Ruthless Warwickshire clinch County Championship title

Warwickshire finished off Somerset in ruthless fashion to claim the LV= Insurance County Championship and pip Lancashire to the title on the final day of the season.

The Red Rose were watching on nervously from Emirates Old Trafford after edging a nail-biter against Hampshire on Thursday evening to give themselves a chance, but they were powerless to prevent the silverware being torn from their grasp at Edgbaston.

Liam Norwell dismissed Jack Brooks just before 4.30pm to seal a 118-run win and, with it, Warwickshire’s first championship triumph since 2012 and only the eighth in their history.

Skipper Will Rhodes made a competitive declaration after little more than an hour’s play in order to give his side 79 overs to take all 10 wickets, inviting the Cidermen to chase down 273 at a required rate of 3.45.

But with the Division One title on the line, Warwickshire were not to be denied in the field as they dismissed the visitors for 154 in 52 overs.

Nottinghamshire had earlier completed a five-wicket victory over Yorkshire in their final match but ultimately missed out on the Bob Willis Trophy final.

READ ALSOCounty Championship cricket match halted by air ambulance

After wrapping up their own match seven overs into the afternoon session, they were left waiting for the outcome of Warwickshire’s clash against Somerset but the Bears’ victory ensured it would be them and Lancashire to contest the end-of-season Lord’s final.

Nottinghamshire would be heading to Lord’s themselves if they had not fallen four runs short of a third batting point here when they were bowled out for 296 in their first innings, having needed only 18 more runs with three wickets in hand.