County Championship: Somerset's title hopes hit badly in Yorkshire defeat as Notts also miss out to leave Warwickshire in command
Somerset lose leadership of Division One to Warwickshire heading into the final round of matches after hugely-costly 185-run defeat to Yorkshire at Headingley; Somerset at home to Surrey, while Warwickshire host Leicestershire in final title-deciding matches from September 24
Friday 18 September 2026 14:39, UK
Somerset's hopes of becoming county champions for the first time in their history took a major blow as they collapsed to a costly defeat at the hands of Yorkshire.
Top of the County Championship Division One table heading into the penultimate round of matches, Somerset saw rivals Warwickshire wrap up a two-day victory against Essex but failed to keep pace at Headingley.
Chasing 287 - the highest score of the match - they were bundled out for 101 on the final day. Resuming on 73-3 they collapsed horribly as their final seven wickets fell for 25 runs in less than 13 overs.
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Ben Cliff took three of them as he finished with 3-29 after taking 8-76 in the first innings, while Ben Coad claimed 4-33 and Matthew Revis 2-7.
The 185-run defeat leaves Somerset chasing from behind heading into their season-ending fixture against Surrey and one step further away from ending their 135-year quest for the county game's top prize.
Notts beaten by Sussex
Warwickshire will take an 11-point lead into the final round with Nottinghamshire also suffering a heavy defeat, while Hampshire have been relegated.
Notts could only set Sussex 76 to win at Hove and, although they grabbed a couple of early wickets to reduce the hosts to 14-2, Sussex secured a seven-wicket win just after the lunch break.
Warwickshire top the table on 203 points and need only to beat Leicestershire in their final game of the season at Edgbaston to be crowned champions for the first time since 2021.
Hampshire's five-wicket defeat by Leicestershire means they are relegated to Division Two.
Leicestershire, deducted 27 points for a breach of ECB pitch regulations earlier this week, will join them if they fail to beat Warwickshire and even a win might not be enough if Essex secure six points against Glamorgan.
