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Lancashire’s relegation from Division One of the Vitality County Championship was confirmed on the day rivals Yorkshire were subsequently promoted to the top flight.
After bowling out Worcestershire for 180 on day three at New Road, Lancashire were bowled out for 177 in 55.1 overs.
The Red Rose County saw their fate sealed when relegation rivals Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire picked up enough points from their clash at Trent Bridge to ensure their own safety.
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It was Lancashire’s fourth relegation from the top flight since their last title in 2011, having previously been relegated in 2012, 2014 and 2018, and came two years after finishing as runners-up.
No Lancashire batsman topped 40, with Luke Wells and George Balderson both making 38.
Hampshire secured second place behind champions Surrey with a five-wicket victory over Somerset at Taunton.
Needing 121 to beat third-placed Somerset, who were bowled out for 180 in their second innings, Hampshire lost two wickets in the first two deliveries of their chase.
Toby Albert and Nick Gubbins fell to Somerset captain Lewis Gregory, who was denied a hat-trick when Kasey Aldridge dropped a low second-slip chance offered by James Vince.
It was a costly fall as Vince’s run-out 54 off 68 balls took Hampshire to a five-wicket victory, with Liam Dawson’s unbeaten 44 ensuring the visitors finished in second place.
Warwickshire made 143-4 in reply to Nottinghamshire’s 487, South Africa Test wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne (148 not out) completing his first century in England.
Will Rhodes (37) surpassed 1,000 runs for the season for the first time in his career and Sam Hain remained unbeaten on 59 at the close, as Warwickshire recovered from 6-2.
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Essex batsmen Dean Elgar, Tom Westley and Matt Critchley scored centuries as Surrey conceded over 500 at Chelmsford.
Former South Africa captain Elgar led with 182, while Westley made 135 and Critchley 112.
Elgar and Westley set a record of 253 in 59 overs to eclipse the 95-year-old best of 206 for the second wicket against Surrey.
Surrey closed at 30-1 in response to Essex’s massive 508-8 declared.
Alex Lees made his fourth first-class century of the season as Durham racked up 360 against Kent at Chester-le-Street.
Lees compiled 144 off 180 balls and had solid support from David Bedingham (66) and Emilio Gay (52). Kent was 96-3 at the close.
Joy for Yorkshire
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Yorkshire secured promotion back to Division One after dominating day three against Northamptonshire.
Promotion rivals Middlesex were bowled out for 271 by Sussex, who finished the day on 112-2, leaving Yorkshire needing 350 in their first innings to secure second place in the table.
Adam Lyth (147) and James Wharton (162 not out) hit centuries as Yorkshire got the three batting bonus points they needed and reached the close on 371-2, a lead of 224.
Glamorgan ended their Division Two campaign on a high with a crushing 192-run victory over Gloucestershire in Cardiff.
With heavy rain forecast for the fourth day on Sunday, captains Sam Northeast and Graeme van Buuren agreed to make it a one-innings match.
Glamorgan declared at 381-4 after Northeast reached 1,000 runs for the season and Chris Cooke reached an unbeaten 101.
Gloucestershire collapsed on 189 with Andy Gorvin (three for 22) and Ben Kellaway (3-24) standing out among the home bowlers.
Leicestershire’s home game with Derbyshire finally began on the third day, with Sol Budinger top scorer with 87 in the Foxes’ 264-8 lead.
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