One straight off Nash and the other carried over ropes at third-man by Wright. Shot a ball stuff
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) September 12, 2014
11.15am - Charlie Shreck takes his second wicket of the morning as first-innings centurion Gareth Roderick nicks behind. In a game where the bowlers have copped a fair bit of punishment, Shreck's current figures of 2-6 are like gold dust.
11.06am - Warwickshire are closing in on a win of their own that will move them up to second in the table as Keith Barker castles James Middlebrook. The Bears' hope of a trophy treble are sinking at Trent Bridge, but they are at least proving again why they have been so successful this season.
Chris Nash has been forced to finish a Zaidi over at Hove after the spinner suffered a hand injury. He has copped some damage this morning.
10.58am - Steven Croft ticks over to his half-century at Hove and with Jos Buttler supplying a couple of lusty blows off the spin of Ashar Zaidi Lancashire have increased their lead to 125 runs with six wickets in hand. They need to push for a win so the game should move on quickly this morning.
10.52am - ecb.co.uk’s Callum Dent at Nottinghamshire (203 & 156/7) v Yorkshire (532/9d): Sidebottom, twice a winner with Notts, continues to plot his former employers’ downfall. Chris Read cannot replicate his first-innings resistance and edges behind to Jonny Bairstow.
Second six for Buttler off Zaidi, straight again. Lancs now 233-4.
— Lancashire CCC (@LancsCCC) September 12, 2014
10.41am - ecb.co.uk’s Callum Dent at Nottinghamshire (203 & 154/6) v Yorkshire (532/9d): Three-time championship winner Ryan Sidebottom, who was part of the Yorkshire squad that triumphed 13 years ago, bowls nightwatchman Gary Keedy in the third over of the morning to get things up and running.
10.38am - An early blow for Middlesex as they lose England opener Sam Robson for 38. The right-hander adds only four to his overnight score before Chris Rushworth pins him in front. Durham are on course for a win that will significantly boost their relegation fears.
Will Tavare will have to wait a little longer to reach 1,000 championship runs for the season as he departs for four, from 41 balls, at Bristol. Now that is Tavare-esque.
10.15am - ecb.co.uk’s Callum Dent at Nottinghamshire (203 & 149/5) v Yorkshire (532/9d): Good morning from Trent Bridge, where it is slightly overcast. That could assist Yorkshire’s seamers in their quest to take Nottinghamshire’s remaining five wickets and clinch the White Rose’s first County Championship title in 13 years and their only silverware since the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy triumph the following year. Can James Taylor, unbeaten on 56, delay the inevitable and register his first championship ton of the season? Only time will tell.
Gutted to hear that @MarkDavies48 has had to retire from cricket. Top bloke with the dodgy barnet! #legendpic.twitter.com/oV4yAyvcrw
— Steve Wolfe (@steveksn) September 12, 2014
10am - After the long hard slog of a season Yorkshire are set to be crowned first division champions today with a game to spare if they claim five more wickets in Nottingham.
Trent Bridge is not the sole focus of the action, though, with key results in the relegation battle to be decided at Lord's and Hove, while Worcestershire will sew up a promotion place if they can hold off a Surrey side on their last chance to go up.
Here's the state of play around the grounds before we get going:
Yorkshire need five wickets to lift the title at Nottinghamshire who start again on 145 for five following on, and still 180 runs in arrears.
Should Notts somehow save themselves, Warwickshire are on course to take the maximum-points win they would need to stay in the title hunt. They have Northamptonshire 149 for five, still needing 151 to make the hosts bat against at Edgbaston.
Middlesex are 44 for one chasing 396 to beat relegation rivals Durham at Lord’s. England opener Sam Robson is unbeaten on 34.
If Middlesex lose, Lancashire need a win over Sussex to guarantee a final-week relegation shoot-out with the London club. The Red Rose have much to do, having lost Ashwell Prince for 85 just before stumps last night, and are 203 for four - a second-innings lead of 89.
Surrey must chase down a victory target of 217 at New Road to keep alive their promotion bid and stall leaders Worcestershire's own faltering plans to go up. The visitors start on 30 for one.
Gloucestershire are 23 for one in their second innings, 104 ahead of Leicestershire after Ned Eckersley and Niall O’Brien scored hundreds on another day of heavy run-scoring at Bristol yesterday.
Here are the thoughts of @stuartnbarnes after the 3rd day at New Road http://t.co/4IX7gzGKdt
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) September 12, 2014