Warwickshire celebrate team effort

WARWICKSHIRE emphasised once again yesterday that cricket is more about collectivism than individual derring-do.

By defeating Hampshire at Edgbaston to win the County Championship, the team duly completed the second leg of what would be an unprecedented 'Grand Slam' of all four domestic competitions - this just hours after the club had failed to gain any representation in the England party to tour Australia this winter.

Before a packed house at Lord's today, Warwickshire will attempt to retain the NatWest Trophy - the premier one-day competition - when they resume hostilities with Worcestershire, their victims in the Benson & Hedges Cup final.

With just two matches remaining, they also lead the Sunday League by two points. No county has ever won three competitions in the same season.

One factor was the signing of the Trinidadian batsman, Brian Lara, who against Durham in May added the highest first-class score (501 not out) to the Test landmark of 375 he established the previous month.

(Photograph omitted)

Match report, page 24