Essex close on victory while Harry Brook puts Yorkshire on top

Essex were on the brink of victory in the LV= Insurance County Championship after six wickets from Shane Snater saw Somerset bowled out for 154.

England bowler Craig Overton initially provided some hope for Somerset in the Division One clash after taking career-best figures of seven for 57 as Essex tumbled from 109 for three to 180 all out in their first innings.

Wicketkeeper Steve Davies was the top scorer for Somerset in their second innings, scoring 51, but Matthew Renshaw (45) and captain Tom Abell (12) were the only others to reach double figures.

Sir Alastair Cook and nightwatchman Sam Cook will resume on three for one on Saturday, needing only another 81, after Overton took Nick Browne’s wicket for one run.

A century from Harry Brook gave Yorkshire a 107-run lead with two wickets remaining in the first innings of their clash against Gloucestershire.

Opener Adam Lyth scored 52 and Brook hit his fifth career first-class century despite being dropped on 99, but was soon bowled by Josh Shaw for 101.

Kent trail Lancashire by 373 runs with seven wickets left after Steven Croft scored 155 and Dane Vilas 124 in a first-innings total of 506.

Croft’s magnificent knock came to a close when he nicked off to Hamidullah Qadri, falling two runs short of a career-best score.

Phil Salt also fell short of a debut century, reaching 97 before being caught by Daniel Bell-Drummond off Qadri.

Ben Compton reached the close unbeaten on 60 while Matt Parkinson took all three Kent wickets of Zak Crawley (54), Bell-Drummond (two) and Tawanda Muyeye (eight).

Ollie Pope’s 127 helped Surrey to 467 before Hampshire reached 152 for seven in reply.

Keith Barker eventually took Pope’s wicket and he went on to take three more, including that of Will