Nothing resembling a chance yet for Kent.

Lancashire are content at this stage to pick up ones and twos - the deficit is now 36.

It goes without saying Middlesex must force the pace this morning if they are to set Nottinghamshire any kind of target and give themselves even a sniff of bowling the home side out to stave off relegation.

First task is to wipe out those first-innings arrears of 18... they need eight more as Jake Ball runs in to begin the day's entertainment, bowling to Sam Robson.

Sorry, folks.

Still a bit of moisture out there.

We had one pitch inspection here at 9.45 and we're told there will be another one at 11.00.

No matter what happens today, the Championship title stays with Surrey after their closest rivals Essex were bowled out for less than 400 in their first innings at Northampton yesterday, missing out on crucial bonus points.

Surrey have won the Championship 21 times now.

But the race for third place is still on.

Hampshire will finish third if they take the last four Surrey wickets for less than 73 runs.

If that doesn't happen and Warwickshire manage at least a draw at home to Somerset, then Warwickshire pip the south coast county to third.

Sai Sudharsan and Jordan Clark both made crucial 50s for Surrey on first innings and they return to the middle to try and see their side over the line.

Mohammad Abbas will bowl to Clark.

Kent have an awful lot of work to do if they are to somehow force a win from this game.

Keaton Jennings and Luke Wells are 52 and 69 not out respectively and their first order of business will be to score 42 more runs to put Lancashire into the lead.

Jennings is on strike. Nathan Gilchrist will bow the opening over.

Alex Hoad
BBC Sport at Canterbury

A lot of laughter and smiles on the field at Canterbury, some very serious football warm-ups taking place for both Kent and Lancashire.

Off the field however the Kent fans in particular are a little more quiet. There are plenty of earpieces on show already as they know their club's hopes of Division One survival will almost certainly be decided 192 miles up the motorway.

It feels very much like the calm before the storm.

Don't rule out an arranged run chase here either, should Kent get wind of a similar situation at Trent Bridge.

Image source, Alex Hoad BBC Sport

Essex's title challenge petered out with back to back defeats by Hampshire and Northamptonshire and so thoughts begin to turn to next summer.

One of the big questions is whether Sir Alastair Cook will be back in 2024 to strap on his pads once again. But it looks like we're all going to have to be patient before we know the answer.

It's been a long season, and once again they have travelled many miles, but our BBC local radio teams are in place to bring you full coverage of the last day of the county season.

Choose an audio stream at the top of the page to listen to live commentary and we'll keep you up to date with events elsewhere with regular text updates.

Scott Read
BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Getty Images

It's the end of a era for Lancashire today. After 30 years at the club, Glen Chapple leaves with legendary status. Player, captain and latterly head coach.

His achievements as a player alone would secure his place amongst the very best. Taking 1,373 wickets for Lancashire in all competitions across 664 appearances. Bowling Lancashire to victory for over two decades, bowling them to the title as captain in 2011.

As a player, he was unlucky to have missed out on international honours, apart from a solitary ODI. As Lancashire's head coach, three times they finished as County Championship runners up, and three times he took them to T20 Finals Day.

His impact on the club, on and off the field can't be overstated. Still with a year left on his contract, the club and Chapple are to part company. Seven years without a trophy, with the exception of winning Division Two, is a long time without silverware for a club that expects to win.

Chapple leaves Lancashire with wonderful memories, and a squad which has consistently come close to the success that supporters crave.

County Championship 2023 ends today.

Over the past few days, you have been voting for your overall team of the season using our long list of candidates.

We will be bringing you the final XI, as selected by you, during the final day's play in our eight remaining matches.

The 2022 XI was Compton, Jennings, Abell, Brook, Pujara, Foakes, Barnard, Harmer, Roland-Jones, Abbott, Potts.

Will any of them keep their place for a second year in a row?

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesex pace bowler Tom Helm says they have no alternative except to just 'go for it' as they try to avoid relegation on the final day of the Championship season.

As things stand, they still trail Notts by eight runs and need something approaching a miracle to better Kent's result against Lancashire and send them down instead.

"We are going to have to go at them. We are going to have to set them a score to have a chance to bowl them out and stay in the division," Helm told BBC Radio London.

"I can't put a number on it - that's a bit above my pay grade. It's going to be a really exciting day, there's a huge amount to play for."

Image source, Rex Features

Kent will stay focused on their own game and not worry too much about Middlesex as they try to avoid dropping into Division Two next season, according to coach Simon Cook.

If Middlesex were to win against Notts and Kent fail to beat Lancashire, they would go down, but Cook said that despite the situation, the team's mood were pretty buoyant.

"We've tried to focus on what's going on here. Obviously there is one eye on what's happening over there. The guys don't have their phones on them so they're not checking them all the time but we've got analysts in our dressing room so they can keep track of the score when required," he added.

"Because we're in a good amount of control in this game means that we don't necessarily need to look at that game."

Image source, Rex Features

Hampshire hope to take a little of the gloss off Surrey's Championship title win by inflicting only their second defeat of the season on the final day at the Ageas Bowl.

The champions need another 73 runs for what would be their ninth win of the campaign, while the home side need four wickets.

"We did pretty well to take six wickets. If we get a win, we'll end up finishing third, so that's we're striving to do," said Hampshire's Tom Prest, who dismissed Rory Burns and Ben Foakes.

"If I can really improve my bowling, it's another opportunity for me to get in the team and stay in the team - Daws [Liam Dawson] gets runs and wickets most games, and hopefully in the future I can do something like that."

Image source, Rex Features

Derbyshire skipper Leus du Plooy admitted to being "slightly surprised" by Glamorgan's declaration 149 runs behind on day three at Sophia Gardens.

Du Plooy joins Middlesex for next season and is hoping to sign off by leading Derbyshire to what would be their first Championship win of the season.

"The declaration was not discussed with me and we were slightly surprised, the ball's in our court and we're looking forward to the challenge," he told BBC Radio Derby.

"The worst thing that can happen (in deciding a Derbyshire declaration) is that we fail, but we grow as a team, it's fine. We'll try to get a result out of it."

We've had a fair amount of rain in the last couple of weeks but it looks like the weather gods are in a generous mood on the final day of the County Championship season.

"Looking like a fine Friday for most of us with sunny spells" is the BBC Weather verdict.

Division One

Hampshire 219 & 172 v Surrey 207 & 112-6

Surrey need 73 to win with 4 wickets standing

Kent 494 v Lancashire 327 & 126-0

Lancashire trail by 41 with 10 wickets standing

Nottinghamshire 384 v Middlesex 366 & 10-0

Middlesex trail by 8 with 10 wickets standing

Warwickshire 273 v Somerset 215 & 90-2

Somerset lead by 32 with 8 wickets standing

Division Two

Durham 457-8 dec v Leicestershire 143 & 13-0

Leicestershire trail by 301 with 10 wickets standing

Glamorgan 301-5 dec v Derbyshire 450-8 dec & 68-0

Derbyshire lead by 217 with 10 wickets standing

Sussex 202 & 505-7 dec v Gloucestershire 195 & 113-5

Gloucestershire need 400 to win with 5 wickets standing

Yorkshire 262-6 dec v Worcestershire 389 & 18-2

Worcestershire lead by 145 with 8 wickets standing

---Thursday's result---

Northamptonshire 369 v Essex 211 & 119

Northants won by an innings and 39 runs

Image source, Getty Images

It all began on Thursday 6 April and here we are 176 days later, ready to bring the curtain down on the 2023 County Championship.

Surrey are champions for the second year in a row, Durham and Worcestershire have made certain of playing Division One cricket next season.

There's only one thing left to settle. Will it be Kent or Middlesex who join Northamptonshire in dropping out of the top tier?

Welcome to our coverage of the final day of the final round of games. Play starts at 10.30.