Somerset remain on course to strengthen their position at the top of the Specsavers County Championship, needing just four wickets to hand Warwickshire a third defeat in three.

Chasing 239 to win, the visitors were staring down the barrel on 103 for six at the close, with the pitch still offering plenty of assistance to the seamers.

Lewis Gregory claimed two wickets for Somerset, with Craig Overton, Jack Leach and Tom Abell taking one each, while Tim Ambrose was run out.

Overton had earlier finished with five for 31 when Warwickshire were bowled out in their first innings for 135 before Liam Norwell’s seven for 41 saw Somerset dismissed for 164.

Nottinghamshire skipper Steven Mullaney became the first player to score a first-class century on the Isle of Wight since 1961 as he frustrated Hampshire.

Mullaney dragged his side out of two collapses to reach his 14th first-class ton, despite surviving three drops.

Nottinghamshire v Worcestershire – Specsavers County Championship – Division 2 – Trent Bridge
Steven Mullaney rescued Nottinghamshire (Simon Cooper/PA)

Mullaney’s 102 took Nottinghamshire to 239, a 71-run first innings deficit, before Hampshire closed on three for one.

Sean Dickson’s ninth first-class century helped Kent narrowly avoid the follow-on against Surrey.

The 27-year-old dug in for five-and-a-half for 128 with 14 fours as the hosts conspired to lose their last nine wickets for 97 runs to be dismissed for 294 and give Surrey a 145-run first-innings lead.

In the three overs through to stumps, Surrey reached 11 without loss in their second innings.

In Division Two, Lancashire are on course for their third consecutive win against Worcestershire.

The advantage has swung back and forth throughout two days which have seen ball dominate on a surface offering some help but not masses.

Now, the visitors have a lot of work to do if they are to swing the pendulum back in their favour, although they are not out of it just yet with a lead of 120 and one second-innings wicket in hand.

Having conceded a first-innings lead of 29 at lunch, they reached close at 149 for nine from 66.1 overs. Richard Gleeson took four for 35 for the hosts.

England Nets Session – Trent Bridge
Chris Jordan hit a career-best 166 for Sussex (Mike Egerton/PA)

Sussex took control against Northamptonshire, reducing them to 242 for six and posting a total themselves of 422.

Ben Brown (156) and Chris Jordan (166) saw their seventh-wicket partnership come to an end on 309.

Daniel Douthwaite inspired a Glamorgan fightback to set up an intriguing finale against Derbyshire after Ravi Rampaul had celebrated his first five wicket haul for three years.

The West Indian seamer claimed five for 94 as Glamorgan were bowled out for 346, 32 runs behind, with Billy Root scoring 68 and Douthwaite 39 in his first championship innings.

Derbyshire were going well at 96 for one but then lost seven wickets for 60 runs with Douthwaite taking four in five overs, and closed on 171 for nine, a lead of 203.

Gloucestershire need just 57 runs with nine wickets in hand to condemn Durham to a fourth consecutive defeat.