The 2008 English cricket season was the 109th in which the County Championship had been an official competition. Four regular tournaments were played: The LV County Championship, Friends Provident Trophy, NatWest Pro40 League and the Twenty20 Cup. All four tournaments featured the eighteen classic countycricket teams, although the Friends Provident Trophy also featured sides from Ireland and Scotland. In the county championship, Durham won their first championship title by 8 points from Nottinghamshire. Kent and Surrey were the two sides to be relegated to Division Two, with Surrey failing to register a win for the first time since 1871. It completed a miserable season for Surrey, who also finished bottom of their Twenty20 Cup division and failed to progress from the group stage of the Friends Provident Trophy. Warwickshire and Worcestershire were the two sides promoted from Division Two. In the other competitions, Essex won the Friend's Provident Trophy with a 5 wicket victory over Kent; Sussex claimed the Pro40 Division 1 title with a last ball six, leaving Hampshirerunners up. Last year's champions Worcestershire had to beat Glamorgan in the play-off to retain their Division 1 status for next year, while Middlesex and Lancashire were relegated. Essex bounced back from relegation last season to win the Division 2 title and, with it, a place in the top division alongside runners-up Yorkshire. Middlesex won their first domestic title in 15 years in the Twenty20 Cup with a 3 run win over reigning champions Kent. New Zealand toured England to compete in a test series which England won 2-0 and South Africa toured England to compete in a test series which South Africa won 2-1.
