Halfway through the final matches of the 2011 County Championship season and it's all to play for. At Southampton, leaders Warwickshire posted an impressive 493 all out, as the prolific Shiv Chanderpaul progressed to 171. However, they scored too slowly to secure maximum batting points. They remain three ahead of Lancashire, who moved on to 247-3 in answer to Somerset's 380, almost half of which was scored by James Hildreth, finding form just as the season comes to a close. For once, the weather looks set fair in the West Country, so Lancashire will be hoping for a first innings lead then a good bowling display to give themselves a chance for the victory they need.
Meanwhile, in third place, Durham require both sides above them to lose in order to retain slender hopes of regaining the Division One title. So far it's honours even with Worcestershire but with only two batting points under their belt, they must pray that Warwickshire don't bowl Hampshire out on Day 3. Worcestershire consigned Yorkshire to definite relegation, but once Vikram Solanki was out for 124, they collapsed to lose four more wickets for just five added runs. Smith and Di Venuto took Durham to 51-0 at close of play.
At Trent Bridge there is little to play for in terms of titles of survival, and the batsmen were in charge, notably Sussex's Murray Goodwin, who compiled 170. In reply, Alex Hales made a brisk 49 and Karl Turner a more sedate maiden half-century.
The promotion battle in Division Two also roars on. Front-runners Middlesex took maximum bonus points against Leicestershire and a lead of 82 with two wickets remaining. My former Player of the Week Gareth Berg returned to take three wickets and score an unbeaten 70, while Dawid Malan was caught behind three runs short of a century. They ought to create a winning position and the weather seems to be on their side, too.
Behind them, Northants forced fourth-placed Gloucestershire to follow on, David Willey taking eight wickets spread across two innings. A win and 22 points look almost certain, which means that Surrey must go one better. Indeed, Rory Hamilton-Brown's side looks odds-on to do just that. Tom Maynard's century helped them to 468, then Surrey's bowlers sent the Derby top order tumbling to 28-4, recovering to 177-7 at stumps. However, a comfortable win for the home team at The Oval must be on the cards, which would give them 24 points and put them in Division One next year after an embarrassingly long absence. It will be tough on Northants who a few months ago looked certs for promotion but have lost their way in the run-in.
The 'dead rubber' game at Canterbury has given plenty of young talent a chance to shine in the September sunshine (and wind). Glamorgan have the upper hand so far after John Glover's 4-49 and 83 not out for the more experienced Stewart Walters. Should they defeat Kent they will rise to sixth and leave Kent languishing in eighth, with only woeful Leicestershire propping them up.
