Northants relegated as Somerset pull-off run chase

Northamptonshire were relegated to the Second Division of the CricInfo Championship but they went down fighting at Taunton.

David Ripley, Northamptonshire's captain, did his best to conjure a victory from his last first-class match but Somerset used their one-day expertise to successfully chase a target of 246 in 43 overs and they squeezed to a four wickets win with three balls to spare.

Northamptonshire knew at lunchtime, when Lancashire's match against Kent at Old Trafford was abandoned, that their only way to avoid the drop was to win and Ripley then faced a difficult decision on his declaration.

He appeared to have batted on too long when he delayed his declaration until half-an-hour before tea but his calculations proved right and Somerset set up a thrilling final session by sustaining their run chase until the final over.

Somerset skipper Jamie Cox (86) and Matthew Wood (65) both passed 50 for the second time in the match and laid the foundations for victory with an opening stand of 147 in 32 overs and Michael Burns and Keith Parsons then steered them to victory with unselfish innings.

The match produced an aggregate of 1,795 runs - the second highest in a first-class game in England - and Northamptonshire fought bravely as they made 432 for nine declared in their second innings.

Tony Penberthy anchored the innings with his third century of the summer and the acceleration came from Jeff Cook (88), Graeme Swann (61) and Paul Taylor (53) with aggressive half centuries.

Somerset spinners Ian Blackwell and Keith Dutch both absorbed heavy punishment but Blackwell emerged with figures of five for 122, his best for Somerset.