DURHAM'S cricketers are to be honoured with a civic celebration to mark their historic achievement in seizing one of the game's top trophies.

The region was last night celebrating its first major cricketing success after Durham County Cricket Club won the Friends Provident Trophy at Lord's, the home of the game.

Durham, who only became a first-class county 15 years ago, beat Hampshire by 125 runs yesterday in a 50-over match that had been carried over from Saturday because of rain.

A Durham County Council spokesman said there would be some form of civic celebration, but it had not been decided yet what form it would take.

He said: "This is a very special sporting occasion and I am sure we will be looking to mark it in an appropriate way. It is a tremendous achievement by the club."

Don Robson, a former chairman of the cricket club and now patron and life president, was, as chairman of Durham County Council, a driving force behind the club's entry into the cricketing big time and the construction of its Riverside Stadium, in Chester-le-Street.

"It was a hell of a performance on Saturday and the crowd we had with us was superb,'' he said. "They took the place by storm and gave our batsmen every kind of applause. I have been to Lord's 50 times before, but this was very special. We never thought about winning cups, the main thing was to give the chance of first-class cricket to the great players we had over the years."

Mr Robson said he hoped the victorious team would celebrate with club members and the public and that councils would officially mark the occasion.

Albert Nugent, the Labour leader of Durham County Council, praised the club and its players, and said of the victory: "It is good for Durham."

Councillor Nugent, a former miner who represents Deneside in Seaham, added: "This win has not happened overnight, it is the result of 15 years hard work.

"The lads did well to get to the final and have done really well to win the trophy. It is good for the club and for County Durham."

North Durham Labour MP Kevan Jones, whose constituency includes Chester-le-Street, said: "Durham winning the trophy is fantastic news.

"It is good news for the club, which is a great ambassador, not just for Chester-le-Street, but for the whole county."