Middlesex beat Yorkshire to claim County Championship

Toby Roland-Jones claimed a hat-trick as Middlesex beat Yorkshire by 61 runs to win a first County Championship since 1993.

Somerset thrashed a woeful Notts by 325 runs to go top of the table on Thursday and would have been crowned champions if the Lord's match between Yorkshire and Middlesex ended in a draw.

However, Middlesex's contrived declaration of 359-6 left Yorkshire needing 240 off 40 overs but Roland-Jones finished with 10 wickets to ensure the 61-run win.

Yorkshire collapsed to 178 all out, Roland-Jones claiming the final two wickets in successive deliveries to clinch victory with less than five overs to spare. He also claimed a wicket with the last ball of his previous over.

Somerset, who beat Nottinghamshire on Thursday, would have won the title for the first time if the game at Lord's had ended in a draw.

That looked the likely outcome when Yorkshire laboured to 153 for five but Roland-Jones completed figures of six for 54 as the visitors lost their last five wickets for 18 runs to give Middlesex the trophy for the first time since 1993.

"We've remained unbeaten and that was something we were very proud of going into this game," said Middlesex captain James Franklin.

"We just wanted to put a good show on. We were on the back foot for pretty much the whole game.

"To finally get over the line is testament to our group of players, our coaching staff, the belief - we just grew from last year and here we are holding the cup.

"It's for everyone here at Middlesex."