COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Riverside:
Durham 648-5 dec beat Nottinghamshire 384 and 212 by an innings and 52 runs (Durham 22pts, Notts 5pts)

Durham wrapped up victory with two games of the season remaining

Durham finally wrapped up their second successive County Championship title by completing an innings victory over Nottinghamshire at the Riverside.

The reigning champions headed into the game against their second-placed rivals needing to take at least 11 points.

A draw would have been enough, but Durham wrapped up an innings and 52-run win early on the final afternoon when Steve Harmison bowled Mark Ealham.

Durham could still equal the modern-day record of 10 wins in a season.

This was their eighth Championship win of the summer. And, with still two games left, they can equal the 10 wins achieved by Surrey in 2002 and Sussex a year later, the most since the County Championship split into two divisions in 2000.

Durham achieved this latest Championship-clinching victory in style, on the back of their record first-class score of 648-5 declared, of which Michael Di Venuto plundered 219.

606: DEBATE To retain the title this season is simply brilliant and surely the back-to-back title wins show Durham are a force to be reckoned with and firmly on the map as a class county outfit Bogratsteve

In reply, Nottinghamshire mustered 384 from their first innings, Liam Plunkett (6-85) and Mark Davies (4-87) sharing the wickets.

Having then been asked to follow on, the visitors could only muster to 212 all out second time around.

Plunkett weighed in with three more wickets, but it was Harmison, again Durham's leading Championship wicket-taker this summer (with 49), who fittingly finished it off.

Notts went into this game still holding onto second place, but they never seriously looked like making Durham bat again.

Youngster Alex Hales did at least mark the occasion by passing fifty in both innings, his second-innings 78 proving his highest first-class score to date.

But there was precious little else to smile about for a Notts side who won three of their first five Championship games, but have not won now in three months.

Notts began the day on 52-2, with Hales accompanied by nightwatchman Darren Pattinson.

But Pattinson hung around for all of three balls before having his leg-stump uprooted by Liam Plunkett.

Samit Patel then hooked Harmison safely into the hands of Mark Davies at fine leg.

But 20-year-old Hales dug in and was ably supported by Bilal Shafayat as they negated Durham's attack for 25 comfortable overs.

But Hales sold Shafayat short with a poor attempted single to Shivnarine Chanderpaul at point.

Hales and Ali Brown looked at ease as they took the score past the 150-mark.

But Hales finally succumbed when, having looked nailed-on to reach three figures for the first time in his fledgling first-class career, Ian Blackwell located his inside edge to have him taken at short leg.

Brown quickly followed him for 28, the right-hander failing to get his bat down quickly enough on a searing Plunkett delivery that cannoned into the stumps via an inside edge.

The same bowler then collected Read's wicket lbw for 24 soon afterwards and, with the writing well and truly on the wall, Harmison enticed Luke Fletcher into a waft that ended in the hands of third slip.

A limping Charlie Shreck did make an admirable appearance as a number 11, hampered with a knee injury.

His cameo only lasted a matter of overs, but it was Ealham who was out, bowled by Harmison, who raised a stump aloft to kick off Durham's latest trophy-winning celebration.

BBC Newcastle's Martin Emmerson gives his verdict on Durham's second straight title win:

"Emphatic! What a way to win the title.

"Notts came here as Durham's nearest rivals and were sent home with their tails between their legs.

"Durham's approach to the season has been top class.

"It's now eight wins and six draws from 14 games.

"Two more wins and they will equal the 10 wins chalked up by Surrey and Sussex. But they didn't go through the season unbeaten and I think there's every chance Durham can."

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