Harmer’s haul puts Essex top

Somerset were knocked off the top of the Specsavers County Championship after an innings-and-73-run defeat against Yorkshire, as five wickets from Simon Harmer helped give title rivals Essex victory over Warwickshire and a four-point lead at the summit.

Somerset, following on in reply to 520, started the final day at Headingley on 159 for four – but lost three wickets inside the opening 45 minutes. Nightwatchman Tim Groenewald was soon back in the pavilion, before Tom Banton (63) and then Dom Bess were both dismissed by Yorkshire captain Steve Patterson, who collected his 400th first-class wicket.

Somerset were eventually bowled out at 251 before lunch, Jamie Overton making 23 and Craig Overton 21, which secured only one point from the match. South African Test spinner Keshav Maharaj finished with a 10-wicket haul.

At Chelmsford, Harmer’s seventh five-wicket haul of the season – five of yesterday’s wickets coming in 20 balls – helped Essex secure a 187-run victory over Warwickshire.

The visitors had been set 401 to win. Despite a seventh-wicket partnership between Michael Burgess (64) and Henry Brookes (32), it proved a tall order. Harmer finished with six for 75 from the second innings. Essex could see a winner-takes-all showdown at Taunton in the final game.

Kent’s match against Hampshire ended as a draw. In Division Two, Durham beat Worcestershire by 109 runs while Northamptonshire defeated Derbyshire by 73 runs. Gloucestershire have a potentially decisive first-innings lead against Leicestershire.