CHAMPIONSHIP DIGEST: Catch-up with Tuesday's action from around the country

The Cricketer rounds-up all the events from the third day of this latest round of red-ball fixtures

DIVISION ONE

Edgbaston: (third day of four): Warwickshire 419, 146 v Somerset 308, 8-0

Scorecard

An exciting finale is in store at Edgbaston as Warwickshire and Somerset will both fancy their chances on day four of their Specsavers County Championship clash.

Somerset closed day three on eight without loss after bad light stopped play, needing a further 250 runs to secure what might have looked an unlikely victory earlier in the day.

Resuming on 167/5 in reply to the Bears 419, the visitors reached 303, before showing their Championship winning credentials.

Tom Abell finished with career-best figures of 13.4-4-39-4 to help bowl out the hosts for just 146 in 50.4 overs.

With league leaders Essex victorious at Canterbury against Kent, second-placed Somerset will even more desperate to secure a win to keep them in the hunt with three games to go.

^{Ollie Pope finished the day 176*}

Scarborough: (third day of four): Yorkshire 232 & 338, Nottinghamshire 184, 135-4

Scorecard

Yorkshire are closing in on a convincing Specsavers County Championship win over relegation-threatened Nottinghamshire at Scarborough after the visitors stumbled chasing 387 after tea on day three.

The White Rose, who have an outside chance of the Division One title, are set to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on their fifth win in 11 matches on day four when Notts will resume on 135 for four from 42 overs. 

Notts had the better of the first two sessions, albeit a damage limitation exercise after Yorkshire’s dominant second day with ball and bat.

Yorkshire (177 for two) resumed with a lead of 225 and eight second-innings wickets in hand, only to be prevented from accelerating by a spirited display under cloudy skies. 

The Oval: (third day of four): Surrey 490-5 v Hampshire 367

Scorecard

A nudge to the England selectors from Ollie Pope, who made a high-class 176 not out, a Scott Borthwick hundred and 90 from Aaron Finch put Surrey in the ascendancy on day three of their Specsavers County Championship Division One clash with Hampshire at the Kia Oval.

The day ended with the hosts leading by 123 with five first innings wickets still in hand, and their 490 for five has turned the match on its head.

Pope, in his first championship appearance following shoulder surgery in late April, has batted for 350 minutes and faced 292 balls. It was the 21-year-old's highest score in the County Championship, to add to the career-best 251 he made against the MCC in the Champion County Match in Dubai in March.

With a day to go, Pope's 188-run partnership in 46 overs with Finch was instrumental in swinging the game in Surrey's favour.

DIVISION TWO

Derby: (third day of four): Derbyshire 200 & 305-3, Gloucestershire 419

Scorecard

Derbyshire’s batsmen fought back strongly to frustrate promotion-chasing Gloucestershire on the third day of the match at Derby.

Gloucestershire had an imposing lead of 219 after they were bowled out for 419 with Luis Reece taking 4 for 91 but by the close, the game was back in the balance with Derbyshire 305 for 3, a lead of 86.

Billy Godleman top scored with 86, Wayne Madsen made 69 and Tom Lace an unbeaten 69 to raise the home side’s hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory on the final day.

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Chester-le-Street: (third day of four): Durham 544-9 v Leicestershire 236, 153-3

Scorecard

Brydon Carse produced career-best figures to put Durham in control of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash against Leicestershire, although the visitors mustered a resilient response after being forced to follow-on at Emirates Riverside.

Carse continued his surge from day two when he accounted for three of the four Leicestershire wickets to fall. The 24-year-old added another three scalps to bowl the visitors out for 236, ending with 6-63, while Chris Rushworth also struck twice.

Leicestershire were asked to follow-on still trailing the hosts by 308. However, they were dogged in the afternoon and evening sessions as Hassan Azad notched his second half-century of the game. Carse added another strike, while Cameron Steel notched a late wicket to keep Durham on course for victory, requiring another seven wickets on the final day, still leading by 155 runs.

^{Lancashire easily beat Glamorgan at the picturesque Colwyn Bay}

Courtesy of the ECB reporters network

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