- final s , ▁after ▁coming ▁joint ▁top ▁of ▁their ▁group ▁with ▁the ▁Sus sex ▁Sh arks , ▁missing ▁out ▁only ▁via ▁net ▁run - rate . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁M idd les ex ▁were ▁un be aten ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁Championship ▁and ▁secured ▁the ▁title ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁when ▁they ▁defeated ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁main ▁challeng ers ▁York shire ▁in ▁the ▁title ▁dec ider ▁at ▁Lord ' s . ▁A ▁defeat ▁for ▁M idd les ex ▁in ▁that ▁match ▁would ▁have ▁meant ▁the ▁title ▁going ▁to ▁York shire ▁and ▁a ▁draw ▁would ▁have ▁meant ▁it ▁going ▁to ▁Som erset . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁season , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁M idd les ex ▁finished ▁in ▁the ▁bottom ▁two ▁of ▁the ▁County ▁Championship ▁and ▁were ▁subsequently ▁re leg ated ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁second ▁Division . ▁ ▁In ▁seasons ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁they ▁failed ▁to ▁gain ▁enough ▁points ▁to ▁secure ▁promotion ▁back ▁up ▁to ▁Division ▁one ▁and ▁will ▁play ▁in ▁division ▁two ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁ ▁Records ▁First - class ▁Team ▁records ▁ ▁High est ▁total ▁for ▁– ▁ 6 4 2 – 3 ▁declared ▁v . ▁Ham pshire , ▁South am pton , ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁ ▁High est ▁total ▁against ▁– ▁ 8 5 0 – 7 ▁declared ▁by ▁Som erset , ▁Ta un ton , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁ ▁Low est ▁total ▁for ▁–