Notts edged out of top flight

Gareth Batty made an impact for Worcestershire on day four

Last year’s champions Nottinghamshire were relegated by the narrowest of margins as Durham and Yorkshire secured the draw they needed to preserve their Liverpool Victoria County Championship Division One status.

Nottinghamshire’s failure to glean more than a solitary bonus point from their innings defeat by Sussex - successors to their throne - left them sweating on the result of the game at Headingley Carnegie.

Their only chance rested with Yorkshire enforcing the follow-on and bowling Durham out a second time on the final day, but the visitors survived comfortably to ensure they will be playing First Division cricket next season.

Yorkshire's 11-point haul saw them finish fourth from bottom with 154 points, with Durham on 153.5 and Notts a further 0.5 of a point adrift in second-bottom spot.

Resuming on 411 for six in their first innings in reply to Yorkshire’s mammoth 677 for seven declared, Durham were dismissed for 518.

But any disappointment at failing by 10 runs to avoid the follow-on was tempered by Garry Park, who made an unbeaten century in only his second championship match to steer Durham to 181 for three before play was called to a halt.

Worcestershire were promoted from the Second Division thanks to their remarkable victory over Northamptonshire and Essex’s defeat at Grace Road.

Worcestershire bowled out Northants - 24 without loss overnight and 100 for one in the morning session - for 143 as Gareth Batty and Ray Price shared eight wickets at Wantage Road.

Graeme Hick steadied the Worcestershire innings

A target of 205 was achieved with five wickets remaining, Graeme Hick and Batty applying a steadying hand with an unbroken stand of 48.

Essex were beaten by five wickets by Leicestershire after declaring on 186 without loss in their second innings - including 114 from Mark Pettini - in the hope of forcing victory.

But half-centuries from Tom New and Jim Allenby plus 49 from John Maunders ended Essex hopes.

Lancashire - already guaranteed as runners-up to Sussex in Division One, ended their season with a draw against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl.

An unbeaten 111 from Luke Sutton guided Lancashire through the final hours of the campaign, Nathan Astle contributing a useful 86 as Hampshire's attempts to lure Lancashire into setting a target failed to bear fruit.

Luke Sutton en route to an unbeaten ton for Lancashire

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The third match in the top flight - between Kent and relegated Middlesex at Canterbury - also ended in a draw.

Having been made to follow on, Middlesex proved robust enough to bat out the remainder of the match, Nick Compton accumulating 100 before he was stumped by wicket-keeper Geraint Jones.

Champions Surrey beat Derbyshire by five wickets, with Mark Butcher contributing an unbeaten 59.

Alex Gidman cracked his fourth championship century of the season as Gloucestershire drew their final game against Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Having missed out on three figures in the first innings, stand-in skipper Gidman made no mistake second time around as he reached 118 before falling to Robert Croft.