Second Eleven Championship (England) 2021/22

The Second XI Championship is a domestic cricket competition in England and Wales, organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Founded in 1959, it serves as the primary national competition for the reserve teams of the eighteen first-class county clubs. Prior to its establishment, second XIs of first-class counties competed in the Minor Counties Cricket Championship; the last county second XI to withdraw from that competition was Somerset 2nd XI after the 1987 season.

The competition sits below the first-class County Championship and is not part of a promotion/relegation pyramid with lower tiers (such as the National Counties Cricket Championship). Participation is restricted to the second XIs of the first-class counties and the MCC Young Cricketers, who act as a development side. There is no promotion or relegation between the Second XI Championship and other cricketing structures; it is an internal league for county reserve teams.

The format has undergone several reforms. From 1959 to 1982, it was a single league where winners were determined by points percentage due to unequal match schedules. In 2009, it was split into North and South divisions of ten teams each, with a final between the divisional winners. For the 2025 season, the ECB revamped the structure into the "Championship Challenge," splitting the 18 county teams (and MCC Young Cricketers) into three non-regionalized conferences of six teams. Each team plays five three-day or four-day matches within its conference. The two group winners with the highest points advance to a four-day final to decide the champion. Points are awarded for wins (16 points), ties/draws (8 points), and losses (0 points), with additional batting and bowling bonus points available in the first innings.

Notable history includes the introduction of limited-overs variants: the Second XI Trophy in 2001 and the Second XI T20 in 2011. The competition is distinct from the County Championship (first XI) in that it focuses on player development and youth exposure rather than senior professional competition. It is also distinct from the Minor Counties Cricket Championship, which is for non-first-class county clubs.

The most successful team in the competition's history is Kent 2nd XI with 10 titles. Other frequent winners include Surrey 2nd XI (9 titles), Hampshire 2nd XI (8 titles), and Yorkshire 2nd XI (7 titles). The current holder (as of the 2025 season conclusion) is Surrey 2nd XI, who defeated Worcestershire 2nd XI by 201 runs in the final. Nottinghamshire 2nd XI won the previous title in 2024.