Leaders Somerset did all that was required of them, as the Rothesay County Championship built up to its climax when they travelled to Grace Road. They were put in to bat and Josh Thomas made the third century of his career (100) to set them on their way to a total of 363 all out. The hosts could muster only 157 in reply, but Somerset decided to bat again. Henry Nicholls, with a quick-fire 100 not out, saw them to 316 for five declared, leaving Leicestershire an impossible job to chase 523 runs. Craig Overton (four for 33) made sure they got nowhere near, as they were all out for 145, beaten by 377 runs inside three days. It was sixth biggest victory by runs for Somerset in their history, but the 22 points were the most important aspect of it all. Meanwhile, Leicestershire are still in one of the relegation spots.

Nottinghamshire welcomed relegation-bound Hampshire to Trent Bridge and were put in to bat. Joe Clarke continued his excellent form of the summer, scoring 105, to keep him clear at the top of the leading runscorers of the summer (he’d finish the match with 1240). Liam Patterson-White made a very useful 92 as the home side were all out for 377, with Ben Brown taking six catches. Jake Lehmann’s 133 not out wasn’t enough to help the visitors up to parity, but a total of 304 kept them in it. The match then took an alarming turn for the champions, who were skittled out for 104, with Manny Lumsden taking five for 36 on his first-class debut. The 17-year-old paceman was the first to achieve this feat for Hampshire for 30 years. Brown took four more catches to give him ten in the match. With just 178 to chase, the game was there for the visitors, but they crumbled to 27 for six. Olly Stone, who finished with six for 28, his best figures for the county, did most of the damage. Hampshire staged a mini-revival, but the scare was over for the title contenders and the away side were all out for 123, beaten by 54 runs. Nottinghamshire’s 22 points kept them four adrift of Somerset. On his debut for the hosts, New Zealand keeper Mitchell Hay took seven catches in the match.

The most emphatic result was at Sophia Gardens, where Warwickshire destroyed Glamorgan in just two days. The hosts must have regretted choosing to bat first, as they were skittled out for only 69, Ethan Bamber taking five for 28. The visitors replied with a hefty total of 391 to put them in complete charge. In Glamorgan’s second innings, it was the turn of Ed Barnard to do the damage, and he finished with five for 13 as the home side fell apart again, bowled out for 65. Jack Hope-Bell made his first-class debut for the hosts, scoring 0 and 2 in a game to forget. Warwickshire had won by an innings and 257 runs. It was their fifth highest victory by an innings, but they too mustered 22 points, remaining one behind Nottinghamshire. So things remained unchanged at the top, with two games to go.

Surrey travelled to Hove, still not certain of safety. Jaydev Unadkat prevented the entire Sussex side from reaching double figures when he was the last man out for 5, as the home side made 393 after choosing to bat first. George Thomas, on his first-class debut, scored 29, after the first day was lost to the weather. Surrey then hit back with 321, after which there was just enough time for Sussex to reach 167 for three before the game ended in a draw, a result that should guarantee safety for the London outfit.

At Headingley, Essex had a bad time of it after Yorkshire chose to bat first. Dom Bess top-scored with 80 not out to help his side up to a very useful total of 390 all out, Matt Critchley taking five for 85. George Bell, on loan from Lancashire, provided the main resistance for Essex, scoring 64 not out as they were dismissed for only 171 and asked to follow on. Kuldeep Yadav, having taken four wickets in the first innings, went even better in the second, finishing with figures of six for 50 to give him match figures of ten for 120. Essex were all out for 113, beaten by an innings and 106 runs inside three days. That defeat left Essex just eight points above Leicestershire, with Glamorgan (three points above Essex) not out of trouble either.

In the Second Division, Durham were promoted as champions after they beat Middlesex at Chester-le-Street. The visitors won the toss and asked Durham to bat first, and they went on to make 252 all out, helped by a 90-run tenth-wicket partnership between Ben Raine (58 not out) and Callum Parkinson (26) that would prove crucial in the eventual outcome. Sebastian Morgan took four for 78. In reply, Middlesex made only 203 to concede a 49-run first-innings deficit, with Brydon Carse taking five for 72, while Colin Ackermann took four catches. Highly rated Ben McKinney then made 184 in the hosts’ second innings as they scored 374 to set a target of 424. Harry Duke (a career-best 100 not out) led a late rally, but it wasn’t enough as Middlesex were bowled out for 330 to lose by 93 runs. Matthew Potts didn’t play, but he remains the season’s top wicket-taker (with 58), just ahead of Kyle Abbott (Hampshire) and Ben Aitchison (Derbyshire), both with 57.

Victory at New Road saw Northamptonshire move into the second promotion spot, after they asked Worcestershire to bat first. Luke Procter took five for 63 as the hosts made just 200. Saif Zaib’s 110 was the vital component of the visitors’ reply of 289, so when Worcestershire could muster only 182 in their second innings, victory was all but assured. In the end, Northamptonshire lost four wickets chasing 94 to record their fifth win of the summer.

Kent slipped to third, two points adrift of promotion, after they lost to Derbyshire, who were asked to bat first. Martin Andersson made an unbeaten 129 to take his side up to 300 all out, with Hasan Mahmud taking four for 30 and Khaled Ahmed taking three for 73 on his Kent debut. None of Kent’s batters reached fifty as they replied with 219 to leave the hosts well on top. A series of useful contributions helped Derbyshire to declare on 352 for eight, setting a daunting target of 434. From 38 for five, there was no coming back, though the lower order did help Kent to reach 252 all out, convincingly beaten by 181 runs. Ben Aitchison took five for 44.

Finally the battle to avoid the wooden spoon was won by Gloucestershire, who beat Lancashire at Old Trafford. The visitors chose to bat first, but managed only 212, with Kamran Dhariwal making his first-class debut and scoring 20. George Balderson took four for 44. Former Lancashire paceman Will Williams delivered a career-best six for 24 to knock over the Red Rose for only 134 in reply. Four more wickets from Balderson ensured that Lancashire’s bowlers kept their side in the match, as the away side mustered just 169 in their second innings, to set a target of 248. At 64 for five, things were pretty much over and, despite a brisk 65 from Ricky Flintoff, Lancashire were all out for 142, beaten by 105 runs, as James Langridge took five for 51 in just his second game. The win meant Gloucestershire closed the gap to just 18 points, and the way Lancashire’s season is fizzling out, a first-ever last place for the Red Rose is not out of the question.