English Season Status Report

CHAMPIONSHIP ONE

Warwickshire seem set to bring home the Frizzell Championship trophy, with a 36.5 point lead and a game in hand over second-placed Surrey. The Edgbaston side are still unbeaten, whilst the other eight sides in the division still have their minds very much on avoiding relegation.

Only 16.5 points separate Surrey from Worcestershire, in seventh, and Lancashire - 18 behind - have two games in hand over the Pears, with Northamptonshire 14 further back. With just 10 points separating Kent, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Sussex filling third to sixth places, this will go down as one of the closest Championship finishes ever.

CHAMPIONSHIP TWO

Commanding leaders Nottinghamshire, with eight wins and just one defeat, are assured of promotion back to the top flight with Hampshire in second needing a miracle from fourth-placed Yorkshire to deny them their passage to the top flight.

The Tykes' main battle is with third-placed Glamorgan, whilst Essex, Somerset and Leicestershire in fifth, sixth and seventh will need exceptionally strong finishes to challenge for the final promotion slot. Derbyshire and Durham, with just one victory each, seem set to battle out to avoid the wooden spoon.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ONE

Glamorgan Dragons have already tied up the Totesport League title, with a ten point lead over Lancashire in second place. Behind the top two, all the other sides are still in range of relegation, but Surrey and Kent bring up the rear with only four wins apiece and seem fairly safe bets to slump to relegation.

NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO

Middlesex are assured of promotion, with Worcestershire only needing to avoid defeat in their final two games to join the Crusaders in the top flight next season. Nottinghamshire are also a strong candidate to secure promotion in this form of the game also.

Sussex, Durham and Yorkshire still harbour hopes of promotion, with Leicestershire an outside chance of fourth place should the others stumble. Somerset and Derbyshire have endured a season to forget, however Scotland are well adrift at the basement with just one victory and fourteen defeats.

Posted by Neil