After Such A Damp Squib Of A Start Who Would've Expected Fireworks In The Late Lord's Summer Sun?

Joshua Peck looks at a season in which the drama built to that incredible climax of Middlesex's title clincher.

- Joshua Peck

The finale of the 2016 season will still be talked about in ten, 20 and even 50 years time with all cricket fans knowing exactly where they were when Toby Roland-Jones took that hat-trick.

The thrilling final day which saw Yorkshire, Somerset and eventual title winners Middlesex all in with a chance of winning the title was simply the end of a brilliant year of cricket, however.

Fans of Essex were also celebrating as they gained promotion into Division One so now, with the new season just a week away, we take a look back at the story of 2016…

April

Summer arrived with, predictably, plenty of rain. That combined with the new toss rule that was introduced for the 2016 season saw just five out of the 19 matches scheduled for April end with a positive result. Indeed, Worcestershire suffered their first complete abandonment since New Road’s great flood of 2007 as their opening clash with Kent was washed out without a ball bowled.

There were just two teams gaining victory in Division One with Nottinghamshire edging one team who had been promoted into the top tier in Surrey before being defeated by the other – Lancashire.

While Kent and Worcestershire were raging at the weather, Essex got their promotion-pushing campaign off to the perfect start in Division Two. Alastair Cook, who was available for the opening four games of the Championship, made two centuries in the month as Essex won two of their first three games.