Dom Sibley batted for greater than 4 hours for his third century of the season earlier than champions Surrey lifted the County Championship trophy following an attritional draw with Essex at Chelmsford.
Surrey celebrated a 3rd straight title after a season during which they gained eight of their 14 matches, however, apart from Sibley’s 189-ball 125, they had been comprehensively second greatest in opposition to Essex.
Sibley dominated half-century stands with Dan Lawrence and Josh Blake earlier than turning into the sixth man out, with Surrey nonetheless nominally 143 runs shy of creating Essex bat once more.
The sport petered out in comedy style as Essex bowlers modified bowling kinds earlier than handshakes had been exchanged at 16:10 BST, with Surrey 267-7.
Essex took three wickets in 10 overs within the morning to introduce just a little stress to proceedings earlier than the sport meandered in direction of the inevitable draw.
Yousef Majid prolonged his nightwatchman duties by simply over half-an-hour on a gray morning earlier than he tried to play Simon Harmer to leg however popped up a catch in the other way to quick additional cowl.
Ryan Patel was unbalanced by Jamie Porter and departed lbw, whereas Ben Geddes was crushed by one from Harmer that turned and jagged again his off-stump.
Sibley dominated the primary 50 of the fifth-wicket stand with Lawrence amid a flurry of pushed and well-placed boundaries.
Lawrence contributed simply 14 of these runs and 27 of the 75 they finally placed on earlier than Shane Snater trapped him lbw.
Runs dried up at that time, 10 overs passing with no boundary earlier than Sibley stroked again Sam Prepare dinner for his 14th 4 to achieve three figures from 168 balls.
He celebrated by happening on one knee and launching Matt Critchley out of the bottom over lengthy leg for under the second six of the match.
Critchley gained a measure of revenge when Sibley drove uppishly in direction of mid-off the place Prepare dinner took the catch, whereas Ollie Sykes’ debut lasted two balls earlier than he fell to Tom Westley.
Report equipped by ECB Reporters’ Community.