Middlesex despair as crossbow bolt delay helps send them down

Last year’s county champions Middlesex were relegated on a dramatic final day of the domestic season after Hampshire, their rivals for the drop, clung on for a draw at edgbaston.

With essex already crowned champions, the action centred on the other end of table, where Middlesex’s defeat by somerset — who themselves pulled clear of the danger zone — left them hoping Hampshire would lose to relegated Warwickshire.

But a gritty 30 in more than two and a half hours from James Vince, a surprise inclusion this week in england’s ashes squad, gave Hampshire hope. australian all-rounder Ian Holland then batted more than two hours for an unbeaten 21, eating up a crucial 20 overs in partnership with Gareth Berg as Hampshire finished on 195 for seven.

the five points they earned for the draw took them to 148 overall, two ahead of Middlesex, who last month were docked two points for a slow over-rate when their game against surrey at the Oval was abandoned when a crossbow bolt landed on the outfield.

that decision angered Middlesex, who felt the incident had denied them the chance to improve their rate towards the end of a drawn game.

But, with the eCB insisting there were no grounds for appeal, the decision stood. It means Middlesex are the first champion county to be relegated since Lancashire in 2012.

the possibility had arisen after they slipped from their overnight 40 for three against somerset at taunton to 113 all out, with slow left-armer Jack Leach claiming five for 57 on a pitch marked ‘ below average’ by the eCB’s cricket liaison officer Wayne Noon. the result took somerset one point above their opponents, guaranteeing their safety, but Noon’s verdict left outgoing coach Matt Maynard unimpressed.

‘It takes great skill from a groundsman to produce the wicket we’ve had,’ he said. ‘It’s really disappointing the eCB don’t recognise that spinning wickets are also good wickets.’

Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire confirmed their immediate return to Division One after securing a draw against sussex at Hove. With Worcestershire already certain of promotion, Notts had to hold off a late surge from Northamptonshire, who won their last four matches to finish only five points behind in third.

as with Middlesex, Northants were left to rue an earlier over-rate penalty — they lost five points following their defeat by Notts at trent Bridge at the end of august.