Cricket latest: Yorkshire match drifts towards a draw

Unbeaten on 76 in a total of 232 for six going into the final day, Hildreth was eventually dismissed for 115, by which time his side were within three runs of avoiding the follow-on.

Once they did so, prior to being bowled out for 310, a draw was the inevitable outcome.

With a lead of 140, Yorkshire slumped to 21 for three in their second innings, but declared on 104 for four to end the game at 4.50pm.

The visitors took 11 points from the match and Somerset, who are still awaiting their first Championship win of the season, just seven.

The final day began with the hosts requiring 69 to avoid being asked to bat again. Hildreth and Craig Meschede extended their seventh-wicket stand to exactly 100 before the latter fell to the second new ball, caught at short cover off Steven Patterson for 32.

There were still 29 needed to reach the safety figure of 301 and Yorkshire sensed a chance. But Hildreth, who had reached a chanceless ton off 150 balls, with 12 fours, then put on 26 with George Dockrell before being yorked by Moin Ashraf .

Dockrell pulled a short ball from Adil Rashid to the boundary in the next over and from then on the only interest was in how many bonus points the two teams would claim.

Yorkshire were assured of a maximum tally when Dockrell played on to Ashraf, having contributed a useful 14. The bowler then captured a third wicket by having Steve Kirby taken at second slip and finished with three for 60 from 15.3 overs.

Patterson returned three for 65, but Yorkshire had missed their chance as a combination of a flat track and warm sunshine made for excellent batting conditions.

Kirby ensured his old county could not take the rest of the afternoon easily by removing Joe Sayers for a single and Phil Jaques for a second ball duck in the eighth over of the second innings.

When Peter Trego followed up by pinning Adam Gale lbw the visitors needed a partnership to maintain the upper hand.

It came from Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance, who took the total to 91 before Ballance was caught at mid-on off Dockrell for 31, by which time many spectators were dozing comfortably in the warm sunshine.

Lyth finished unbeaten on 57 and Yorkshire could feel satisfied with an impressive all-round performance.

Read Chris Waters’ report from Taunton in Saturday’s Yorkshire Post.