About our County Cricket news
Latest news on the County Championship, covering fixtures, results, the league table and county cricket across England and Wales.
The County Championship is the leading first-class cricket competition in England and Wales, contested by 18 professional counties. Division One features ten teams and Division Two eight, with two promoted and two relegated each season. Matches are played over four days, testing patience, technique and endurance across the summer months.
Debate over the domestic schedule remains a recurring theme, with players' representatives raising concerns about fixture congestion and travel between matches. Proposals to reduce the volume of four-day cricket have been discussed by counties in recent years, though changes require broad agreement to pass. Ball type, over-rates and the balance between red-ball and white-ball cricket continue to generate discussion each season.
Beyond the results, the Championship carries deep cultural weight, with fixtures such as the Roses Match between Lancashire and Yorkshire drawing on rivalries stretching back generations. Historic grounds including Lord's, Edgbaston and Headingley host matches that blend tradition with modern professional sport. The competition also serves as a proving ground for players hoping to progress into international cricket.
Cricket has been played between English counties since the 19th century, with the Championship formally established in 1890, making it the oldest first-class competition in the world. The two-division structure was introduced in 2000 to sharpen competition and maintain interest throughout the season. The England and Wales Cricket Board oversees county finances and can impose points deductions or salary cap penalties for rule breaches.
Followers searching for County Championship fixtures, results, scorecards and league tables can find the latest standings throughout the season. The same 18 counties also compete in white-ball cricket, but it's four-day red-ball cricket that decides the Championship title. Our NewsNow feed brings together the latest headlines on the County Championship, keeping fans up to date all summer long.