Shaun Udal, bidding for a second win in his three championship games as Middlesex's caretaker captain, bettered the four for 14 he famously claimed for England against India at Bombay in 2006 to return his first five-wicket bag for more than three years.

But with Dirk Nannes, one of his bowlers, indisposed and the pitch likely to take even more turn on the final day, he decided not to enforce the follow-on.

Building on a lead of 289, Middlesex's opening batsmen shared their second hundred-run stand of the match for the first time since 1999 and Udal eventually set a target of 464 in a minimum of 114 overs after Andrew Strauss crashed 76 from 75 balls and Billy Godleman reached 55 from 82. Both lost middle stump to Monty Panesar trying to increase an already blistering pace.

Northamptonshire, too, sought rapid runs when resuming on 128 for three; indeed, their end-of-season abandon was almost suicidal. Perhaps they had heard the more apocalyptic reports in the morning that Hank Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary, had little more than 24 hours to save the planet.

David Sales, aiming a head-up drive, was bowled for 45 before Udal undid Mark Nelson and Riki Wessels. The veteran off-spinner, who turns 40 next March, spun one enough to find the novice left-hander's outside edge and then had Wessels leg-before for 78 attempting a mighty swipe. Wessels had already been reprieved off Alan Richardson on 43 and 58, the latter escape coming when John Simpson, the 20-year-old substitute wicketkeeper who was summoned overnight, dropped the ball in the act of celebrating his would-be first catch.

As the last four fell in 35 reckless minutes after lunch, Udal grabbed three in 19 balls without conceding a run. Steven Crook, cutting at one too close to the body, chopped on for 31, Nicky Boje, for 32, chipped lamely to mid-on and, after Richardson had yorked David Lucas, Panesar miscued his waft to cover.

Northamptonshire's haste was better judged when they batted again, although Steve Peters, outstandingly caught by Owais Shah at third slip for two, went in the fifth over. Rob White raced to his fifty in 32 balls and the home side will need 3.93 per over on the final day. It is worth recalling that their last defeat came as long ago as April 26 when Warwickshire were set 383 on the same Wantage Road square and proceeded to win.

Scoreboard

Somerset: First Innings 202 (P D Trego 81; O J Newby 4 for 72)

Second Innings (overnight 66-2)
*J L Langer c Horton b Newby 6
M E Trescothick c Sutton b Chapple 19
Z de Bruyn c Sutton b Keedy 33
J C Hildreth lbw b Chapple 22
I D Blackwell c Sutton b Newby 55
P D Trego c Newby b Keedy 1
C Kieswetter lbw b Newby 20
A C Thomas c Newby b Keedy 28
P S Jones c Sutton b Keedy 1
A R Caddick lbw b Keedy 7
C M Willoughby not out 6
Extras (b 16, lb 7, w 2, nb 4) 29
Total (85.1 overs) 227

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-33, 3-78, 4-94, 5-96, 6-167, 7-186, 8-189, 9-216.

Bowling: Chapple 18-5-51-2; Newby 19-6-55-3; Smith 18-5-37-0; Keedy 28.1-10-56-5; Croft 2-0-5-0.

Lancashire: First Innings 248 (M B Loye 61; A R Caddick 4 for 79)

Second Innings
M J Chilton not out 76
P J Horton not out 43
Extras (w 1, nb 2) 3
Total (no wkt, 30 overs) 122

Bowling: Willoughby 4-1-22-0; Caddick 9-3-30-0; Jones 5-0-19-0; Blackwell 9-1-39-0; Thomas 3-0-12-0.

Umpires: A A Jones and P J Hartley.

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