Championship Top Losers In History

FIRST-CLASS COUNTIES WITHOUT A VICTORY IN AN ENTIRE COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 1890- 2019

Season	Division	Team	Position	P	L	D	%Lost
1897		Derbyshire	14th	16	9	7	56.3
1900		Hampshire	15th	22	16	6	72.7
1901		Derbyshire	15th	20	13	7	65.0
1910		Somerset	16th	18	15	3	83.3
1920		Derbyshire	16th	17	17	0	100.0
1924		Derbyshire	17th	24	13	11	54.2
1928		Worcestershire	17th	30	19	11	63.3
1936		Northamptonshire	17th	24	9	15	37.5
1937		Northamptonshire	17th	24	16	8	66.7
1938		Northamptonshire	17th	24	14	10	58.3
1967		Nottinghamshire	16th*	28	4	24	14.3
1979		Glamorgan	17th	21	10	11	47.6
1982		Warwickshire	17th	22	8	14	36.4
1996		Durham	18th	17	12	5	70.6
2008	1	Surrey	9th	15	5	10	33.3
	2	Gloucestershire	9th	16	5	11	31.3
2009	1	Worcestershire	9th	16	10	6	62.5
2013	2	Leicestershire	9th	16	8	8	50.0
2014	1	Northamptonshire	9th	16	12	4	75.0
	2	Leicestershire	9th	16	10	6	62.5
2016	2	Derbyshire	9th	15	5	10	33.3
2017	2	Leicestershire	10th	14	9	5	64.3
2019	1	Nottinghamshire	8th	14	10	4	71.4

* Finished 16th out of 17.

Since 2000, the championship has been split into two divisions

In 2019, Nottinghamshire finished bottom of the first division without a win, having been defeated in 10 of the 14 games they contested. This was the 23rd instance of a team achieving such a feat since the championship was re-organized in 1890. This was the second time in the club’s history that they failed to achieve a victory. The previous occurrence was in 1967 when uniquely they did not finish bottom of the pile, Gloucestershire finished 17th winning three, losing 11 and drawing 13, one game abandoned. Nottinghamshire losing percentage in that season was the lowest recorded for winless seasons, namely 14.3%.    

In terms of percentage matches lost, this was the fifth worst performance by a winless team as shown below

Season	Division	Team	P	L	%Lost
1920		Derbyshire	17	17	100.0
1910		Somerset	18	15	83.3
2014	1	Northamptonshire	16	12	75.0
1900		Hampshire	22	16	72.7
2019	1	Nottinghamshire	14	10	71.4

Derbyshire’s record in 1920 remains unique in losing every game, a further game was abandoned without a ball bowled.

Since 2000 the championship has been split into the two divisions and 2008 and 2014 provided the only two instances of two counties going winless throughout the season.

Twelve counties have recorded winless seasons namely Derbyshire five instances, Northamptonshire four instances, Leicestershire three instances, Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire two instances. Durham, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire have achieved the feat once. Northamptonshire went three successive seasons without a victory between 1936 and 1938. Essex, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Sussex and Yorkshire have never gone a championship season without a victory. MAG