SOMERSET could be on the verge of history - but head coach Jason Kerr is keeping title talk out of the dressing room.

The 298-run win over Yorkshire, sealed within three days, has taken Somerset above Essex at the top of the County Championship with two matches to play.

They are likely to stay there going into next week's fixtures, with Essex looking set to draw against Warwickshire this week, but Kerr said his side's approach would not change.

Kerr said: "I am not mentioning the title in the dressing room.

"Of course, we are aware of people outside discussing it because it would be a first for the club and has long been described as the 'Holy Grail'."

"But we want to continue focussing on one game at a time and going about things the way we have done all season. You can get distracted by things out of your control.

"The players are very aware. They will look at the table, look at how Essex are doing – it is there in the background, but for me I don’t feel the need to highlight it as it is there right in front of us.

"We try to build pressure on the opposition, which is something the lads have done really well, and if you do it for long enough, the rewards will come."

Kerr had high praise for Josh Davey, who took career-best First Class figures of 5-21 in Yorkshire's second innings to become the eighth Somerset bowler to take a Championship five-wicket haul this season.

"It has been tough for Josh," Kerr said.

"He got injured at a challenging time having done a great job in the [One-Day Cup] final for us.

"It has been frustrating for him that he has not been able to get back in the team but Abes [Tom Abell] and I thought this surface would be perfect for JD. He proved us right and bowled beautifully."

Davey's effort was the standout in an exemplary all-round bowling performance, with Jamie Overton playing through the pain barrier to build up a head of steam and take two wickets from the Somerset Pavilion End - including the key scalp of Gary Ballance with the final ball before lunch.

"Jamie has been brilliant," Kerr said.

"His spells in this and the last game have turned games in our favour.

"He is in some pain and discomfort but it is not getting any worse.

"He’s had it all year and it’s a challenge but any player would put themselves through it in the position we are now in."

With Craig Overton and possibly Jack Brooks back in contention for next week's trip to Hampshire, Kerr admitted there will be some tough decisions to make.

"We’ll have Craig back next week and hopefully have Leachy for the last game as well," he said.

"They are good problems to have.

"Josh has been out the side for a while but has come back in and showed the ability he has to influence games.

"We have an international player coming back so there are tough decisions to make.

"We’ll take 13 and I have a rough idea of what that is.

"A lot will depend on one or two fitness issues – we will see how Lewis [Gregory] has come through this game and we will see how Jack Brooks is."