CHESHIRE have been crowned the new Minor Counties Championship champions after they defeated Northumberland by an innings and four runs yesterday.
This year's Western Division winners claimed the last three wickets they needed for victory in just over an hour and a half to complete a memorable title-double this term.
Cheshire shared the 2005 title with Suffolk after a drawn match in Ipswich and also in 2001 when they shared the crown with Lincolnshire.
But the county's impressive victory this season, with almost two days to spare, was their first outright crown since they beat Cambridgeshire in 1988 by 13 runs in a one-day final at Worcester Cricket Club.
"We've been fantastic this season," said Cheshire skipper Andy Hall. "We've only lost one match and could have won a treble. It's been an amazing season, a real team effort."
