Warwickshire win the Championship

By Daniel Brigham

Warwickshire have won the County Championship for the first time since 2004 with an emphatic innings-and-202-run over rivals Worcestershire, who have been relegated. 

Chris Wright provided the final blow, bowling Alan Richardson to finish with 4-65 as Worcestershire, 100-2 overnight, were skittled for 209. It is Warwickshire's seventh Championship and a remarkable turnaround after relegation in 2009. It also makes up for the heartbreak of missing out on the title on the final day of last season. With star batsmen Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott playing in just six Championship matches between them - with a century apiece - it has been a collective effort from Warwickshire throughout the season, led expertly by director of cricket Ashley Giles who is fast earning a reputation as county cricket's finest coach. 

Varun Chopra starred with the bat, with three centuries, including a classy 195 yesterday. Allrounder Rikki Clarke has also recorded three centuries, while Ian Westwood and Jim Troughton have contributed a couple of hundreds apiece. Opening bowlers Chris Wright, who Essex let go last season, and Keith Barker, who has played only 30 first-class matches after turning his back on football in 2008, have surprised many to offer a real threat with the new ball, and both have taken fifty wickets. New Zealander Jeetan Patel has provided the quality spinner that all successful sides need and Warwickshire's success has been based on bat big, bowl them out and they've been dominant from the start of the season.

"From the moment last year when we didn't get those wickets on the final day of the season, and were completely gutted, we've used it to push us on," says captain Jim Troughton. "We made it our responsibility to push on in the winter and to come back and win it with a game to spare is amazing. I'm over the moon."

While Sussex may feel aggrieved by the role the weather has played in holding their late title charge back, and Nottinghamshire can point to a severe injury list, Warwickshire have been the most consistent team in the division and fully deserve the drenching in Champagne they received when receiving the trophy. They've lost only one match all summer and will go to Trent Bridge next week for the final game of the season against last year's champions in celebratory mood. 


Date: 06/09/2012 14:01:00 by DBrigham
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