Warwickshire (22pts) defeated Hampshire (4) by two wickets
Whisper it quietly, but Warwickshire might just be back in contention for the Championship title.
A breathless last-ball success over Hampshire means Warwickshire have now won three Championship games in succession and, with three games to go, sit just 24 points off the top position.
Only a month ago, reeling from defeat at Scarborough, such a scenario would have seemed unthinkable.
A brilliant cameo from Neil Carter secured victory, but there were many heroes of this Warwickshire performance.
There was Mark Wagh, who top-scored in both innings and batted quite beautifully. There was Paul Harris, who took his third five-wicket haul in just five games and needed to be helped from the pitch after delivering 65 overs in the match and suffering cramp. There was Ian Westwood, who demonstrated true bravery by shrugging off a fearsome blow to his head, returning from hospital and seeing his side over the victory line.
And there was Heath Streak. Warwickshire's captain led from the front to produce his best performance of the summer to set-up victory on the final day. With his bowling colleagues barely limping along, Streak bounced back from a lean patch of three wickets in four Championship matches, with a sustained display of fast bowling.
All results were possible going into Saturday's last over. With eight wickets down and 14 runs required Warwickshire looked in danger of succumbing to just the fourth defeat in their history after enforcing the follow-on.
To add to the drama, Warwickshire's batsmen were both walking wounded and the light was failing by the moment. Westwood had sustained a crunching blow to the side of his helmet fielding at short-leg earlier in the day, while Carter required a runner (Luke Parker) after straining a hamstring. Immediately Hampshire brought back Chris Tremlett in the attack to apply some intimidation, and it looked as though Warwickshire would settle for a draw.
Yet Carter swept Dimitri Mascarenhas for a six over square leg, ran two, drove a four down the ground and benefited from a wide to leave the game in the balance. With one required from the final delivery he squeezed the ball to point, allowing Parker and Westwood to scamper the final run.
Defeat was hard to take for Hampshire. Mascarenhas, who bowled superbly well, kicked the stumps out of the ground in disgust after the final delivery and their frustration was compounded by the deduction of another point for a slow over rate. They are now just two points above Warwickshire. With most of the top teams still to play one another any of the top five teams could yet lift the title.
Earlier Warwickshire had appeared to be cruising to victory. Set 121 to win in 25 overs, Wagh appeared to have set them on track with another fluent innings.
Yet four wickets in seven deliveries from Mascarenhas sparked a horrible collapse, and the Bears lost seven wickets for 24 to leave them facing the real possibility of defeat.
Wagh, who passed 8,000 first-class runs in his career during this innings, late cut into the keeper's hands, Alex Loudon, who has now scored just 99 runs in his last 11 Championship innings, also edged behind before Tim Ambrose played across the next delivery.
For a time Warwickshire were reeling. Hardly a run was scored as Parker nibbled at another beauty, Jonathan Trott drove to mid on and Streak was bowled around his legs. With Tim Groenewald and Parker involved in a panic stricken run-out, Warwickshire had lost seven wickets for 24 runs.
Anything less than victory would have been cruel luck for Streak. His bowling on the final day was excellent, with more pace and aggression that he has managed for some time. With Carter off the field, Harris hobbling and Groenewald struggling at this level, Warwickshire were mighty grateful for their skipper's intervention.
He had a hand in all six top-order wickets. The first two fell early. Jimmy Adams edged a loose drive, John Crawley, at the non-striker's end as Streak, in his follow through, got a hand to Chris Benham's drive and deflected the ball on to the stumps.
A stand of 149 for Hampshire's third wicket seemed to have put paid to Warwickshire hopes, however. Benham, who made his highest first-class score, and David Thornely appeared largely untroubled as they wiped out the arrears and batted their team well into the afternoon session.
Yet when Thornely missed a straight one and Benham, deceived by a quicker delivery, chopped an attempted pull on to his stumps it precipitated a remarkable decline - not the last of the day - and Hampshire lost their last seven wickets for 69 runs in 26 overs.
"We were always going for it," Mark Greatbatch said afterwards. "We weren't going to take the light even if it was offered.
"We played such good cricket, and dominated so much of the match, that we felt we didn't deserve anything less than a win. The team showed some good character."
"We keep winning these tight games," Streak said. "That says something good about the side, though I'm not sure it's good for our health. I just wish we could have the supporters' forum tonight!"
It is true that this Warwickshire team is developing a taste for the dramatic. It is far from the first time this season that victory has been achieved in the dying moments. York-shire (with three balls remaining), Durham (by 18 runs), Sussex (by 13), Nottinghamshire (25 deliveries) and now Hampshire have all been defeated in nerve-wracking finales. What is has done for the blood pressure of supporters is anyone's guess.
How tiny are the margins between success and failure. It doesn't take a huge leap to imagine how grim things could have been at Edgbaston if results had gone the other way.
Not all the news is good, however. Jimmy Anyon (back) will not be considered for tomorrow's game against Durham. Adam Shantry, who is awaiting the results of a scan on his shins, is also a doubt, as is Carter. Dougie Brown, who took his five-wicket haul for 12-months for Scotland against Ireland on Friday, will come back into the squad alongside Lee Daggett.
