Somerset continued their strong start to Rothesay County Championship season, increasing their lead at the top of Division One by claiming a tense two-wicket win over Hampshire.
Still hunting their first title after numerous near misses, the Cidermen have come out firing this year and opened up a 21-point gap at the summit by chasing down 287 at the Utilita Bowl.
To do so they needed a gutsy 101 not out from Tom Abell, who laboured for five and a quarter hours to get his side over the line with a mature chase.
Sonny Baker, an England white-ball wildcard last summer and now a Test hopeful, dismissed Lewis Gregory and Alfie Ogborne late on to crank up the pressure and complete the third five-wicket haul of his career, but Abell held firm.
Somerset have the next round off but have built a handy buffer over the likes of reigning champions Nottinghamshire, Sussex and Surrey.
Warwickshire claimed their first win of the campaign at the expense of Essex, with a brilliant effort from 39-year-old seamer Keith Barker taking centre stage in a 41-run success.
Making his first appearance of the season, the veteran left-armer claimed three wickets in the second over of the day – Sam Cook, Dean Elgar and Charlie Allison – to make a target of 206 look suddenly stifling. He later picked off Michael Pepper to finish with four for 29 across 17 overs, as Essex were rolled over for 164 at Edgbaston.
In Division Two, James Anderson’s Lancashire tightened their grip on top spot in Bristol with a four-wicket win over bottom side Gloucestershire.
Needing to make 202 following James Bracey’s battling century on day three, they built around former England opener Keaton Jennings’ unbeaten 78.
Seamer Will Williams caused his old side some headaches, removing Michael Jones and Matty Hurst as he collected three for 44, but the Red Rose always had enough left with Jennings standing firm.
Middlesex batted out for a draw at Northamptonshire, in a game that never came close to reaching a conclusion. Sam Robson made 162 as the visitors eased to 353 for three in their second innings before shaking hands with no result in sight.
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