CHAMPIONSHIP DIGEST: Summaries of all Tuesday's action from around the counties

Catch up with all the latest from around the grounds in the County Championship with The Cricketer's round-up...

^{Jack Leach and Tom Abell celebrate a wicket for Somerset against Essex}

Division One

Hampshire vs Nottinghamshire

Scorecard

Liam Dawson took two of four Nottinghamshire second-innings wickets as Hampshire were held up in their quest for their second Specsavers County Championship victory of the season.

Dawson’s spin managed to dismiss Chris Nash and the impressive Kraigg Brathwaite, with Kyle Abbott and Fidel Edwards also celebrating wickets - but Riki Wessels and Steven Mullaney showed off some brilliant defensive batting to give Nottinghamshire hope of saving a draw.

The visitors ended day three still needing 383 with six wickets remaining

Somerset vs Essex

Scorecard

Nick Browne and Tom Westley batted Essex to within sight of an unlikely victory on the third day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.

The visitors looked up against in when set a victory target of 336 on a turning pitch.

But Browne (75 not out) and Westley (43 not out) took the score from 58 for one to 147 for one at the close, leaving a further 189 to score.

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP TABLES

Division Two

Northamptonshire vs Middlesex

Scorecard

Max Holden and James Harris gave Middlesex hope of producing a remarkable turnaround against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

The pair added 121 for the seventh wicket on the third afternoon to help steer Middlesex to 374 for nine following-on, leading by 215.

At 166 for six just after lunch, and a lead of just seven, Middlesex were slumping to defeat. But Holden and Harris gathered themselves and began to work their side back into the game with careful, considered batting with the clouds parting and the zip from the surface easing.

Sussex vs Derbyshire

Scorecard

Phil Salt played the innings of his young life at Hove to place promotion chasing Sussex in a dominant position in their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire.

Salt, 22 next week, struck 14 fours and five sixes in his 138-ball 148 as Sussex pursued quick pre-declaration runs against a depleted bowling attack.  

They eventually declared on 353 for six to give themselves seven overs to bowl at Derbyshire, who had been set a total of 405 to win, more runs than they had ever made in a fourth innings.  At the close they were six without loss.

Reports courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network