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Essex chairman John Faragher on Essex head coach Chris Silverwood being linked with the England bowling coach position: "It would be somewhat disappointing if Chris wasn’t on the radar of England. He is a talented coach.

"He is enjoying time his here and has done a great job. We are ambitious. It is good for us to see a player represent England, and if Chris goes on to work with England then so be it.

"If England decide they want to appoint Chris Silverwood it will be a sad day for me and a sad day for the club, but I am not thinking like that."

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Essex chief executive Derek Bowden: "The team are a talented bunch whether that is Alastair Cook or a young player like Jamie Porter. They work incredibly hard and well together.

"It comes down to planning. Chris (Silverwood), Ronnie Irani and I sat down 12 months ago thinking which players we wanted to bring in, how to mix and match.

"You know Mohammed Amir is not going to be available all year but we knew we could bring back Neil Wagner. It is about long and mid-term planning."

Image source, Rex Features

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More from Essex chief executive Derek Bowden.

Essex are the first non-Test hosting county to win the County Championship in 10 years.

"It is a challenge financially," Bowden said. "The bigger grounds have more financial wherewithal but they have debt and we don’t have any.

"Our money gets spent out there on the pitch. The academy policy we have got is in part fueled by our commercial activities and the money from the ECB.

"We are at a competitive disadvantage from the size of our ground but we have got a strategy."

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Essex chief executive Derek Bowden: "It is a fantastic achievement for everyone at the club.

"We genuinely believe one team, one dream. It is not just the players on the field but the people behind the scenes - the ground staff, coaching staff commercial staff. It is great to celebrate.

"There was a strategy and plan for this moment. It has worked. This is the end of the beginning."

Adrian Harms
Sports reporter, BBC Sussex

A good morning for Sussex after Derbyshire declared on their overnight score setting the home side 390 to win.

Despite losing Angus Robson with only nine on the board, Luke Wells and Stiaan Van Zyl have shared an unbroken century partnership, with Wells in particular looking in good form as he closes in on 1,000 Championship runs for the season.

Sussex must win this game to retain their remote hopes of promotion so providing the weather holds there could be an exciting run chase this afternoon.

Job done so far by Yorkshire, with Shaun Marsh (71*) and Alex Lees (70*) batting through the entire morning session at the Oval. They have 10 boundaries each, but the visitors still need another 42 runs to clear the first-innings deficit after following on.

Are Surrey to be frustrated again - with nine draws and only one win so far this summer?

Nick Webb
BBC Wales Sport

No alarms for Northants on the final morning as they knocked off 107 from their victory target for the loss of just one wicket.

Rob Newton reached his second half-century of the match before losing his leg stump to Craig Meschede for 53.

But nightwatchman Simon Kerrigan has looked untroubled in reaching 57 not out, just five short of his first-class best.

Victory will keep Northants very much in the promotion mix, as they prepare to host Notts next week.

Division One

Middlesex 204 v Hampshire 46-3

Somerset 335 & 69-3 v Lancashire 133 & 269 (f/o)

Somerset won by seven wickets

Surrey 592 v Yorkshire 394 & 156-1 (f/o)

Division Two

Glamorgan 207 & 320 v Northamptonshire 310 & 149-2

Gloucestershire 385 & 156-4 v Kent 386

Derbyshire 338 & 322-8 dec v Sussex 271 & 110-1

Leicestershire 404 & 220 v Worcestershire 493 & 4-0

for Simon Kerriganpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 15 September 2017

12:21 BST 15 September 2017

Glamorgan 207 & 320 v Northamptonshire 310 & 138-2

In the midst of their disappointment at the end of their title chances, let's hope Lancashire will be cheered by this innings from Simon Kerrigan, who is, of course, one of their own. On loan with Northants, he has reached only the third half-century of his career from 78 balls, with a single off Marchant de Lange.

Words from the Essex skipper...

That Somerset win over Lancashire is not only one that gives Essex the title but a crucial one for their own season.

Somerset started the match second-bottom and in the relegation places in Division One but the win takes them to 123 points and lifts them above Yorkshire and Middlesex for the time being.

They have Surrey and Middlesex to come - the last game could be a relegation shoot-out.

And as the congratulations continue to come in for Essex we will of course bring you the best of them and keep you up to date with everything else going on around the grounds today.

for Alex Leespublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 15 September 2017

12:12 BST 15 September 2017

Surrey 592 v Yorkshire 394 & 130-1 (52 overs)

Still nothing doing for Surrey at the Oval where Alex Lees collects back-to-back boundaries off Stuart Meaker to follow partner Shaun Marsh to 50. Lees has taken 120 balls to get there and these two have now added 102. Yorkshire still need another 68, though, to clear the deficit.

No one can begrudge Essex this victory.

They are the only team still unbeaten in Division One.

Their performance this season has been quite brilliant. Remember they were only promoted from Division Two last season.

Watch yesterday's highlights as Essex beat Warwickshire by an innings and 56 runs, a victory that effectively sealed their first County Championship title since 1992.

Kevin Howells
BBC Test Match Special

I understand it could be a little quiet on the Essex coach after a heavy night shall we say.

We are expecting them to arrive at here Chelmsford later this afternoon.