Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ben Cliff celebrates one of his three fourth-morning wickets.
Yorkshire completed the season’s double over Somerset in stunning fashion this morning as brilliant Ben Cliff recorded career best match figures of 11-105.
Somerset, chasing 287, started day four on 73-3, their hopes of victory still high as they pursue a maiden Rothesay County Championship title.
Almost in a flash – 82 minutes of play to be precise – they were bowled out for 101, denting their chances of glory. The White Rose won by 185 runs.
New ball duo Cliff and Ben Coad did the bulk of the damage to leave the Taunton county 11 points adrift of leaders Warwickshire going into next Thursday’s final round of matches. The Bears host Leicestershire, Somerset host Surrey.
Cliff finished with three wickets in the second innings, all taken today, and Coad four. Cliff impressively supplemented his first-innings eight-wicket haul.
Yorkshire won for the fifth time in 14 matches to consolidate fifth in the table, and this was their second win against Somerset this season having triumphed down at Taunton back in May.
Cliff and Coad struck in the space of five balls inside the day’s opening half an hour, setting the tone.
They removed not out batters Tom Lammonby and Tom Abell as Somerset lost two wickets for the addition of only three runs – 76-5
Lammonby was squared up and caught behind off Cliff for 32 before Abell looped a catch up to backward point off the shoulder of the bat against Coad.
And when Coad struck again almost three overs later, at the end of the 39th, Somerset were in significant trouble, with James Rew caught at second slip on the drive.
Yorkshire came into day four knowing they had the edge, but one wicket they were desperate for was that of Craig Overton, who had broken their hearts back in July with a stunning 79 not out off 30 balls in the Vitality Blast quarter-final.
Cliff got him caught behind pushing forwards in the 42nd over, also trapping Lewis Gregory lbw three balls later.
At 88-8, it was all but game over under an overcast Headingley sky but not quite matching the gloomy Somerset outlook.
The Overton and Gregory wickets were Cliff’s 10th and 11th in the match following his eight in the first innings.
Like Overton, Migael Pretorius had scored a first-innings fifty. But George Hill had him caught behind, leaving Somerset at 92-9.
Matthew Revis then wrapped things up by yorking Jake Ball.
Yorkshire’s role of spoilers will continue next week when they face Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, starting on Thursday. Champions Notts’ are still in the race.
They are third, 18 points behind Warwickshire.
This was Yorkshire’s second successive win after beating Essex here last week.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ben Coad celebrates dismissing James Rew today.
