County cricket: last-over drama in Championship and T20 Blast final

It will come as cold comfort to Adam Lyth (183) and Jonny Tattersall (180*) to learn that Adam Dale and Viv Richards once made double centuries in a first innings – and also lost. Perhaps once every 29 years is often enough though.

What a win it was for the leaders, Surrey, at North Marine Road. The visitors recovered from the aforementioned Yorkies’ stand of 305 to keep a toenail in the match as they set off to chip away at 521. Led by Rory Burns’ 132, they were pretty much at parity with four sessions to play – game on. Jamie Overton (unlucky not to be with England) blasted through the top order and tail, but 227 on a fourth-day pitch in 44 overs was a stiff ask.

But this Surrey side (in fact, with so many international calls, it’s these Surrey sides) has played positive cricket all summer and, though they kept losing wickets, they also kept scoring runs. Ben Foakes and Aussie all-rounder Aaron Hardie took them over the line in the last over of the match. Who says county cricket is dying? Surrey stay top, with fate on their side.

Hampshire won against last year’s champions, Warwickshire, whose campaign in 2022 has been as disappointing as 2021’s was impressive. James Vince’s men are 15 points off the top spot, but he has a useful weapon as the season lengthens and players tire.

In this match, he called upon the services of six bowlers in the visitors’ first innings (71 overs) and eight in the second dig (112 overs). Though the spearhead will always be the trident of Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott and Keith Barker, his back-ups – Brad Wheal, Ian Holland, Liam Dawson and Felix Organ – are also taking their wickets at under 30 this season, with James Fuller a little more expensive but still highly effective. Mason Crane can