County Championship debutant Alex Milton’s remarkable maiden century for Worcestershire failed to stop Somerset moving up to second behind runaway Division One leaders Surrey.

On this week’s final day of action across the Specsavers divisions, 22-year-old wicketkeeper Milton (104no) earned the top-flight headlines – albeit in a 141-run defeat for the hosts at New Road.

Jamie Overton (four for 82) helped to put Somerset on course for victory by early afternoon, but number seven Milton then shared a club-record last-wicket stand of 136 in almost 40 overs with Steve Magoffin – completing his 172-ball century with his 15th four to add to one six.

Set a highly-improbable 443 to win, however, Worcestershire were eventually all out for 301 when Magoffin speared a catch into the off-side off Craig Overton just after a delayed tea break – and they therefore stay adrift at the bottom of the table.

In Division Two, Gloucestershire leapfrogged Durham into seventh after bowling their northern visitors out for 298 to complete a 41-run win deep into the evening session at Cheltenham.

Durham appeared well-placed on occasions to reach a testing target of 340.

But despite 62 from opener Cameron Steel, and then Mark Wood’s unbeaten 61 at number eight, the home seamers eventually had the final say in an enthralling tussle – left-armer Matt Taylor (four for 31) doing the most damage.

England v South Africa – First Investec Test Match – Day Four – Lord’s (Nigel French/PA Wire)
Mark Wood kept Durham hopes alive into the evening session at Cheltenham (Nigel French/PA Wire)

At Chesterfield, Matt Critchley took a career-best six for 106 – to finish with match figures of 10 for 194 – as Derbyshire stayed sixth with a 39-run win over Northamptonshire.

Young leg-spinning all-rounder Critchley was following up his second-innings half-century to stop visiting captain Alex Wakeley – with 68 to add to his hundred first time round – pulling off a famous ground-record chase as Northants were bowled out for 274 on the stroke of lunch.