County Championship: Somerset seal Division One spot as Jack Leach takes 5-42 against Surrey

Mark Stoneman had hit 12 fours on his way to 67 before edging Jack Leach to Somerset wicketkeeper Steve Davies

Somerset sealed a Division One place and a chance to claim a maiden County Championship title as Jack Leach took five wickets to keep Surrey in check.

Hampshire's failure to secure a fourth batting point against Gloucestershire guaranteed Group Two leaders Somerset a top-two spot no matter the outcome.

Resuming on 24-0, Mark Stoneman (67) and Surrey skipper Rory Burns (50) both struck half-centuries for the hosts.

But Leach took 5-42 as Surrey closed day three on 239-8, still 190 behind.

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With England's five-match Test series against India on the horizon at the start of August, the Somerset spinner offered a timely reminder of his abilities to the selectors.

Having caught Burns at long leg off the bowling of Roelof van der Merwe, Leach then produced an elongated spell of excellence with the ball, recording 19 maidens from 33 overs as well as his five wickets.

He claimed the important wickets of Stoneman, who looked in good touch before nicking behind to Steve Davies, and Hashim Alma, who chipped up an easy caught and bowled chance to end a patient 16.

Then, with deliveries either side of the lunch break, Leach had Jamie Smith and Ravi Ashwin caught, with Ryan Patel following eight overs later as Surrey slipped from 136-1 to 191-6.

Jordan Clark (33) and Jamie Overton were removed late in the day by Van Der Merwe, who ended with 3-54 as Surrey remain in danger of being asked to follow on.

But, regardless of the result, Somerset, six-time Championship runners-up, including on five occasions since 2010, will bid to end their long wait for a county crown in September despite starting the competition with an eight-point deduction for a poorly prepared pitch in their title decider with Essex two years ago.

Surrey opener Mark Stoneman told BBC Radio London:

"The tired and slow nature of the pitch means it's never going to be that quick-scoring.

"But in the context of the match it meant myself and Rory (Burns) were there to try and soak up as much pressure as we could.

"To a degree we did that but a few dismissals we'd like to take back if we could. We've done our jobs to the best of our abilities and hopefully we can do the same again tomorrow.

"We're better than what we've shown at times so far this season so we'll scrap as hard as we can to get past that follow-on score."

Somerset head coach Jason Kerr:

"Jack Leach is a world-class bowler and he showed that. He's been bowling with a tennis ball in his garden for the last 10 days so his preparation has not been ideal, and I'm sure he was a bit nervous this morning. But he showed his class.

"He controlled the game brilliantly and worked out the pace he needed to bowl. I'm delighted for him as an individual, especially with the cricket he has got coming up."

"We're absolutely delighted to be in Division One in September. I knew that if we carried out our skills to the levels I know we have we'd catch up the eight-point deduction we started with. It's been tighter than we'd have liked it to be because of the weather and a couple of results but I'm delighted for the lads."