Morne Morkel stars as Surrey win the County Championship

They have claimed the Championship with two games to spare and are currently unbeaten in the competition. With Somerset losing against Dale Steyn's Hampshire side earlier in the week, Surrey only required a draw to claim the trophy. A hundred from skipper Rory Burns in the first innings and a devastating spell from Morne Morkel in Worcestershire's second innings, where he took 5-24, propelled Surrey to a three wicket win.

Former South African seamer Morkel has been a crucial component of the county's Championship win, taking a remarkable 50 wickets at an average of just 13.96. Morkel joined the county as a Kolpak player after he retired from international cricket and has taken the fourth-most wickets in the competition despite missing the opening four games of Surrey's campaign.

An important core of young homegrown players has also played a role in their victory, with Sam Curran's and Ollie Pope's performances winning them call-ups to the England Test side earlier in the summer. Fellow 20-year-old Amar Virdi has been mightily impressive as well, with his off-spin claiming 35 wickets so far this season - more than any other English spinner in Division One of the County Championship.

Burns has led the way with the bat all season, scoring four hundreds and tallying up 345 more runs than anyone else in the division. He is one of the candidates to win an England call-up as a replacement for the recently retired Alastair Cook.

Surrey's triumph also comes in the absence of a regular overseas player. They had enjoyed the services of Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara, but he retired at the end of their last campaign.

Mitchell Marsh was set to play a significant role, but injury ruled him out of action before the season began. Dean Elgar, Aaron Finch and Theunis de Breyn all had stints as overseas players but all none of them played more than Elgar's six games. Indian captain Virat Kohli was set for a brief spell at The Oval before India's tour of England, but injury ruled him out as well.