National Counties Championship (England) 2021/22

The National Counties Cricket Championship is the premier domestic competition for non-first-class county clubs in England and Wales. It was founded in 1895, established by the constituent clubs themselves, with Paul Foley, then honorary secretary of Worcestershire CCC, playing a key role in its creation. The tournament was sponsored as the "Unicorns Championship" from 2014 to 2019.

The competition is administered by the National Counties Cricket Association (NCCA). In the English cricket pyramid it sits below the professional first-class County Championship and the limited-overs One-Day Cup and T20 Blast. It is also above the ECB Premier Leagues, which are the highest level of club cricket within the county structure. The NCCA manages the tournament, which is widely regarded as the highest level of non-first-class cricket.

The current format involves 20 teams split into two regional divisions: Eastern and Western. Each regional division is further divided into Division 1 and Division 2, containing 10 teams each. Teams play a league format within their respective divisions. The winners of Eastern Division 1 and Western Division 1 contest a four-day final to determine the overall champion. Within the divisions, the bottom team in Division 1 is relegated to Division 2, while the winners of Division 2 are promoted to Division 1.

Staffordshire is the most successful club in the competition's history, having won the title 14 times. Their victories span from 1906 to 2024. Buckinghamshire is the second most successful with 12 titles, followed by Berkshire with 10. The 2024 title was shared between Berkshire and Staffordshire after a drawn final. The competition runs annually, with interruptions during the World Wars and the 2020 season cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is distinct from the National Counties Trophy and the National Counties T20 Competition, which are also administered by the NCCA but operate as separate formats.