The County Championship: England's Oldest Domestic Cricket Competition
The County Championship is the oldest domestic first-class cricket competition in the world, dating from 1890. This guide explains its history, format and the counties that have dominated it.
The County Championship is England's premier domestic first-class cricket competition and the oldest continuous domestic cricket competition in the world. Officially constituted in 1890 (though county matches had been played informally for decades before), it features 18 county teams playing four-day matches across two divisions. The County Championship is the backbone of English cricket — it produces the England national team's players, develops Test-quality technique through long-form cricket, and has remained the primary domestic competition despite the growth of T20 and the Hundred. Counties represent geographic regions of England and Wales, and local identity remains strong in county cricket.
Format and Structure
The County Championship is divided into Division One (10 teams) and Division Two (8 teams), with promotion and relegation operating between them. Division One teams play each other home and away (18 matches per team) across the English summer, typically from April to September. Points are awarded for wins (16 points), draws (5 points each), bonus points for batting (up to 5 per innings based on runs scored in the first 110 overs) and bowling (up to 3 based on wickets taken). The team with the most points at the end of the season is County Champion. Yorkshire and Surrey are the most successful counties historically, with Yorkshire having won the Championship 33 times.
The County Championship's Role in England Cricket
The County Championship serves as the primary pathway to the England national team. ECB selection policy has emphasised County Championship performance as the key criterion for Test selection, particularly since the 2022 Bazball era under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. County cricket's four-day format prepares players for the demands of Test cricket — playing long sessions, building big innings, bowling in extended spells — in a way that T20 cannot replicate. The growth of the Hundred and county T20 blast has created tension between short-form commercial cricket and the long-form development function the County Championship serves.
Frequently asked questions
How many counties play in the County Championship?
18 counties play in the County Championship, split into Division One (10 teams) and Division Two (8 teams). The 18 counties are: Surrey, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Warwickshire, Kent, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Middlesex, Essex, Glamorgan, Durham, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, and Sussex.
Who has won the County Championship the most times?
Yorkshire has won the County Championship 33 times — more than any other county. Surrey has won it 20 times. Middlesex 13 times. Kent 7 times. Lancashire 9 times.
When is the County Championship season?
The County Championship season runs from approximately April to September, following the English summer. Division One matches are played from April, with the season concluding in late September. Counties also play the T20 Blast (June-August) and one-day cup competition within the same summer, creating a busy schedule for players.