The reigning champions are 20 points clear of second-placed Essex heading into the final round of fixtures.
It means Essex will go into their final fixture 20 points behind reigning champions Surrey, who held on to draw against winless Northamptonshire at the Kia Oval.
With relegation looking inevitable, Northamptonshire gambled against the leaders as they enforced the follow on with a first-innings lead of 172, but they could not make it pay. Surrey openers Dom Sibley and Rory Burns batted diligently in the hour before lunch against some testing new-ball bowling from the visting seamers and throughout the final two sessions in some of the best batting conditions of a rain-affected four days.
By the time bad light brought about an early close, they had reached 142 without loss, with Burns on 71 and Sibley 67. Relegation-battling Kent salvaged a draw from their rain-hit match against Somerset after being made to follow on at Taunton.As it stands, Northamptonshire are mathematically unable to avoid relegation, barring any unforeseen final-round points deductions
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