Tanya Aldred"s county roundup A one-run Yorkshire victory at Headingley had the red terraces leaning over the empty stands in anticipation. With just two needed, captain Steve Patterson ploughed in and Northamptonshire’s Wayne Parnell, who’d whisked 33 crucial runs, was beaten by a fast off-break. For a mini-moment, stillness, until Ben Sanderson fell on his haunches at the non-striker’s end, and the Yorkshire slips bounced in delight. Northants had started the day needing another 126, reduced to 46 at lunch, though with only three wickets left. Parnell found dance partners in Gareth Berg and Simon Kerrigan, helped by fallible catching from Yorkshire. Then, after an ill-timed break for rain with only 14 needed and as the last man walked out, he fell at the final hurdle. He’d also taken 10 wickets in the match. In the word of Northants head coach David Ripley: “It is gutting.” From under Leicestershire’s nose, Gloucestershire whipped a four-wicket victory with just minutes left. Chasing 348, Ian Cockbain, scoring his first century since 2014, and Tom Lace, a perfectly-paced 97, steadied nerves at 52 for three before upping the ante . To whooping from spectators in the flats looking over Bristol, Ryan Higgins walloped 33 and extras a cruel 39. Gloucestershire last had three Championship wins at the start of the season in 1948. Lewis Goldsworthy’s first-class debut was one to remember, unbeaten on 41, and sloughing the winning runs, as Somerset snatched a four-wicket victory over Middlesex. In a seventh-wicket stand of 86 he, and Steve Davies, hauled Somerset over the line after Tim Murtagh had sent Tom Abell and George Bartlett packing in consecutive overs, leaving Somerset six down and in the mire. Another successful run-chase at Hove, where Keaton Jennings, with an unbeaten 91, steered Lancashire to victory. Starting the day needing 129, there was a hitch when promising Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson picked off nightwatchman Saqib Mahmood and then Liam Livingstone. However Josh Bohannon provided the fire to Jennings’ ice, with a quick-step innings of 46. The five-wicket win took Lancashire to the top of Group Three. Worcestershire and Essex drew on a listless New Road pitch that sucked the life even out of Simon Harmer. Worcestershire had to follow-on after being skewered by a superb spell from Sam Cook. Cook struck twice more in Worcestershire’s second innings, but Jake Libby compiled a serene 52 before they shook hands after tea. Hey County Championship, you spruced up a treat. A variation on an arse-nipper on display at Headingley, Taunton, Hove and lastly, and most surprisingly of all, Bristol. New heroes sleep well tonight: Iain Cockbain, Ryan Higgins, Josh Bohannon, Keaton Jennings, Steve Patterson, Tom Lace and debutant Lewis Goldsworthy. Thanks for your company over these last four days, Simon and I will be back next week at Old Trafford and Lord’s - till then, my friends, have a wonderful bank holiday Monday. Good Night! Gloucestershire beat Leicestershire by four wickets! And from out of the shadows, Gloucestershire pull it off! Bravo Ian Cockbain, Tom Lace and Ryan Higgins. Commiserations to Leicestershire, who just couldn’t stop the game squirming away. Five overs + ten runs - four wickets = arghghghgh! Cockbain out for 117 after a superbly-paced, quite wonderful, innings. And another! Next ball, Ryan Higgins swings out too. Gloucestershire now six down, 21 neeeded, Gloucestershire now need only 26 from eight overs. The irrepressible Higgins will get them in big booming boundaries. Heave-ho! Consecutive boundaries from new man Ryan Higgins - Gloucestershire need 61 to win, six wickets left. A century for Ian Cockbain, his first since 2014, but Tom Lace falls! For 97 to Callum Parkinson. A magnificent partnership of 224 leaving 71 runs needed at 5.9 an over.... Worcestershire draw with Essex Essex 561-8 dec v Worcestershire 364 & 129-2 Well played, Jake Libby, 52 not out, but ultimately another notch in the bedpost for the New Road pitch. Only life at Bristol now, with Gloucestershire in with a fair chance of hitting the 113 they need to win. Merrily with half an ear on New Road, which is petering out to a draw, I missed that things have picked up at Bristol. Gloucestershire 204 for three, and the chase of 144 has become less theoretical and more a possibility. Lace and Cockbain bedding in at Bristol - Gloucestershire 144-3. Am expecting handshakes shortly after 5pm. I’m going to start half writing the round up, but will pop back with events. At New Road, a wicket with the first ball after tea! Fell to that man Sam Cook (2-6) again. Worcs 105-2 but Essex need rapid wickets to force a result in the remaining 29 overs. Tea-time scores Group One Derby: Notts 256 and 318 beat Derby 105 and 159 by 310 runs Chester-le-Street: Durham 391-9dec beat Warwickshire 87 and 177 by an innings and 127 runs. Worcester: Worcestershire 364 and 105-1 v Essex 561-8dec. Group Two Bristol: Gloucestershire 275 and 132-3 v Leicestershire 421 and 201-9 Gloucs need 216 to win Taunton: Somerset 268 and 209-6 beat Middlesex 357 and 117 by four wickets The Oval: Surrey 560-7dec beat Hampshire 92 all out and 179 by an innings and 289 runs Group Three Cardiff: Glamorgan 197 and 19-0 beat Kent 138 and 74 by 10 wickets Headingley: Yorkshire 206 and 247 beat Northamptonshire 234 and 218by one run Hove: Lancashire 230 and 255-5 beat Sussex 328 and 154 by five wickets Poor Wayne Parnell. Ten wickets, 49 crucial runs, only to nick behind, to a fabulous ball, at the crucial moment. At the completion of round four, group three now reads: Lancashire, Yorkshire, Sussex, Glamorgan, Northants, Kent Yorkshire beat Northamptonshire by one run! Man alive! A smart, quick, off-break from Patterson and Parnell edges behind! It takes a second for everyone to realise and then Sanderson falls on his haunches at the non-striker’s end, the Yorkshire slips hug and then everyone pats Parnell on the back. And Northamptonshire still haven’t won at Headingley for 31 years. Two to win, one to tie! The terraces peeking over the top of the blue seats close their eaves... Sanderson has to play out two balls from Olivier, whose shadow chases him to the crease.... Up and over by Parnell, as he has a bash and the ball slides across the wet grass for four. Five needed! The target is in single figures. One wicket left. Fiery Olivier bowling to two slips. Parnell, 27 not out, will want to get it in boundaries. They’re back out at Headingley. Ten needed! Five men crowded round the bat at New Road as Simon Harmer wheels through the last ball of his over and, is that a hint of weariness as he pulls his cap from the umpire? He’s now bowled 58 overs in the last two days. Worcestershire 72-1. half an hour till tea and the game drifting to a draw. Lovely crackly rain sound on the BBC mikes from Headingley. Feels like a stretch or five before they get back on. A sneaky chance for me to wish my lovely, smart, kind, gorgeous niece Ruby a Happy 18th Birthday! Not convinced she’ll be tuning into CC Live! from San Francisco, but may she feel the vibes. In other news, Worcestershire are 48-1 following-on against Essex; while Lace and Cockbain have taken Gloucestershire to 90-3, a theoretical 258 needed to beat Leicestershire. They’re going off! Rain stops play with Northants 206-9, needing 14. The number 11, Ben Sanderson, walks out through the rain. Northants, the new run-chasers extraordinaire, are within 14. Parnell gets an inside edge, fingernails away from his stump. The rain is coming. And, lo, Olivier gets Kerrigan! Caught at second slip. One wicket in hand. At Headingley, second slip, I’m not sure who, is chewing his nails. 16 to win, two wickets in hand. Somerset beat Middlesex by four wickets! Cracking work by Goldsworthy and Davies in the face of the threat of Murtagh and Finn. Superb by Somerset to come back from such a first-innings debt in a low-scoring game. Lancashire beat Sussex by five wickets! The race at Hove is won. Huge congratulations to Keaton Jennings, 91 not out, who steered the good ship red rose ship home. Sam Cook not content with four wickets in Worcestershire’s first innings, has broken through in their second, bowling Mitchell for 20. Worcs 24-1. Can the sludgy New Road pitch yet be jinxed? “What,” asks Andrew Benton, “does the ghost of weather yet-to-come (or even the BBC) have in store at Bristol? Gloucs’s batting department have been making things difficult for themselves, yet again. “ Even less chance of rain, I’m afraid: less than 7 per cent until 5am tomorrow. Gloucestershire currently 67-3 - Dent and Bracey have joined Brathwaite in the tracksuit gang but Lace and Cockbain to weather it out. A theoretical 281 to win.