Promoted Sussex wrap up Division Two title as County Championship season ends
Sussex picked up the four batting bonus points required in their draw with Middlesex.
Sussex secured the County Championship Division Two title in their draw with Middlesex on the final day of the season.
Tom Haines made his third hundred of the season with 105 and James Coles hit an unbeaten 132 as already promoted Sussex finished the season undefeated at home.
They began the final day needing to reach 250 and a fourth bonus point to win the trophy.
And there was a slight sense of anti-climax shortly after lunch when Luke Hollman overstepped and the two no balls took Sussex to 250.
It means Sussex finish 20 points clear of the promoted Yorkshire, who finished their final day of the season with a draw against Northamptonshire.
James Wharton posted the fifth-highest individual first-class score at Headingley and joint eighth-highest in Yorkshire history by hitting a mammoth 285.
Jonny Bairstow added 78 and they declared at tea on 726 for seven, a lead of 579. When the players shook hands, Northamptonshire were 71 for two in their second innings.
Elsewhere Leicestershire and Derbyshire’s rain-hit match ended in a tame draw, with Wayne Madsen hitting an unbeaten 105 while captain David Lloyd made 73.
In Division One, Dom Sibley batted for more than four hours for his third century of the season before champions Surrey lifted the County Championship trophy following a draw with Essex.
Sibley hit a 189-ball 125 and Surrey were 267 for seven – still well short of Essex’s 508 for eight declared – when handshakes were exchanged.
Warwickshire avoided defeat against Nottinghamshire with a draw at Trent Bridge.
They saved the follow-on as Sam Hain signed off the season with an unbeaten 153, his overnight partner Ed Barnard made 81 and Michael Burgess struck 56 in an eventual 373 for seven after they resumed on 143 for four.
Already relegated Kent earned a draw with Durham thanks to efforts from Jack Leaning, Joe Denly and Joey Evison.
Leaning (84) and Denly (63) combined for a partnership of 124 before Evison’s 77 helped Kent finish on 353 for eight.
Worcestershire secured a sixth-placed finish after drawing with relegated Lancashire.
They earned their position thanks to solid efforts with the bat from Matthew Waite, Adam Hose and Logan van Beek.
