Somerset Score Second Win With Impressive Kent Success
Somerset picked up a second victory of the County Championship season with an impressive win on home soil against Kent at Taunton.
Fresh from a win inside two days against Essex, Somerset returned to action bidding to maintain a position towards the top of Division 1 but suffered a tough start when Matt Dickson was out for a duck before a run had been scored in the first innings.
However, having been put in to bat by their opponents, Somerset then started to build a solid total on the pitch, with Matt Renshaw and Tom Lammonby putting on 75 for the second wicket before Renshaw fell for 40.
Andy Umeed and Lammonby both fell before the home side reached 200, but Tom Banton and James Rew then produced a fine partnership of 205 before Banton departed for a career-best 133.
Rew followed soon afterwards for 114 as Somerset reached the end of day one having amassed an impressive 440-7.
Lewis Gregory hit 77 as Somerset moved on to 554 all out on the second day before Kent went in to bat, with Craig Overton removing Zak Crawley for a duck before rain arrived to cause a delay to play.
Daniel Bell-Drummond was out for four when play resumed later in the day, with Overton and the returning Jack Leach taking two wickets apiece to restrict Kent to 108-5 by the end of the day.
Bowling out the visitors for just 178 on day three, Somerset were in the ideal position to try and wrap up victory with a first innings lead of more than 370, but Crawley then led an astonishing fightback – starting with an opening partnership with Ben Compton of 194.
The England opener would go on to make 238 from 267 balls before being dismissed late in the day having helped take his side into the lead on 409-5.
A battling 67 from Joe Denly allowed Kent to progress to 564 all out, leaving Somerset needing to hit 189 to make it two successive wins.
Although Dickson again fell early, Renshaw hit 82 with Umeed picking up a quickfire 73 as Somerset reached the target for the loss of just two wickets, picking up 24 points to sit second in the table.
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