Yorkshire on cusp of successive titles

Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie is on the cusp of coaching Yorkshire to a second successive County Championship Division One crown.

Yorkshire could clinch the title as soon as next week after completing a thrashing of Somerset by an innings and 126 runs on Thursday.

With their XI bolstered by the return of Australia batsman Aaron Finch, Yorkshire needed only two hours on the third day at Headingley to wrap up the comprehensive victory and increase their lead at the top of the Championship table.

Three rounds remain in the county season, but Yorkshire will retain the title if they avoid defeat against second-ranked Middlesex at Lord’s in their next match, beginning on September 9.

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After bowling Somerset out for 110 in their first innings, England batsmen Gary Balance and Jonny Bairstow starred with the bat, scoring 91 apiece, to help Yorkshire to 391.

Ryan Sidebottom (3-32) and Steven Patterson (3-43) then did the damage with the ball to dismiss Somerset for 155.

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Finch takes a catch // Getty Images

Finch scored 13 runs in his return to the first XI, however the club will be pleased to see the Australian fit again after he fractured his foot in a Twenty20 match in July.

Finch’s innings followed a dominant display for the Yorkshire second XI last week, where he scored 60 and 104 not out against a Nottinghamshire second XI.

If Middlesex fail to beat Warwickshire in their current game – which appears likely to end in a draw after a washed out first day and further interruptions on days two and three - Yorkshire will only need a maximum of six points from their final three fixtures to win a second successive County Championship.

It would be a major achievement for Gillespie, who took over the head coaching role at Yorkshire just after the club was relegated to the second division in November 2011.

Under his guidance, Yorkshire quickly returned to the top flight and finished runners-up to Durham in 2013 before taking out the Division One championship last year.

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Gillespie coached Yorkshire to the title in 2014 // Getty Images

The Adelaide Strikers coach, who was overlooked for the England head coaching job earlier this year, said he was not allowing his team to get carried away by the thought of a second championship.

"I thought our bowling attack was unbelievable and it's as complete a performance we've had these last few years,” Gillespie told BBC Radio.

"I thought our bowling was fantastic on a challenging pitch. Full credit to our batsmen.

"We haven't spoken about the championship. Today is about celebrating the success of this game and we won't look further ahead than that."

Meanwhile, Alcohol. Think Again Western Warriors batsman Michael Klinger has returned to Gloucestershire as they push for an England domestic one-day title.

Klinger, Gloucestershire’s limited-overs captain, had flown back to Australia for family reasons and to prepare for the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup, but has returned to England for Sunday’s one-day cup semi-final against Yorkshire.

The 35-year-old has scored 394 runs in the one-day competition for Gloucestershire this season at an average of 98.50.