Needing just 69 for victory on the third day, Durham claimed the title in the afternoon after rain delayed play until after lunch, losing just the wickets of Keaton Jennings and Scott Borthwick to take the game.
Opener Mark Stoneman (35no) got the winning runs as the healthy home crowd applauded the win which ensured the County Championship title for 2013.
The win put Durham 48.5 points ahead of their nearest rival Yorkshire and ensured they could not be overtaken at the top.
It was another tremendous peformance for this Durham outfit which has showed its true grit and determination all season.
As the case with many of the peformances this year, it was a team effort with both experienced campaigners and up and coming stars shining for the North East outfit.
The win was Durham’s fifth match in a row, capping off 10 wins for the season, a season which will go down in Durham history as one of its best.
For a county in just its 21st year, the title win this season has meant 3 Championship wins in just six years- a remarkable feat.
After the win Captain Paul Collingwood said:
“The guys have really stood up at the right times and to see so many local youngsters scoring big runs, taking five-fors and winning games for Durham has been very satisfying from a captain’s point of view – to watch them blossom and grow into men.