Somerset Maintain County Championship Challenge
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Somerset’s bid to secure the County Championship title for the first time ever remains on course heading into a huge top-of-the-table clash with Surrey.
The Vertu Motors-backed side returned to action in the league following a seven-week break for the One Day Cup with a trip to Edgbaston to face a Warwickshire side in need of points at the other end of the table.
Somerset won the toss and elected to bowl first, with the home side putting on 52 in the first 13 overs before Alex Davies was first man out off the bowling of Kasey Aldridge.
A change of ball after 25 overs saw the bowlers start to take control, with wickets tumbling at regular intervals to leave the home side on 165-6
At that point, Somerset were well in control but Jacob Bethell and Michael Burgess put on 112 to take Warwickshire to 277-6 by the end of the opening day.
The pair fell in consecutive overs on the second morning as Somerset bowled out the hosts for 337, with Josh Davey and Craig Overton both taking four wickets before the reply got underway in the worst fashion possible.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore fell to just the second ball with fellow opener Andy Umeed also dismissed with the score on 0 in the following over.
Tom Lammonby helped to stabilise the innings slightly with 44 from 66 balls but Tom Abell and Tom Banton both fell cheaply before Lammonby was fifth man out to leave his side on 65-5.
Aldridge and James Rew added 87 to steady the ship somewhat with the former emerging as top scorer in the innings with 84 before he was last man out with the score on 239 – meaning Warwickshire took a solid lead into their second innings.
Rob Yates fell early for five as the home side took a lead of 125 runs into day three, but rain showers meant play didn’t get underway until after lunch – with Alex Davies hitting an unbeaten century as his side reached 179-5 in the limited play available.
Taking a lead of 277 into the final day, Davies completed an impressive innings of 131 before falling as one of five wickets for Jack Leach as Somerset were set a target of 369 to win.
That target looked unlikely and further rain only confirmed a draw as the most likely result, with Somerset moving to 206-4 before the game ended as a draw with eleven points scored.
Somerset then returned to Taunton to face Durham and took control on the opening day after captain Lewis Gregory won the toss and elected to bat first.
Umeed was dismissed first ball before Lammonby also fell cheaply, and when Lewis Goldsworth was dismissed with the score on 68-3, the game was very much in the balance.
Banton and Abell then put on a record-breaking 185 for the fourth wicket before Abell fell for 124, with Banton departing two overs later.
James Rew then followed the lead of his more experienced team-mates as he hit an unbeaten 89 before play ended for the day with the score on 395-6.
Rew completed his century on day two before Somerset were bowled out for 492 and the visitors were struggling on 170-6 before a century partnership from Brydon Carse and Ben Raine frustrated the bowling attack.
Carse completed his century on the third morning before Durham were dismissed for 336, with Somerset electing to go back into bat and making a quick-fire 263-5 before declaring with a lead of more than 400.
Putting Durham back in late in the day, Somerset grabbed three quick wickets to leave the score on 15-3 going into day four, where Jack Leach was at his best – taking a stunning 7-50 to bowl Durham out for 126 and secure a comfortable win.
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