For a Somerset supporter, it’s a tired, weary refrain but, like so many other years in the past two decades, 2026 brought great hopes of that maiden Championship crown only for them to be dashed in the last couple of weeks. For much of the summer, it has looked like a two-horse race. Essex and Surrey were in the frame early on, and Warwickshire had their noses in front for a week in April but for most of the season, Somerset and Nottinghamshire have been nose to nose.
Yorkshire have not had the best campaigns but they ended up playing a major role in deciding the fate of the Championship pennant. Not only did they do the double over Somerset but also nicked their match at Trent Bridge, derailing the Notts charge. Credit to Warwickshire for coming up on the rails with three consecutive victories.
This week, the long-time candidates knew the race was run once Warwickshire had already established a first-innings lead against Leicestershire at the end of day one. Usually it is Oliver Hannon-Dalby topping the wickets table but this season, it is the equally unsung Ethan Bamber who has been a revelation with the ball, ending the season with another nine wickets. Sam Hain also finished strongly, capping a supreme September with 142.
Nottinghamshire seemed to have the edge on Yorkshire but when Ben Coad and Jack White left their second innings in tatters at 85 all out, the tide was turning. Yet Notts were not yet defeated. Kiwi ‘keeper Mitch Hay was busy with six catches and a stumping but, with wickets tumbling, Jonny Bairstow went on the attack and won the game with his third six of the innings.
So what about Somerset? The Taunton faithful were deflated as Dan Lawrence’s ton put old rivals Surrey in charge at stumps on Thursday. The home side simply had to rack up a massive total and hope to bowl them out twice. They came darned close, defied only by the Sunday rain. Saturday was a day of amazing batting achievements. Tom Lammonby hit a career-best 229 and shared a stand of 334 with Tom Abell, who produced a sensational ‘triple’ of his own, including four consecutive sixes off poor Ralphie Albert. He then put on 195 with a free-hitting Migael Pretorius (84) for the ninth wicket, a county record. The innings total of 731 was Somerset’s second highest ever. Reducing Surrey to 68-4, there was a chance that Leach and the seamers could still win the match but it was not to be.
Sussex won the South Coast derby at Southampton against relegated Hampshire. Bowlers were generally in charge, especially Sussex’s Tom Price and Jaydev Unadkat, but skipper Tom Haines showed the home county what they had consistently failed to do all summer, scoring a decisive 130. Had they not been docked twelve points for their 2025 financial problems, Sussex would have finished above Somerset.
Elsewhere, Glamorgan capped a surprisingly solid campaign with a commanding performance against Essex. Asa Tribe (184) and Kiran Carlson (107) pushed their first innings to 505 and opener Zain ul-Hassan weighed in with the ball; his medium-pacers yielding 5-14. Dean Elgar ended his first-class career with a battling 108 and a rapid 68 by George Bell saved the game. It was an end of an era at Cardiff, too, as their faithful middle-order also bowed out. Colin Ingram and Chris Cooke have been loyal servants for many years and Joe Root’s brother Billy also walked into the sunset with another fifty to his name.
In Division Two, champions-elect Durham and Lancashire fought a weather-affected draw at Old Trafford. Emilio Gay ended the season as he began with 141, while the home side’s Josh Bohannon ended his 2026 drought with an unbeaten 190. Kent confirmed their promotion with an eight-wicket triumph over bottom county Gloucestershire. Ben Compton’s 126 and Matt Milnes’ nine wickets were the highlights.
Like Bohannon, Ryan Higgins has not enjoyed the best domestic campaign but the Middlesex all-rounder left the best to last. Just days after his century against Leicestershire helped bring the One-Day Cup to Lord’s, he scored another – alongside a 4-30 bowling stint - as the North Londoners despatched Northants by seven wickets.
Worcestershire finished above Derbyshire by beating them at New Road. In a low-scoring encounter, Matthew Waite struck the game’s only half-century, while Ben Allison produced match analyses of 11-64, surely one of the best bowling performances all year.
Team of the Week: Lammonby (Som), Tribe (Gla), Bohannon (Lan),
Hain (War), Abell (Som), Higgins (Mid), Bairstow (Yor +), T Price (Sus), Bamber
(War), Milnes (Ken), Aliison (Wor)
