Somerset crush Yorkshire by 75 runs in thrilling Championship showdown
Somerset secured a hard-fought 75-run victory over Yorkshire in the County Championship, sealing the win on Day Four. The match saw standout performances from both sides, with Yorkshire setting a target of 260 before Somerset’s bowlers stepped up to clinch the game. Yorkshire began the day strongly, bowling Somerset out for 164 in their second innings, thanks largely to Lewis Gregory’s 6-43. This left Somerset chasing 260 for victory. However, Yorkshire’s openers struggled early as George Hill removed Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby, putting Somerset under immediate pressure.
Dom Bess then took control, dismissing James Rew and Tom Abell to reduce Somerset to 21-3. He later broke a crucial 64-run partnership by bowling Joshua Thomas for 57, leaving the hosts at 136-5. Bess finished with figures of 4-60 from 24.2 overs, his second four-wicket haul in this season’s Championship.
Joe Root also played a key role, taking 4-49 from 16 overs—his first four-wicket haul in the County Championship in eight years. He dismantled Somerset’s lower order, removing Thomas Rew, Craig Overton, Will Smeed, and Migael Pretorius. The match ended when Bess clean bowled Alife Ogborne, sealing Somerset’s win by 75 runs.
This result marked Yorkshire’s first outright victory of the season and their first win over Somerset this campaign. Somerset’s bowlers delivered under pressure, with Bess and Root leading the charge to secure the win. The victory keeps Somerset’s Championship hopes alive, while Yorkshire finally break their winless streak against their rivals this season.
