Players have been drawn from both divisions to form this XI, with performances in key games considered alongside raw numbers. Two players from Division One champions Surrey make the side, along with three from dominant Division Two winners Durham.

Alex Lees – Durham

14 matches, 1,347 runs at 70.89, 5 hundreds, HS: 195

The leading run scorer from Division Two and a crucial factor in Durham’s dominance. Four of Lees’ five centuries came within the space of three matches, with a century in each innings against Leicestershire in June. He also set the tone for Durham’s aggressive approach at the top of the order, with a strike rate of 73.76.

Jake Libby – Worcestershire

12 matches, 1,153 runs at 57.65, 4 hundreds, HS: 198

Libby played a near lone hand in Worcestershire’s batting line-up, scoring nearly double the runs of his next highest scoring teammate. He scored a crucial unbeaten century in the opening round of the season to get over the line with limited time to spare against Derbyshire, and made a combined 295 runs across both innings against Sussex. He fell two runs short of a double century in the first innings and three runs short of a hundred in the second.

Josh Bohannon – Lancashire

14 matches, 1,257 runs at 59.85, 4 hundreds, HS: 175

Division One’s leading run scorer, Bohannon signed off the season with his fourth hundred of the year against Kent. The bulk of his runs came before the end of May; having scored a century in the first round of the competition, he made 85 against Somerset two weeks later and a pair of half centuries in the following round.

Ollie Robinson – Durham

14 matches, 931 runs at 58.18, 3 hundreds, HS: 167*

Robinson was a devastating middle-order force for Durham this year. His runs came at a strike rate of 88.66, the highest rate of anyone who scored more than 300 runs in Division Two.

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Matt Critchley – Essex

14 matches, 990 runs at 39.60, 2 hundreds, HS: 121
23 wickets at 20.39, BBI: 3-33

Critchley was effective for Essex with both bat and ball. He finished the season ten runs short of four figures, his 99 in Essex’s penultimate match against Hampshire crucial in setting up a second-innings declaration. He also acted as a reliable spin partner for Simon Harmer, his leg breaks picking up 23 wickets across the season.

James Rew (wk) – Somerset

14 matches, 1,086 runs at 57.15, 5 hundreds, HS: 221

Somerset’s teenage sensation was the first to reach 1,000 runs in Division One this summer, in his first full season as a regular in the first XI. No one has ever scored more hundreds in the Championship before their 20th birthday than Rew and he’s secured himself a position as the most exciting young batting prospect on the circuit.

Liam Dawson – Hampshire

14 matches, 49 wickets at 20.00, 4 5WIs, BBI: 6-40
840 runs at 40.0, three hundreds, HS: 141

An exceptional summer for Dawson which could potentially put him back on England’s Test radar when they tour India early next year. His all-round ability usurps leading spin wicket-taker Harmer in this XI. His high point came against Middlesex, when he made 141 with the bat and took 12 wickets with the ball

Jordan Clark – Surrey

14 matches, 48 wickets at 21.35, 1 5WI, BBI: 5-79
427 runs at 26.68, one hundred, HS: 107

Clark was a consistent performer in Surrey’s title defence, taking four or more wickets in an innings six times. In tandem with Dan Worrall, he rattled through Warwickshire in Surrey’s final win of the season, taking four wickets in their second innings.

Matthew Potts – Durham

11 matches, 54 wickets at 22.22, 1 5WI, BBI: 5-65

Another season near the top of the Division Two wicket taking standings for Potts. Although he was slightly in and out of Durham’s set-up on England duty, he made an impact whenever he came back into the squad. He also played a crucial role in Durham’s one-wicket win over Yorkshire, taking eight wickets in the match and blocking out 78 balls to tick down the runs in the fourth innings.

Tom Lawes – Surrey

10 matches, 39 wickets at 19.76, 3 5WIs, BBI: 5-22

Lawes is the bolter in this side having played the least matches of anyone in the XI. He took five wickets as Surrey’s title run-in almost faltered against Northants, and signed the season off with another five against Hampshire.

Mohammad Abbas – Hampshire

14 matches, 53 wickets at 20.05, 2 5WIs, BBI: 6-49

There are few trickier seamers to face in the Championship than Abbas. He was fearsome early in the competition, taking six wickets against Surrey in his first innings before ripping through Northants the following week. He also took five wickets in Hampshire’s final match of the season to round out their campaign with a win against the champions.