Warwickshire could not have hoped for a better weekend of results, as they not only trounced Berkshire and then demolished Middlesex, but saw closest rivals, Yorkshire, slip up against Sussex, before they resumed normal service with a comprehensive win over Kent, to keep them on four wins out of five. It means that Warwickshire remain the only unbeaten team with just two games to go - they have Yorkshire and Lancashire to play at the end of August.
Sussex also dented Lancashire's Championship hopes, clocking up their second win of the weekend, and of the season, to ease their relegation worries slightly.
Surprise package Notts have joined Lancs on three wins out of five games, as they downed both Middlesex and Berkshire this weekend.
The second loss of the weekend for Berkshire means they will almost certainly be playing in Div 2 next year. The question is who will join them? At the moment it looks like Middlesex, who only have one win to their name and have Kent and Sussex left to play, but both of those teams have only two wins under their belts, so are not out of the woods. It looks like Middlesex will have to win both games to give themselves a chance, and, even then, other results may go against them. Four teams could all finish on three wins each, so bonus points could prove crucial in the final relegation battle.
Div 1 Results
Berkshire 73 all out lost to Warwickshire 74/1
Lancashire 198/9 beat Kent 114 all out
Notts 252/9 beat Middlesex 151 all out
Sussex 182 all out beat Yorkshire 151 all out
Berkshire 105 all out lost to Notts 106/5
Yorkshire 241/4 beat Kent 121 all out
Warwickshire 329/7 beat Middlesex 125 all out
Sussex 199/9 beat Lancashire 135/7
This is how we think the table looks with all results included up to this weekend.
Division Two
Somerset won the only game they could get through in a nail-biter with Wales, Wales coming up just six runs short, chasing down Somerset's 210/9. Gabby Basketter's 107* for Wales was in vain, as they ran out of overs.
Behind Somerset at the top of the table are a gaggle of teams on four out of five wins - Hampshire, Surrey and Devon. They all won both their games this weekend to keep the pressure up on Somerset.
At the bottom of the table Staffs and Worcestershire remain winless, and it looks to be between the two of them and Derbyshire, who have just one win to their name, for the relegation slots. Worcestershire have both Staffs and Derbyshire to play in the last set of fixtures, so their destiny could lie in their own hands. Two wins could be enough to save them, with Derbyshire having Wales to play as their other game.
Final fixtures at the top of the table see some big clashes with both Somerset and Devon due to play both Surrey and Hampshire. There could be some cracking games amongst that little lot!
Div 2 Results
Worcestershire 117 all out lost to Devon 120/0
Derbyshire 109 all out lost to Hampshire 110/1
Somerset 210/9 beat Wales 204/6
Surrey 302/4 beat Staffs 68/8
Wales 142/9 lost to Devon 144/7
Hampshire 188 all out beat Staffs 73 all out
Somerset 52/1 v Worcestershire - match abandoned
Surrey 193 all out beat Derbyshire 137 all out
MD
30/V/17
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