A round-up of Tuesday's domestic action in Division One and Division Two
Tuesday 16 July 2019 18:40, UK
Somerset dropped to second place in the County Championship after suffering a resounding innings-and-73-run defeat to Yorkshire before lunch on day four at Headingley.
The visitors, replying to 520, were made to follow-on 324 runs behind at tea on day three and started Tuesday on 159 for four, only to lose three wickets inside the first 45 minutes of play.
Somerset were bowled out for 251 and secured only one point from the contest, which opens the door for Essex in the race for the title.
Yorkshire's victory yielded 22 points and kept them just about in the title race with four games still to play. SCORECARD | TABLE
Somerset's loss allowed Essex to take over at the top of the County Championship table ahead of the T20 break with a 187-run victory over Warwickshire.
Simon Harmer claimed his seventh five-wicket haul of the season. The South African off-spinner took his season's tally to 64 with his latest return of six for 75.
He had done the damage in the morning session when he took four wickets in 20 balls to rip the heart out of an inexperienced Warwickshire batting line-up
Essex's seventh win in eight games - and sixth in six at Chelmsford - carried them above Somerset by four points with four games to play, including a potential winner-takes-all showdown at Taunton in the final game.
Michael Burgess and Henry Brookes provided some resistance with a half-century stand but the Eagles made it six wins out of six at Chelmsford to place themselves in a strong position for a second title in three years. SCORECARD
Northamptonshire wasted little time in rattling off the wickets needed to complete a fine victory over Derbyshire inside three days at Chesterfield on Tuesday.
Resuming on 155-5, the hosts required 164 additional runs to prevent the loss, but the early wicket of key man Tom Lace for 41 ended any faint hopes.
Luis Reece (33) was the only other batsman to score over 30, with seamer Luke Procter the pick of the bowlers for Northamptonshire - taking 4-26.
The result keeps Northants in the promotion hunt and lifts them up to third, ahead of Derbyshire in the Division Two table. SCORECARD
Meanwhile, Toby Roland-Jones starred as Middlesex secured a third win of the season, a thumping 256-run victory over Glamorgan.
The visitors needed just four more wickets on the start of day four, with Roland-Jones (5-68) taking taking his tally to 19 in two matches with the opening three as the game was sealed inside 90 minutes on the final morning.
Charlie Hemphrey top scored for Glamorgan with a disciplined 72 - but it was not enough to prevent a first defeat of the campaign as Middlesex sealed the points which places them in promotion contention.
Marchant de Lange (45no) and Michael Hogan (22) held up the inevitable outcome, but Nathan Sowter brought the innings to an end after accounting for Hogan's wicket. SCORECARD
Durham continued their impressive run of form in Division Two by defeating Worcestershire by 109 runs at Emirates Riverside.
The home side had laid the groundwork for their triumph on day three with a solid batting performance followed by a late onslaught by Chris Rushworth.
He returned to notch his third five-wicket haul of the campaign on the final day, claiming 10 wickets in the match with figures of 10-67.
Ben Cox and Ed Barnard did offer resistance with a sixth-wicket partnership of 96, but it was in vain as Worcestershire slipped to their second defeat on the bounce in the Championship.
Durham extended their unbeaten run to six matches, securing their fourth victory of the season to move into fourth place in the table, one point behind Northamptonshire in the final promotion spot. SCORECARD
Joe Denly was given some Vitality Blast practise as he slapped 29 off 22 balls in a thrilling finale to Kent's clash with Hampshire - but he could not prevent a draw at the Ageas Bowl.
Denly provided the muscle in an incredible climax, which saw visitors Kent need a tantalising 153 from 17 overs.
But after Sean Dickson, Alex Blake and Daniel Bell-Drummond departed, Kent gave up the chase and shook hands after 50 balls - with the away side still requiring 96 runs.SCORECARD
