Friday 27 September 2019 16:02, UK
Essex survived a nervous finale to their winner-takes-all clash with Somerset to win the Specsavers County Championship with a draw at Taunton.
More than 200 overs were lost to bad weather on the opening three days, and so Somerset's hopes of forcing a victory appeared remote, needing 20 wickets on the final day to overtake Essex and win the pennant for the first time.
But, on another truncated day due to intermittent rain, Somerset's trio of spinners - led by England's Ashes hero Jack Leach - ran through the Essex lower order to bowl them out for 145 in their first innings and given them a nervy final hour to bat again.
Essex had been 102-1 shortly after lunch, with Sir Alastair Cook (53) having scored his seventh half-century of the summer in reply to Somerset's 203, but his wicket triggered a dramatic collapse of nine for 39 - Leach taking 5-32.
With time running out, Somerset forfeited their second innings in search of an unlikely victory, leaving Essex 68 minutes to bat and needing only 63 to win.
But, Cook (30no) was again on hand to defiantly blunt the Somerset spinners, with Essex reaching 45-1 in their second innings when play was called off eight minutes before the scheduled close of 5.30pm.
It is Essex's eighth Championship title, and second in three years, while they also pair it with the domestic T20 crown won on Finals Day of the Vitality Blast on Saturday.
Somerset, still searching for that elusive first County Championship trophy, gave Marcus Trescothick a farewell appearance in the field in the closing stages, with the former England batsman's 27-year career coming to an end.
Elsewhere, the curtain fell on proceedings early at a sodden Kia Oval when the final day of action between Surrey and already-relegated Nottinghamshire was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Heavy overnight rain which returned mid-morning soaked the outfield, preventing play in the morning session. And, after an early lunch was taken, the game was ended as a draw following a final inspection at 1pm.
England-bound Ollie Pope (106), and Scott Borthwick (137), had scored hundreds as Surrey amassed 402-6 declared in their first innings before reducing Notts to 77-1 in reply.
Holders Surrey finish the season in sixth place in Division One, with their County Championship pennant heading to Essex.
Kent's final match of the season against Hampshire in Canterbury also ended as a damp squib with a third-straight day abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Kent had been bowled out for 147 in their first innings on day one, Keith Barker taking 5-48. before Hampshire got up to 80-3 in reply.
Hampshire's eight points from the draw sees them take the £88,000 cheque as third-placed finishers, while Kent's six is good enough to secure them fourth spot.
Warwickshire and Yorkshire also had to settle for a draw at Edgbaston after a third-successive day was lost to the rain.
The 64 overs from day one was the only play possible, during which time Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck an unbeaten 165 off just 175 balls as Yorkshire reached 261-2 in their first innings.
Yorkshire settle for a final position of fifth place in Division One while Warwickshire, denied the chance to get any batting points from this match, slip back to seventh, below Surrey who took full batting points against Notts.
