Nottinghamshire clinch County Championship title for first time in 15 years

Nottinghamshire captain Haseeb Hameed led from the front with a century against Warwickshire as they secured the two bonus points they needed to be crowned county champions for the first time in 15 years.

Hameed scored 122 at the top of the order, setting up the hosts to comfortably go past the 300 they needed.

Therefore, they secured the points to win a seventh title by moving out of the reach of defending champions Surrey.

Joe Clarke (52) and Kyle Verreynne maintained the momentum, with the latter bringing up his half-century with a cover driving for four before pulling his next scoring shot for six to get them over the line in style.

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After the match, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, Mick Newell, could not hide his excitement.

“It’s incredible. It’s a fantastic feeling,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra. “We knew these last three games were absolutely crucial and we’ve been blessed with some good weather to allow us to get on the field and get the points we need.

“Anyone who comes ahead of Surrey has played some pretty good cricket because they are really good and it’s a great tribute to our players.”

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