TAUNTON

(Day three of four: Lancashire won toss)

Lancashire 248 and 122-0 (MJ Chilton 76 not out, PJ Horton 43 not out, 30 overs), Somerset 202 and 227

Lunch

Somerset's prospects of lifting the title receded farther as Lancashire claimed three more wickets on a lovely crisp autumnal morning. Requiring victory - and then needing both Durham and Nottinghamshire to draw or lose - they went into lunch with a lead of only 86 with batsmen again playing a part in their own downfall.

Lancashire continued to bowl tidily and a full ball from Glen Chapple struck James Hildreth in the crease. Gary Keedy then turned one to clip Zander de Bruyn's edge on the way through to Luke Sutton and Peter Trego failed attempting to hit his way out of trouble, leaving Ian Blackwell to anchor the lower order.

Tea

Lancashire were left to chase 182 to win after dismissing Somerset in 85.1 overs, with Gary Keedy returning his best figures of the season, 5 for 56, and Oliver Newby claiming a career best match return of 7 for 127. A large crowd appeared resigned to the idea that a first title had slipped the grasp of the home side.

Keedy maintained control throughout and extracted slow turn while Newby, though less consistent, found the happy knack of taking wickets with average balls. Ian Blackwell edged attempting to steer such a ball soon after passing 1,000 runs for the season and completing a 92-ball fifty, before Keedy finished off the innings.

Close

Lancashire require 60 more runs to complete a second victory in a row as tired Somerset bowlers barely tested Mark Chilton and Paul Horton during the final session. With more good weather expected tomorrow the visiting side made no effort to push for the extra half-hour.

The stand is already the best for the county's first wicket this season and Chilton, striking the ball cleanly in upright fashion, has scored his runs at a good lick from 93 balls. Horton's recent struggle for runs manifested itself in a more cautious approach but he, too, was hardly troubled by seam or spin.