Blackwell scripts Somerset charge

Ian Blackwell celebrates his ton but Somerset fell just short of a fifth batting point

View photo story

Title chasing Somerset fell 20 short of maximum batting points at Scarborough, as Yorkshire dismissed them for 380.

All-rounder Ian Blackwell bludgeoned 127, hitting 14 fours and a six, while Peter Trego’s 51 was vital in earning a fourth bonus point for reaching 350.

In reply the hosts reached 121 for one as, after former England captain Michael Vaughan struggled again with 14, Adam Lyth (55 not out) and Anthony McGrath (50no) shared an unbroken 96-run stand.

At Liverpool, struggling Lancashire’s hopes of avoiding defeat to Kent look slim as they closed on 257 for seven in their second innings, a lead of just 131.

Captain Stuart Law top-scored with 79 and Karl Brown made 40 with Glen Chapple 28 not out as Amjad Khan claimed 3-53.

Surrey’s relegation to Division Two cricket was confirmed as LV County Championship title hopefuls Nottinghamshire turned the screw at the Brit Oval.

The home side were all but down at the start of this round of fixtures, having played one more game than their relegation rivals and sitting 16 points adrift.

Allocation of bonus points in their game and at those involving Yorkshire and Lancashire today confirmed their fate.

Fourth-placed Notts closed the second day with a lead of 153 with five wickets in hand after Mark Wagh (141) and Samit Patel (135) helped the visitors to 420.

ICC World player of the year Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored an unbeaten 130 as Durham reached 325 for four at the end of the second day against Sussex at the Riverside.

The West Indies left-hander and Gareth Breese (63no) put on an unbroken 182 after the hosts had slipped to 99 for three.

England's Andrew Strauss pulls during his 101 for Middlesex as they dominated against Worcestershire

Buy this photo

In Division Two, England duo Andrew Strauss (101) and Owais Shah (81) helped put Middlesex on course for victory over leaders Worcestershire at Kidderminster.

The visitors posted 321 all out - a 56-run lead - before Dirk Nannes ripped through the hosts’ second innings with 6-32 to skittle them for just 122 and leave a small victory target tomorrow.

At Chelmsford, high-flying Warwickshire recovered from the loss of skipper Darren Maddy for a duck to reach 277 for three at stumps against Essex.

Tony Frost (121) and Jonathan Trott (81) shared a 182-run third-wicket partnership which turned things around and took them to within 64 of their opponents’ first-innings total.

Derbyshire lead Gloucestershire by 159 runs with six second-innings wickets remaining.

The visitors were earlier dismissed for 222 - a lead of 34 - but 74 from Chris Rogers and 47 from Dan Birch soon helped wipe out that deficit.

Leicestershire are already struggling against Glamorgan after being reduced to 117 for four in reply to the hosts’ 450, which was achieved thanks to centuries from Mike Powell (120) and Gareth Rees (140).

David Harrison claimed 3-31 before Joshua Cobb (23no) and Paul Nixon (32no) put on an unbeaten 69 for the fifth wicket.