Somerset return to the top

Samit Patel hit 112 to further Notts' hopes of promotion

Somerset clinched the first promotion spot from LV County Championship Division Two with a 299-run battering of Glamorgan after rivals Nottinghamshire could only draw with Middlesex.

At Taunton, James Hildreth (69) and Neil McKenzie (84) scored half-centuries before Somerset declared on 329 for nine at lunch, a lead of 498.

Glamorgan could get nowhere near their target as four wickets from Andrew Caddick (4-48) saw them reduced to 199 for nine, with Alex Wharf retiring hurt.

Nottinghamshire needed to beat Middlesex at Lord’s to keep the promotion race alive, but that never looked like happening as the match petered out to a draw with batsmen dominating.

Samit Patel hit 112, Mark Wagh 94 and Stephen Fleming 81 as Notts shook hands on 456 for seven, with the home side still to bat for a second time.

Elsewhere in Division Two, Gloucestershire beat Leicestershire by an innings and 151 runs at Grace Road.

With Matt Boyce unable to bat, the home team were bowled out for 270 in their second innings with Paul Nixon’s 77 proving in vain.

Vikram Banerjee’s 3-74 was the pick of the Gloucestershire bowling.

Essex kept their promotion hopes alive with a 227-run victory over Derbyshire.

Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria exposed another feeble batting performance by Derbyshire to finish with 6-45 and wrap up a 19-point haul with five sessions of the game remaining.

Andy Bichel claimed the remaining four wickets at Derby as the hosts were bowled out for 174.

Australia's Travis Birt was the only player to show any resistance, making a creditable 63 before falling victim to Kaneria.

Hampshire are in trouble against Surrey at the Rose Bowl in their Division One clash.

After Chris Schofield’s exceptional 5-52 reduced the hosts to 221 all out in their first innings in response to Surrey’s 556, two wickets from Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh (2-19) left Hampshire’s follow-on attempt in disarray on 121 for three - still 214 behind.