Stu Forster - Getty ImagesCopyright: Stu Forster - Getty Images
Warwickshire's six-hitting matchwinner Michael BurgessImage caption: Warwickshire's six-hitting matchwinner Michael Burgess
Well what a breathless day of cricket that was.
A nerve-shredding two-wicket victory for Warwickshire, chasing just 176 to win following contrived declarations from both Northants and the Bears.
After being rocked by a Ben Sanderson hat trick to slip to 24-5, Michael Burgess hit 78 not out, although he nearly holed out off a late skier right at the end, dropped by Jack White.
While Northants edge closer to the drop, it remains a battle as to who will join them in Division Two next season.
Kent and Notts drew at Canterbury, while Middlesex ground out a vital draw with Lancashire after looking in trouble when they slipped to 71-3, still more than 100 in arears at Old Trafford.
But the visitors secured a potentially precious five extra points for a draw to deny Dane Vilas in his last game as a Lancashire player.
REXCopyright: REX
Dane Vilas hit a ton in his final innings for LancashireImage caption: Dane Vilas hit a ton in his final innings for Lancashire
Notts' spirited effort was speaheaded by a six-hour 141 from Joe Clarke to leave Kent needing 168 in 32 overs. But Zak Crawley fell in the second over and Kent were left hanging on in the end.
The pick of the Division Two games was at Hove, where Leicestershire fell 15 runs short of a record victory chase as Sussex won to revive their own outside promotion hopes, while there were safety first draws at Bristol and Cardiff.
We'll be back on Tuesday for the penultimate round of Championship matches.
Can Essex pip Surrey for the title? Who will avoid the drop to Division Two? And can Worcestershire, who play already promored Durham, be edged out of the second promotion slot by either Leicestershire or Sussex?
Next week's fixtures
Tues 19 Sept - Fri 22 Sept
Division One
Chelmsford: Essex v Hampshire
Manchester: Lancashire v Nottinghamshire
Lord's: Middlesex v Warwickshire
Taunton: Somerset v Kent
The Oval: Surrey v Northamptonshire
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Sussex
Leicester: Leicestershire v Yorkshire
New Road: Worcestershire v Durham
Close of play scoreboard
Canterbury: Kent (446 & 86-6, 12 pts) drew with Nottinghamshire (265 & 348, 8 pts)
Old Trafford: Lancashire (413, 12 pts) drew with Middlesex (194 & 160-3, 8 pts)
Edgbaston: Warwickshire (147-4 dec & 176-8, 19 pts) beat Northamptonshire (250 & 72-0 dec) by two wickets
This will feel more like a defeat than anything for Kent, who had Notts 180-7 and still in arrears this morning, however 141* from Joe Clarke and a career-best 84 from Brett Hutton caused them immense frustration and led to a larger, quicker chase than they were capable of.
Zak Crawley, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning all went in a flash and when Tawanda Muyeye departed for 28, down came the shutters.
Post update
Kent 86-6 v Notts - target 168
Streaky edge from Aron Nijjar from Asitha Fernando flies between the keeper and leg slip, who almost dived into one another.
Six balls remain.
Post update
Kent 82-6 v Notts - target 168
Calvin Harrison is back on at the Nackington Road End. Three runs and another no-ball off the over.
Eight close fielders now, seven of them crowding the bat.
12 balls to come. Surely they'll stop with three remaining?
Post update
Kent 77-6 v Notts - target 168
Couple of runs plus a no-ball in that over from Asitha Fernando.
Only 91 needed now from three overs. It's mathematically possible, I guess...
Post update
Kent 73-6 v Notts - target 168
10 straight maidens.
Four overs remain.
Asitha Fernando is coming back on. Calvin Harrison already had the ball in hand and the umpire had his hat. Poor lad.
WICKET Compton c Slater b Montgomery 7
Kent 73-6 v Notts - target 168
Now then. After an hour and 20 minutes for seven runs off 57 balls Ben Compton has popped one up to short leg Ben Slater off Matt Montgomery.
Aron Nijjar joins Joey Evison.
You reckon Notts will keep going now?
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
Hours roll into days, days become weeks and weeks turn into months... and Kent will still be 73-5.
Surely they will shake hands after the ninth straight maiden?
No...
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
No handshakes yet.
Calvin Harrison has conceded one single off five overs now.
Seven remain.
Start the car, Ethel...
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
Another maiden from Calvin Harrison is followed by one from Matt Montgomery who is on at the other end.
Notts are rattling through the overs.
Eight to come.
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
Another Dane Paterson maiden.
That's just two singles in the last four overs now.
Calvin Harrison continues to bowl at Joey Evison.
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
A maiden over from Calvin Harrison. Five fielders around Joey Evison throughout.
Shadows are lengthening. The jeopardy is being sucked out of the contest ball by ball.
11 overs remain. Dane Paterson will continue. Kent are not interested in the 95 to win. They are settling for a draw in a game they bossed for pretty much three days.
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
How long will it be before handshakes are mentioned?
Notts might think one wicket brings two which might bring five... would they give up a couple of overs in exchange for getting on the M1 six minutes earlier?
Joey Evison is denied a shock boundary off a pull down the leg side by the sliding sub fielder Sam King. Just a single off the over.
A dozen remain. 95 the notional target.
Post update
Kent 72-5 v Notts - target 168
Calvin Harrison is certainly getting some turn. Four fielders around the bat but Ben Compton sends it past Matt Montgomery at short leg.
Just one off the over. Compton is on seven from 34 balls, Joeu Evison has eight from 21.
13 remain. 96 needed.
Post update
Kent 70-5 v Notts - target 168
Yelp from Dane Paterson as Joey Evison edges the paceman through the vacant slip area for four runs.
14 overs to come. 97 runs needed if Evison, or indeed Ben Compton, want to go for it...
Post update
Kent 66-5 v Notts - target 168
Leggy Calvin Harrison is turning it into the left-hander Ben Compton and just fizzes one past the edge, but also the timbers.
Pressure is on Kent now.
They were 52-3 from eight overs. They are 66-5 from 17 overs.
Post update
Kent 66-5 v Notts - target 168
Ben Compton pulls Dane Paterson to Haseeb Hameed in the deep for a single. No aggression in it at all.
Notts are bringing the helmets on. Here comes some spin. Calvin Harrison is on.
16 overs remain. 102 to win, but that feels increasingly irrelevant.
BEARS BEAT NORTHANTS BY TWO WICKETS
Warwickshire (147-4 dec & 176-8, 19 pts) beat Northants (250 & 70-2 dec) by two wickets
Michael Burgess finishes it off a full toss.
His third six in three overs and the Bears have won a breathless thriller by just two wickets.
A matchwinning stand of 52 between Burgess and the amazing Oliver Hannon-Dalby, with an almost flawless 9 not out off 42 balls.
it was a bold Northants declaration that Luke Procter contrived with opposing skipper Will Rhodes this morning.
It looked like it had been loaded too far in the Bears' favour initially until Ben Sanderson's hat-trick reduced the hosts to 24-5.
But Burgess, wirth help from Ed Barnard (41) and OHD and two dropped catches, saw it through,
Live Reporting
Ged Scott, Alex Hoad and Ben Pheazey
All times stated are UK
Stu Forster - Getty ImagesCopyright: Stu Forster - Getty Images Warwickshire's six-hitting matchwinner Michael BurgessImage caption: Warwickshire's six-hitting matchwinner Michael Burgess 
REXCopyright: REX Dane Vilas hit a ton in his final innings for LancashireImage caption: Dane Vilas hit a ton in his final innings for Lancashire
Latest PostThat's All Folks
Well what a breathless day of cricket that was.
A nerve-shredding two-wicket victory for Warwickshire, chasing just 176 to win following contrived declarations from both Northants and the Bears.
After being rocked by a Ben Sanderson hat trick to slip to 24-5, Michael Burgess hit 78 not out, although he nearly holed out off a late skier right at the end, dropped by Jack White.
While Northants edge closer to the drop, it remains a battle as to who will join them in Division Two next season.
Kent and Notts drew at Canterbury, while Middlesex ground out a vital draw with Lancashire after looking in trouble when they slipped to 71-3, still more than 100 in arears at Old Trafford.
But the visitors secured a potentially precious five extra points for a draw to deny Dane Vilas in his last game as a Lancashire player.
Notts' spirited effort was speaheaded by a six-hour 141 from Joe Clarke to leave Kent needing 168 in 32 overs. But Zak Crawley fell in the second over and Kent were left hanging on in the end.
The pick of the Division Two games was at Hove, where Leicestershire fell 15 runs short of a record victory chase as Sussex won to revive their own outside promotion hopes, while there were safety first draws at Bristol and Cardiff.
We'll be back on Tuesday for the penultimate round of Championship matches.
Can Essex pip Surrey for the title? Who will avoid the drop to Division Two? And can Worcestershire, who play already promored Durham, be edged out of the second promotion slot by either Leicestershire or Sussex?
Next week's fixtures
Tues 19 Sept - Fri 22 Sept
Division One
Chelmsford: Essex v Hampshire
Manchester: Lancashire v Nottinghamshire
Lord's: Middlesex v Warwickshire
Taunton: Somerset v Kent
The Oval: Surrey v Northamptonshire
Division Two
Derby: Derbyshire v Sussex
Leicester: Leicestershire v Yorkshire
New Road: Worcestershire v Durham
Close of play scoreboard
Canterbury: Kent (446 & 86-6, 12 pts) drew with Nottinghamshire (265 & 348, 8 pts)
Old Trafford: Lancashire (413, 12 pts) drew with Middlesex (194 & 160-3, 8 pts)
Edgbaston: Warwickshire (147-4 dec & 176-8, 19 pts) beat Northamptonshire (250 & 72-0 dec) by two wickets
Division Two
Cardiff: Glamorgan (273 & 401-5, 8 pts) draw with Yorkshire (500, 13 pts)
Bristol: Gloucestershire (377 & 208-6 dec, 11 pts) drew with Derbyshire (403, 11 pts)
Hove: Sussex (262 & 344-9 dec, 20 pts) beat Leicestershire (108 & 483, 3 pts) by 15 runs
KENT DRAW WITH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
Kent 86-6 v Notts - target 168
The teams shake hands with three balls remaining.
This will feel more like a defeat than anything for Kent, who had Notts 180-7 and still in arrears this morning, however 141* from Joe Clarke and a career-best 84 from Brett Hutton caused them immense frustration and led to a larger, quicker chase than they were capable of.
Zak Crawley, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jack Leaning all went in a flash and when Tawanda Muyeye departed for 28, down came the shutters.
Post update
Kent 86-6 v Notts - target 168
Streaky edge from Aron Nijjar from Asitha Fernando flies between the keeper and leg slip, who almost dived into one another.
Six balls remain.
Post update
Kent 82-6 v Notts - target 168
Calvin Harrison is back on at the Nackington Road End. Three runs and another no-ball off the over.
Eight close fielders now, seven of them crowding the bat.
12 balls to come. Surely they'll stop with three remaining?
Post update
Kent 77-6 v Notts - target 168
Couple of runs plus a no-ball in that over from Asitha Fernando.
Only 91 needed now from three overs. It's mathematically possible, I guess...
Post update
Kent 73-6 v Notts - target 168
10 straight maidens.
Four overs remain.
Asitha Fernando is coming back on. Calvin Harrison already had the ball in hand and the umpire had his hat. Poor lad.
WICKET Compton c Slater b Montgomery 7
Kent 73-6 v Notts - target 168
Now then. After an hour and 20 minutes for seven runs off 57 balls Ben Compton has popped one up to short leg Ben Slater off Matt Montgomery.
Aron Nijjar joins Joey Evison.
You reckon Notts will keep going now?
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
Hours roll into days, days become weeks and weeks turn into months... and Kent will still be 73-5.
Surely they will shake hands after the ninth straight maiden?
No...
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
No handshakes yet.
Calvin Harrison has conceded one single off five overs now.
Seven remain.
Start the car, Ethel...
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
Another maiden from Calvin Harrison is followed by one from Matt Montgomery who is on at the other end.
Notts are rattling through the overs.
Eight to come.
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
Another Dane Paterson maiden.
That's just two singles in the last four overs now.
Calvin Harrison continues to bowl at Joey Evison.
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
A maiden over from Calvin Harrison. Five fielders around Joey Evison throughout.
Shadows are lengthening. The jeopardy is being sucked out of the contest ball by ball.
11 overs remain. Dane Paterson will continue. Kent are not interested in the 95 to win. They are settling for a draw in a game they bossed for pretty much three days.
Post update
Kent 73-5 v Notts - target 168
How long will it be before handshakes are mentioned?
Notts might think one wicket brings two which might bring five... would they give up a couple of overs in exchange for getting on the M1 six minutes earlier?
Joey Evison is denied a shock boundary off a pull down the leg side by the sliding sub fielder Sam King. Just a single off the over.
A dozen remain. 95 the notional target.
Post update
Kent 72-5 v Notts - target 168
Calvin Harrison is certainly getting some turn. Four fielders around the bat but Ben Compton sends it past Matt Montgomery at short leg.
Just one off the over. Compton is on seven from 34 balls, Joeu Evison has eight from 21.
13 remain. 96 needed.
Post update
Kent 70-5 v Notts - target 168
Yelp from Dane Paterson as Joey Evison edges the paceman through the vacant slip area for four runs.
14 overs to come. 97 runs needed if Evison, or indeed Ben Compton, want to go for it...
Post update
Kent 66-5 v Notts - target 168
Leggy Calvin Harrison is turning it into the left-hander Ben Compton and just fizzes one past the edge, but also the timbers.
Pressure is on Kent now.
They were 52-3 from eight overs. They are 66-5 from 17 overs.
Post update
Kent 66-5 v Notts - target 168
Ben Compton pulls Dane Paterson to Haseeb Hameed in the deep for a single. No aggression in it at all.
Notts are bringing the helmets on. Here comes some spin. Calvin Harrison is on.
16 overs remain. 102 to win, but that feels increasingly irrelevant.
BEARS BEAT NORTHANTS BY TWO WICKETS
Warwickshire (147-4 dec & 176-8, 19 pts) beat Northants (250 & 70-2 dec) by two wickets
Michael Burgess finishes it off a full toss.
His third six in three overs and the Bears have won a breathless thriller by just two wickets.
A matchwinning stand of 52 between Burgess and the amazing Oliver Hannon-Dalby, with an almost flawless 9 not out off 42 balls.
it was a bold Northants declaration that Luke Procter contrived with opposing skipper Will Rhodes this morning.
It looked like it had been loaded too far in the Bears' favour initially until Ben Sanderson's hat-trick reduced the hosts to 24-5.
But Burgess, wirth help from Ed Barnard (41) and OHD and two dropped catches, saw it through,