Cricket - County Championship
The title of County champions of England and Wales was not unanimously awarded until 1890. IN the previous 64 years, several competing systems were brought forward to decide the honour, but it was not until December 1889 that the competition called the County Championship was officially inaugurated. That first season was contested by eight sides: Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex and Yorkshire. The remaining counties joined in the following years:
Somerset (1891), Derbyshire, Essex, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire (1895), Worcestershire (1899), Northamptonshire (1905), Glamorgan (1921) and Durham (1992). The Champions' pennant was first awarded in 1951 and a trophy in 1973.
From 2000, the 18 counties have been split into two divisions each season, with promotion and relegation between the leagues.
The tournament was not staged in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, due to no fixtures being able to be played until the final two months of the season, a shortened first-class tournament was inaugurated...the Bob Wilis Trophy (winners are shown at the foot of this table).
Somerset (1891), Derbyshire, Essex, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire (1895), Worcestershire (1899), Northamptonshire (1905), Glamorgan (1921) and Durham (1992). The Champions' pennant was first awarded in 1951 and a trophy in 1973.
From 2000, the 18 counties have been split into two divisions each season, with promotion and relegation between the leagues.
The tournament was not staged in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, due to no fixtures being able to be played until the final two months of the season, a shortened first-class tournament was inaugurated...the Bob Wilis Trophy (winners are shown at the foot of this table).
| YEAR | WINNERS |
| 1890 | SURREY |
| 1891 | SURREY |
| 1892 | SURREY |
| 1893 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1894 | SURREY |
| 1895 | SURREY |
| 1896 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1897 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1898 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1899 | SURREY |
| 1900 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1901 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1902 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1903 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1904 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1905 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1906 | KENT |
| 1907 | NOTTINGHAMSHIRE |
| 1908 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1909 | KENT |
| 1910 | KENT |
| 1911 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 1912 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1913 | KENT |
| 1914 | SURREY |
| 1915-18 | Not held |
| 1919 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1920 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1921 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1922 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1923 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1924 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1925 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1926 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1927 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1928 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1929 | NOTTINGHAMSHIRE |
| 1930 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1931 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1932 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1933 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1934 | LANCASHIRE |
| 1935 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1936 | DERBYSHIRE |
| 1937 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1938 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1939 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1940-45 | Not held |
| 1946 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1947 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1948 | GLAMORGAN |
| 1949 | MIDDLESEX/YORKSHIRE |
| 1950 | LANCASHIRE/SURREY |
| 1951 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 1952 | SURREY |
| 1953 | SURREY |
| 1954 | SURREY |
| 1955 | SURREY |
| 1956 | SURREY |
| 1957 | SURREY |
| 1958 | SURREY |
| 1959 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1960 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1961 | HAMPSHIRE |
| 1962 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1963 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1964 | WORCESTERSHIRE |
| 1965 | WORCESTERSHIRE |
| 1966 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1967 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1968 | YORKSHIRE |
| 1969 | GLAMORGAN |
| 1970 | KENT |
| 1971 | SURREY |
| 1972 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 1973 | HAMPSHIRE |
| 1974 | WORCESTERSHIRE |
| 1975 | LEICESTERSHIRE |
| 1976 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1977 | KENT/MIDDLESEX |
| 1978 | KENT |
| 1979 | ESSEX |
| 1980 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1981 | NOTTINGHAMSHIRE |
| 1982 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1983 | ESSEX |
| 1984 | ESSEX |
| 1985 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1986 | ESSEX |
| 1987 | NOTTINGHAMSHIRE |
| 1988 | WORCESTERSHIRE |
| 1989 | WORCESTERSHIRE |
| 1990 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1991 | ESSEX |
| 1992 | ESSEX |
| 1993 | MIDDLESEX |
| 1994 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 1995 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 1996 | LEICESTERSHIRE |
| 1997 | GLAMORGAN |
| 1998 | LEICESTERSHIRE |
| 1999 | SURREY |
| 2000 | SURREY |
| 2001 | YORKSHIRE |
| 2002 | SURREY |
| 2003 | SUSSEX |
| 2004 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 2005 | NOTTINGHAMSHIRE |
| 2006 | SUSSEX |
| 2007 | SUSSEX |
| 2008 | DURHAM |
| 2009 | DURHAM |
| 2010 | NOTTINGHAMSHIRE |
| 2011 | LANCASHIRE |
| 2012 | WARWICKSHIRE |
| 2013 | DURHAM |
| 2014 | YORKSHIRE |
| 2015 | YORKSHIRE |
| 2016 | MIDDLESEX |
| 2017 | ESSEX |
| 2018 | SURREY |
| 2019 | ESSEX |
| 2020 | Not held |
| 2021 | WARWICKSHIRE |
Bob Willis Trophy
Inaugurated in 2020 so that a first-class tournament could be held amid the Covid-19 pandemic, this is a prize contested by the two highest ranked counties of the year in a five-day match held at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. It is named after one of England's greatest fast bowlers.
| 2020 | ESSEX |
| 2021 | WARWICKSHIRE |