Yorkshire face tense finale

Yorkshire captain Darren Gough’s bid to end his first-class career in LV County Championship Division One will go to the wire after his side drew with title hopefuls Somerset at Scarborough.

The White Rose county remain firmly in trouble but with their next opponents Sussex only able to draw at Durham, the fight to avoid joining relegated Surrey in Division Two is just as tight with five points between four teams.

The result also left Somerset eight points behind Nottinghamshire and one ahead of Durham in a three-way scrap for the title heading into next week’s final round of matches.

Adil Rashid underlined his continuing promise with the ball as he finished the pick of the Yorkshire attack on a tame final day to finish with 3-109.

The 20-year-old leg-spinner, who was awarded his county cap earlier this week, captured the wickets of Zander de Bruyn (45), James Hildreth (63) and Peter Trego (45) while Gough chipped in with 2-52.

At tea Somerset led by 218 runs ahead with three wickets in hand, and Yorkshire needed three quick wickets and some spectacular batting to force a result.

Yorkshire's Darren Gough celebrates the wicket of Ian Blackwell during his side's draw at home to Somerset

But only Ian Blackwell (55) fell to Adam Lyth before both captain’s shook hands on a draw as Somerset finished up on 317 for eight.

Durham’s match against Sussex finished in a draw at Chester-le-Street after the hosts took a safety-first approach with their batting.

Sussex were dismissed for 302 in reply to Durham’s 380 in the first hour of the match and the home side did have the option of chasing quick runs to extend their lead and then trying to bowl the visitors out.

After the loss of Ben Harmison for seven and Will Smith (25) Durham put on the brakes as Michael Di Venuto (61 not out) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (25no) scored slowly until the captain’s agreed a draw.

In Division Two, Ian Salisbury returned his best figures for Warwickshire as they clinched a six-wicket win over Essex who had collapsed from 247 for one to 316 all out.

Essex seemed to be coasting as John Maunders (105) and Ravi Bopara (133) both completed centuries before the pair fell to Salisbury. The veteran leg-spinner then ran through the middle order to finish with 6-100 to set Warwickshire a victory target of 144.

Skipper Darren Maddy (63) laid the foundation but fittingly Tony Frost (38no), who had hit an unbeaten 242 in the first innings, was there at the end as Tim Ambrose hit the winning runs.

The result meant Warwickshire emerged with a maximum 22 points and need only four points from their final match against Glamorgan to clinch the title.

Derbyshire seamers Graham Wagg and Charl Langeveldt ensured bottom side Gloucestershire look likely to end their season without a win after they wrapped up a 117-run win at Derby.

The home side began the day with eight wickets to take and South African Langeveldt (3-75) and Wagg (4-77) helped dismiss Gloucestershire for 280 which left the visitors with just one more match against Essex at Bristol to earn a win.

Glamorgan secured a third win of the season after a 10-wicket drubbing of Leicestershire at the SWALEC Stadium despite an unbeaten century from Foxes captain Paul Nixon.

David Harrison (4-57) and Robert Croft (3-106) dismissed the visitors for 311 although they failed to remove a determined Nixon (106no).

Glamorgan openers David Hemp (20no) and Gareth Rees (41no) knocked off the required 63 runs with relative ease to see the Welsh county to an emphatic victory.