Somerset's title bid fades as Yorkshire hand hosts a 185-run defeat at Headingley

Somerset's hopes of winning the Rothesay County Championship Division One title diminished after they were beaten by Yorkshire at Headingley on day four of the match. Yorkshire secured a 185-run victory, claiming 19 points to Somerset's three.

Somerset began the final day chasing 287, starting on 73-3 before rapidly collapsing to 79-6 and being bowled out for 101 just before 12:00 BST. The defeat was Somerset's third of the season and their second loss to Yorkshire, while Yorkshire recorded their fifth win in 13 games, adding to their earlier success at Taunton in May.

New-ball seamers Ben Coad and Ben Cliff led the bowling attack for Yorkshire; Coad finished with four wickets while Cliff took three in the second innings. Cliff produced career-best match figures of 11-105, recorded as the 13th best match analysis in his county's first-class history.

Cliff and Coad removed two set Somerset batters inside the opening half hour of day four, striking in the space of five balls as Somerset lost two wickets for the addition of only three runs to slip to 76-5. Tom Lammonby was caught behind off Cliff for 32 and Tom Abell looped a catch to backward point off Coad.

Coad struck again at the end of the 39th over when James Rew was caught at second slip, and Cliff then had Craig Overton caught behind pushing forward for five in the 42nd over before trapping Lewis Gregory lbw three balls later. Those Overton and Gregory dismissals were Cliff's 10th and 11th wickets of the match, following his eight in the first innings.

Migael Pretorius, who had made a first-innings fifty, was caught behind by George Hill to leave Somerset 92-9, and Matthew Revis yorked Jake Ball to complete the innings. Day four lasted only 82 minutes in total.

Somerset travel to face Surrey at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton, in the final round of fixtures starting on Thursday, while Yorkshire will go to Trent Bridge to play Nottinghamshire. Warwickshire now lead Division One by 11 points from second-placed Somerset, who have never won this title, and Nottinghamshire remain in contention for the title going into next week's final round even if they lose to Sussex later on Friday.