Well, a couple of days after we made history the dust is just beginning to settle on our magnificent achievement.

If we looked a bit bleary-eyed in the field yesterday I hope you can understand why. The celebrations on Thursday night went on for quite a while in the dressing room when we were joined by support staff, members of the backroom team, sponsors, family and friends.

We then adjourned to the Cricketers where the atmosphere was, according to one of the younger members of the team, 'rocking'.

I made an inpromptu speech and every member of the side was cheered to the echo.

A few of the lads went on to the Escape nightclub, with a few stops on the way. It's a bit harder for us older guys to keep up these days. I declared at midnight and got a taxi home! You've got to pace yourself at my age.

It wasn't the end of our celebrations, just the beginning in fact. Tomorrow the entire staff and their families are gathering at the Hotel Du Vin for a big party and I expect it will be manic for the next month or so as we celebrate our achievement all around the county.

It might have seemed pre-ordained that I was out there batting when we closed in on 300 and the batting point which was going to make us champions.

I expect a lot of you who were there expected me to hit the 'winning' runs.

But Murray Goodwin had told us at the start of play that his aim was to be there batting when we got to 300 and I was quite happy to let him spark the celebrations with that boundary off Phil DeFreitas.

I'll never forget the scenes that followed for the rest of my life. It was a nice gesture by the umpires Mervyn Kitchen and Trevor Jesty to hold up play for a few minutes and allow the rest of the team to join us on the field to acknowledge the wonderful ovation from our supporters.

I'm not sure what Phil DeFreitas and the rest of the Leicestershire side made of it but hey, you don't win the County Championship very often!

So what does winter hold in store for the captain of the champions?

A good rest for starters. What with my benefit, it's been an exhausting few months both physically and mentally and once we have had our discussions about the make-up of next season's squad it will be time for reflection and recuperation.

I'm playing in the Power Cricket event in Amsterdam at the beginning of October which should be a bit of fun and there is my benefit to complete.

My elbow is still causing me problems and if the problem is still there after a rest then I may have a small operation.

In November I'm off to Barbados with Fred Rumsey's tour which is always a great laugh.

I'm also planning to watch the Albion a few more times. I love my football, they are my local side and I'm looking forward to getting down to Withdean to hopefully see them get promoted again.

Finally, a big thank you on behalf of all the players for your magnificent support this season which I hope we have rewarded in the best possible way.

Thursday brought home to all of us just how much Sussex cricket means to so many people, not just in the county but exiled all around the world.

Believe me, once we have stopped celebrating this success we will be working hard to make sure it is the first of many.