County Cricket Day Three: James Rew Holds Firm as Somerset Fight Back

James Rew held firm for Somerset once more to see his stock rise further and keep his side in the hunt for a final day victory on the south coast. After his first innings 86 the cherubic faced stroke maker was undefeated on 58 at the close of an intriguing day in Southampton.

Lewis Gregory bustled his way to a five wicket haul earlier in the piece as Nick Gubbins top scored with 83 in the home side's second innings effort of 336. Hampshire's Sonny Baker then had his dander well and truly up and the opposition in trouble by pocketing the Cidermen's top three of Archie Vaughan, Tom Lammonby and Joshua Thomas, albeit the first two were guilty of being careless on the pull.

Rew and Tom Abell then steadied the applecart to leave Somerset needing 148 more to pull off the win.

Seventeen wickets fell at Edgbaston on a topsy turvy moving day where both sides seemingly had their bags packed at different stages. Essex will consider themselves to be in the stronger position heading into the final day with Dean Elgar and self-appointed nightwatchman Sam Cook seeing them to 11-0 at the close in pursuit of 206.

Warwickshire were bowled out for 220 inside 63 overs as visiting Captain Cook picked up five wickets including the crucial scalp of Beau Webster, the Aussie all-rounder's 91 included sixteen boundaries and helped his side post a challenging if hardly fear-inducing target.

In Division Two, centuries from Northamptonshire's James Sales and Nathan McSweeney made Middlesex toil at Wantage Road as the home side made 409 in their first innings. Josh De Caires was pinned LBW by Luke Proctor early in Middlesex's second innings but Sam Robson and Max Holden batted calmly to reach 109-1 and a lead of 41 runs by stumps.

A pot boiler at Bristol saw James Bracey score a dogged century for Gloucestershire as they posted 305 against a toiling Lancashire. James Anderson and George Balderson took four wickets apiece to set up a tricksy fourth innings run chase. Keaton Jennings shepherded the visitors to 75-3 at stumps, 127 more needed for victory.