The 2025 County Championship concluded with remarkable drama, as Durham suffered a stunning final-day collapse that saw them relegated from Division One in spectacular fashion. This capped off a summer where underdogs rose to prominence and established powers faced unexpected challenges.
In a remarkable turnaround for the East Midlands, Nottinghamshire dethroned the heavily-favored Surrey to claim the Division One title, while Leicestershire dominated Division Two, securing promotion with matches to spare. Both clubs had recently been considered among the competition’s strugglers, making their ascension particularly noteworthy. Nottinghamshire had endured a prolonged period without Championship success as recently as 2021, while Leicestershire spent 22 consecutive seasons in the second tier. Under the leadership of captains Haseeb Hameed and Peter Handscomb, both teams developed cohesive units that achieved beyond expectations.
Individual performances shone throughout the season. Somerset’s Tom Banton delivered an extraordinary 371-run innings against Worcestershire, setting a new county record and marking a personal resurgence for a player who had previously struggled with his enjoyment of the game. Despite limited returns in his other first-class appearances, his efforts earned him selection for England’s white-ball squads.
The season also featured compelling comeback stories. Nottinghamshire’s Josh Tongue, returning from a year-long injury absence, produced a match-winning spell against Surrey at The Oval. With the defending champions needing just 46 runs for victory, Tongue’s fiery pace bowling claimed two wickets in a single over, turning the match and finishing with five wickets in the innings.
Meanwhile, Jordan Cox experienced continued frustration with international aspirations, missing potential Test selection for the second time due to injury. After a broken thumb cost him a debut against New Zealand the previous winter, an abdominal strain sustained during a county match forced his withdrawal from England’s squad to face Zimbabwe.
Despite surrendering their title, Surrey continued to champion the longer format of the game, attracting record-breaking crowds for Championship matches, including nearly 15,000 spectators for their fixture against Essex.
Northamptonshire’s Saif Zaib produced one of the season’s outstanding individual performances, finishing as the competition’s leading run-scorer across both divisions with six centuries and 1,425 runs. His remarkable form, however, did not secure selection for the England Lions tour to Australia.
The season proved challenging for Lancashire and Kent, both relegated in 2024 but expected to make immediate returns. Lancashire struggled throughout, losing their captain and coach by May and failing to register a single victory. Kent’s campaign was even more disappointing, finishing at the bottom of Division Two after a season hampered by injuries.
Several young players emerged as future prospects, with Leicestershire’s Rehan Ahmed particularly impressive. The 21-year-old all-rounder became the first England player since Ian Botham to score a century and take 13 wickets in the same match, earning selection for the Lions tour alongside other promising talents.
Off the field, attempts to restructure the Championship schedule proved contentious. Proposals to reduce the fixture list by just one match, even with additional one-day competitions, failed to achieve the necessary support from counties. The deadlock prompted threats of industrial action from the Professional Cricketers’ Association, ensuring the debate over the competition’s format would continue into the winter.
