1961 County Championship

1961 County Championship

Cricket format	First-class cricket
Tournament format(s)	League system
Champions	Hampshire
← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 County Championship was the 62nd officially organised running of the County Championship. ^[1] Hampshire won their first ever Championship title. ^[2]

For the 1961 season, the follow-on was abolished in the County Championship, when play took place on the first day of matches. Teams were able to forfeit their second innings, but none did so. ^[3]

Table

• 12 points for a win
• 6 points to side still batting in the fourth innings of a match in which scores finish level
• 2 points for first innings lead
• 2 bonus points for side leading on first innings if they also score faster on runs per over in first innings
• If no play possible on the first two days, and the match does not go into the second innings, the side leading on first innings scores 8 points.
• Teams played either 28 or 32 matches. Therefore, a final average was calculated by dividing the points by the matches played which determined the final placings. ^[4]

County Championship table

Team	Pld	Won	Lost	Drawn	No Decision	1st Inns Loss	1st Inns Draw	Bonus	Points	Average
Hampshire	32	19	7	6	0	1	3	32	268	8.37
Yorkshire	32	17	5	10	0	1	5	34	250	7.81
Middlesex	28	15	6	6	1	3	1	26	214	7.64
Worcestershire	32	16	9	7	0	2	3	24	226	7.06
Gloucestershire	28	11	11	5	1	2	2	18	158	5.64
Essex	28	10	8	10	0	2	4	26	158	5.64
Derbyshire	28	10	9	9	0	3	3	22	154	5.50
Sussex	32	11	10	11	0	1	8	20	170	5.31
Leicestershire	28	9	13	5	1	2	4	26	146	5.21
Somerset	32	10	15	7	0	6	3	24	162	5.06
Kent	28	8	8	12	0	1	7	20	132	4.71
Warwickshire	32	9	10	13	0	1	7	26	150	4.68
Lancashire	32	9	7	15	1	1	7	18	142	4.43
Glamorgan	32	9	12	11	0	1	4	10	128	4.00
Surrey	28	4	13	11	0	6	8	24	100	3.57
Northamptonshire	28	5	13	10	0	1	5	10	82	2.92
Nottinghamshire	28	4	20	4	0	6	2	12	76	2.71

References

1. Engel, Matthew (2004). Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2004, pages 493-494. John Wisden & Company Ltd. ISBN   0-947766-83-9.
2. Wynne-Thomas, Peter (1983). The Hamlyn A-Z of Cricket Records. Hamlyn Publishing Group. ISBN   0-600-34667-6.
3. Preston, Norman, ed. (1963). Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1962. London: Sporting Handbooks. pp. 351–352.
4. Wynne-Thomas, Peter (1983). The Hamlyn A-Z of Cricket Records. Hamlyn Publishing Group. ISBN   0-600-34667-6.