SCARBOROUGH

(Day three of four, Yorkshire won toss)

Somerset 380 and 25 for none. Yorkshire 414.

Lunch

On this gentle pitch, Yorkshire pressed on with comfort this morning and, with one eye on events at Liverpool, they will hope to build a first-innings lead as they look to avoid relegation. Anthony McGrath, strong as ever off his legs, reached his second century of the season from 173 balls with 15 fours.

The only wicket to fall was that of Adam Lyth, miscuing a pull off Alfonso Thomas for 65, but Jacques Rudolph has joined McGrath in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 90. It looks like being a hard day for Somerset’s bowlers.

Tea

A disappointing session for Yorkshire, as they approach Somerset’s first-innings total of 380. They will hope to squeeze every bonus point out of this game, especially since Lancashire’s victory at Kent has left them as relegation favourites. Whether Somerset, chasing the title, will be able to contrive a fourth-day run chase, remains to be seen.

Somerset came back into the contest with the second new-ball, as Alfonso Thomas bowled Anthony McGrath, then Andy Caddick denied Jacques Rudolph a century by having him caught at first slip. With six wickets down, Yorkshire are still 74 runs away from full batting points.

Close

With a last-wicket stand of 39 between Matthew Hoggard and Deon Kruis, Yorkshire clinched the fifth batting bonus point that could be helpful in their fight to avoid relegation. They were eventually bowled out for 414 with Alfonso Thomas taking five wickets. When Kruis drove Andy Caddick through extra cover to take Yorkshire past 400, there was a raucous cheer from the crowd.

Somerset’s championship chances, meanwhile, have receded after their failure to bowl Yorkshire out more cheaply and Nottinghamshire’s win against Surrey.