Last year it was quite a shock when Lancashire won the County Championship for he first time in yonks. Then it was their bowlers wot won it. In 2012, they have struggled with ball and bat. This week, against Middlesex, they were in the match for all but the last day when the home team's unsung duo of Steven Crook and Ravi Patel bowled them out 109 runs short of their target. And with that defeat came certain relegation, just twelve months after those jubilant celebrations at Taunton. Their best players of the season have been overseas signing Ashwell Prince and the 39 year-old Glen Chapple (who took ten wickets this week!) but to bounce back it's the young players and proper selection who need to rediscover the form of 2011.
Middlesex's win, meanwhile, catapulted them into second place for the first time this year. Earlier in the day, that position had belonged to Somerset. Set almost 400 to win in a day and a half by Sussex, Trescothick and Suppiah shared a century opening partnership but then five wickets fell quite cheaply. Fortunately James Hildreth was in good form and, when joined by Peter Trego, the visitors clicked and the sixth wicket stand had reached a superb 167 when a Trego boundary took them past the winning post.
Long-time title contenders Nottinghamshire slipped to fifth after being spun to defeat by Surrey, Kartik, Batty and a Mr Pietersen all amongst the wickets. They haven't lost many but, after a great start they have failed to win since May! Surrey desperately needed that win, too, as with that result at Lord's it ensured their own Division One survival at the expense of Lancashire.
Of course, Warwickshire had already made certain of the title and Worcestershire were already consigned to Division Two a week before the season's final fixtures. However, the real excitement belongs to Division Two. Here, three counties are vying for the two promotion places and it goes down to the wire. Long-time leaders Derbyshire may have blown it after failing lamely at Canterbury. Kent are now just six points behind in third place. Yorkshire are the only unbeaten side in the whole competition but eleven rain-affected draws have held them back. This week they easily beat Glamorgan by eight wickets, thanks to runs from Adam Lyth and match figures of 8-96 by Steven Patterson.
Hampshire were well in the hunt for promotion until coming a cropper at home to Essex. Owais Shah helped himself to 161 for the visitors then, despite sterling efforts from skipper Jimmy Adams, carrying his bat for 139, and Liam Dawson's 90, they couldn't reach the formidable second innings target of 425 and thus will remain in the second tier next season. At least they have proved to be one of the best one-day teams in 2012.
Bowlers were generally on top at Bristol, where Gloucestershire enjoyed only their third win of the season, against Northamptonshire, and elevated themselves to third from bottom. Young Liam Norwell and James Fuller starred for the home team taking most of the wickets between them, while Ian Cockbain fell on 99 in the second innings. Northants had been my tip for the top so 2012 must go down as a major disappointment for Andrew Hall's side.
Next week, Glamorgan really need to beat Kent to make almost sure of avoiding the wooden spoon, but opponents Kent are gunning for promotion and I now expect them to succeed. Hampshire may be out of the running but they could spoil Derbyshire's magnificent 2012 revival by beating them at Derby. However, all Wayne Madsen's team need to do to go up is acquire more points than their opponents or hope that Essex triumph against Yorkshire. The White Roses would just love to swap places with the Red Roses next season; thata would really rub Lancashire's noses in it!
