Image source, Shutterstock

With each team having played seven games, we are now at the half-way point of the County Championship season.

Just nine points cover the top five teams in Division One, who do not include defending champions Nottinghamshire following their defeat by Somerset, their first loss at Trent Bridge since 2024.

Essex, who last won the title in 2019, are now setting the pace and face Notts at Chelmsford in their next game on Friday.

Durham and Northants are setting the pace in Division Two and play each other in the next round of games, which start on Friday, when Ben Stokes could be involved.

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Division One

Chelmsford: Essex v Nottinghamshire

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Surrey

Leicester: Leicestershire v Yorkshire

Taunton: Somerset v Warwickshire

Hove: Sussex v Hampshire

Division Two

Chesterfield: Derbyshire v Lancashire

Chester-le-Street: Durham v Northamptonshire

Canterbury: Kent v Middlesex

Worcester: Worcestershire v Gloucestershire

Image source, BBC Sport

So this is how things stand in Division One - it's incredibly tight.

Essex are top of the pile by a single point from Sussex, while Somerset are just three points off top in third.

Defending champions Nottinghamshire have dropped to fifth while Yorkshire miss out on the chance to climb up to fifth after they were held to a draw by Warwickshire who remain fourth.

Surrey, who won three titles in a row between 2022 and 2024 are sixth, while Leicestershire remain bottom.

Durham continue to set the pace in Division Two after their resounding victory over Derbyshire, who are sixth, keeps them at the summit.

Kent briefly climbed to second after bossing proceedings at Lancashire but were pushed down to third after Northamptonshire leapfrogged them with victory over bottom side Gloucestershire.

Middlesex's win over second-from-bottom Worcestershire helps them up to fourth.

Division One

Leicestershire 187 & 428 (f/o) v Essex 401 & 217-4

Essex won by six wickets

Nottinghamshire 193 & 166 v Somerset 310 & 355-7 dec

Somerset won by 306 runs

Yorkshire 469 & 246-6 dec v Warwickshire 263 & 333-8

Match drawn

Division Two

Northamptonshire 465 & 191-3 v Gloucestershire 268 & 387 (f/o)

Northamptonshire win by seven wickets

Worcestershire 265 & 216 v Middlesex 339 & 283-6 dec

Middlesex won by 141 runs

Fittingly, it is Calvin Harrison who hits the winning run down to long-on as a century partnership from just 68 balls between him and Saif Zaib sees Northamptonshire to victory.

Having followed on, Gloucestershire did well to set a target of 191, thanks mainly to James Bracey's superb unbeaten 148.

Northants had 36 overs for the chase and started cautiously, but Harrison picked up the pace and hit three sixes and seven fours to finish with 92 not out from 100 balls.

They take 23 points ahead of their top of the table clash with leaders Durham at Wantage Road on Friday, while Gloucestershire have to settle for just three.

Graeme van Buuren continues the ploy of firing the ball in weide of the stumps. Two singles and a couple of byes come from that one.

Just two needed to win.

Saif Zaib swings Jack Taylor away for four and then pushes for a single.

Calvin Harrison will have to score all the rest if he's to get to 100.

He settles for one from the fifth delivery.

No lavish strokeplay in that one from Graeme van Buuren, who is fortunate his last ball is not called a wide.

Five overs to come - 14 runs needed. Calvin Harrison is 90 not out.

Magnificent. Calvin Harrison hits Kristian Clarke straight down the ground for four before taking a single to mid-wicket to retain the strike.

Northants require 18 from six overs and Harrison is 87 not out.

Postpublished at 18:16 BST 15 June

18:16 BST 15 June

Northants 168-3 - target 191

Kristian Clarke has 0-69 from eight overs but he continues for Gloucestershire and starts with a bouncer, which Calvin Harrison ducks safely underneath.

The next one is not quite as short and Harrison swings it away for another six. Maybe he does have time to get to 100 - he's 82 not out.

Warwickshire save the game with an impressive battling effort although it went down to deep in the final over.

Sam Hain was outstanding in holding out for four-a-half hours for a 218 ball 69.

He came to the crease after George Hill removed Alex Davies and Dan Mousley in one over to raise home hopes.

But Hain dug in first with Beau Webster and then Ed Barnard who made his second half century of the match.

Zen Malik and Manav Suthar almost saw out the closing overs but there was late drama when Suthar fell with four balls to go. Hassan Ali couldn't get the final two wickets.

Yorkshire kept striving and they were the better team over the four days but Warwickshire fought hard at the end.

Yorkshire get 16 points Warwickshire 12.

The wheels have come off for Gloucestershire.

Saif Zaib drives Graeme van Buuren for four and the next one results in four byes as he misses an attempted sweep.

Keith Barker survives two balls and needs to survive one more

Keith Barker withdraws as Hassan Ali sticks out an arm on his run-up.

Barker knows he's within his rights as it's happened to him

Dreadful over for Kristian Clarke as Calvin Harrison flays the ball through mid-wicket for four and helps the last one in the over to the fine leg boundary.

The over cost 21 runs and Northants now need 41 from eight overs.

Postpublished at 18:09 BST 15 June

18:09 BST 15 June

Northants 142-3 - target 191

Isn't this a fabulous way to end an excellent round of county cricket?

Kristian Clarke digs one in and Calvin Harrison pulls it away over long leg for six into the Ken Turner Stand.

Clarke tries again and it's back to back maximums and a 50 partnership!

Final over being bowled by former Warwickshire overseas player Hassan Ali.

Manav Suthar survives the first ball and needs to see off three more for the draw