One of the most thrilling climaxes to an English County Championship saw Middlesex prevail in a three-way fight for the title on the final day of the season, denying Australian Jason Gillespie a third straight crown at the end of his spell as Yorkshire coach.
Toby Roland-Jones completed a hat trick to clinch Middlesex a 61-run win over Yorkshire in a winner-takes-all match at Lord's on Friday. Set 240 to win off 40 overs following a Middlesex declaration, Yorkshire was dismissed for 178 off 35.2 overs.
Middlesex finished the 16-game season unbeaten and is English champions for the first time since 1993. Somerset would have won the title had the Middlesex-Yorkshire game finished as a draw.
Gillespie is returning Down Under to be with his family and continue his coaching role at Adelaide Strikers in Australia's Big Bash.
The former Australia paceman took over as Yorkshire coach in 2011, leading the team out of the second division to back-to-back English titles.
