Captain Haseeb Hameed’s century drove Nottinghamshire to a glorious triumph as they formally sealed the Rothesay County Championship title on the second day of their season-ending clash with Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.

When Kyle Verreynne pulled Nathan Gilchrist for six at 4:54pm, it saw Notts past the magic number of 300, banking two batting bonus points and securing an unassailable lead over nearest challengers - and three-time defending champions - Surrey.

It was Hameed’s 122, his fourth ton of the season, however, that was the main base upon which Notts’ 374 all out was built, with Verreynne Joe Clarke, and Liam Patterson-White also all contributing half-centuries.

The outpouring of joy inside Trent Bridge at the Green and Golds’ first Championship title since 2010, and the first they have won at home since 1987, was physically palpable.

So too was the prospective glee at even winning this match, which Notts merely had to draw to seal the title, with Warwickshire left reeling at 7-3 at stumps.

Head Coach Peter Moores was for many years the only coach to win the title with two counties until Mark Robinson, twice a winner with Sussex, equalled the feat in 2021 with Warwickshire.

However, Moores now stands alone in winning championships with three counties, having previously done so with Sussex and Lancashire.

After Hameed led the batting from the front, Mohammad Abbas did the same for the bowling attack, as the opener secured two wickets and Brett Hutton returned a scalp too.

It gave the hosts an overall lead of 109 in the game, and with only seven second-innings wickets remaining to be taken, real hope of another victory to cap off a glorious campaign.

Earlier in the day, openers Hameed and Ben Slater had put on 56, the ninth time they have passed fifty together this season, helping Notts come through a testing morning session at 100-2.

As conditions for batting became a little easier after lunch, Hameed and Joe Clarke (52) added 122 in 32 overs for the third wicket, though a pair of dismissals did jolt the hosts.

Not that they remotely perturbed Hameed, however, who calmly advanced to his hundred before reaching the milestone in dramatic fashion, dashing a tense single to post his ton in 181 balls.

The captain was bowled by Gilchrist on the stroke of tea, but that later only served to bring together Verreynne and Patterson-White, who had clearly decided on a glorious finale.

Verreynne, who made 83 today having also hit the winning runs as South Africa beat Australia at Lord’s to be crowned World Test champions in June, raised both arms in the air before embracing batting partner Patterson-White.

Patterson-White hit 70 as the two shared a decisive seventh-wicket partnership of 119, as Gilchrist’s first over with the new ball went for 17 after Patterson-White had begun it with three fours, before his second cost a further 15 at the behest of Verreynne.

It was the cue for the seventh-wicket due to really let rip, stretching their partnership to 100 in precisely 100 balls and 119 from 120.

Verreynne, who hit nine fours and four sixes, became a fifth victim for Alex Davies behind the stumps, though he was roundly applauded from the field having forever established himself as the man who secured Notts’ seventh Championship crown.

Notts were ultimately dismissed for a healthy lead of 116, but with the wind at their backs and a sizeable crowd firmly behind them, they roared in to give Warks four tough overs before the close.

Tough overs they were too, as Abbas, who pinned Davies and Rob Yates lbw, and Hutton, who saw nightwatcher Bamber nick to Freddie McCann in the slips, ensured the Bears were left floundering.

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