Middlesex return to top flight for the first time since 2017 after draw at Worcestershire; Nottinghamshire trounce Durham by 462 runs at Trent Bridge to wrap up Division Two title; teenagers Rehad Ahmed (Leicestershire) and Dan Ibrahim (Sussex) score maiden first-class centuries
Thursday 29 September 2022 18:48, UK
Middlesex clinched promotion back to Division One of the LV= Insurance County Championship after a final-day washout against Worcestershire earned the visitors the draw they needed.
The Lord's side had effectively guaranteed a return to the top flight after picking up maximum batting points on the third day at New Road as they carded 509 all out.
Middlesex gained a further eight points for the draw to ensure they finished above Glamorgan in the second promotion spot and joined champions Nottinghamshire in going up.
Nottinghamshire wrapped up promotion on Wednesday via bonus points and were confirmed as division winners a day later as they completed a 462-run thrashing of Durham at Trent Bridge, their eighth victory in 14 games this term.
Durham were torpedoed for just 114 after resuming on 14-2 with Nottinghamshire taking the seven wickets they required in just over two hours - Durham batter David Bedingham unable to bat due to a dislocated shoulder.
England seamer Stuart Broad finished with figures of 3-36 in his first appearance for Notts since May, while left-arm spinner Liam Patterson White (3-41) and paceman Dane Paterson (2-27) were also in the wickets.
Durham's day was made even worse by a 10-point deduction imposed on them after Australian batter Nic Maddinson's bat failed a size test during the game with Derbyshire earlier this month.
The Cricket Discipline Commission considered that there was no intent by Maddinson to gain an unfair advantage but said the onus was on players to make sure the equipment they use conforms to the laws of the game.
Nottinghamshire are back in Division One for the first time since 2019 with Middlesex returning to the top flight following their relegation at the end of the 2017 campaign.
Notts captain Steven Mullaney said: "I'm relieved, emotional, very proud. I'm very proud of everyone, and immensely proud to be lifting that trophy.
"After the adversity we went through in not winning a red ball game for almost three years up to last year, and then the disappointment of starting this year in Division Two after finishing third in last year's format, it feels all worthwhile at the minute.
"Whenever we've needed someone to stand up, someone has. It has been a great team effort, from the players to the backroom staff, and we look forward to playing in Division One next season.
"I think it epitomises the club when Stuart Broad has got some time off, he's booked some time away with his fiancee, who is heavily pregnant, but he wanted to play in this game.
"It wasn't a question of asking him - he texted me and said he wanted to play. Obviously we are very thankful to him for that."
Elsewhere in Division Two, seventh-placed Sussex piled on 554-8 during their draw with Glamorgan at Hove as Ali Orr made 198, Tom Haines 177 and 18-year-old Dan Ebrahim an unbeaten 100.
Orr missed out on a maiden double ton in cruel fashion, as he was run out backing up with a drive from Haines deflecting off bowler Ajaz Patel's fingers and onto the non-striker's stumps.
Haines' century was his second of the match after a first-innings 108 not out, while teenager Ibrahim's was the first of his first-class career.
For Glamorgan, off-spinner Andrew Salter took 5-138 while retiring seamer Michael Hogan, 41, was given a guard of honour and a standing ovation in his last game for the club.
At the other end of the age spectrum, Leicestershire all-rounder Rehan Ahmed, 18, scored a superb maiden century to save the Foxes from defeat at Derbyshire.
Ahmed struck a sublime 122 off 113 balls to provide a memorable finale to a miserable season for Division Two's bottom club, becoming the first Foxes player to score his first hundred and bag his maiden five-wicket haul in the same match.
Leicestershire were 86 runs ahead at 405-7 when rain consigned the game to a draw with 20 overs remaining - Derbyshire ending the campaign in fifth spot.
