Derbyshire began September by coming close to a Championship victory, but failed to push home, finishing with a total of 277 for 6 chasing 280 to win at Riverside Ground in Durham. Their National League run of four victories also came to an end, as Surrey Lions bowled them out for 88 and took an eight-wicket win, but they bounced back two days later to beat Leicestershire Foxes and to go fourth in the National League table. A Championship draw with Leicestershire followed, and then a League win and a Championship draw against Yorkshire – the former sent them briefly third in the League, before Warwickshire Bears recorded two successive wins to go four points ahead with a game to play. On 24 September, Derbyshire completed their first win in 22 Championship matches, after beating Somerset at The County Ground, Taunton, but the following day saw their five-match unbeaten streak broken with a 135-run loss to Somerset to see them to fifth place in the League. Even a win would probably not have been good enough to promote, however, as Warwickshire Bears in third place had a much better net run rate.