Somerset and Nottinghamshire title hopes hit by defeats: County Championship cricket, day four – as it happened

Warwickshire will take an 11-point lead into the final round of the season after watching from the wings as their championship rivals Somerset and Nottinghamshire both fluffed their lines.

took only 82 minutes to rinse through on an overcast Headingley morning, with bowlers on song and a helpful surface. Every run was agony as Toms Lammonby and Abell battled through the early overs until Lammonby nudged Ben Cliff behind and Abell was caught off a Ben Coad ball that shot off the bat shoulder and arced to point. A conveyor belt of wickets followed that not even Craig Overton could halt and, with Somerset all out for 101, Cliff led the players off with a career-best 11 wickets in the match.

As the big, beautiful Somerset flag was folded away into a Sainsbury's plastic bag, their head coach, Jason Kerr, said: "We knew the magnitude of the game but unfortunately Yorkshire played the better cricket." The Leeds rain started at 2.50pm, but it was three hours too late. Had Somerset not jumped in their team coach so quickly, they would have seen the England and Wales Cricket Board's pitch inspector Andy Mackay out in the middle. His arrival means that Yorkshire are in danger of a points penalty, little succour to Somerset who must entertain Surrey next week and hope, with the destination of the title no longer in their hands.

had to watch their dreams of successive titles wash almost out of sight as they were bowled out for 193 at Hove, before knocked off a chase of 76 with barely a scare. Notts must entertain a resurgent Yorkshire next week and hope Warwickshire slip up; while Sussex's sixth win of a season that started with a 12-point penalty was bitter sweet – it was a last home game for a large handful of players the club can no longer afford.

At Grace Road, were relegated after defied their points penalty to bounce back with a five-wicket win. They coasted to what could have been a difficult run chase thanks to the New Zealander Nick Kelly (86) and Ben Cox (75), who put on a merry 158. Leicestershire have a mathematical chink of daylight between them and relegation – though they must beat Warwickshire while taking 20 more points than Essex can scrape together at Sophia Gardens. For Hampshire, who escaped relegation on the last day last year when Durham capitulated, reality bit.

Meanwhile, in Division Two, had to be content with a draw after Ricardo Vasconcelos's 132 took them to within 23 runs of beating , with plenty of overs in the bank, before bad light intervened. They take 13 points which slots them four behind their promotion rivals Kent.

A dark and damp end to a febrile four days, which end with Warwickshire sitting pretty, 11 points ahead, and in control of their destiny. Commiserations to Somerset and to Notts, but cricket walks in mysterious ways so you never know. We will be here next Thursday to carry you through the last four days of the season, crown the Champion and the promotion runner-up and give a consoling pat to the club that accompanies Hampshire in the drop. Thanks for your lovely company. Good night!

Rotten luck that for Northants who were within 23 runs before bad light intervened. They must be content with 13 points which slots them four behind Kent as we head to the final round.

Northamptonshire 310 and 326-6 DRAW WITH Derbyshire 372 and 286

Warwickshire 191 and 138-2 BEAT Essex 134 and 189 by eight wickets

: Leicestershire 244 and 335-5 BEAT Hampshire 214 and 363 by five wickets

The Oval: Glamorgan 132 and 594 BEAT Surrey 115 and 427 by 184 runs

Sussex 358 and 76-3 BEAT Nottinghamshire 240 and 193 by seven wickets.

: Yorkshire 212 and 275 BEAT Somerset 201 and 101 by 185 runs

Durham 465 and 235 DRAW with Worcestershire 448 and 32-1

Gloucestershire 296 and 145-9 DRAW with Middlesex 326 and 361

Kent 214 and 142-3 BEAT Lancashire 161 and 192 by seven wickets

Northamptonshire 310 and 326-6 DRAW WITH Derbyshire 372 and 286

Middlesex diddled by the rain

Gloucestershire 296 and 145-9 DRAW with Middlesex 326 and 361

nine down, may escape; while promotion-chasing Northants, who are just 23 runs from victory againt Derby, could feel very hard done by.

It started raining at Headingley at 2.50pm. Unfortunately Somerset are already two hours down the motorway.

Time for me to cross the Pennines and write up for Friday's paper before they chuck us out at Headingley. Will pop back with updates as the Trans Pennine wifi allows. BTL remains open.

A lovely message from Mike Daniels, which I've belatedly picked up.

"As Leicestershire are easing to a win, the Grace Road scorebox signs off for the season.

"An interesting season and I'm sure there'll be some twists and turns next week but which will hopefully end up with The Bears clinching the pennant.

"Hope to read you all next season. Winter well everyone."

And to you Mike, thanks for all your insights from Grace Road.

Which leaves events at The Oval, where Glamorgan need four wicket to leapfrog Surrey in the table

where Vasconcelos (112) is leading the charge for Northants, who need 138, with seven wickets in hand.

At Bristol, where Gloucestershire will hope this is terminal, six down and needing another 281 to beat Middlesex.

At CLS, where Worcestershire, 32-1, need another 221 to beat Durham.

Hampshire will play Division Two cricket for the first time since 2011, after being reprieved by Durham's collapse on the last day of the 2025 season.

away free runs in what could be his last over as a Division One bowler for a while. But there's the win, with a boundary off a no ball. Hampshire are relegated, Leicestershire live to fight another week!

Kelly tries to win it with a six but is caught in the deep. What an innings though. Six needed as Ian Holland strides in.

The Surrey charge has wilted, Thomas done by a beauty from Crane, Lawrence (46) and Patel (132) gone too. . But at Grace Road, it is nearly over…

Sussex 358 and 76-3 BEAT Nottinghamshire 240 and 193 by seven wickets.

An upside down result, in a peculiar week of cricket. From nowhere, Warwickshire find themselves in control of their own destiny.

A sad goodbye to Hove from a host of Sussex players.

are nearly there, need just 11 needed and Leicestershire, dear Leicestershire are just 42 away, Kelly and Cox have put on 122.

The pitch inspector is being brought a cup of tea.

Tuning into Hove, but distracted by the pitch inspector who is throwing a ball down the pitch and watching the bounce which isn't an uniform as a Yorkshire fan might like. Starting to do some calculations which could mean that Yorkshire find themselves on the edge of relegation bother.

I hate to say it but pitch inspector Andy Mackay is staring at the Headingley pitch.

Anthony McGrath has a long post-match chat, says Yorkshire are looking to finish well against Notts "it's a long time till April but I think you can take a lot of momentum into next season."

"The batting is a big one for us, early in the season we left a lot of runs out there. The lower order has got us out of trouble on a few occasions. There's no doubt how hard the boys are working but we need to get it right."

He says there is a good chance Yorkshire will go for an overseas batter next year.

"It's probably one of the most pleasing performances of the season. He's a local lad, works really hard, this match he had confidence, belief, his were legs pumping, to get eleven for…I think he's going to be a real asset to us, this is the start, it can't be a one off." He says has been at Headingley today watching.

On Jonny: He's signed a three-year contract, if you see him today celebrating every wicket, he needs more runs but look at the passion – he was driving that behind the stumps so I hope we will see him in a white shirt. "

Warwickshire 191 and 138-2 BEAT Essex 134 and 189 by eight wickets

: Leicestershire 244 and 267-4 v Hampshire 214 and 363 Leics need 67 to win

The Oval: Surrey 115 and 291-4 v Glamorgan 132 and 594 Surrey need 321 to win

Sussex 358 and 48-2 v Nottinghamshire 240 and 193 Susse need 28 to win

: Yorkshire 212 and 275 BEAT Somerset 201 and 101 by 185 runs

Durham 465 and 235 v Worcestershire 448 and 31-1 Worcs need 222 to win

Gloucestershire 296 and 77-6 v Middlesex 326 and 361 Glos need 315 to win

Kent 214 and 142-3 BEAT Lancashire 161 and 192 by seven wickets

Northamptonshire 310 and 152-0 v Derbyshire 372 and 286 Northants need 197 to win

A sombre looking Jason Kerr:

"It's extremely disappointing, we came here with belief. We needed early partnerships but we felt with the way the wicket played yesterday we'd have an opportunity but the characteristics of day one and two returned. There was a ridiculous amount of life in the surface for a day four pitch, and it proved too much."

Hill and Bess's partnership. "If you're chasing 150 it is a completely different game to chasing 280 but you have to give a huge amount of credit to Bessy and Hill, they played extremely well."

Next week: "What we are going to have to do is beat Surrey, we can't control what happens up the road. We've got a few days to regroup we'll see how the guys pull up. We'll have a look at what surfaces are available.

"It is huge, the disappointment in the dressing room, we knew the magnitude of the game but unfortunately Yorkshire played the better cricket. We'll hold our heads high, we'll feel today, I'll allow them that and keep building towards next week."

While waiting for Jason Kerr to emerge from the Somerset dressing room I watched the beautiful Somerset flag being folded up and put in a Sainsbury's bag.

Yorkshire come out and give a round of applause to the fans as Headingley prepares to lock up for the winter. Somerset go into their final game 11 points behind Warwickshire. Notts, though, haven't given up – Sussex 14-2, need another 62.

All over in 82 minutes as Revis crushes Jake Balls stumps. Handshakes and hugs all round. Ben Cliff (11 for 105) leads everyone off to huge applause, holding the ball, waving to his family. The cider lies spilt all over the floor.

While there is still life in this match, just wanted to congratulate Yorkshire who have signed up with renewable energy company Urban Chain to provide their power from the new year. Urban Chain connects renewable energy generators to buyers, so Headingley's power will come from a range of renewable sources, with the hope that, in time, more and more of them will come from within Yorkshire's boundaries. It is part of a wide strategy to improve sustainability, which the club kicked off by doing a transport survey with members to work out how people travel to the ground.

Pretorius stands like a frozen collie after edging perky George Hill behind. Somerset crumble to 92 for nine.

An hour gone now, and Somerset in tatters – what else is happening?

are still standing at Grace Road, 193 for four, need 141.

I think are going to do this ridiculous chase, 240-3, they need 372, Patel, 104 not out, has just been joined by Dan Lawrence after Pope was out for 75.

And have just rid of the last batter. They need just 76 to win – but Olly Stone is pawing the ground.

Eleven wickets in the match for Ben Cliff, the heartbreaker.

Lyth shakes his hand vigorously after maybe putting down a catch at slip, but it doesn't matter as Lewis Gregory is lbw next ball. No romantic benefit of the doubt from Richard Kettlebrough. Somerset 88 for eight.

Not with a bang but an edge behind. Overton gone for five. Somerset 87 for seven. And no rain in sight.

The sun is out. Just six runs in 35 minutes and Rew feels the pressure as he from nowhere risks a drives and is caught at second slip. Another Somerset player makes a head down slouch back to the dressing room. Somerset 79 for six.

Tom Abell in his smart short sleeved sweater, Will Luxton at point collects from a ball that shot up and flew off the top of the bat. Somerset 76 for five.

There's been a wicket at Grace Road, Hamza Sheikh and, oh! there's a wicket here, Lammonby fishing gets an outside edge and YJB collects. A ninth wicket in the match for Ben Cliff. Somerset 76 for four and James Rew gets the chance to play an innings for the selector's notebook (Stephen Fleming popped into Headingley yesterday). Ooof, and Cliff skates past his outside edge first ball. This is looking quite sticky for Somerset.

Another for Ari Karvelas who is having a dreamy 24 hours, Hutton caught, very well, at slip. Notts are eight-down and lead by just 32.

I can't tell if it is getting darker or my glasses need a clean. But Ben Coad is definitely racing in from the Kirkstall Lane End. Somerset have chosen the safety first option – just two runs scored so far today. Application, application, application.

march back to his mark at the Howard Stand End. Abell immaculately leaves, and another. The Yorkshire fielders are very enthusiastic.

Yorkshire huddle, Lammonby and Abell march past them to the middle. Bess with the ball to finish his over from last night.

A desperate day for Notts yesterday. This was HH last night"I never doubt the effort or commitment from the boys, they always give 100 per cent every day but unfortunately we find ourselves up against it tomorrow.

"The message for tomorrow is that we've got to fight our corner and try and get back into this game. I know the character and skill is there and we're going to have to do it again."

Somerset are in the safety of the dressing room and only one man in whites is out in the middle, Matt Revis, who caused all sorts of trouble with the ball last night. The clouds are high at the moment and no sign of immediate rain.

It was a tense day at Headingley, cold enough in the shade for the stewards to wear gloves, but hot on the pitch where wobbled but just about held on to their Championship dream. It took more than a session to break 's overnight partnership of George Hill and Dom Bess, who played with swaggering patience in a seventh-wicket partnership of 166.

Hill finally fell to a top-edged pull for a season's best 89 to Craig Overton, who chased him to the rope to say well done. The former Somerset player Bess followed for 77, all material for Tom Abell's best man's speech at Bess's wedding next month. Set 287, Somerset had a catastrophic start when Josh Thomas was caught behind in the first over, and a couple more wickets followed, the fielders providing regular reminders that the title has never gone to Taunton, before Abell and Tom Lammonby saw things through to the close. Tomorrow's magic cider number is 214.

, reeling from the 27-point penalty heaped on them by the Cricket Regulator, made international news after the chief groundsman attributed some of his pitch problems to the filming of a new Sourav Ganguly biopic "Dada", starring Rajkummar Rao, at Grace Road. Out in the middle, the match had become an instant relegation battle with – a draw would send both teams down; but a winner would take at least a mathematical chance of survival into the final game. Leicestershire dug their heels in and removed the last six Hampshire wickets for 80. And after being set 334, they were 156 for three at stumps, but crucially without Rehan Ahmed whose eight fours in his 55 had got the pulse racing. Rishi Patel, batting for the last time at Grace Road before he moves to Southampton, hit 27.

The reigning champions, , hobble into day four after Ari Karvelas, diverted temporarily from a teaching job in 's hour of need, fizzed out their top four, and Jaydev Unadkat knocked out three more, leaving the second innings in tatters. Notts lead Sussex by only 31 with three wickets in hand.

And once more to the drawing board for , who suffered an eighth defeat in 10 as easily knocked off the 56 runs needed to take them into a prime Division Two promotion place. Their only rivals, , were frustrated by 's Nick Potts (57) and Randell (45) and must chase another 312 to return to nose to nose at the top.

Warwickshire 191 and 138-2 BEAT Essex 134 and 189 by eight wickets

: Leicestershire 244 and 156-3 v Hampshire 214 and 363 Leics need 178 to win

The Oval: Surrey 115 and 177-2 v Glamorgan 132 and 594 Surrey need 435 to win

Sussex 358 v Nottinghamshire 240 and 149-7

: Yorkshire 212 and 275 v Somerset 201 and73-3 Somerset need 214 to win

Durham 465 and 161-6 v Worcestershire 448

Gloucestershire 296 v Middlesex 326 and 298-6

Kent 214 and 142-3 BEAT Lancashire 161 and 192 by seven wickets

Northamptonshire 310 and 37-0 v Derbyshire 372 and 286 Northants need 312 to win

of this penultimate round. There are last-gasp buddlejas growing in the pavement cracks all over Headingley, much like today's assignment for Somerset, for Notts and for Northants.

Somerset need 214, but they've lost three wickets and batting was fiendishly hard last night. They'll be hoping a new dawn and an older ball brings some succour. Notts must to batten every bolt to keep Sussex at bay, while Northants need another 312 to keep up with Kent, who, like Warwickshire, watch and wait.

Join us as the story gets told. Play starts at 10.30am.

Original source Somerset and Nottinghamshire title hopes hit by defeats: County Championship cricket, day four – as it happened

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