Warwickshire Close on Title After Routing Leicestershire for 125
Warwickshire can win the 2026 County Championship on day two of the final round at Edgbaston.
They bowled Leicestershire out for 125 on day one after losing the toss. They closed five runs ahead with six wickets in hand. Victory would settle one of the tightest title races in years.
Warwickshire need 14 or more points from this match to be sure of the title, according to BBC Sport's final-round preview BBC Sport. They went top by beating Essex by eight wickets inside two days in the penultimate round BBC Sport. With two games left, Warwickshire, Somerset and Nottinghamshire were split by only five points BBC Sport.
The bowling did the early damage. Ethan Bamber took four for 42. That haul put him level with Hampshire's Kyle Abbott as the leading wicket-taker in Division One this season, as reported in live coverage The Guardian.
It was ruthless and repeatable. Warwickshire have now bowled opponents out for under 200 in seven innings in a row. In a four-day game, where each side usually bats twice, that kind of control decides matches fast.
Leicestershire arrived with trouble off the field as well as on it. Chief executive Emma White confirmed the club has appealed to the independent Cricket Discipline Panel against a 27-point deduction for a poor pitch in the ninth-round match against Glamorgan.
Surrey are trying to spoil the party in the west country. They reached 327 for four against Somerset at Taunton. Dan Lawrence made his sixth century of the season and brought it up in style, with a six off England spinner Jack Leach.
What makes this stand out is the contrast. Warwickshire are squeezing teams out. Surrey and others are piling runs on flat early-season-style pitches. For fans, this means the title could swing on bonus points, the extra points awarded for runs and wickets in the first part of each first innings, as much as on wins.
Elsewhere on day one, Glamorgan reached 318 for three against Essex in Cardiff. Asa Tribe made his second hundred in successive innings.
Champions Durham showed why they went up first in Division Two. Emilio Gay scored his fourth century of the season as Durham made 355 for five against Lancashire at Old Trafford. Behind them, Kent hold the edge for the second promotion place. They replied with 77 for one after bowling Gloucestershire out for 229 at Canterbury.
Middlesex produced the day's sharpest turnaround at Lord's. They bowled Northamptonshire out for 103, with Ryan Higgins taking four for 30. Higgins then smashed 115 off 124 balls as Middlesex made 255.
Worcestershire were just as dominant. Ben Allison took five for 22 as Derbyshire were dismissed for 88. Worcestershire already led by 131 runs.
Two games were finely balanced. Nottinghamshire slipped from 172 for four to 242 for nine against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge. Sussex made 244 against Hampshire, who closed on 55 for four in reply.
