1985 County Championship Explained

Tournament Format:	League system
Champions:	Middlesex
Previous Year:	1984
Previous Tournament:	1984 County Championship
Next Year:	1986
Next Tournament:	1986 County Championship

The 1985 Britannic Assurance County Championship was the 86th officially organised running of the County Championship. Middlesex won the Championship title.^[1]

The Championship was sponsored by Britannic Assurance for the second time with the winners of the championship receiving £20,000.^[2]

Table

• 16 points for a win
• 8 points to each side for a tie
• 8 points to side still batting in a match in which scores finish level
• Bonus points awarded in the first 100 overs of the first innings
  • Batting: 150 runs - 1 point, 200 runs - 2 points 250 runs - 3 points, 300 runs - 4 points
  • Bowling: 3-4 wickets - 1 point, 5-6 wickets - 2 points 7-8 wickets - 3 points, 9-10 wickets - 4 points
• No bonus points awarded in a match starting with less than 8 hours' play remaining. A one-innings match is played, with the winner gaining 12 points.
• Position determined by points gained. If equal, then decided on most wins.
• Each team plays 24 matches.

County Championship table

width=175	Team	width=20 abbr="Played"	Pld	width=20 abbr="Won"	Won	width=20 abbr="Lost"	Lost	width=20 abbr="Drawn"	Drawn	width=20 abbr="Bonus points"	Batting bonus	width=20 abbr="Bonus points"	Bowling bonus	width=20 abbr="Points"	Points
Middlesex	24	8	4	12	61	85	274
Hampshire	24	7	2	15	66	78	256
	24	7	3	14	51	78	241
Essex	24	7	2	14	42	70	224
	24	5	6	13	65	68	221
Surrey	24	5	5	14	62	76	218
Sussex	24	6	1	16	52	57	205
	24	4	2	18	66	69	199
Kent	24	4	5	15	51	71	186
	24	5	4	15	52	51	183
Yorkshire	24	3	4	16	58	59	165
Glamorgan	24	4	4	16	43	48	163
Derbyshire	24	3	7	14	46	69	163
Lancashire	24	3	7	14	44	67	159
	24	2	8	14	47	74	153
	24	2	3	19	48	65	145
Somerset	24	1	7	16	70	45	131

Notes and References

1. Book: Engel, Matthew. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2004, pages 493-494. 2004. John Wisden & Company Ltd. 0-947766-83-9.
2. Web site: John Woodcock Cricket Correspondent. "Cricket." Times [London, England] 11 Apr. 1985]. The Times.