Six-gun Leach leaves Yorkshire floored

Somerset 390 (Gregory 73*, Trescothick 73, Allenby 50, Sidebottom 5-51) and 44 for 0 beat Yorkshire 145 and 286 (Lehmann 116, Plunkett 73, Lyth 49, Leach 6-64) by ten wicketsScorecard

There was to be no heroic resistance from Yorkshire to protect their claims to a third successive Championship title: Jack Leach saw to that. Instead, Somerset completed a victory by 10 wickets that left all eyes turned to events at Old Trafford. If Middlesex defeat Lancashire by Thursday evening, the title is as good as theirs. If Lancashire resist, however, then Middlesex, Somerset and Yorkshire will contest what could still be a wonderful climax to the Championship season next week.

Somerset, by virtue of a win achieved with a day and 8.3 overs to spare, have cut the margin to second-placed Yorkshire to a single point. Middlesex could lead by 20 points if they beat Lancashire. The advantage, variously, would reduce to nine points if they drew, and four if they lost.

Somerset, still without a Championship title in their history, feared relegation in early season. Now Taunton’s pubs and cafes, the streets and the shops are full of chatter about whether this can be their year. This is not an exaggeration: in no county – not even in Yorkshire – is cricket more widely discussed as part of the daily currency of life. And the man they will be chattering about more than anyone will be “Jack”. Taunton-born, he is fast achieving first-name status in the West Country.

Leach led Somerset from the field at Headingley, slightly stiff-legged, with figures of 6 for 64 in a season that has been beyond his wildest dreams. He now has 58 Championship wickets at 22.60 and has harvested five wickets in an innings in four successive Championship matches.

He took six of the seven Yorkshire wickets to fall on the third day, including Jake Lehmann, whose 116 was chiefly responsible for making Somerset bat again. Lehmann’s first Yorkshire century came on the ground where his father, Darren, remains revered. He possesses a gun-toting drive through extra cover and a moustache that would make him a natural as Charles Bronson’s sidekick in an old-time Western. Leach might have claimed Lehmann earlier, on 60, but he was merely winged as Tom Abell could not hold on at short leg.

After the match, it was revealed that Lehmann will not be available for Yorkshire’s title decider because he has been called back to Australia by South Australia in preparation for the new domestic season.

“I am a bit disappointed to be going but cannot do much about it because the hierachy want me back. I would love to have been at Lord’s with the boys, …

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