Honours Even As Nottinghamshire And Somerset Share The Spoils
Nottinghamshire and Somerset had to settle for a draw as the County Championship season resumed at Trent Bridge following a break for the Vitality Blast.
The Vertu Motors-backed pair had endured mixed fortunes in the early T20 fixtures and headed into the four-day match looking to strengthen their respective positions in Division One.
Nottinghamshire won the toss and elected to bat first but wickets would fall at regular intervals during the morning session to leave the home side on 111-3 at lunch. Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes would put on 108 for the fourth wicket, but Clarke’s dismissal with the score on 179 triggered a mid-inning collapse that saw four wickets fall for eleven runs.
From 190-7, Nottinghamshire battled back however, with Olly Stone ending day one on 74 not out as he added 112 with Calvin Harrison to take the score beyond 300.
On the second morning, Stone would eventually fall for 83, with Nottinghamshire bowled out for 360 – Kasey Aldridge being the pick of the bowlers with 5-94.
Bidding to keep pace with Surrey and Essex at the top of the table, Somerset endured a tough start when Andy Umeed was out for just six, and fellow opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore fell with the score on 68.
That brought former captain Tom Abell to the crease and he would go on to add 157 alongside Tom Lammonby before the latter was trapped LBW for 87.
Tom Banton fell in the next over, but Abell went on to reach a century before eventually being dismissed for 111 on the third morning to leave the score at 315-5.
Aldridge and James Rew followed quickly afterwards, with Somerset still behind when Craig Overton was eighth man out for 20.
A partnership of 79 between Migael Pretorius and Jack Leach however gave Somerset the advantage and a lead of 110 before Nottinghamshire went in to bat again.
Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater went on the attack from the moment they reached the crease and an opening partnership of 172 before Hameed was bowled by Overton.
Slater was 70 not out at the close of day three alongside nightwatchman Stone and would eventually go on to hit 168 not out as Nottinghamshire reached 425-2 declared – with the two sides then shaking hands to wrap up a draw.
Nottinghamshire took 13 points to sit sixth, with Somerset taking 15 points to remain third.