Sussex clinched their first county championship title at the 103rd attempt after they reached 302 for two in the first innings of their final match of the season against Leicestershire.
Zimbabwean batsman Murray Goodwin struck the boundary that took Sussex past 300 and up to six bonus points for the match at Hove, ending the hopes of Lancashire, their only remaining rivals for the title.
"There's been a lot of pressure on us but the lads have come through and I'm just really, really pleased," Sussex director of cricket Peter Moores told Sky Sports News.
"I think we have been the best team without a shadow of a doubt - what a fantastic achievement."
Sussex, founded in 1864 and seven-times county championship runners-up, earned three bonus points for bowling out the visitors for 179 on the opening day. Leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed became the first bowler since 1998 to take 100 first-class wickets in an English season.
Sussex's triumph left Gloucestershire, Somerset, Durham and Northamptonshire as the only four of 18 first-class counties without a championship title since 1890 when the competition was first played.
