LV= County Championship: Nottinghamshire see off Somerset; Durham and Lancashire both win
Last Updated: 25/06/14 7:49pm
Nottinghamshire underlined their title credentials by clinching their fourth LV= County Championship Division One win of the season after defeating Somerset by seven wickets at Trent Bridge.
The home side had begun the final day requiring only a further 44 runs and needed just 40 minutes to race to 111-3 to complete their victory.
Phil Jaques, who had made 113 in the first innings, ended on 42 not out, with Ajmal Shahzad closing on an unbeaten 23.
Craig Overton had delayed the inevitable on the third evening by making early inroads into the Nottinghamshire top order, but he could not inflict any further damage and finished with figures of 3-48.
On the back of their success Nottinghamshire collected a full haul of 24 points, taking them level on points with Yorkshire at the top of the table, while Somerset claimed just three.
Meanwhile, Durham needed just 17 balls to take the final Sussex wicket on Wednesday morning as they closed out a 309-run victory that saw them move to fourth in the table.
Although James Tredwell completed a defiant half-century for the visitors, Sussex were bowled out for 182 in their second innings as Durham won with something to spare.
Resuming on 41, Tredwell took two boundaries from Chris Rushworth's first over of the morning and then nudged a single to reach his personal landmark.
But he was then left stranded when Lewis Hatchett edged Rushworth to third slip to wrap up a convincing Durham victory - their second of the season in the four-day format.
Lancashire also recorded a landslide win in their clash with Northamptonshire, bowling out the visitors at Old Trafford for 270 second time around to triumph by the small margin of an innings and 200 runs.
Having been asked to follow-on after finding themselves 470 runs in arrears of the Red Rose county's mammoth 650-6 declared, Northants began Wednesday's play on 231-8.
It was Simon Kerrigan who took the final two wickets required, trapping Graeme White lbw for six before last man Azharullah was caught by Paul Horton having managed 24 from 20 balls.
Andrew Hall was left unbeaten on 50 not out for the visitors, who have now lost seven of their eight outings in the top tier this summer. They sit at the foot of the table on 32 points, a massive 68 behind nearest rivals Lancashire.