Image source, Getty Images

And to think there were those who thought the tension of Rory McIlroy's Grand Slam couldn't be bettered before we saw that finish at Durham.

Ethan Bamber's six to end a gripping contest at the Riverside, Warwickshire winning by one wicket after a defiant last ditch stand of 20, was a fitting end to four days of Championship action bathed in glorious sunshine from start to finish.

It was four days of quality in Division One which saw wins for Sussex and Yorkshire; draws for Notts, Essex, Surrey and Hampshire; and defeats for Durham, Somerset and Worcestershire.

At the Kia Oval bad light denied a second blockbuster finish after Nick Gubbins had manfully kept Hampshire's 377 run chase alive with 117. Right up to the point where bad light intervened with 78 needed and five wickets remaining.

And then there was Sussex, who marked their return after promotion from Division Two with a first top flight win since September 2015, Sean Hunt with match figures of 9-76.

Nottinghamshire and Essex shook hands on a draw at Trent Bridge with Jack Haynes century for the hosts a highlight, a day after Yorkshire had completed a rout of Worcestershire by 504 runs - the biggest margin in county championship history

And in Division Two Kent's win over Middlesex, completed on day three, was followed today by three draws with Gloucestershire and Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Derbyshire, and Lancashire and Northants all sharing the points.

Cricket fans can take a breath before reconvening on Good Friday for another round of four-day action with five Division One fixtures and four in the second tier.

We can't promise the weather will hold but spills and thrills come as standard.

See you here on Friday.

Division One

Surrey 253 & 342-9d v Hampshire 219 & 300-5 - Gubbins 117 - Match drawn

Notts 347 & 385 - Haynes 141 v Essex 367 & 106-1 - Match drawn

Durham 387 & 276-8d v Warwickshire 325 & 344-9 - Barnard 101 - Warwickshire win by one wicket

Sussex 294 & 501-7d v Somerset 201 & 334 - Sussex won by 260 runs

Yorkshire beat Worcestershire by 504 runs on Sunday.

Division Two

Lancashire 228 & 351-9 f/0 - Bohannon 155, Harrison 7-119 v Northants 496 - Match drawn

Gloucestershire 546 v Glamorgan 385 & 288-4 f/o - Match drawn

Leicestershire 484 & 357-9d v Derbyshire 393 & 305-4 - Match drawn

Kent beat Middlesex by eight wickets on Sunday.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

An incredibly dramatic game, Warwickshire win with seven overs to go.

A brilliant win for them.

Ed Barnard did well to get his century, they didn't lose a single wicket in the afternoon session.

Durham came out battling in the evening session, so close to victory, but now two defeats to start the season.

They've now got to pick themselves up and go back to the drawing board.

Image source, Getty Images

Ethan Bamber slashes Ben Raine straight at Alex Lees at mid-on but the ball drops just short of the skipper.

Bamber blocks the next ball back to the bowler.

THEN WALLOPS RAINE BACK OVER HIS HEAD FOR SIX TO WIN IT BY ONE WICKET.

Ethan Bamber could teach Rory McIlroy a thing about holding your nerve.

He finishes unbeaten on 30 and added 20 for that final wicket with Vishwa Fernando, who more than played his part.

Wonderful sporting drama.

Kevan James
BBC Radio Solent commentator

"They've actually fought really hard and it's come off."

"That will give them (Hampshire) fantastic heart."

Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator

"It's been a tremendous game of cricket. A bit of a farcical end to all this I have to say!

But Surrey have tried everything on this last day but they have come up against a Hampshire side determined to get through the day."

Ethan Bamber flicks Matty Potts into the leg side and thinks about a single, but turns back.

Ollie Robinson keeps the game alive tumbling to his left to save a stray leg-side delivery flying away for four runs.

Bamber drives to mid-off for a single and the field comes in as Vishwa Fernando takes strike.

An outside edge flashes past third slip and they take a single.

Two to win.

Bamber clips to fine leg and opts not to come back for a second which might not have been there.

Scores are tied...

Fernando digs out the yorker. End of the over.

Ethan Bamber clips Ben Raine into the leg side for a sedate single, leaving Vishwa Fernando to face three balls.

Textbook defensive stroke to the first.

Edge onto the pads infront for the second, oof.

STEP BACK AND WHACK THROUGH MID-WICKET TO THE ROPE FOR THE LAST.

Halves the deficit.

Four to win. One wicket.

Ethan Bamber picks up a single off the opening ball, he wants two but it's too risky.

Vishwa Fernando on strike. Matty Potts helps him out with a couple of wider balls he's able to watch through to the keeper.

Alex Lees sends Emilio Gay to become a third slip and Fernando immediately glances past his dive, but Bamber turns down the single.

He'll take strike in the next over.

Nine to win. One wicket.

Even Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose would find this nerve-wracking.

Ethan Bamber steps across and SCOOPS Ben Raine for four to start the new over. Delightful stuff, even without the circumstances.

Everyone on the fence bar Raine and Ollie Robinson.

A single brings Vishwa Fernando onto strike.

He negotiates two balls but then a huge appeal from the final delivery, for an edge down the leg side. The Durham cordon loved that shout, but the finger stays down.

10 to win. Or one wicket.

Matty Potts coming back...

The bad light has abated and the 300 is up for Hampshire in the 103rd over...

We're shaking hands! Match drawn.

377 looked like a mountain to climb on Sunday evening when Hampshire closed on 35-3 with one opener and two night watchers dismissed.

But Nick Gubbins held firm for much of the day with a magnificent 117, a timely 10th first class century.

Toby Albert weight in with a vital 78 in conditions that occasionally offered late swing and movement off the seam for Matt Fisher in particular, who finishes with 2-52.

Scott Read
BBC Radio Lancashire

"Lancashire will take something from they way they fought back on this final day, but the game belongs to Northants.

They've played outstanding cricket."

Andrew Radd
BBC Radio Northampton

"Handshakes all round and this match is left drawn. Northants needed to take eight wickets today. They got seven."

Spoils shared at Leicester after handshakes at 5.45pm with the hosts taking 16 points and visitors 14.

There just wasn't enough in the pitch on day four for Leics to really believe they could make serious inroads into the Derbys line up and so it proved with just four wickets falling.

Brooke Guest (68) and Luis Reece (38) were the unbeaten pair at the close.

Positives from the match include Leicestershire's line up were given a chance to bat themselves into some sort of touch. LIkewise for Derbys Martin Andersson was on song providing the only century of the game.

But it was just a little bit too much toil with scant reward for the bowlers throughout. It was fitting, with handshakes at 80 overs in Derbys second innings, that second new ball was saved.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

He's demolished the stumps, he's yorked him!

What a ball into him, they need 15 to win.

What an end we have, County Championship at its very best.

A couple of singles begin Ben Raine's over before Michael Booth produces a glorious straight drive back past the bowler from a fuller one and finds the ropes.

Roars of approval from the Bears on the balcony. Booth has 40*.

16 needed to win. Two wickets.

Michael Booth picks up a single from Matty Potts before another swing and a miss from Ethan Bamber. He's going for the ropes with these. If he connects he might find them.

Good take from Ollie Robinson down the leg side prevents further famage.

22 required. Two wickets. 14 overs to come.

Mark Church
BBC Radio London commentator

That was bubbling up very nicely before the bad light, it's a shame.

Hampshire were edging closer, needing 78 to win, Surrey needed the five wickets.

Saif Zaib has raced through his over here and four balls after John Turner brings up the 350 with a back foot drive through cover, the players are shaking hands.

A case of nearly but not quite for Northants after racking up a first innings 496 and forcing the Red Rose to follow on with a gap of 268 runs.

But they were undone by superb resolve from Josh Bohannon, who scored 155 in a marathon stint of batting, soaking up more than seven hours.

Tom Bailey resisted for 69 balls for an unbeaten 69 when it looked like Calvin Harrison might run through the tail.

Spare a thought for Harrison too as he twirled his way through 76 overs of leg spin for 11 wickets.

15 points for Northants and 10 for Lancashire.

Two draws in two for Lancashire, while Northants have one loss and a draw here going into the next round.