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Somerset stayed in the hunt for a first ever Vitality County Championship title with a thrilling 111-run win over Division One leaders Surrey at Taunton.
Chasing 221 to win on a turning pitch, Surrey were bowled out for 111 with less than five minutes left in the game, spinners Archie Vaughan and Jack Leach instigating their collapse.
Last man Dan Worrall was fenced in by all nine fielders in a desperate attempt to force the result and he lasted just two balls before Leach dismissed him lbw, sparking wild celebrations from the home side.
Somerset claimed 21 points from the game to Surrey’s five and closed the gap on their rivals to just eight points with two matches to play.
Simon Harmer claimed his second four-wicket haul of the match as third-placed Essex wrapped up an innings victory over Nottinghamshire before lunch on the final day.
The South African off-spinner finished with four for 93 as Nottinghamshire’s batting collapsed for a second time to lose by an innings and 83 runs.
Kent will live to fight another day in Division One after they battled for a draw with Hampshire on a thrilling final day at Canterbury.
Kent were all out for 338 in their second innings, meaning Hampshire needed 143 from nine overs, but their improbable run chase lasted just 2.4 overs as they were 24 for one when bad light ended their pursuit at 5.54pm.
Durham’s Matthew Potts took a career-best nine for 68 to help his side complete their innings and 63-run thrashing of Lancashire at The Riverside.
Resuming on 155 for four and needing another 190 runs to avoid their fourth innings defeat of the season, Lancashire lost their last six wickets in lessthan a session and were bowled out for 282.
Will Rhodes struck his third century of the season with an unbeaten 121 to steer Warwickshire to safety in their hard-fought draw with local rivals Worcestershire.
Tom Price and Zafar Gohar held their nerve to guide Gloucestershire to a tense four-wicket victory at Lord’s and deal Middlesex’s Division Two promotion hopes a severe blow.
The visitors appeared to be cruising to their target of 234 after Miles Hammond and James Bracey both struck half-centuries in a fourth-wicket partnership of 113.
But a three-wicket burst for off-spinner Josh de Caires in the space of nine deliveries hauled Middlesex back into contention before the seventh-wicket pair steered Gloucestershire over the line with an unbroken stand of 54.
