The First Class Forum has voted for a two-up, two-down promotion and relegation system in the County Championship from the 2006 season onwards.

Since the Championship was split into two divisions in 2000 there has been a three-up, three down format, but Kent put forward a motion to change that, arguing that it would encourage more positive cricket. That was approved by the necessary two-thirds majority.

Promotion and relegation from next season's Sunday League will also be two-up, two-down, but in addition there will be a play off for the final promotion/relegation spot with the team finishing third in the second division at home to the side coming seventh in the first division.

"We were very much in favour of the change," said Paul Sheldon, Surrey's chief executive. "Three up, three down has caused a lot of instability. It did not achieve the goals that two divisions set out to achieve."

Kent and Surrey are the only two counties never to have been relegated from the first division