Sussex clinch second division title in style

The champagne was flowing at Hove today after Sussex clinched the Cricinfo Championship's second division title in style.

James Kirtley took a season's best 6-35 as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 173 and Sussex needed less than four overs to knock off the 18 runs they needed to clinch a ten wicket win - their ninth of the season.

Skipper Chris Adams said: "It would be easy to single out individual performances because we have had some very good ones with three batsmen getting over 1,000 runs and three bowlers taking more than 50 wickets.

"But more than that we have a tremendous team spirit, great work ethic and, just as importantly, we are a team for the future."

Shortly before the trophy was presented Sussex unveiled their new signing, 24-year-old former Yorkshire left-armer Paul Hutchison who has joined the club on a three-year contract.

Gloucestershire looked like making Sussex work for their victory when they moved to within seven runs of making Sussex bat again with only four wickets down.

But Kirtley returned to the attack to take five wickets while Mark Robinson, who was making his last first-class appearance before taking over as Sussex's second team coach, removed top scorer Dominic Hewson for 79.

Kirtley now has 75 victims, making him the leading wicket-taker this season and more than 100 in all cricket for Sussex this season.

Adams added: "It's been a tremendous achievement, but now we are promoted we face the job of establishing ourself in the first division which is a great challenge for me as a captain and our players."