ESSEX homed in on their first County Championship title for 25 years as they finished off relegation-bound Warwickshire, to win by an innings and 56 runs inside three days at Edgbaston.Chris Silverwood’s side must wait on the result from Taunton, where Lancashire must now beat Somerset, before the silverware is confirmed.

Trailing by 161 overnight, on 7-0, the Bears slid to 47-5 before a rain break.Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter did the job to bowl out the hosts for 112.Spinner Harmer took the final wicket to end with eight in the match, while Porter and Sam Cook both claimed three apiece.That leaves Division One’s bottom club Warwickshire also on the brink at the other end of the table. The Bears’ eighth defeat in 12 games this season was their fifth by an innings, two of which have come against Essex.

The relegation which has looked on the cards since they began this season with four innings defeats in their first six matches could be confirmed before this week’s round of matches are completed.Essex, who went up as Division Two champions in 2016, would become the second newly-promoted side to win the county title since two divisions were introduced to English cricket in 2000. Nottinghamshire are the only other team to achieve the feat, in 2005.Essex have been told that, should they complete their seventh triumph, the Championship trophy will not be presented until their home game against Yorkshire at Chelmsford, starting on September 25. (BBC Sport)