2017 County Championship matches. Following a series of financial "bailout" payments made by the England and Wales Cricket Board to Durham during the 2016 season, the county, which had finished fourth in Division One at the end of the season, were relegated to Division Two in place of the eighth place team, Hampshire. Durham were also placed under a salary cap administered by the ECB until 2020 and started the 2017 Championship season with a deduction of 48 points. Ahead of the season, each team played a first-class match against a MCC University team. The 2017 Championship was divided into two divisions, Division
1890 County Championship became the first official champions by winning nine of their fourteen matches. One point was awarded for a win, and one point was taken away for each loss, therefore: 1890 County Championship The 1890 County Championship was the first County Championship held as an "official" competition, following agreement between Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the leading county clubs at a meeting in December 1889. Surrey became the first official county champions after winning nine out of fourteen games. The "official" County Championship was constituted in a meeting at Lord's on 10 December 1889 which was called to enable club secretaries