BILLY TAYLOR rates winning promotion with Hampshire on a par with last year's first division championship success with Sussex.

Southampton-born Taylor took the wicket of David Masters that assured Hampshire of a place in the first division alongside his former county Sussex.

Then he looked back on a dream first season with his home county.

He said: "It's up there with winning the championship with Sussex, it's just perfect, because I've always wanted to play for Hampshire and to play in the top division in both forms of the game.

"I've had two great years, it's just awesome and I'm looking forward to next year - and hopefully winning the championship with Hampshire."

Taylor believes that the current squad is good enough to hold its own in the first division.

He added: "I remember telling Paul Terry that as much as I love Hampshire, I wouldn't want to come back if I felt the squad he had couldn't play first division cricket.

"As much as I love Hampshire, I wanted to play the highest level of cricket I could do and that the squad we've got doesn't deserve to be in the second division for anything.

"We'll do very well (next year), we'll show everyone that we deserve to be up there.

"But there are a lot more batters in the first division, you don't generally get a long tail and they're good decks so you have to earn your wickets.

"You can't miss out on your chances, it'll be even more important to take early wickets."

Taylor reckons he will be on a high for the rest of September.

He added: "We went though all the celebrations last year but it was about three weeks later that it sunk in, so we're going to enjoy the moment and then look forward to first division cricket during the off season."

Shane Warne paid his own tribute to Taylor. "Billy's had to do a lot of the hard yards but has taken some big wickets and is a wonderful asset."