The 2008 English cricket season was the 109th in which the County Championship had been an official competition. Four regular tournaments were played: The LV County Championship (first-class), Friends Provident Trophy (50 Over), NatWest Pro40 League (40 Over) and the Twenty20 Cup (T20). All four tournaments featured the eighteen classic county cricket teams, although the Friends Provident Trophy also featured teams from Ireland and Scotland.
In the county championship, Durham won their first championship title by 8 points from Nottinghamshire. Kent and Surrey were the two teams to be relegated to Division Two, with Surrey failing to register a win for the first time since 1871. It completed a miserable season for Surrey, who also finished bottom of their Twenty20 Cup division and failed to progress from the group stage of the Friends Provident Trophy. Warwickshire and Worcestershire were the two teams promoted from Division Two.
In the other competitions, Essex won the Friend's Provident Trophy with a 5 wicket victory over Kent; Sussex claimed the Pro40 Division 1 title with a last ball six, leaving Hampshire runners up. Last year's champions Worcestershire had to beat Glamorgan in the play-off to retain their Division 1 status for next year, while Middlesex and Lancashire were relegated. Essex bounced back from relegation last season to win the Division 2 title and, with it, a place in the top division alongside runners-up Yorkshire. Middlesex won their first domestic title in 15 years in the Twenty20 Cup with a 3 run win over reigning champions Kent.
New Zealand toured England to compete in a test series which England won 2-0 and South Africa toured England to compete in a test series which South Africa won 2–1.
Roll of honour Test series England v New Zealand: 3 Tests - England won 2–0. England v South Africa: 4 Tests - South Africa won 2–1. ODI series England v New Zealand: 5 ODI's - New Zealand won 3–1. England v South Africa: 5 ODI's - England won 4–0. (One match abandoned due to rain) England v Scotland: 1 ODI - Match abandoned because of rain. Twenty20 Internationals England v New Zealand: 1 Twenty20 International - England won. England v South Africa: 1 Twenty20 International - Match abandoned because of rain. County Championship Champions: Durham Division Two winners: Warwickshire Friends Provident Trophy Winners: Essex - Runners-up: Kent Pro40 (National League) Division One winners: Sussex Division Two winners: Essex Twenty20 Cup Winners: Middlesex - Runners-up: Kent Minor Counties Championship Winners: Berkshire - Runners-up: Lincolnshire MCCA Knockout Trophy Winners: Devon - Runners-up: Berkshire Second XI Championship Winners: Durham 2nd XI Second XI Trophy Winners: Hampshire 2nd XI - Runners-up: Essex 2nd XI
Test Series South African tour
New Zealand tour
LV County Championship
Divisions
Division One Division Two Durham Derbyshire Hampshire Essex Kent Glamorgan Lancashire Gloucestershire Nottinghamshire Leicestershire Somerset Middlesex Surrey Northamptonshire Sussex Warwickshire Yorkshire Worcestershire Icon Team promoted from Division Two Team relegated from Division One
Division One Standings
Division Two Standings
Friends Provident Trophy
Source: BBC Sport
Friends Provident Trophy Tables North ConferenceMidlands ConferenceSouth East ConferenceSouth West Conference
Natwest Pro40
Source: BBC Sport
Natwest Pro40 Tables Division OneDivision Two
Worcestershire beat Glamorgan in the playoff match to retain their Division 1 status for the 2009 season.
Twenty20 Cup
Twenty20 Cup Group Stage Midlands/Wales/West DivisionNorth Division
Yorkshire were docked two points after fielding an unregistered player (Azeem Rafiq) in their match against Durham.South Division
Knockout stage
References
External links 2008 English cricket season from Cricinfo