County Championship 2025 team of the season as chosen by you

Features of Rex
  • 78 Comments

Mariah Carey is only a few weeks away from warming up her vocal cords for the holiday season because the recycling bins at the Trent Bridge are full to the brim with empty champagne bottles.

We’re in the final days of domestic cricket in 2025, and it’s time to reveal who made your county championship team of the year.

Over the past week, readers of the BBC Sport website and app have selected just under 29, 000 teams, and we can now reveal which 11 players made the most selections.

The BBC Sport users have chosen the following team for the current season:

Opening batters

Haseeb Hameed and Dom Sibley raise their bats after milestonesFeatures of Rex/Getty Images

64% of voters chose HASEEB HAMEED (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) as their choice.

1, 258 runs, average 66.21, four centuries, five half-centuries

Haseeb Hameed’s century in the final game victory over Warwickshire weakened his leadership and set the tone for the new county champions.

The former England batter’s second successive year of success attained this by surpassing 1,000 runs.

His ability to concentrate for more than seven hours in scoring a double-hundred helped him draw with Somerset in July once more, demonstrating his nerveless temperament.

In the crucial win over Surrey at The Kia Oval, his coolness under pressure was also put to good use with his captaincy, particularly when ringing his bowling changes.

DOM SIBLEY (SURREY) – 64%

1, 274 runs, average 60.66, four centuries, six half-centuries

Dom Sibley has always scored runs, but as a result of his recent improvements, he has a higher strike rate to keep up with the modern game.

batters of the middle order

Saif Zaib, Tom Abell and Marcus Harris raise their bats after milestonesFeatures of Rex

SAIF ZAIB (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE) – 61%

1, 387 runs, average 66.04, six centuries, six half-centuries

Saif Zaib has provided a shining example for Northamptonshire during a difficult time.

No other batter features in Division Two’s top twenty run-scorers when he bats at number five on numerous occasions.

With his quick left-armers, he also chipped in with 13 wickets and turned six of his 12 50+ scores into three figures.

The good news for Northants fans is that he will be able to stay on a contract through the 2027 season.

TOM ABELL (SOMERSET) – 52%

1, 022 runs, average 51.10, three centuries, five half-centuries

Even though Tom Abell’s team’s attempt to win his first Division One title faltered in the final month of the season, 2025 was a great year.

His third of the season came with a century in the penultimate round, which put him in four spots overall with an average of more than 50.

The 31-year-old also won the T20 Blast title for his team.

46% for MARCUS HARRIS (LANCASHIRE).

1, 027 runs, average 60.41, three centuries, five half-centuries

Marcus Harris, a former Australia Test batsman, has a year to remember after joining Lancashire.

The 33-year-old initially agreed to travel for the Championship and One-Day Cup this summer, but quickly made up a two-year contract.

The former Leicestershire and Gloucestershire man, who has won 14 Test caps, had a fantastic start to the season, passing 800 runs in May. However, Lancashire’s chances of promotion from Division Two didn’t hold up as a result.

Wicketkeeper

Sussex skipper John SimpsonGetty Images

JOHN SIMPSON (SUSSEX) – 39%

1, 086 runs, average 60.33, four centuries, four half-centuries, 54 dismissals

The gloves were in the most difficult debate, with Somerset’s James Rew (37%), taking in Sussex skipper John Simpson with just over 750 votes.

Although he may have had fewer runs scored, veteran Simpson had a better average and more dismissals than the youngster.

Since moving from Middlesex to Hove, the left-hander has transformed as a batsman, scoring 1, 000 runs for the first time in a row with an unbeaten 129 in the three-day victory over Worcestershire.

All-rounder

Rehan Ahmed celebrates a centuryFeatures of Rex

REHAN AHMED (LEICESTERSHIRE) – 57%

760 runs, average 50.66, five centuries, one half-century, 23 wickets, average 19.00

Landslide winner of all-around talent, James Coles (Sussex) and Ed Barnard (Warwickshire), who were the next closest candidates, finished 10% ahead.

Rehan Ahmed made his England Test debut against Pakistan in Karachi almost three years ago.

He has only had five caps so far this year, but he continues to play for the selectors’ T20 teams, and some believe he was unlucky to miss out on a winter Ashes tour.

Leicestershire re-enters the County Championship Division One for the first time in 22 years thanks to Ahmed’s batting, which has stood out this summer.

Spin bowler

Jack Leach in his run-upFeatures of Rex

JACK LEACH (SOMERSET) – 83%

52 wickets, average 22.78

There was only one candidate to offer a little turn, with more than 21 000 votes than any other specialist spinner.

Jack Leach’s fifty wickets totaled 12 more than any other slow bowler despite not having been a great summer for domestic spinners.

The left-armer has taken four or more wickets in six games, with his best figures of 7-69 against Hampshire earlier this month, and not playing for England this summer has resulted in him playing in all 14 of the Championship games.

Seam bowlers

Images of Kyle Abbott, Josh Tongue and Tom Taylor in their bowling deliveryFeatures of Rex

KYLE ABBOTT (HAMPSHIRE): 69%

56 wickets, average 20.69

Bowler of the year for Evergreen Hampshire was Kyle Abbott, who had the upper hand in choosing the new ball.

The 38-year-old former South Africa seamer has struggled to get by without Mo Abbas and Keith Barker for much of the season, but he has stayed on top despite his team’s field struggles.

He has eight wickets already in this week’s match against Surrey, which brings his total to 56 for the season and 478 for the southern county in first-class matches. He has also signed a new one-year deal earlier this month.

Whether that is in Division One or Division Two is still to be seen.

JOSH TONGUE (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) – 60%

31 wickets, average 22.03

What a year is 2025 turning out to be for Josh Tongue. The 27-year-old made his first-class debut for Notts after missing 2024 due to an injury, starting with an England Lions stint.

In his first half-century since 2010, he helped bring the County Championship crown back to Trent Bridge with a five-for against Durham.

He was named in the party for the Ashes trip down under after playing for England in the Test against India this summer. Can 2026 follow 2025 for Tongue?

50% TOM TAYLOR (WORCESTERSHIRE)

58 wickets, average 22.87

Although Tom Taylor’s club suffered two years in the top flight before the 2025 season ended, the Pears were relegated back to Division Two.

The 30-year-old former Leicestershire and Northants man took four wickets in each of their innings in the final-round defeat to Sussex, finishing with 58 leaguers. This is not bad for someone who is officially a first-rounder.

Alex Hoad, Glenn Speller, and Paul Grunill, BBC Sport England, contributed.

related subjects

  • Northamptonshire
  • Essex
  • Hampshire
  • Lancashire
  • Surrey
  • Nottinghamshire
  • Worcestershire
  • Sussex
  • Leicestershire
  • County cricket
  • Somerset
  • Cricket

Katie Price says ‘we’re the same’ about pal Kerry Katona as she teases major career news

Katie Price and the former Atomic Kitten singer recently went on a tell-all tour and spoke about their most recent professional endeavors in a recent conversation with Sophie Price, her sister.

Katie Price has dubbed her and Kerry Katona the “same” as she shared details about their latest career venture during a chat with her sister, Sophie. In an episode of the Katie Price Show, the ex-model, speaking from Kerry’s dressing room, opened up about the success of her ongoing ‘An Evening With’ tour with the former Atomic Kitten singer.

Old friends Katie and Kerry, who have both appeared on I’m A Celeb, recently hit the road to share stories about their lives with fans, touching on topics such as marriage, divorce, TV and family, and, according to Katie, it’s going well.

Indeed, Katie claimed the tour dates were “sell-outs”, the pair were “buzzing,” and she was “loving it” despite the travel involved. This prompted her to share insights into a certain similarity the reality stars share.

Katie remarked, “Oh my god, this tour is sold out.” They are incredibly busy. I and Kerry are so good that we are literally buzzing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving it, absolutely loving it. It’s a lot of traveling, don’t get me wrong.

Kerry entered the dressing room she and Sophie Price were sharing as she exchanged a phone call with her sister. They also mentioned that Katie preferred the room warm while Kerry preferred it cold, which just adds to the conversation. Then, as the conversation progressed, they discovered a common love for “trackies.”

Katie said: “Coz me and Kerry, we’re both the same. We love our trackies, love our tracksuit bottoms, and on the stage”, to which Sophie then chimed in by saying that she loves the fashion brand Bershka.

Katie explained that although they’d initially “made an effort” with their appearance for the first show, the duo ultimately moved on to wearing trainers, baggy trousers, and “just like a jumper.”

She acknowledged that they “wear each other’s clothes” while wearing trainers and occasionally heels, and that Katie once even used a blanket to cover the stage because it was so cold.

It follows reports that Kerry had confused fans after she left the stage during a recent performance. Explaining what happened on Instagram afterwards, she said she’d suffered a “horrid” panic attack.

Kerry quickly rose from the stage and left the Shrewsbury leg of the tour on September 22. Later, she explained how she felt “so embarrassed” and had a “full-on panic attack.”

She claimed, “I had a horrid, horrid, and severe panic attack last night on stage.” a complete panic attack. I felt so humiliated. I was sat there for our entire childhood, and I’m not sure where it came from, but everything just went silent.

I was staring at Kate and Matt, the host, and everything started to feel very shaky. I thought I was going to cry or go into a coma.

Kerry added that she felt like she had to “get off the stage,” noting that she believed people thought she’d left because she’d become a “bit too emotional,” but this “wasn’t the case.”

Continue reading the article.

Katie Price’s boyfriend JJ ‘worried she’s running herself into the ground’

JJ Slater, Katie Price’s other half, and MAFS UK star JJ Slater, reportedly worry about the actress because of her busy schedule and busy schedule of tour dates and work obligations.

Crisis-hit Katie Price has sparked fears for her wellbeing – with boyfriend JJ Slater leading calls for her to slow down. Former Married At First Sight star JJ’s concerns come as mum-of-five Katie revealed she “doesn’t know why” she’s been losing so much weight recently.

She has also worried fans with her erratic behaviour while on a gruelling UK tour with close friend Kerry Katona. “JJ and Katie’s family think she is putting way too much pressure on herself,” a source told Mirror. “She’s been constantly on the move with tour shows, but isn’t right mentally or physically – something she knows deep down.

They add: “JJ is terrified of her losing any more weight. It’s not an easy thing to sit back and watch your partner running themselves into the ground health-wise.” Over the past few weeks Katie, 47, has been entertaining audiences up and down the country alongside long-time pal Kerry with their live show, An Evening with Katie Price & Kerry Katona.

READ MORE: Beauty buffs rush to grab a ‘Shark-inspired’ LED face and neck mask worth £90 for under £30

But following a series of late arrivals and last-minute cancellations at high-profile events, friends and family fear her busy lifestyle could be causing her to spiral out of control.

According to our source, “Everyone is really concerned about Katie.” JJ is particularly concerned and is accompanied by all of her close friends. He merely pleads with her to slow down and take her health seriously. No one knows why she has been losing weight so quickly. Her family won’t understand what is happening. They all only want her to return to health.

Katie, who has been dating JJ since February 2024, sparked outcry earlier this month when she showed up late to a concert in Whitley Bay for more than two hours. She finally arrived at the theater around 9.35 p.m., spending only 35 minutes on stage after making an appearance via video link.

Just two days earlier, she was slammed for cancelling an appearance at Milton Keynes Pride’s afterparty, where she had been due to perform. Although she cited “filming” and “recording” commitments as the reasons why she was unable to attend, fans saw red when it emerged she’d been partying at Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry’s 30th birthday bash instead.

Katie’s unpredictable behaviour comes at the end of a challenging couple of months for the star. In August, ex-husband Peter Andre blasted her “repeated lies” on social media, while another former flame, Alex Reid, also accused her of “spreading lies” and shared a video of her appearing to count piles of cash while bankrupt.

Katie revealed last week that she had lost weight and that she had been receiving medical attention for it, saying, “I’m going to the doctors because I keep losing weight and I don’t know why.” That’s that, then.

However, those close to the former glamour girl say they are concerned about more than just her shrinking frame.

Our insider claims that Katie isn’t sleeping and has more negative effects than she might be letting on. “It’s not just the weight loss. She is, however, determined to get through it. She doesn’t want to lose that because she feels like she’s flying high at this very moment.

Katie’s latest crisis comes just weeks after she celebrated the shock success of her single, I Got U, which became a surprise hit some eight years after it was first released. The delighted star was left “speechless” after the 2017 dance track became a viral hit and ended up hitting the number one spot on the iTunes chart.

However, JJ and her loved ones are deeply concerned about her worrying weight loss and the pressure of her busy tour schedule despite her recent career high.

She needs to keep working, according to our source, “because she would hate to let Kerry down with the shows.” Katie doesn’t like to lose momentum, but fame does mean a lot to her. She’s previously faced criticism for putting on shows, and she doesn’t want it to appear as though she’s let more people down, so she thinks it will work out if she keeps working. However, JJ wants her to realize that her health is more important.

We hope Katie will be able to prioritize her health and happiness over the upcoming weeks with the many Evening With… shows that are still in progress.

Katie’s pal Kerry Katona has also had her health woes of late, and thanked her fans for their understanding after she was forced to walk off-stage after suffering a panic attack last week, when she abruptly walked off stage in the middle of a tour show with Katie Price, The moment came while the duo were discussing their childhoods and tough upbringings, with Kerry later admitting that she had suffered an anxiety attack during the segment.

Continue reading the article.

“People assumed it was because I was extremely emotional, but it wasn’t because I just suddenly felt my heart beating very quickly and realized I was having an anxiety attack,” Kerry tells us. Our columnist continued, blaming the situation on the grounds that I was exhausted from the long tour. “It was really scary and creeped up on me from nowhere.”

I had some paracetamol and a cup of coffee before the show, but I’m not sure if I just reacted badly because I’ve been driving so much and am currently in back pain. Kerry tells us, “My heart was beating out of my chest at the time, and I’m now feeling better.” I was terrified that it would occur again in the following film, but I was in good company. One of those frightful things, really?

Pete Wicks makes sweet promise to Vicky Pattison ahead of first Strictly Come Dancing live show

Vicky Pattison will be performing her first Strictly Come Dancing routine for the judges and viewers at home while Pete Wicks will be in the audience to support her friend.

Vicky Pattison is set to debut her first official dance on Strictly tonight, and her best mate Pete Wicks has promised to be front row cheering her on.

The Geordie Shore star was unveiled as part of the 2025 line-up in August and admitted she’s been “buzzing like an old fridge” since being paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington.

In a post to her 5.5 million Instagram followers, Vicky wrote: “God I am so pleased the cat’s out the bag!!! Been hell trying to keep this one a secret!!!

I’m excited to be working with @kaiwidd and I’m excited to see what we’ve been working on for our first live show. OH NO WAY! I already adore my partner and my @bbcstrictly family, and this week has been crazy intense but incredible at the same time!

You got this, Pete Wicks said in a post that he had read. I’ll be in the front row. Vicky acknowledged that the Strictly launch show was a daunting experience despite her excitement.

While on her Get A Grip podcast with ex-contestant Angela Scanlon, she groaned: “No, it was the worst experience of my life… it does just make you cripplingly aware of how s***e you are if ya s***e, and I am s***e.”

She made fun of the fact that her sequined outfit made her feel like a “salad in a skin” and that producers had given her a unique girdle.

However, she was grateful for her fellow contestants, saying Ross King held her hand when he noticed she was nervous, while Dani Dyer “never left my side”. Vicky admitted that although she panicked at first, once she started dancing she “loved” it.

The 37-year-old TV personality hasn’t been short of supporters ahead of her first live routine tonight. She previously told the BBC that her “biggest cheerleaders” are her husband, Ercan Ramadan, as well as her family and friends.

Particularly encouraging has been Pete Wicks, who defeated Jowita Przystal to reach the Strictly semi-finals in 2024.

“Vicky explained that Pete was a total “fly by the seat of his pants” guy. He was shocked at how far he had to go each week! His counsel was to work hard, maintain a positive attitude, be yourself, and enjoy it. It’s really nice to have both of their viewpoints.

As the competition gets underway, Angela Scanlon has given Vicky advice on how to soak her feet in surgical spirits to ease the discomfort of protracted rehearsals.

Ten years on from her I’m A Celebrity win, Vicky says Strictly offers the chance to step outside her comfort zone. “As you get older you get fewer and fewer chances to truly push yourself and try something new,” she shared.

It’s very simple for me to remain comfortable, and I’m one of those people. offers an incredible opportunity to grow, whether it’s learning to dance, meeting new people, or just getting fitter. I’m so grateful for having the opportunity to discover what you can do.

Continue reading the article.

Isla Fisher ‘not ready’ to date as she shifts focus onto career after Sacha Baron Cohen split

After 14 years of marriage, former Hollywood stars Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen split up in April of that year. The divorce was finalized two months later.

Isla Fisher is keeping herself busy with work following her divorce from ex-husband Sacha Baran Cohen after 14 years of marriage. The pair announced their divorce in April last year, with it being finalised just two months later in June.

The actress, 49, recently acknowledged that she is “not ready” to date again and that she is instead putting her own money into her acting career by producing two movies that are ready to be released. She has appeared in sporadic roles in movies recently.

However, she continued to star in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, a romantic comedy about her split after being made public. It will be her busiest career milestone since 2016, with four movies scheduled to be released either this year or the following year.

On her roster are heist film Now You See Me Now: Now You Don’t, coming-of-age drama Jay Kelly and action comedy film Playdate alongside actor Kevin James. She was also spotted filming another comedy called Spa Weekend in Australia with Leslie Mann and Anna Faris.

The Wedding Crashers star revealed earlier this year that dating again following her split is the last thing on her mind. She told The Sunday Times: “That’s not on my to-do list. I’m not ready to think about any of that.”

READ MORE: Sacha Baron Cohen makes Ozempic admission after revealing major body transformationREAD MORE: Isla Fisher teases ex-husband Sacha Baron Cohen as they both attend Wimbledon final

After meeting her at Taika Waititi’s 50th birthday party in Ibiza last month, Sacha, 53, met Hannah Palmer, 27, at the model’s wedding earlier this week.

After dining together, the two were seen exiting a restaurant together, each time taking a different Cadillac Escalade limo.

However, despite rumours of the pair being on a date, a source has told Mirror that it isn’t what it seemed. They told the publication: “Someone seems to have been making mischief and trying put two and two together to make five.

They have met several times, have shared friends, and eventually got along, and Sacha has given her some acting and Hollywood advice.

This wasn’t a date, though. They both planned dinner ahead of the scheduled event because they were both attending the same event. And they parted ways once more after the event. ”

In 2001, Isla and Sacha first met at a party in Sydney, but they got married in 2014 and tied the knot in Paris with a Jewish ceremony.

She adopted the Jewish name Ayala, the Hebrew word for a doe, and claimed to be keeping the Jewish Sabbath after becoming a convert to his Judaism.

The former couple has three children together, but over the years, they have mostly kept them private.

After their divorce was finalized in June of last year, the two made a joint statement in which they vowed to stay friends. They claimed that the divorce has now been settled.

We are proud of what we’ve accomplished as parents of our wonderful children, and we’re still friends and committed to raising them together. “

We request that the media respect the privacy of our children, as stated in the statement. “

Continue reading the article below.

The couple announced their divorce in a prior joint statement that read, “We are finally putting our racquets down,” and that included a lengthy tennis match that spanned more than 20 years. “

Iran recalls envoys to UK, France, Germany as UN sanctions reimposed

According to state media, Iran has sent its envoys to the United Kingdom, France, and Germany for consultations after the three European nations instituted a mechanism that reinstated UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic for the first time in a decade.

Iran’s ambassadors to Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have been summoned to Tehran for consultations, according to state news agency Tasnim and others, following the irresponsible actions of the three European nations to reinstate UN Security Council resolutions.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

Only four nations supported the draft resolution, which would allow for sanctions to be reimposed, so Russia and China made the decision the day after the 15-member UN Security Council’s failure to delay the lifting of the international sanctions against Iran.

Iran was accused of failing to come clean about its nuclear program, including through countermeasures it took in response to bombing by Israel and the United States during a 12-day conflict in June, which the E3 countries claimed killed more than 1, 000 people.

The sanctions, which are scheduled to take effect on Sunday at 00:00 GMT, will put an end to international cooperation with Iran in the fields of the nuclear, military, banking, and shipping industries. The rial, Iran’s national currency, hit record lows on Saturday, trading for more than 1.1 million US dollars in Tehran’s open market.

The International Atomic Energy Agency stated on Friday that some Iranian sites had resumed inspections this week, but it did not specify whether this included locations where nuclear weapons could be buried. These sites were also bombed by the US and Israel. Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami once more criticized the UN nuclear watchdog for rejecting airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites at the World Atomic Week forum in Moscow.

The World Atomic Week international forum, an event held in Moscow, Russia on September 25, 2025, is led by Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).

Over the past few days, at least two Iranian proposals to postpone snapback have been rejected by Western powers, claiming they did not see enough progress to support a delay following a week of top-level diplomacy at the UN General Assembly.

When, in his opinion, Israel and the US were attempting to use the pressure to overthrow the theocratic establishment, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said there was no reason to reach a deal.

Pezeshkian insisted once more that Iran will never pursue nuclear weapons, saying, “If the goal had been to resolve concerns about the nuclear programme, we could easily do that.”

He also accused the US of pressuring Europe to reject any compromise.

US envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, claimed on Wednesday that the country was open to further discussions but did not want to hurt Iran. However, he also claimed that snapback was “the right remedy for what’s happening.”

Iran is under new economic pressure as a result of the sanctions, but it’s not yet known whether all nations will follow their lead.

Russian deputy ambassador Dmitry Polyansky stated on Friday that Moscow, Iran’s main trading partner, viewed the lifting of sanctions as “null and void.”

Iran has already been subject to unilateral sanctions from the US and the E3, and Chinese companies have tried to stop buying Iranian oil. Chinese companies have been subject to a number of sanctions by the US for oil imports.

In his first term, Trump launched a “maximum pressure” campaign after withdrawing from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal that had demanded immediate sanctions in exchange for drastic restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program.

UNSC vote on Iran
During the 80th UN General Assembly in New York on September 26, 2025, UN Security Council members vote on a resolution by Russia and China to postpone imposing sanctions on Iran by six months.

The new sanctions represent a “snapback” of UN actions that were suspended as a result of the 2015 agreement.

In a defiant UN address on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Israel to stop the snapback and suggested that Israel was prepared to attack Iran’s nuclear program once more.

Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to halting the sanctions by reneging on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, warning that unnamed powers were seeking a “superficial pretext to set the region ablaze.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which led the Israeli airstrikes against Israel during the war, released a statement on Saturday to mark the one year since Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, senior IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan, and other people were killed in major Israeli air raids in Beirut.

The US and Israel have failed in their “vil plans,” according to the statement, adding that “active and smart resistance” is the only viable option for the region against Israeli “expansionism.”

The Supreme National Security Council of Iran’s secretary, Ali Larijani, was in Lebanon on Saturday to observe a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary, telling reporters that Israel has made it clear that it is showing “mercy to no country.”