Image source, Getty Images

Head coach Ryan Campbell admitted the cricket gods may have "handed Durham a card" with Hampshire looking on the brink of defeat at Southampton.

No one in the Durham dressing room at Headingley, where they trail Yorkshire by 119 runs, was taking anything for granted ahead of a season-defining day for all three clubs.

But with a Hampshire defeat and an achievable draw Durham may escape relegation in a final round of matches when on day two they looked doomed.

“This position we're in, it's a funny game. This afternoon, the old cricket gods have handed us a card. Obviously you don't wish bad on anyone else. But, if you don't play well in this competition, you get found out,” he said.

“I would have thought that game down in Southampton would probably be over within an hour. So we'll know pretty clearly.

“Hampshire will have a sleepless night, we’ll have a sleepless night. It is what it is. It’s pretty exciting.”

Yorkshire’s George Hill sounded a note of warning to Durham if they think they can play out a draw. “We're not thinking about going through the motions this last game,” he said. “Our aim is definitely to win this game of cricket on day four.”

Northants will need some steely batting to get out of this game with anything other than defeat after being skittled for 189 on first innings after Leicestershire racked up 429.

The hosts could have been staring down the barrel of one of their biggest defeats at home to Leicestershire had opposition captain Ian Holland opted not to enforce the follow on.

The record defeat remains the 1935 fixture at Wantage Road, where the hosts were skittled for 85 and 79, losing by an innings and 125 runs.

Uncovered pitches in those days!

George Berry top-scored for Leicestershire with an innings of 124, helping his club to a total of 289 in 107 overs.

A useful right-arm fast bowler called Haydon Smith took a match haul of 11-91.

Today the hopes of the Northants faithful rest on the shoulders of Saif Zaib, who resumes unbeaten on 20 and just 13 runs short of 1400 for the season.

Division One

Chelmsford: Essex 438 v Somerset 433 & 99 - Essex need 95 runs to win

Utilita Bowl: Hampshire 248 & 148-9 v Surrey 147 & 281 - Hampshire need 33 runs to win

Trent Bridge: Notts 374 & 20-0 v Warwickshire 258 & 133 - Notts win by 10 wickets

Worcester: Worcs 123 & 287 v Sussex 350 & 63-7 - Sussex win by three wickets

Headingley: Yorkshire 465-9 v Durham 346 - Yorkshire lead by 119 runs

Division Two

Cardiff: Glamorgan 265 & 241 v Lancashire 374 & 134-3 - Lancs win by seven wickets

Canterbury: Kent 271 & 136-5 v Derbyshire 698-6 dec - Kent trail by 291 runs

Lord's: Middlesex 634-9 dec v Glos 286 & 39-1 - Glos trail by 309 runs

Northampton: Northants 189 & 120-5 v Leicestershire 429 & 260-5 dec - Northants need to win

Image source, Rex Features

Good morning and welcome along to our coverage of the final day of the County Championship season.

Notts lifted the Division One trophy yesterday and with promotion settled in Division Two the final day of the campaign is about who will be relegated along Worcestershire into the second tier.

Hampshire’s relegation fate is on a knife-edge after bad light stopped play in their clash with Surrey, with the strugglers on 148-9 and the winning line 33 runs away.

Hampshire will go down if they lose and Durham avoid defeat to Yorkshire, with a draw looking the likeliest result in that match.

After wins for Notts, Sussex and Lancashire yesterday, we have six matches to enjoy on the final day - let's get started.