Ollie Pope stars as Surrey win County Championship title after convincing victory over Yorkshire | Cricket News

England batter Ollie Pope’s century on day one helps guide Surrey to their second Division One title in five years

Surrey have won the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One title after a convincing win over Yorkshire after Ollie Pope scored a masterful 136 off 131 deliveries on day one.

Surrey’s victory on day three at The Oval clinched the county’s second title in five years – and 21st overall – as rivals Hampshire, who needed a win to stay in the Championship race, lost by 77 runs to Kent.

Needing just 55 runs to win in the second innings, openers Rory Burns and Ryan Patel secured the title for Surrey in just six overs.

Earlier on day three, Surrey had bowled out Yorkshire for 208 runs, after they enforced the follow-on.

Starting the day on 89-2, Yorkshire lost four wickets before lunch and could only make 58 runs after lunch.

Daniel Worrall was the pick of the bowlers for Surrey, finishing with figures of 4-61, while Kemar Roach and Jamie Overton both took two wickets a piece.

Adam Lyth and Dom Bess were out in their 40s, but Surrey were superior throughout the Test match.

Pope in the runs on home soil again

England’s Pope was in the runs again, scoring 136 in the first innings to help Surrey set a good score of 333.

Surrey were in a precarious position when he came to the crease with the score at 82-3 and by the time Jordan Clarke entered the fray, Surrey were 136-6.

But a seventh-wicket partnership between Pope and Clarke, who was bowled on 55, took Surrey to near 300.

Chasing 333, Surrey bowlers were relentless and had taken four wickets within 30 overs.

A half-century by Tom Kohler-Cadmore and 45 not out by captain Jonathan Tattersall were not enough, as Yorkshire were all out for 179.

Thomas Lawes finished with 4-31, as Surrey captain Burns enforced the follow-on.

It was a similar story in the second innings for Yorkshire, who could only set Surrey 55 runs to win.

Knowing a win would be enough to secure the title, Burns and Patel made easy work of the total.

Hampshire flatter to deceive against Kent

Hampshire’s title hopes were ended by Kent, who ran out winners by 77 runs inside three days at the Ageas Bowl.

Victory boosted Kent’s Division One survival hopes and condemned Gloucestershire to relegation.

James Fuller hit 78 not out and James Vince 73 for Hampshire, but they were bowled out for 300.

Hampshire had won five of their previous six home matches, the other a rain-hit draw against Lancashire in April.

Gloucestershire relegated despite victory

Tom Price produced an inspired career-best performance of eight for 23 and match figures of 10 for 73 to ease Gloucestershire to a three-wicket triumph over Warwickshire at Bristol.

Gloucestershire banked 21 points, but their first victory in 13 attempts in red-ball cricket this summer has come too late to save them from relegation.

As for Warwickshire, they remain second from bottom in the table and, with one game to play, look like joining Gloucestershire in Division Two next year.

Somerset in driving seat

Somerset will go into the final day of their match with Northamptonshire at Taunton in a strong position, knowing victory will guarantee Division One survival.

With a lead of 401 and nine second-innings wickets still in hand, the home side can feel confident of at least a draw, which would put them 17 points clear of second-from-bottom Warwickshire.

Worcestershire defeat Nottinghamshire

Division Two leaders Nottinghamshire suffered only their second defeat of the season after losing by an innings and 79 runs to Worcestershire at New Road.

The home side collected the four remaining Nottinghamshire second-innings wickets inside 70 minutes as they were dismissed for 183 in 52.2 overs.

Middlesex in command against Leicestershire

Middlesex are within sight of a victory that will put them squarely in contention for the title after Leicestershire’s fragile batting undid their good work with the ball.

Skipper Callum Parkinson took four for 69 and young leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed a career-best three for 50 as Middlesex collapsed from 209 for three to 271 all out in their second innings, losing their last seven wickets for 62 after Mark Stoneman (81) and Max Holden (91) had put on 165 for the fourth wicket.

It left Leicestershire with a fourth-innings target of 275 to record their first win of the season. Instead they are in deep trouble at 13 for four going into the final day.

Glamorgan close to victory against Derbyshire

New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel claimed his first five-wicket haul for Glamorgan to help them close in on victory at home to Derbyshire.

The Welsh county need another seven wickets on the final day to maintain the pressure on Middlesex in the race for the second promotion spot.

Durham took one wicket at Seat Unique Riverside before rain intervened to halt their charge for victory with Sussex on nine for four.