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Div One: Keith Barker takes 4-29 as Warks bowl out Essex for 164 to claim 41-run win
Hampshire's Sonny Baker takes 5-62 but Tom Abell's unbeaten century secures narrow win for Somerset
Div Two: Keaton Jennings hits 78* as Lancashire beat Gloucestershire
Middlesex's Sam Robson scores 162 in draw with Northants
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Allison b Barker 0 (Essex 16-3 v Warks - target: 206)
Oh my days. Three wickets in the over for Keith Barker!
Charlie Allison lasts three balls as Barker, bowling round the wicket, sends a pacey, nipping back delivery through the Essex man's defences.
The 39-year-old has opened the game up.
Hants v Somerset - 139-3 - target 287
Really tight bowling as you would expect from Kyle Abbott who is currently coming from around the wicket.
The ball is slightly dying on Ben Brown behind the stumps.
Two maiden overs to start the day at the Utilita Bowl. A cautious start with so much at stake for Somerset.
Cook c Thompson b Barker 14 (Essex 16-2 v Warks - target: 206)
And another for Barker and Warwickshire!
We said if Warwickshire could remove the nightwatchman and Elgar they might have a sniff - and that's exactly what they've done in the space of three balls.
This time, Cook spoons a drive into the hands of Jordan Thompson at cover having added four to his overnight score.
Elgar lbw b Barker 0 (Essex 15-1 v Warks - target: 206)
What a start for Keith Barker and Warwickshire!
With his first ball of the morning, he gets it to nip back in to the veteran South African opener Dean Elgar, who misjudges it, aims to leave, and is trapped lbw.
Middlesex 110-1 (lead by 42) v Northants
Image source, ShutterstockAnd it takes just two balls for Sam Robson to get to his half century, clipping a Ben Sanderson delivery into the leg side.
Gloucs v Lancs 76-3 - target 202
Michael Jones nudges a single to move onto 16 not out with the first ball of the day in Bristol.
202 is the magic number today for Lancashire.
Warwickshire v Essex 11-0 - target 206
Ethan Bamber bowls the first ball of the day and the Essex nightwatchman Sam Cook defends into the off side.
He then drives at the second ball but a good stop prevents him scoring the first run of the day.
Hants v Somerset 139-3 - target 287
Sonny Baker will bowl the first over of the final day at the Utilita Bowl.
Middlesex 109-1 (lead by 41) v Northants
They are just getting under way at Northampton - and we could have our first round of applause of the day, with Sam Robson on 49 not out...
Gloucs v Lancs 75-3 - target 202
Image source, ShutterstockWhat a topsy-turvy day it was for Lancashire yesterday.
After seeing opener Luke Wells suffer a dislocated shoulder in the field in the morning session, the Red Rose toiled in the field as James Bracey put on a superb century for Gloucestershire as the match threatened to get away.
Lancs, eventually, did rally back in yesterday's final session and they managed to pick up the final six wickets of Gloucestershire's second-innings for the expense of just 22 runs.
You won't be surprised to read that James Anderson was at the heart of things - picking up 4-51 - adding to his 3-12 in the first-innings - and George Balderson excelled once again - taking 4-75 with some old-school line and length bowling - remember that?
Lancashire opener Keaton Jennings (25 not out) and Michael Jones (15 not out) return to the crease at 11:00 BST with the Red Rose needing another 127 runs with seven wickets remaining to claim back-to-back victories in the County Championship, and leapfrog Durham to the top of Division Two with the two sides set to face each other on Friday at Chester-le-Street.
Warks v Essex 11-0 - target 206
Image source, ShutterstockJust 24 hours ago, before the start of day three, Essex were 110-3 in their first innings, trailing Warwickshire by 80 runs.
But after a clatter of wickets yesterday – 17 in all – they are now in a position to push for victory.
Warwickshire’s bowlers limited the damage by bowling Essex out for 205, giving up a first-innings lead of 15, but they couldn’t make it count.
Sam Cook took 5-58 to skittle the hosts for 220 in an engrossing contest that is tipped, narrowly, in favour of the visitors.
They will resume shortly on 11-0, needing 195 more to win, with Cook himself scoring all the runs so far as a nightwatchman.
But if Warwickshire can get him, and a couple of the more established batters like Dean Elgar, early, we could be in for a thrilling finish.
If this match has provided any lessons, it’s expect the unexpected.
Middx 109-1 lead Northants by 41 runs
Image source, Getty ImagesApologies for the Nicholas Parsons-inspired pun, but that might be all we get from this match today.
The career-best 164 from James Sales, allied to Nathan McSweeney's 107, saw Northamptonshire post 409 in reply to Middlesex's 341.
But the visitors avoided any great alarms in the final session to move in front for the loss of Josh De Caires.
Sam Robson and Max Holden will resume in a moment unbeaten on 49 and 42 respectively.
Hants v Somerset 139-3 - target 287
Image source, ShutterstockIn-form Somerset wicket-keeper James Rew (58 not out) returns to the crease on the final day against Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl as his side hunt another 148 runs to win and extend their lead at the top of Division One with seven wickets still remaining.
His fourth-wicket partnership with Tom Abell (27 not out), currently worth 87, has put the visitors in a very strong position after Hampshire seamer Sonny Baker ripped through their top order in the final session yesterday.
In a match with more ups and downs than a roller-coaster on Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the visitors start strong favourites to reach their target, but one wicket and everything could change.
All to play for on the final day in Southampton then, and isn't that all we can ask for from the County Championship, which has provided thrilling entertainment over the weekend once again.
#bbccricket
Division One:
Southampton: Hampshire 238 & 336 v Somerset 288 & 139-3
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 190 & 220 v Essex 205 & 11-0
Division Two:
Bristol: Gloucestershire 136 & 305 v Lancashire 240 & 75-3
Northampton: Northamptonshire 409 v Middlesex 341 & 109-1
#bbccricket
Welcome to our live text commentary of the final day of the third round of the 2026 County Championship.
There's plenty of exciting action ahead of us with some inevitable ups and downs that only County Cricket can provide.
Three of our four games are already into their fourth-innings so if you are just tuning in for the first time over the course of the weekend - where have you been? Only joking - welcome aboard - we're glad to have your company.
Right, let's get into things, shall we?