[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

vs Durham

County Championship, Division Two

New Road, Worcester

Day One: Pears won the toss and elected to bat on a dismal September day that saw less than a session's play in total. Worcestershire were reeling more than a little at 69-3, but Joe Clarke saw the home team's promotion push safely through to close at 90-3.

Day Two: On a fine sunny Tuesday the objective was to knock off the necessary 300 runs required for our batting bonus, and despite a wobble here and there the Pears made it to 335 all out, courtesy of 82 from Ravi Ashwin and 75 from Ed Barnard. In the day's final session the news came through of a Northants collapse at Grace Road, and five Durham wickets before close meant that the only question remaining was whether Worcestershire could wrap up the last couple of bonus points before Northants gifted us promotion on a plate.

Day Three: And as it happened, Northants obliged us within ten minutes of the day's play. Their four bonus points weren't enough to keep the challenge alive, and as if to celebrate their confirmed Division One status, the Pears rattled through the last few Durham wickets with ease. Though bad weather curtailed the day's play, there was time for the home side to reach 157-3 before close with a season-best 47 from the out of form Tom Fell. Overnight, the Pears lead by 284 with seven wickets remaining, and with the weather set fair for Thursday, it's now simply a case of how many we pile on before the inevitable declaration and ensuing charge for the division title. Notts are heading for an almost-certain draw at Hove, and in that circumstance a draw at New Road would suffice too, but it'd be a shame not to celebrate the county's first title since 2003 in style. Come on you Pears: let's have some last-day fireworks.

Day Four: A fine sunny Thursday to close the season saw Daryl Mitchell reach his seventh century of 2017 - a career-best effort - as Worcestershire cruised to a lead of 369 before declaring. From the very first over of the fourth innings, when skipper Joe Leach dismissed Cameron Steel on his way to 69 wickets for the season (another career best), Durham were always going to struggle. Ravi Ashwin got in on the act with five-fer to bring a fitting end to his influential stint at New Road, before boy wonder Joe Clarke took the catch at half past four that put Worcestershire's name on the trophy.

It's been a season of many troubles, trials and travails, but this trophy was a well-earned triumph on the banks of the Severn.

Worcestershire WIN by a hundred and thirty-seven runs

Worcestershire are CHAMPIONS of Division Two

Star Performer: It's difficult to overlook the all-round individual performance of Ravi Ashwin, whose first-innings 82 with the bat and second-innings five-fer with the ball put this match in Worcestershire's hands. But this achievement belongs to a homegrown Pears side who've pushed themselves to greater and greater heights through 2017, and will hopefully continue to do so in the years to come.

Next Match: Will, of course, have to wait until spring 2018, when the Pears will test their mettle once more in Division One.