County Championship Division One: Alastair Cook scores century in Essex win

Alastair Cook struck a magnificent century as Essex successfully chased down 225 to beat Somerset by eight wickets on day three in the Specsavers County Championship.

Cook, playing in his first Championship game of the season, followed up his fifty in the first innings with 110 in the second.

In a low-scoring game, his Essex team-mate, Tom Westley - who put on 134 for the second wicket with Cook and finished 86 not out - was the only other batsman to hit a half century.

Yorkshire need just one more wicket to secure a comprehensive win over Warwickshire at Edgbaston, the hosts 85-9 in their second innings, still 118 runs behind.

Ben Coad (5-27) took a second five-for in the match - and a third in the opening two games of the season - as Warwickshire's batting again fell apart, following their 178 all out in the first innings.

Earlier, Adil Rashid (65) struck a half century as Yorkshire - resuming on 295-6 - tallied 381 in their first innings.

Michael Carberry and Rilee Roussow both fell agonisingly short of centuries for Hampshire on day three against Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl.

Carberry (98) fell two shy of a first hundred since his return after cancer treatment, while Rossouw (99) was one away from notching a maiden ton for the county since singing on a Kolpak deal.

Hampshire's first-innings score of 438 did at least see them build a 82-run lead, and though Middlesex had earned a slender one of their own by the close, finishing 29 ahead on 111-4, they still face a battle on the final day to earn a draw.

Lancashire forced Surrey to follow-on on day three of their clash at The Oval, though the draw still looks the most likely result on the final day.

Surrey resumed the day on 112-2, and ultimately tallied 319 in their first innings - Rory Burns top-scoring with 91 - but they still trailed Lancashire by 151 runs, allowing the visitors to ask them to bat again.

The home side looked to be safely seeing out the final 19 overs of the day, though were rocked by the late wicket of Burns (20) to Simon Kerrigan, closing on 55-1.