Warwickshire win title

Warwickshire  won the Specsavers County Championship Division Two title after beating Kent by an innings and 34 runs inside three days at Edgbaston.

Both teams had already secured their places in the top tier next season before their title-decider.

After conceding a first-innings deficit of 213, Kent were bowled out for 179 on day three after resuming on 38 for one.

Kent began the day in need of a massive rearguard action but were hit by a spectacular mid-morning burst of four wickets for 34 runs in 61 balls.

Nightwatchman Adam Riley fell to a brilliant, one-handed catch at second slip by Dom Sibley off Keith Barker who then knocked out two of Joe Denly’s stumps to close the new England call-up’s season with a second-ball duck.

Olly Stone, who will be alongside Denly in the England party heading for Sri Lanka at the weekend, then struck twice, first inducing a nick from Heino Kuhn before leaving Ollie Robinson with just one vertical stump.

Opener Zak Crawley resisted hard for 73 (152 balls, ten fours) but fell lbw to Ryan Sidebottom in the last over before lunch.

Two wickets in the first full over the break accelerated the collapse as Chris Wright pinned Darren Stevens lbw and had Grant Stewart caught at third slip.

Sam Billings defied for 46 (75 balls, six fours) but when he fell lbw to Jeetan Patel, Warwickshire were one wicket from glory.

That wicket fell immediately when Matt Henry played his first ball to mid off and Harry Podmore was run out by Stone’s throw.