Better late than never!

After 72 matches spanning 288 days of play in a tournament that started on April 10, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) season came down to the last half an hour, at which point any one of three teams could have lifted the trophy.

There is a great irony that within weeks of the ECB announcing a new eight-city T20 league aimed at making the domestic game more attractive, it was the four-day version that had social media buzzing, producing one of the most-exciting finales in its 129-year history.

Somerset, in dispensing with Nottinghamshire in three days had leapt from third spot to take ‘provisional pole’ and had to sit back at Taunton and await the outcome of the game being played at the home of cricket, Lord’s.

At times it looked as though a draw was the most likely result, although with this being helpful to neither side a target was negotiated.

Yorkshire was set 240 to win in 40 overs, needing victory for a third successive title appeared to be in control with England players Gary Balance and Tim Bresnan at the crease.

With both finding the boundary with ease they reduced the required total to 153 from the final 20 overs a modest total in T20 although one being played on an old wicket with no fielding restrictions.

However, once they were dismissed Yorkshire provided little further resistance leaving Middlesex to mop up the tail and claim the title in thrilling fashion.

A thrilling Toby Roland-Jones hat-trick provided a suitably dramatic end to a magnificent Specsavers County Championship finale as Middlesex clinched their first title for 23 years by beating the former champions by 61 runs with 28 balls to spare on a golden, sunlit evening at Lord’s.

An 11th championship title, their first since 1993, and a first to be won on their home ground at Lord’s since 1920, was Middlesex’s deserved reward for a brave declaration.

More than 20 years have passed since the county last won the title and the manner in which they sealed this famous victory will be an occasion long etched into the memories of those who witnessed it.

Middlesex remained unbeaten in the County Championship all season, and on a home surface that made bowling teams out twice in four days tricky, their achievement can be considered even more impressive.

Over 20,000 people turned out at the Lord’s over the final four days of the season to witness the title decider. Something that match-winner Roland-Jones can’t believe: “As far as the Yorkshire support goes that is unreal. They dominated most of the game, and it was only late on, when we found ourselves in the mix, did it turn our way.

Roland-Jones, who finished with 6 for 54, rightly collected the plaudits, although praise must also be reserved for Nick Gubbins who scored over 1,400 Championship runs across the season, including over 200 in the final match, batting himself into contention for England.

If this finale had been written by a scriptwriter then it would have been dismissed as being too unrealistic. Perhaps we will see a remake on the silver screen in future years.

Spare a thought also for Somerset who finished runners-up again. It’s the third time in six years that they have finished second, but this one would’ve hurt the most waiting most of the day in expectation of a first title.

Yorkshire had been hoping to provide a fairytale farewell for their coach, Jason Gillespie, who leaves his role at the White Rose club and returns to Australia this winter after five seasons away.

It would have been the first time a side had completed a hat-trick of titles since the 1960s.