Somerset electrify title battle

Somerset gave their hopes of a maiden County Championship title a huge boost as they completed a nerveless final-day chase to beat Warwickshire by five wickets at Edgbaston.

Needing 250 to win with 10 wickets in hand at the start of day four, the visitors chased down the target in 72.4 overs to secure 21 points as they look to edge out Essex and Yorkshire, who both won this week.

Somerset’s chances looked slim as Warwickshire reduced them to 49 for three, but Tom Banton made 66 and an 88-run stand between George Bartlett and Dom Bess sealed the win.

Somerset are now two points adrift of Essex with three games to play and they face each other in the final round at Taunton.

Yorkshire claimed the six wickets they needed to keep themselves in title contention, beating

Nottinghamshire by 143 runs shortly after lunch on day four at Scarborough. Nottinghamshire, chasing an unlikely 387, were bowled out for 243 as South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj claimed six for 95. Yorkshire trail Essex by 37 points.

Hampshire strengthened their grip on fourth with a draw against Surrey at the Oval.

Gloucestershire moved up to second in Division Two with a superb run chase to beat Derbyshire by eight wickets. Derbyshire declared on 481 for six – setting a target of 263 in 49 overs. James Bracey hit a sensational unbeaten 116 from just 143 balls to lead Gloucestershire to victory with 11 balls to spare.

Mark Cosgrove salvaged a draw for Leicestershire at Durham. The Australian began the day unbeaten on 21, with his team still 155 runs behind the home side, but his first century of the campaign saved his team from defeat before bad light ended the contest.