Sussex clinched cricket's biggest prize, the County Championship, for the first time in their 164-year history at Hove today.

They secured a sixth bonus point which clinched the title 15 minutes after lunch on the second day of the match against Leicestershire at a packed County Ground.

As the PA blared out Sussex By The Sea, a near full-house crowd rose as one to salute their heroes when Murray Goodwin took Sussex past 300, earning them a third batting point to go with the three bowling bonus points they had taken by bowling out Leicestershire for 179 yesterday.

The rest of the Sussex team swarmed on to the outfield to join Goodwin and skipper Chris Adams as the celebrations began in earnest.

It had been hard work for the first hour this morning as Phil DeFreitas and Vasbert Drakes bowled testing spells in overcast conditions which made the ball swing.

DeFreitas ended a second wicket stand of 127 in 34 overs when Tony Cottey, who made his first half- century since July 26, was beaten off the pitch and edged to wicketkeeper Paul Nixon.

But once Goodwin and Adams had seen off Leicestershire's opening bowlers they began to accelerate towards their first target.

Goodwin collected successive boundaries off David Masters to reach his fourth century of the season and third in the last four matches, made off 181 balls with 17 fours.

The second of those boundaries took Sussex past 200, enabling them to collect their first batting point and when skipper DeFreitas turned to spin the Sussex batsmen went into overdrive.

Their next 50 runs were scored in just 20 minutes including four fours in one over from Australian Brad Hodge.

Adams reached his half-century off 58 balls with six fours and a six and in the last over before lunch Goodwin took two boundaries off the occasional medium-pace of John Maunders to move to 150, the third 50 coming from just 36 deliveries with ten more fours.

Sussex will be officially presented with the trophy and £105,000 winners' cheque by sponsors Frizzell after play on the third day.

Meanwhile, Mushtaq Ahmed is close to signing a contract which will keep him at Sussex for another two years.

The brilliant Pakistani leg-spinner became the first bowler for five years to take 100 first-class wickets when he took 4-71 on the first day against Leicestershire. John Snow was the last Sussex player to achieve the feat in 1966.

Mushtaq flies back to Lahore on Monday and hopes to have agreed a new deal with the county by the weekend.

Sussex coach Les Lenham had to umpire for 35 minutes at the start today after Mervyn Kitchen was held up by the accident on the A27.

Elsewhere, Lancashire stayed on course for the prize money afforded to the second-placed team as Nottinghamshire missed an opportunity to take control at Trent Bridge today.