Cricket-Warwickshire clinch English county championship

LONDON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Warwickshire won the English county championship for the first time in eight years when they wrapped up an innings and 202-run victory over local relegation-threatened rivals Worcestershire on Thursday.

The victory was made even sweeter after losing out on last season's title to Lancashire on the final day but it was never in doubt after they bowled Worcestershire out for 60 in the first innings and amassed 471 for eight declared in reply with Varun Chopra scoring 195.

Worcestershire, needing 411 just to make Warwickshire bat again, were unlikely to come close to that target, but at least redeemed themselves after their first innings collapse before being all out for 209.

The result put Warwickshire beyond the reach of second-placed Sussex, their only remaining challengers in the first division, and secured their seventh title and first since 2004.

(Reporting by Mike Collett, editing by Ed Osmond)