A 377-run victory keeps them on top with two rounds to go

Somerset completed a thumping 377-run victory over troubled Leicestershire with more than a day to spare –ensuring that they enter the last two rounds of the Rothesay County Championship in pole position as they look to secure a maiden title win in the famous old competition.

After setting the home side a monumental target of 523 to win upon declaring on 316 for five in their second innings, keeping Leicestershire in the field just long enough for New Zealand Test batsman Henry Nicholls to make his maiden Championship ton, Somerset needed only 45.1 overs to close out a 22-point victory. Craig Overton took four for 33 to move to 49 wickets in the season.

Somerset’s bid to be county champions for the first time in their history thus hinges on fixtures against Yorkshire at Headingley and Surrey at Taunton.

The West county were already 372 runs in front overnight yet stretched their lead to 522 before skipper Lewis Gregory declared 40 minutes before lunch.

A break in play prompted by a playful dog encroaching on the outfield had given him time to consider pulling out sooner, with the lead around 450, but with Nicholls looking in the mood after pulling Rehan Ahmed for six, he decided against it.

Tom Abell chipped Ajaz Patel to silly mid-on for 58 – leaving him 26 away from 1,000 first-class runs for the season – and James Rew, after despatching Josh Hull for two sixes in the same over, was caught in the deep to give on-loan Nathan Gilchrist the fourth wicket of his Leicestershire debut.

By then, Nicholls, signed for the last six matches of the campaign, was motoring along, going from 50 to 100 in 34 deliveries, adding two more sixes before his ninth four completed the objective and Gregory called time.

Leicestershire were two down for ten in seven overs before lunch, Rishi Patel and Rehan Ahmed both nicking to third slip off the skipper’s own bowling.

Gregory, who is carrying an injury, did not reappear after lunch. Nonetheless, Leicestershire slipped to 46 for four as Sheridon Gumbs was bowled offering no shot to Overton, who followed up by trapping Hamza Shaikh plumb in front.

Stephen Eskinazi, Leicestershire’s stand-in captain here with Ian Holland sidelined, spent a scratchy 24 minutes at the crease before edging to third slip off Overton, who promptly had Nick Kelly caught behind with a ball that climbed unexpectedly.

Leicestershire were 65 for six and Jack Leach, whom Somerset had expected to be their key fourth-innings weapon, was barely warming up.

Jake Ball struck the next blow as Ben Mike missed a straight one, before Leach made his mark by having Ajaz Patel well caught by a diving Josh Thomas at short leg.

Leicestershire at least made it to tea at 135 for eight, but survived only briefly afterwards, Leach inducing a caught behind from Ben Cox and dismissing Gilchrist lbw.

Somerset’s Craig Overton said: “We just went out there just trying to be as disciplined as possible and try and use the surface as much as possible. We hit that hard length and it seems to go up and down a bit, which we thought it would do as the game went on. “It’s been a really good all-round team performance. We spoke about that opening partnership of 180 really, which gave us that stronghold to be able to go from there. In hindsight, we were probably disappointed that we didn't quite get 450, but I think with the way the wicket played, 450 would have been a long way off if we hadn't got that 180 opening stand. So 350 was a very good score on that wicket. “With Lewis Gregory being off the field after lunch today, it's a bit more precautionary than anything, he's just feeling a bit tight in his hamstring. He's been a big part of our team going into those last couple of games, so as much rest as he could get was the most important thing really, to be ready for next week. “We’ve got a bit of momentum going into these last games but I think we've had momentum the whole year really, we've played a lot of good cricket and with the two games that we lost, we probably should have won them. Now it's just finishing off the season the way we've played all year but we know it's going to be hard work. We’re against teams in the bottom half of the table, but they're still very good sides and there's no easy win, so we know we're going to have to turn up and put in a performance. “We’ve been in this position a few times in recent seasons where we’ve been in with a chance. It doesn’t get any easier but it's obviously nice having a lead at this stage. You know there could be a bit of rain around so to be able to have four or five point lead is quite a big thing.”