County Championship: Warwickshire draw with Sussex to secure promotion

Warwickshire opener Dom Sibley's career-best score remains his 242 for Surrey on his home debut against Yorkshire at the Oval in September 2013

Warwickshire sealed promotion back to Division One of the County Championship as they drew with Sussex to see off the challenge of their third-placed hosts.

Relegated a year ago, the Bears can still go up as Division Two champions - and will go into next week's final game against Kent at Edgbaston level on points with the leaders.

Dom Sibley hit an unbeaten 144 and Sam Hain 90 as the Bears reached 381-3.

Ian Bell retired hurt with a damaged thumb but an x-ray showed no fracture.

He was taken to hospital after being hit on his right thumb by a rising delivery from pace bowler Ollie Robinson. Although there is serious bruising, he could be fit to face Kent for the title decider, which starts on Monday.

Sussex deployed nine bowlers on the day - two of them wicketkeepers, Michael Burgess and Ben Brown - in the hope that Warwickshire, who were 141-0 overnight, might declare and make a game of it.

But the Bears kept the door closed by rolling remorselessly on.

They lost Will Rhodes early in the day for 88 after his stand with Sibley ended on 158, the opening pair's third century partnership of the season.

After the departure of Bell and the cheap loss of Jonathan Trott, Sibley went on to make only his fourth Championship century - but his third and biggest for Warwickshire - as he put on a further 168 for the third wicket with Hain, who hit his highest first-class score of the summer.

Warwickshire's Olly Stone is in the England squads for Test and one-day series in Sri Lanka

Bears swap places with the Pears

• Warwickshire's return to the top flight in English cricket comes after being relegated from Division One by 61 points a year ago.

• Having been replaced by promoted Worcestershire in Division One, the Bears will again swap places with the Pears, just a day after Worcestershire's relegation was sealed.

• In contrast to their one win in 14 games last season, the Bears have so far won eight of their 13 games in Division Two. But, if the points are tied at the end of the game next week, already promoted Kent would be champions as they have won 10 matches.

• Warwickshire's Ian Bell is the only Division Two batsman to pass 1,000 runs this summer (he tops the average with 1,011 at 56.17). His long-time Bears and England colleague Jonathan Trott, in his final season, is on 927 and has a chance to pass four figures next week. Opener Will Rhodes is also within reach on 862.

• Captain Jeetan Patel (with 55 wickets) has again been the Bears' main bowler in an attack of many key contributors, while fit-again paceman Olly Stone's 37 in six matches earned him a first England call.

Analysis

Richard Wilford, BBC WM

Warwickshire were expected to bounce back at the first attempt and have showed great professionalism to secure a return to the top flight.

Of course the runs of Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott gave them a foundation, and the experience of Jeetan Patel, Keith Barker and Chris Wright often told with the ball.

But sporting director Ashley Giles and head coach Jim Troughton have also overseen the emergence of some younger, hungrier talent - some recruited from elsewhere, one very much homegrown.

The burgeoning opening partnership of Will Rhodes and Dom Sibley has averaged almost 40, Olly Stone's pace and accuracy has led to an England call, and Solihull-born teenager Henry Brookes showed hostility and control that earmark him as the Bears' finest prospect since Chris Woakes.

Bears first team coach Jim Troughton told BBC WM:

"This result sets it up for a really intriguing game against Kent, when we might get some silverware. Getting into Division One was one of our priorities this year. We should enjoy the moment while remembering we have a big game coming up."

"There's been some real high points for us this season, especially our opening partnerships from Will Rhodes and Dom Sibley. They are forming an important relationship, which is key in Division One.

"Our younger players have stood up, and I'm delighted with Olly Stone getting his England selection. But our experienced players have done really well too, Trotty and Bell, Tim Ambrose, Keith Barker, Chris Wright.

"Last year was disappointing, having won trophies in the previous 10 years. But we are still in transition - and there will be some new faces next season - but you can't afford to sit on transition as an excuse. You still need to fight for trophies and compete."

Sussex head coach Jason Gillespie:

"We're moving in the right direction. We've had a couple of losses in the past month but we feel some progress has been made. I wanted to give some young guys the opportunity to show what they can do and they've done that.

"Now I've got to find the balance between giving lads games of cricket and earning the right to play first-class cricket. We've got to find the right balance between potential and performances.

"It's a difficult balancing act but we'll get there. And we've made some strides. The lads have played the game the right way, been positive and looked to win games."