Yorkshire boost survival hopes, Somerset in more danger
Champions Essex storm to memorable win; Sangakkara signs off at the Oval with Surrey win
Sunday 1 October 2017 09:40, UK
Yorkshire took a giant step towards safety in the Specsavers County Championship as they claimed a thrilling win over Warwickshire at Headingley on Friday.
Steven Patterson and Matt Fisher shared 78 runs inside 28 overs either side of lunch to secure a two-wicket victory after Bears off-spinner Jeetan Patel (6-50) played a big part in limiting the hosts to 96-7 in pursuit of 175.
Yorkshire, who began the day on 56-3, claimed 21 points from their fourth win of the campaign as Patterson cut Chris Wright for four to move to 44 not out off 78 balls.
Patel picked up the first three wickets of day four, including key man Gary Ballance for 21 first. He trapped the left-hander lbw pushing forwards as the hosts fell to 71-4.
Patel, who bowled unchanged from the Kirkstall Lane End, claimed his fourth wicket of the innings when Ian Bell took a fine catch diving to his left at leg slip to help remove Jack Leaning. Tim Bresnan then holed out to deep mid-wicket off the New Zealander in the next over to record his sixth duck of the Championship season.
Ryan Sidebottom then had Andrew Hodd caught at slip low down by Patel and at that stage, Yorkshire still needed 79 more with only three wickets left.
But Patterson and Fisher lifted the mood among the Headingley faithful, with grumbles soon turning to cheers. Patterson was particularly strong on the back foot through the off side as he and Fisher helped to take the score to 141-7 at lunch, needing 34 more.
Fisher finished with 15 as he was caught at leg slip at the death before Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom, injured for this match, was clapped on to the field by his team-mates in a guard of honour after victory had been confirmed.
Sam Cook claimed his maiden first-class five-wicket haul as champions Essex pulled off an extraordinary 108-run victory over Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl despite earlier being forced to follow-on.
Young fast bowler Cook blasted through Hampshire's top order to end with figures of 5-18, as the relegation-threatened home side were bowled out for 76 - their lowest total since 1984.
It was the first time since 1999, when they beat Nottinghamshire, that Essex managed to win a County Championship match after being asked to follow-on.
Incidentally, the previous occasion, the second of three in their history, was against Hampshire, at Bournemouth's Dean Park, in their last Championship-winning campaign 25 years ago.
Hampshire, who had bowled Essex out for 76 in the first innings, had been set 185 runs to win after Neil Wagner and James Foster's 82-run partnership for the eighth wicket put the wheels in motion for a remarkable win.
Foster made 47 while Wagner contributed 44 as Essex made 362 second time around.
Kumar Sangakkara made 35 in his final innings at the Kia Oval before Ben Foakes guided Surrey to a six-wicket win over Somerset which leaves the visitors deep in trouble at the wrong end of the table.
A valiant Somerset rearguard action with the bat was ultimately in vain as Sangakkara and Foakes hurried Surrey over the line with 8.2 overs to spare.
Sangakkara, applauded all the way to the middle, made 35 off 47 balls before giving a return catch to 20-year-old off-spinner Dom Bess, with Surrey needing just another 15 runs.
The Sri Lankan great was then shaken by the hand by Marcus Trescothick and then the entire Somerset team as he went off to a standing ovation.
Foakes finished on 42 not out from 44 balls and Ollie Pope ended the match in style by hitting Bess for a six and a four in the space of three balls.
