How do points work in the County Championship?
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In the County Championship, the maximum number of points a team can earn in one match is 24 points.
The winning team is awarded 16 points, while the losers are earn none for the result. Draws and a tie give teams eight points each.
On top of that, teams can earn up to eight additional bonus points based on their batting and bowling performances in the first innings of the match, even if the team goes on to lose the match.
During the first innings, a team can earn up to five batting bonus points, starting at 250 runs and maxing out at 450 or more.
When a team is bowling, it can earn up to three additional points depending on how many wickets are taken.
One point is awarded for three wickets taken in the first 110 overs, with three being awarded for nine or 10 wickets being taken.
This means a team could earn up to 16 points in a match without winning, should a drawing team record maximum bonus points and see their match end in either a draw or tie.
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The scoring system has created scenarios where teams have finished above others in the County Championship table despite having fewer wins than teams below them.
Heading into the round of matches starting on Sunday, 22 June, Surrey sit second in the Division One table despite having fewer wins than both Sussex and Somerset, who are third and fifth respectively.
In Division Two, it is a similar tale. Derbyshire are second, despite winning one fewer match than third-place Glamorgan.
Lancashire, who are yet to win any of their seven County Championship matches this season, are above Kent in the table, despite Kent having won two matches.
That is because of Lancashire have picked up one more bowling point than Kent and have drawn five matches, while Kent have only drawn once.
County Championship points scoring system
Surrey have won the Division One title in the County Championship in each of the last three seasons
Points for match result:
Victory – 16 points
Draw – eight points
Tie – eight points
Defeat – zero points
Batting bonus points (from the first 110 overs in each teams' first innings):
250-299 runs – one point
300-349 runs – two points
350-399 runs – three points
400-449 runs – four points
450 runs or more – five points
Bowling bonus points (from the first 110 overs in each teams' first innings):
3-5 wickets taken – one point
6-8 wickets taken – two points
9-10 wickets taken – three points
Do teams ever lose points?
Teams have received deductions over the years for a number of offences.
These include fielding unregistered players, poor pitches and slow over-rates.
This season, Glamorgan, Somerset and Yorkshire have all been deducted one point for slow over-rates, which means they have failed to bowl the required number of overs during a days play.
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