So, just one point separates Middlesex and Yorkshire at the top of Division One following their victories over Nottinghamshire and Durham.

But it is not a two-horse title race, with third-placed Somerset still in the shake-up if they can pull off a win at Headingley next week.

For Notts, they must contemplate the prospect of Division Two cricket next season after suffering their eighth defeat of the summer.

The next round of Championship matches starts on Monday and we will be back to provide our usual comprehensive coverage as Essex try to collect the six points they need against Glamorgan to secure promotion from Division Two.

Until then, have an excellent weekend.

Image source, Rex Features

The umpires and captains decide enough is enough at The Oval following the arrival of rain.

Hampshire taken 12 points from the match, with seven for the home side.

It means that Hampshire remain next to bottom, but with just eight points covering themselves Warwickshire, Durham and Lancashire.

The last two, however, have a game in hand, and Hampshire must hope they do not win next week and then hope to beat Durham in their final match of the season, starting on 20 September at the Ageas Bowl.

Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell has more to say about his side's relegation from Division One following their home defeat by Middlesex.

Newell says it will not make a big difference financially to the club, but there are feelings of "embarrassment" and "shame" for players and supporters.

To read his comments, please click here.

Weather halts play at The Ovalpublished at 16:05 British Summer Time 9 September 2016

16:05 BST 9 September 2016

Surrey 329 & 247-3 v Hampshire 582-9 dec

Rain arrives at The Oval with Surrey just five runs away from avoiding an innings defeat. Kumar Sangakkara is 84 not out and Steven Davies is on 29, the pair having added 57 for the fourth wicket in 14 overs.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Newcastle

"Durham have actually climbed a place this week because Lancashire didn't play. But the way they are playing means they are right in the thick of a relegation battle when just a month ago they looked set to beat Somerset in Taunton and move to the top of the table.

"It's been a bad month in which they have lost three and struggled to two draws. If they don't arrest this slide and get something out of their remaining matches with Surrey and Hampshire they could be looking at relegation after 11 years in the top-flight - the longest run by anyone.

"It's Surrey next up at Chester-le-Street on Monday. It will be interesting to see how Durham react after this one because this was dreadful."

Image source, Getty Images

I have been asked whether Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, David Willey and Liam Plunkett will be available for Yorkshire's final two Championship games against Somerset and Middlesex.

Not a bad list of reserves, is it? At the moment, though, I don't know the answer to the question.  

Notts are facing up to the realities of relegation just three days after appointing Peter Moores as their new head coach.

Director of cricket Mick Newell said it was "disappointing to hand over the team going into Division Two" after their home defeat by Middlesex.

He told BBC Radio Nottingham: "We played well in the first game against Surrey and everyone was very optimistic about our chances. But since then, clearly we haven’t played anywhere near well enough. 

“Jake Ball with the new ball has been outstanding – the best bowler in the game – and that is a good sign for Notts and England going forward. We will take that out of the game.

“But looking at some of the dismissals yesterday, we were very casual and slack with the bat and that has cost us the game.

“We had a sniff at five wickets down, but they played better than we have. They have experience and showed it through the game."

They have reached tea at The Oval with Kumar Sangakkara 65 not out, Steven Davies on 15, and Surrey 38 runs short of making Hampshire bat again. there are a minimum of 33 overs remaining in theory - but I wonder whether we'll see that many.

Image source, Getty Images

England batsman Nick Compton made 63 before being run out to help Division One leaders Middlesex to victory at Trent Bridge. 

Here's what he had to say to BBC Radio London after the match: "It is nice to contribute again. As someone who prides myself on tough situations, I wanted to make sure I was on it. I was proud of the way I managed to hold things together.

"I can’t say enough for how we are growing as a team. There was a calmness and a confidence with how we went about it.

"I felt a bit of pressure this morning because I wanted to get us over the line in this game. I thought ‘let this be my calling’. The run out was massively disappointing and I probably got a little bit over-excited.

"The intent was to make sure we found a way to do it because this is the time. You don’t get too many opportunities to be playing for the title as this stage of the season. It is a fantastic place to be."

Durham captain Paul Collingwood told BBC Newcastle:

"Barring the T20 Finals Day in which I thought we were pretty good, it has been a difficult month.

"Yorkshire deserve the victory, they were the better team on this occasion, and taught us a lesson about going about four-day cricket.

"They were disciplined in their bowling attack and put us under pressure, and have guys who are confident going out to score big runs.

"We have to hold our hands up and say the opposition were way better."

Bet Nick isn't the only member of the Middlesex team who's feeling pretty pleased right now....

Harinath completes half-centurypublished at 15:00 British Summer Time 9 September 2016

15:00 BST 9 September 2016

Surrey 329 & 191-2 v Hampshire 582-9 dec

Arun Harinath follows partner Kumar Sangakkara by reaching a half-century - his arriving off 100 balls with a single from the bowling of Gareth Andrew. Surrey still need another 62 to avoid an innings defeat but this is looking increasingly like the game will end in a draw.

If so, Surrey hopes of winning the title will officially be over as they will be 27 points behind leaders Middlesex with only one match to play - in Durham next week.

Middlesex lead Yorkshire by one point, with Somerset 21 points further back, and there are just two rounds to go in this summer's County Championship.

Will Middlesex win their first title since 1993, or will Yorkshire make it a hat-trick before head coach Jason Gillespie leaves the club to return to Australia?

Get in touch and let us know how you see the title race. 

Sangakkara defies Hampshirepublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 9 September 2016

14:42 BST 9 September 2016

Surrey 329 & 176-2 v Hampshire 582-9 dec

And then there was one......

With the games at Headingley and Trent Bridge now finished, updates on this page will be a little less frequent, but I will keep you updated with the key moments between now and close of play.

Kumar Sangakkara has reached a half-century from 124 balls for Surrey at The Oval, brought up with a boundary off Gareth Andrew. His partnership with Arun Harinath is currently worth 85 and they need another 77 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

As the deranged old soothsayer used to say every week on Up Pompeii "the end is here", and it certainly is for Notts as John Simpson hits the winning single for Middlesex off Jake Ball.

Simpson (58) and skipper James Franklin (54) shared an unbroken partnership of 89 to see their side home and they are now one point clear of Yorkshire at the top of Division One, with two games to play.

Ball has impressive match figures of 9-120, including his hat-trick in Middlesex's first innings which left them 0-3, but that will be no consolation to the England pace bowler.

Champions on six occasions, most recently in 2010, Notts now face the prospect of Division Two cricket next summer.

Here is the top of the table as things stand...

Ryan Pringle hits two fours and a six in an over off Tim Bresnan, but is left unbeaten on 57 not out as Jack Brooks bowls Durham number eleven Chris Rushworth.

Pringle's innings puts the performance of Durham's top six into perspective, with only one of them reaching double figures.

Brooks finishes with 3-55, but Ryan Sidebottom is the pick of Yorkshire's attack with 4-34.

Their final two games are against title rivals Somerset and Middlesex - win both and a third successive Championship will surely be theirs.

It's a neck and neck race between Yorkshire and Middlesex to see which of them can complete victory first - and it looks like being the same to decide which of them wins the county title (although Somerset may have something to say about that).

The White Rose county need one wicket to beat Durham at Headingley, while Middlesex are now just 20 runs away from a win over Notts. 

Simpson makes timely fiftypublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 9 September 2016

14:02 BST 9 September 2016

Nottinghamshire 241 & 240 v Middlesex 247 & 198-5

A single off Harry Gurney takes John Simpson to an 87-ball half-century, an absolutely vital innings for his side, who now look like they are heading for a victory that will guarantee they are top of the Division One table ahead of the penultimate round of matches.

Jake Ball took a hat-trick earlier in the game - Notts would probably put up a statue outside the ground of any player who can produce another one now.