County Championship: Somerset secure survival with win over Northants

Craig Overton finished with match figures of 7-74 as Somerset guaranteed their Division One survival with a thumping 352-run County Championship win over Northamptonshire at Taunton.

The hosts began the final day by quickly extending their second innings total from 277-1 to 337-4 declared, centurions Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby falling for 115 and 110 respectively.

That set Northamptonshire a massive 462 to win, and they lost their first four wickets for 15 before being bowled out for 109.

Overton began the rout with a brilliant piece of fielding off his own bowling to run out Emilio Gay, and then claimed 2-36 to add to his first innings figures of 5-38. Josh Davey finished with 3-25.

Somerset took 22 points from the game to move into sixth place in the table, 25 clear of second-bottom Warwickshire going into the final round of fixtures, while Northamptonshire claimed four points.

The day began with the home side looking to dispel any faint prospect of defeat by batting on for nearly half an hour, despite already being 401 in front.

Abell added only three to his overnight score before being caught behind off Ben Sanderson, while Lammonby had extended his tally by nine when pulling a catch to mid-wicket off the same bowler.

George Bartlett contributed a brisk 17 before being pouched at deep mid-wicket off Jack White and Lewis Gregory capped an impressive Somerset batting display with 29 not out off 11 balls, including three sixes and a four.

Northamptonshire faced a minimum of 87 overs to bat out for a draw and they had reached 14 when Will Young played a ball from Overton defensively into the off side and called for a single.

The England seamer raced to grab the ball and took down the stumps as he fell, with non-striker Gay short of his ground.

Three balls later, the inspired Overton pinned Luke Procter lbw for a duck and it was 15 for three when Davey found the edge of Josh Cobb's bat, wicketkeeper James Rew taking a routine catch.

Without a run added, Young edged Overton to Abell at second slip to leave the visitors in complete disarray.

Ricardo Vasconcelos helped Rob Keogh add 33 before falling just before lunch, leg-before to Abell.

It was 49-5 at lunch and the second ball after the interval saw Keogh, on 15, pinned lbw on the back foot by Davey.

Davey struck again with the total on 79 when Tom Taylor, who had moved confidently to 25, became another lbw victim, playing across the line.

Kasey Aldridge joined the Somerset party by having Lizaad Williams caught behind fending at a steeply rising delivery as the Northamptonshire batting showed little resistance under clear blue skies.

Aldridge claimed a second victim when Ben Sanderson edged a drive through to Rew and the game ended shortly after 14:00 BST when last man White edged Abell to second slip, where Overton capped his immense contribution with a fine diving catch.

Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry:

"Historically, we like to keep Somerset followers on the edge of their seats all the way through a season and we have been true to that again.

"We played what turned out to be the top two teams twice early on, which made it a tough start, but we never lost hope or faith in the players and have seen some progression in recent games, particularly with our batting.

"We still have a way to travel, but we are finishing the Championship season strongly and want to keep that momentum going at Canterbury next week.

"Craig Overton showed what he brings to our side. We want all our players to achieve international aspirations, but it's great that those who do go off with England show a real desire to play for Somerset when they return and Craig exemplifies that."

Northamptonshire head of coaching John Sadler:

"We ran out of steam a bit and Somerset fully deserved to win, so all credit to them.

"Craig Overton has probably been the difference. He produced a touch of magic with the run-out and then followed up by taking two quick wickets to put us on the back foot.

"We were not at our best, but I feel for the lads because some of them are running on empty both mentally and physically.

"They have been tremendous and I won't criticise any of them."

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.