County Championship - day three (close)

Yorkshire 320 & 8-2 v Somerset 399 & 339-7dec

TOM Abell scored his first century as Somerset captain to lead his side into a dominant position going into the final day's play against Yorkshire at Headingley.

The skipper hit 132 not out in Somerset's second innings and Lewis Gregory then removed both openers as the hosts stumbled to 8-2 at the close in pursuit of an unlikely 419 to win.

Abell added 135 in a vital fourth-wicket stand with James Hildreth (72) which swung the pendulum firmly back in Somerset's direction, as the visitors recovered from 29-3 and scored quickly to make a late declaration possible and set up a tricky few overs for the hosts with the bat.

The day began with Yorkshire on 292-7, which soon became 296-9 as Somerset made the required strong start with the ball.

Josh Davey was first to strike, completing his first five-wicket haul of the season as David Willey (3) lashed to slip, and Andrew Hodd fell 15 short of a fairytale ton as he edged Gregory to Hildreth.

Jack Brooks and Josh Shaw took Yorkshire past 300 but Craig Overton wrapped up the innings on 320, ensuring a 79-run first innings lead for his side as his future teammate Brooks was caught by Josh Davey, who ended with career-best figures of 5-65 from 23 overs.

Somerset initially struggled to press home their advantage, as Eddie Byrom's middle stump was ripped out by Willey after the batsman had scored just a single.

Azhar Ali (9) then drove to cover before Marcus Trescothick (15) also fell cheaply as Somerset limped to lunch at 41-3.

That was as good as it got for Yorkshire, however, as Abell and Hildreth combined to see their side out of danger through the afternoon.

Hildreth's second half-century of the match arrived in brisk fashion, taking him just 60 balls with 10 fours, but his fine knock ended on 72 when an edge from an attempted cut off Adam Lyth was snaffled by Hodd behind the stumps.

Steve Davies drove loosely to slip on six but Gregory continued his superb form with the bat, accelerating from the off on his way to a 35-ball half-century which included five fours and three sixes.

Gregory holed out to mid-on for 57 but Abell was moving through the gears himself and reached three figures for the first time since 2016 with a sweet cover drive.

Abell's century is a richly deserved peak in a consistent and ever-improving season. His tough times last year are well documented, but this summer has been a different story - this was the sixth time the 24-year-old has passed 50 in the Championship in 2018 - and this was a captain's knock which has helped shape the likely outcome of the match.

Abell and Craig Overton (27) pushed the score along swiftly until the latter was run out attempting a risky second run, at which point Abell opted to declare and offer his bowlers the chance to make vital early breakthroughts.

Gregory stepped up to do just that, taking two of Harry Brook's stumps out the ground before inducing an edge from Adam Lyth as both openers returned to the pavilion with just four runs on the board.

The hosts require a further 411 runs on the final day, with Somerset looking to take the eight wickets required to keep the pressure on runaway leaders Surrey, who today wrapped up an innings victory over Nottinghamshire at the Kia Oval.