Lancashire clinched the second promotion spot from Division Two of the County Championship by batting through the final day for a draw with Kent at Canterbury.
The Red Rose county only needed five points from the game to be sure of top-flight cricket next summer and collected eight, despite being outplayed for much of the game.
Skipper Steven Croft (72) and Alex Davies (58) shared an unbroken stand of 120 before the match came to an end.
SUSSEX WIN DESPITE CLARKE CENTURY
Sussex beat Worcestershire by an innings and 63 runs
An unbeaten 104 by highly-rated batting prospect Joe Clarke was not enough to save Worcestershire from an innings defeat by Sussex on the final day at New Road.
They were bowled out for 237 and are eight points adrift at the foot of the Division One table, with only two games left to play.
Clarke hit 14 fours in his 185-ball innings, while spinner Ashar Zaidi (3-55) was the most successful Sussex bowler.
Steadfast Lancashire eyeing promotion
Kent 570-8 dec, Lancashire 259 & 175-4 - tea, day four
"Lancashire continued to put up the Great Wall of china after lunch, losing only one wicket.
"Haseeb Hameed's (44) marathon 138-ball innings came to an end when he was bowled by Calum Haggett, splaying two of his stumps.
"Steven Croft and Alex Davies put up a stout defence for the remainder of the session.
"31 overs remain in the day. A draw is on the cards which will seal Lancashire's promotion."
Gloucestershire begin run-chase
Leicestershire 415 & 155-9 dec, Gloucestershire 269-8 dec & 58-0
Gloucestershire made a promising start to their task of scoring 302 to beat Leicestershire on the final day at Grace Road.
Skipper Will Tavare's enterprising declaration during the morning enabled the home side to increase their lead and leave Gloucestershire a run-chase.
Dan Redfern top-scored with 74 for Leicestershire, who failed to separate Tavare and opening partner Chris Dent before tea, with a minimum of 42 overs remaining.
Middlesex heading for draw
Middlesex 207 & 121-5, Warwickshire 254 - tea, day four
"Middlesex are 121-5 at tea on the final day, with a lead of just 74.
"A minimum of 37 overs remain to be bowled and for the time being Warwickshire are being kept at bay.
"Jeetan Patel, who has three of the wickets to fall, remains a great threat though on a well-worn track."
SURREY WIN PROMOTION TO DIVISION ONE
Derbyshire 313 & 149, Surrey 560 - Surrey won by an innings and 98 runs
Skipper Gareth Batty finished the match with a hat-trick as Surrey beat Derbyshire at The Oval to seal promotion back to County Championship Division One.
Batty dismissed Tony Palladino, Mark Footitt and Ben Cotton with successive deliveries for figures of 6-51 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 149.
Sussex close in on crucial victory
Worcestershire 210 & 101-6, Sussex 510-5 - lunch, day four
"Despite losing 12 overs to a combination of bad light and rain, Sussex are closing in on victory at New Road.
"Chris Jordan with two and Ashar Zaidi have taken the wickets and with the weather improving Sussex have a further 67 overs to take the remaining four Worcestershire wickets."
"Plenty of fight and determination showed by Lancashire this morning as they look to deny Kent a win and seal promotion in process.
"Eighteen year old Haseeb Hameed has shown great maturity and patience in defence, and looked unflustered despite a hostile spell from Matt Coles.
"Runs dried up as Kent bowled six successive maidens, but crucially for Lancashire they have seven wickets in hand heading into the afternoon."
Chambers impresses against former county
Essex 360 & 151-5, Northants 275 - lunch, day four
Northants paceman Maurice Chambers picked up two wickets on the final morning against his former county Essex, but the rain-hit game at Cheltenham looks set for a draw.
Chambers bowled Tom Westley early on before removing Jesse Ryder just before lunch.
But Essex hold a lead of 236 and with just two sessions remaining a positive result looks unlikely.
"Warwickshire's hopes of forcing a win in this rain-shortened match may rest largely with Jeetan Patel, who can look forward to assistance this afternoon from a worn pitch first used on T20 Finals Day.
"However the early wicket the Bears needed was taken by Keith Barker in another accurate spell of swing bowling, his inswinger hitting Paul Stirling in front of the stumps.
"Middlesex bowled tightly this morning to prevent Warwickshire scoring as quickly as they would have wanted and a draw remains the most likely result."
Surrey closing in on promotion
Surrey 560, Derbyshire 313 & 78-3 - lunch, day four
"Three early wickets for Surrey but a partnership between Wayne Madsen and Wes Durston then steadied the Derbyshire ship.
"The hosts know if they win today they will be promoted and the Curran brothers gave them the perfect start which saw Derbyshire in deep trouble at 9-3.
"But Durston and Madsen played very well although Gareth Batty was causing trouble straight away when he came into the attack."
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Warwickshire drew with Middlesex
Sussex beat Worcestershire by an innings and 63 runs
Essex drew with Northants
Kent drew with Lancashire
Leicestershire drew with Gloucestershire
Surrey beat Derbyshire by an innings and 98 runs
LANCASHIRE PROMOTED AFTER DRAW
Kent 570-8 dec, Lancashire 259 & 258-4
Lancashire clinched the second promotion spot from Division Two of the County Championship by batting through the final day for a draw with Kent at Canterbury.
The Red Rose county only needed five points from the game to be sure of top-flight cricket next summer and collected eight, despite being outplayed for much of the game.
Skipper Steven Croft (72) and Alex Davies (58) shared an unbroken stand of 120 before the match came to an end.
SUSSEX WIN DESPITE CLARKE CENTURY
Sussex beat Worcestershire by an innings and 63 runs
An unbeaten 104 by highly-rated batting prospect Joe Clarke was not enough to save Worcestershire from an innings defeat by Sussex on the final day at New Road.
They were bowled out for 237 and are eight points adrift at the foot of the Division One table, with only two games left to play.
Clarke hit 14 fours in his 185-ball innings, while spinner Ashar Zaidi (3-55) was the most successful Sussex bowler.
Steadfast Lancashire eyeing promotion
Kent 570-8 dec, Lancashire 259 & 175-4 - tea, day four
BBC Sport's Isabelle Duncan at Canterbury:
"Lancashire continued to put up the Great Wall of china after lunch, losing only one wicket.
"Haseeb Hameed's (44) marathon 138-ball innings came to an end when he was bowled by Calum Haggett, splaying two of his stumps.
"Steven Croft and Alex Davies put up a stout defence for the remainder of the session.
"31 overs remain in the day. A draw is on the cards which will seal Lancashire's promotion."
Gloucestershire begin run-chase
Leicestershire 415 & 155-9 dec, Gloucestershire 269-8 dec & 58-0
Gloucestershire made a promising start to their task of scoring 302 to beat Leicestershire on the final day at Grace Road.
Skipper Will Tavare's enterprising declaration during the morning enabled the home side to increase their lead and leave Gloucestershire a run-chase.
Dan Redfern top-scored with 74 for Leicestershire, who failed to separate Tavare and opening partner Chris Dent before tea, with a minimum of 42 overs remaining.
Middlesex heading for draw
Middlesex 207 & 121-5, Warwickshire 254 - tea, day four
BBC London 94.9's Kevin Hand at Edgbaston:
"Middlesex are 121-5 at tea on the final day, with a lead of just 74.
"A minimum of 37 overs remain to be bowled and for the time being Warwickshire are being kept at bay.
"Jeetan Patel, who has three of the wickets to fall, remains a great threat though on a well-worn track."
SURREY WIN PROMOTION TO DIVISION ONE
Derbyshire 313 & 149, Surrey 560 - Surrey won by an innings and 98 runs
Skipper Gareth Batty finished the match with a hat-trick as Surrey beat Derbyshire at The Oval to seal promotion back to County Championship Division One.
Batty dismissed Tony Palladino, Mark Footitt and Ben Cotton with successive deliveries for figures of 6-51 as Derbyshire were bowled out for 149.
Sussex close in on crucial victory
Worcestershire 210 & 101-6, Sussex 510-5 - lunch, day four
BBC Sussex's Adrian Harms at New Road:
"Despite losing 12 overs to a combination of bad light and rain, Sussex are closing in on victory at New Road.
"Chris Jordan with two and Ashar Zaidi have taken the wickets and with the weather improving Sussex have a further 67 overs to take the remaining four Worcestershire wickets."
Hameed leads Lancs resistance
Kent 570-8 dec, Lancashire 259 & 118-3
BBC Radio Manchester's Scott Read at Canterbury:
"Plenty of fight and determination showed by Lancashire this morning as they look to deny Kent a win and seal promotion in process.
"Eighteen year old Haseeb Hameed has shown great maturity and patience in defence, and looked unflustered despite a hostile spell from Matt Coles.
"Runs dried up as Kent bowled six successive maidens, but crucially for Lancashire they have seven wickets in hand heading into the afternoon."
Chambers impresses against former county
Essex 360 & 151-5, Northants 275 - lunch, day four
Northants paceman Maurice Chambers picked up two wickets on the final morning against his former county Essex, but the rain-hit game at Cheltenham looks set for a draw.
Chambers bowled Tom Westley early on before removing Jesse Ryder just before lunch.
But Essex hold a lead of 236 and with just two sessions remaining a positive result looks unlikely.
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Glos set to face run-chase
Leicestershire 415 & 87-4, Gloucestershire 269-8 dec - lunch, day four
Gloucestershire's declaration 146 runs behind at Grace Road has set up the possibility of a positive result to the game against Leicestershire.
The home side lost both openers cheaply at the start of their second innings, but Dan Redfern made an unbeaten 35 as they reached lunch 233 in front.
Draw on cards at Edgbaston
Middlesex 207 & 29-1, Warwickshire 254 - lunch day four
BBC WM's Mike Taylor at Edgbaston:
"Warwickshire's hopes of forcing a win in this rain-shortened match may rest largely with Jeetan Patel, who can look forward to assistance this afternoon from a worn pitch first used on T20 Finals Day.
"However the early wicket the Bears needed was taken by Keith Barker in another accurate spell of swing bowling, his inswinger hitting Paul Stirling in front of the stumps.
"Middlesex bowled tightly this morning to prevent Warwickshire scoring as quickly as they would have wanted and a draw remains the most likely result."
Surrey closing in on promotion
Surrey 560, Derbyshire 313 & 78-3 - lunch, day four
BBC London 94.9's March Church at the Oval:
"Three early wickets for Surrey but a partnership between Wayne Madsen and Wes Durston then steadied the Derbyshire ship.
"The hosts know if they win today they will be promoted and the Curran brothers gave them the perfect start which saw Derbyshire in deep trouble at 9-3.
"But Durston and Madsen played very well although Gareth Batty was causing trouble straight away when he came into the attack."
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(All matches start at 10:30 BST)
Leicestershire v Gloucestershire - BBC Radio Leicester
Kent v Lancashire - BBC Radio Kent
Essex v Northants - BBC Essex