Somerset edge to victory over Essex in County Championship; Joe Root shines for Yorkshire

Somerset emerged victorious over Essex in a thrilling County Championship match that saw 37 wickets fall in just two days. The home side secured their first win of the season after starting with four consecutive draws, closing the gap to just two points behind league leaders Essex.

Essex were bowled out for 138 in their second innings after Somerset had been dismissed for 128 in their first innings. Somerset were set a target of 167 to win and got off to a strong start with Matt Renshaw and Sean Dickson putting on 75 for the first wicket. Despite losing wickets in the middle order, Andy Umeed and Tom Banton played crucial roles as Somerset reached their target in 44.1 overs to win by three wickets.

In Division Two, Joe Root continued his fine form with an unbeaten 92 from 90 balls for Yorkshire against Glamorgan. Root, who had scored a century in the previous match, shared an unbroken stand of 201 with Finlay Bean as Yorkshire reached 295-2 before bad light interrupted play.

Meanwhile, Kent took control of their Division One match against Lancashire, bowling out the hosts for 92 in their first innings and reducing them to 119-4 following-on. Nathan Gilchrist and Wes Agar starred with the ball for Kent, with Gilchrist taking a career-best 6-24.

The Men’s T20 World Cup is set to take place in the West Indies and USA in June, with England playing four T20Is against Pakistan in May before heading to the Caribbean for the tournament. Root could enjoy an extended run with Yorkshire in both red and white-ball cricket as England are not in Test action until July.

Overall, it was an action-packed day of County Championship cricket with plenty of drama and standout performances from the players. Fans can look forward to more exciting matches in the coming days.