The 1897 English cricket season saw Lancashire win the County Championship title for the first time in the official running of the Championship, thanks mainly to only three losses in twenty-six matches. Surrey won more games, and beat Lancashire twice, but one more loss than Lancashire meant that they would have to be content with second place. They could have taken the Championship home if they had beaten Sussex in the last game at The County Ground, Hove, but after gaining a five-run lead on first innings, Surrey let Billy Murdoch, C.