The Cricketer wraps up the best of the action during the final round of the Vitality County Championship in 2024
Grace Road (day four of four): Leicestershire 280, Derbyshire 252-3d - match drawn
Leicestershire's rain-hit County Championship match against East Midlands neighbours Derbyshire ended in the tame draw that had been long anticipated as the curtain came down on the season at the Uptonsteel County Ground.
What would otherwise have been a decidedly unmemorable final day was rescued by the veteran Derbyshire stalwart Wayne Madsen, whose sixth century in this fixture took his career tally of first-class runs against Leicestershire to 2,032 at an impressive average of 63.50.
The 40-year-old hit 11 fours and a six in an unbeaten 105, although it was not a chanceless century. He was dropped at midwicket on 72, which would have left him tantalisingly on 1,999 against the Foxes.
Skipper David Lloyd made 73 as Derbyshire posted 252 for three declared in their first innings in reply to Leicestershire's 280 all out, in which Lloyd’s three for 43 was his side’s best performance with the ball. The first two days of the match had been lost to the weather.
Related: Middlesex run out of road in pursuit of the improbable
Wayne Madsen signed off the season in style (Getty Images)
Headingley (day four of four): Northamptonshire 147 & 71-2, Yorkshire 726-7d - match drawn
James Wharton completed a mammoth 285, posting the fifth-highest individual first-class score ever at Headingley and the joint-eighth highest in Yorkshire history as their Vitality County Championship clash with Northamptonshire drifted to a final-day draw.
England’s Jonny Bairstow also added an aggressive 78 as promoted Yorkshire, who started the day on 371 for two in reply to a first-innings 147, decided to bat on instead of chasing a season-ending sixth victory in seven games.
They declared at tea on 726 for 7, a lead of 579. When the players shook hands at 4.30pm, Northamptonshire were 71 for 2 in their second innings. Yorkshire claimed 16 points from the draw to Northamptonshire's nine.
Related: Job done as Yorkshire secure Division One return
It was a landmark day for Yorkshire and James Wharton (Getty Images)
Hove (day four of four): Middlesex 271, Sussex 459-4d - match drawn
Tom Haines and James Coles both scored centuries as Sussex clinched the second division title on a day of celebrations at Hove.
Haines made 105 – his third hundred of the season – and Coles hit an unbeaten 132 as Sussex finished the season undefeated at the 1st Central County Ground after drawing with Middlesex.
They began the final day on 112 for two, needing to reach 250 and a fourth bonus point to ensure promotion as champions.
There was a slight sense of anti-climax shortly after lunch when Luke Hollman overstepped and the two no-balls took Sussex to 250, but the celebrations out in the middle, where Coles and skipper John Simpson embraced warmly, and on the pavilion balcony showed what it meant as Sussex returned to Division One after a nine-year absence.
Sussex finished 20 points clear of Yorkshire, having won eight of their 14 games.
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