Yorkshire blow title race wide open

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Samit Patel can only look on as Yorkshire's Jonathan Bairstow celebrates a potentially vital five-wicket victory at Trent Bridge

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Yorkshire put themselves right back into the race for the LV= County Championship Division One title with a deserved five-wicket victory over leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

After bowling the hosts out for 413 in their second innings, with Ajmal Shahzad picking up four wickets to take his match haul to 8-121, Yorkshire raced to their victory target of 209 inside 43 overs thanks to a sparkling unbeaten 63 from Jonathan Bairstow.

There was a brief scare when they lost their top four in the space of six overs, but Bairstow put on 97 in 15 overs for the fifth wicket with Gerard Brophy (41), before taking a single to square-leg to complete the win.

Somerset boosted their chances of claiming a first championship crown with a nine-wicket triumph over Lancashire at Taunton

The 23 points gained by the home side took them to within two of leaders Nottinghamshire.

Charl Willoughby took 3-37 and Alfonso Thomas 3-53 as Lancashire were bowled out for 170 in their second innings, Steven Croft top-scoring with 46.

That left Somerset needing just 48 to win and they knocked off the required runs in 8.4 overs for the loss of skipper Marcus Trescothick.

Hampshire vastly improved their chances of remaining in the top flight by extending their lead over Kent to 294 with four wickets intact going into the final day against their fellow strugglers.

Half-centuries from Michael Carberry, Jimmy Adams and Liam Dawson helped the visitors to reach 272 for six when rain stopped play.

Essex put themselves in a strong position to bid farewell to Division One on a winning note as they dominated the third day's play against Durham at Chelmsford.

Matt Walker recorded his first century of the season as Essex reached 367 in their second innings, a lead of 458.

James Anyon traps Northamptonshire captain Andrew Hall in front after Rob Newton's six shattered a press box window

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Durham had progressed to 31 for one when bad light brought play to a premature close, with Mark Stoneman the man to depart.

Sussex all but wrapped up the Division Two title by completing an innings win over Northamptonshire at Hove.

Pakistan fast bowler Yasir Arafat took the 39th five-wicket haul of his first-class career as the visitors' second innings resistance ended an hour and 15 minutes after lunch on the third day when they were bowled out for 237, handing Sussex victory by an innings and 19 runs.

Jim Allenby struck an unbeaten 65 as Glamorgan avoided the follow-on against Surrey on a truncated third day amid showers at the Brit Insurance Oval.

The visitors reached the close on 273 for nine, still 107 adrift of Surrey’s first innings total, with Allenby receiving good support from Dean Cosker and last man Huw Waters either side of a lengthy rain delay.

Stuart Meaker claimed 5-97 for Surrey and was well supported by Chris Tremlett, who chipped in with 3-53, but the game now looks set to end in a draw.

Greg Smith scored a career-best unbeaten 158 as Leicestershire set Gloucestershire a mountainous target of 488 to win at Grace Road.

Leicestershire then reduced the visitors to 78 for five after taking the first three wickets for just five runs in the opening six overs.

Owais Shah's century in his farewell appearance saw Middlesex take control against Worcestershire at Lord's.

Shah converted his unbeaten overnight 70 into his 38th first-class hundred for Middlesex and, with Neil Dexter adding a classy 97, the hosts reached 392 to earn themselves a first-innings lead of 79 despite Moeen Ali's career-best 5-36 with his off-spin.

Toby Roland-Jones and Pedro Collins then spearheaded a good performance in the field from the home side as Worcestershire struggled to 195 for seven in their second innings.