THE public address announcer at Cardiff on Monday finished his work for the season by wishing all spectators a happy Christmas. It seemed delightfully incongruous on a beautiful September evening, but he may have had an inkling that the mellow Indian summer could not last. It is the equinox this weekend, and it may yet have a say in the destination of the championship.

That would be a pity because the last four days of the professional cricket season, starting this morning with a full round of fixtures involving all 18 counties, will mark the final act of a compelling drama. Hat-tricks and hundreds have made the 1996 Britannic Assurance County Cham- pionship more remarkable even that last year's, which was won, also in the last round of games, only when Warwickshire gained their 14th win in 17 matches.

It would be no surprise if the weather were to prove as important to Leicestershire between now and Sunday as their 14-point advantage over Surrey.

Kent, a point behind Surrey with one more win (the number of wins, but no further criterion, would determine the championship if two teams were to finish equal) are now eight clear of Essex, whose main ambition against Glamorgan at Chelmsford will be to ensure that they claim one of the higher amounts in a prize ladder which declines steeply from £65,000 to the winners, and £30,000 for the county in second place, to £5,000 for ninth position.

The top prize for the major team competition, stretching over six months in a sport generating profits of £20 million a year (albeit not from county cricket itself) should be £100,000 and rising. Even when divided among a first-team group of 13, which is all that Leicestershire have needed during their admirably cohesive campaign, the bonus for finishing top of the pile for the first time in 21 years would only be £5,000 a man.

At least, however, the greater rewards have made for fewer soft matches this year. So has the re-introduction of points for a draw. The effect of the three draw points is one reason why 10 wins would ensure a second championship title for Leicestershire. A mere draw against Middlesex at Grace Road would be good enough if James Whitaker and his mainly homespun team can also gain maximum first-innings bonus points.

Their only selection problem will be whether or not to make way for their second spinner, Matthew Brimson, against a Middlesex side who will certainly include Phil Tufnell and might persevere with the off-spinning all-rounder Keith Dutch, one of the strong second eleven staff to whom they have been relatively slow to offer chances. Jason Pooley has been dropped after a poor season with the bat and Mark Ramprakash, who is right back in form, will open the innings with Paul Weekes.

If Middlesex win, either Surrey or Kent could seize the opportunity. The manner of Kent's demolition of Hampshire on Monday suggests that they go to Bristol in the form and mood which would guarantee 24 points if the weather was merciful, even allowing for the might of Courtney Walsh. Moreover, Jack Russell has been getting runs steadily since being displaced for England by Alec Stewart.

The redoubtable Stewart himself will want to see the back of Graeme Hick as soon as possible at the Oval, given his belated return to form, and he will fear, too, what Tom Moody might do on his return to the ground where he scored 180 from 160 balls in 1994, but I fancy there will be a greener tinge to the pitch today. Again, given sufficient time from the elements, Surrey's all-round strength, lacking quality only in the crucial area of spin bowling, should prevail.

The beauty of it is that no one knows for sure and here is a fanciful scenario with which to conclude. One of the top four wraps up victory on a controversial pitch by tomorrow afternoon. The equinox intervenes and the other matches are rain-affected draws. The only winners claim the title by a point until the pitch inspector decrees that there is a case to answer. All then depends on the Inquiry, held beneath umbrellas on the pitch itself on Sunday evening . . .