| Div 1 | Played | Won | Lost | NRR | Points |
| Middlesex | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0.41 | 20 |
| Sussex | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1.09 | 16 |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0.87 | 16 |
| Kent | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0.86 | 16 |
| Lancashire | 6 | 3 | 3 | -0.13 | 12 |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 3 | 3 | -0.23 | 12 |
| Surrey | 6 | 2 | 4 | -0.98 | 8 |
| Worcestershire | 6 | 1 | 5 | -0.94 | 4 |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 1 | 5 | -0.99 | 4 |
A century from Bryony Smith brought Middlesex’s unbeaten run in the T20 Cup to an end at Banstead, but Middlesex stay top of Div 1 after thrashing Notts earlier in the day. Smith carried her bat for 109* supported by Aylish Cranstone (43) as Surrey posted 178-3; and Eva Gray then dismissed both Middlesex openers for ducks on the way to bowling Middlesex out for 89.
Three other teams remain in the hunt going into the final round next Sunday. Sussex picked up two wins at Edgbaston – Freya Davies (4-8) starring with the ball v Warwickshire, and Georgia Adams (61) with the bat v Lancashire. Warwickshire also kept themselves in the reckoning with a good win over Lancashire.
Meanwhile at Kidderminster Alice Davidson-Richards (37) top scored for Kent as they posted 135 v Worcestershire, who crawled to 88-8 in reply; and Kent then consigned Yorkshire to a 5th straight defeat as they restricted them to 103-6, which they chased in 18 overs.
Yorkshire did then pick up their first win of the season to beat Worcestershire, chasing Worcestershire’s 94-7 in 17.1 overs, with Abi Glen top-scoring with 30*.
The title will be decided next weekend, with Middlesex, Kent and Warwickshire all playing each other, while Sussex will be hoping to sneak up on the outside on Net Run Rate* as they face Worcestershire and Notts.
(* Assuming it doesn’t rain, I think Sussex can only win it on NRR – the maximum they can get is 24; which Middlesex will have if they win just one match, whilst if Middlesex lose both their matches, one of Kent or Warwickshire will have 24.)
[** Update – It is even more complicated than that – see comments!!]
In Div 2, Hampshire picked up two more wins, to stay top with 6-from-6; but Wales and Scotland remain close behind with 5 wins – two of those three will be promoted next weekend, when Hampshire play Wales and Northants while Scotland face Berkshire and Cheshire.
CRICKETher 
The proposition that Sussex can only win it on NRR is only true if NRR is the method by which a 2-way tie is resolved. I thought that the match result between the 2 teams would determine a 2-way tie (and then NRR if that match was tied, cancelled or abandoned).
If 2-way ties are resolved by the result of the respective match, then (ignoring ties/weather) NRR is unlikely to be needed.
There are 2 combinations of results (ignoring ties/weather) where 3 teams will end up on 24pts (there are no outcomes where all 4 can end up on the same points). These are (1) Sussex win both matches, K beat M, M beat W, K beat W and (2) Sussex win both matches, M beat K, W beat M, W beat K
There are various ways one could determine the winners of a 3-way tie. For example, just NNR; or it could be (in the spirit of the 2 way tie) that one makes a mini table of the matches between those 3 teams. What do the regulations state ?
As long as weather (and multiple result ties) do not intervene, those 3-way match point ties are the only set of results that might (depending on how they resolve 3 way ties) require NRR.
The above will be a relief to Middlesex, who have the worst NRR. The fact Middlesex are already 4 pts ahead of the others and beat Sussex put them in a very strong position. Middlesex still have to win at least one match (if they lose both they definately cannot win it) whilst all the other teams have to win BOTH their matches to stand a chance of winning it.
The ‘must win both matches’ point above might not be obvious from the current standings but the fact K, M and W are playing each other makes this so. Think of it like this; whichever way you slice the K/M/W results at least one team ends up on at least 24 pts – therefore any winner will need at least 24pts. QED.
If this isn’t already not clear, then add in weather. Play Cricket indicates 1 point for a tie, cancellation and abandonment. So 4pts for a win and only 1pt if you get rained off – how totally bonkers is that ? Anyway save that for another (rainy) day.
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Thanks – I always get that wrong – I assume NRR and it never is that simple!! I have amended the piece to point-up this comment.
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Having just read the Regs; Regulation 13.2.1 more or less confirms it is the result of the bi-lateral match that determines a 2-way tie.
If you want a real headache, read the Regs, and try to work out what happens if there is a 3-way tie (and there are 2 result scenarios that would lead to a 3-way tie).
Reg 13.2.1 states “When more than two teams have equal points, the team which was the winner of the most number of matches played between those teams will be placed in the higher position”.
In the case of S, K and M tying on 24pts then Kent win (2 wins, compared to 1 by Midd and none by Sussex). Easy.
In the case of S, M and W tying on 24pts then they all have 1 win each – so off to Reg 13.2.2 :-
“If still equal or if the teams with equal points did not play each other in the Group matches, the team with the higher net run rate in the Group Matches in which a result was achieved will be placed in the higher position”
This is ambiguous. Does it refer to calculating the NNR over (a) all the matches or (b) just those involving the teams in the n-way tie.
Logically (given 13.2.1 effectively creates a mini-table involving just the results of the matches between the n-way tied teams) one would think it has to be (b). If this is so, then someone will have to create a mini-table from just the results of the matches between S, M and W to establish the NRR from those matches –something that can’t happen until after the M/W match.
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