Champions Dethroned As Nottinghamshire Take Control Against Yorkshire
Nottinghamshire will not retain the County Championship. Their defence ended during day two against Yorkshire at Trent Bridge, even as they moved into a useful position at 55-3 in their second innings, 127 runs ahead.
Bad light forced an early close with Jack Haynes 30 not out. Nottinghamshire, the 2025 champions, had made 251 in their first innings and then bowled Yorkshire out for 179, according to BBC Sport.
The title maths turned elsewhere. Warwickshire picked up three batting bonus points — extra points awarded for high scoring — against Leicestershire at Edgbaston, to Nottinghamshire’s one. That made a 15-point gap at the start of the final round unclosable.
On the field, Nottinghamshire did much of what champions should do. Yorkshire resumed their first innings — each team’s first turn to bat — still well behind, and never quite broke free.
George Hill top-scored for Yorkshire with 58. The rest struggled against Olly Stone’s pace and movement.
Stone finished with 5-51. It was a classic fast bowler’s five-wicket haul, and it took him to 50 wickets in a first-class season for the first time.
There was a cost. Stone left the field after completing the over in which he took his fifth wicket. He was replaced by injury substitute Tom Giles.
Yorkshire had set the tone at the start. They won the toss and chose to field in this Rothesay County Championship Division One match, played at Nottingham on 24-27 September 2026.
Their seamers shared the work on day one. Ben Cliff took 4 for 39 and Ben Coad took 2 for 42, according to ESPNcricinfo. Yorkshire grabbed four wickets in the final 11 overs of the opening day to keep Nottinghamshire to 251.
That left the game finely balanced. A first-innings lead of 72 gave Nottinghamshire control. Then three quick second-innings wickets gave Yorkshire a way back in.
For fans, this leaves two contests in one. Nottinghamshire lead by 127 with seven second-innings wickets in hand. Yorkshire need early wickets on day three to stay in the match, while Nottinghamshire want Haynes and the middle order to stretch the chase beyond comfort.
