Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club have been relegated from County Championship Division One following defeat at home to Middlesex.
Notts needed a draw at worst against the table toppers to keep their hopes of survival alive but lost by five wickets.
Before the game started, Notts were 33 points off safety with just 48 on offer in their remaining two games.
Notts are now 32 points off of safety with just 24 available in their last game away at Somerset, which starts at Taunton on September 20.
This is despite England international Jake Ball giving the home team a shot of a result against Middlesex by taking a hat-trick of wickets at the end of day one which left Middlesex at 0/3.
That followed Nottinghamshire scoring 241 in their first innings thanks to a century from Samit Patel.
Middlesex recovered from their poor start to surpass Notts’ total by six runs, scoring 247.
Notts were then dismissed for 240 with opener Steven Mullaney top scoring with 64.
Middlesex scored 235/5 to win by five wickets as John Simpson and James Franklin both scored unbeaten half-centuries to get Middlesex over the line for the win and relegate Nottinghamshire.
Nottinghamshire will play neighbouring counties Derbyshire and Leicestershire next year.
