• County Championship round-up

Yorkshire, Derbyshire promoted to Division One

September 13, 2012
Adam Lyth made 51 for Yorkshire © Getty Images
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Yorkshire have the chance to claim the County Championship Division Two title after their promotion to Division One was confirmed.

Glamorgan's win meant Kent could not catch Yorkshire who head into the final day against Essex battling with long-time leaders Derbyshire for the title.

Yorkshire will take the crown if they win and Derbyshire fail to get victory against Hampshire. Their first task is to bowl Essex out a second time after leaving them a target of 388.

Yorkshire declared their second innings on 252 for eight with Adam Lyth making 51 and Azeem Rafiq hitting an unbeaten 75. By the close, Essex had already lost openers Jaik Mickleburgh and Tom Westley in moving to 28 for two.

Derbyshire celebrated their first ever promotion to make it a day to remember for Ross Whiteley who marked his 24th birthday with an unbeaten half-century and two late wickets in the match against Hampshire at Derby.

Kent's defeat at Cardiff sealed Derbyshire's place in Division One next season and they will go up as champions if they beat Hampshire who closed day three on 142 for six, only 139 ahead, with Bilal Shafayat unbeaten on 52 from 151 balls.

Abdur Rehman finished with match figures of 14 for 101 as Somerset clinched runners-up spot in the County Championship Division One with victory over relegated Worcestershire by an innings and 148 runs at Taunton.

Steven Mullaney enhanced Nottinghamshire's chances of finishing on a high with a victory over champions Warwickshire with a fluent 94 - his highest first-class score since May 2010.

The all-rounder boosted his hopes of being retained by the hosts beyond this summer with an enterprising 119-ball knock that contained 11 fours and four straight sixes as he took charge in a fifth wicket partnership of 119 in just 28 overs with Chris Read (36).

Zander de Bruyn's first hundred of the season and polished half-centuries from youngsters Rory Burns and Tom Jewell ensured Surrey (324 for five) made a commanding start to the final match of 2012 against relegated Lancashire.

An unbeaten half-century by Luke Wells kept Sussex afloat as they reached 112 for five, a lead of 96, in their second innings of the match against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

Claude Henderson snapped up two wickets in the penultimate over of the day to give Leicestershire a chance of finishing the season with a victory against Gloucestershire in the Division Two match at Grace Road.

The veteran South African left-arm spinner dismissed Will Gidman and James Fuller as Gloucestershire closed on 254 for nine in their second innings, leaving them with a lead of 193 going into the final day.

Robert Croft took a wicket with his final ball in first-class cricket as Glamorgan ended Kent's promotion hopes with a day to spare in their final match of the season. The 42-year-old off spinner had Charlie Shreck caught at long-off as Kent were bowled out in their second innings for 280 after following on. Croft was given a guard of honour by his team-mates as he walked off.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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