Somerset Stun Warwickshire With Taunton Victory
Somerset produced a stunning display at Taunton after the second highest successful fourth innings run chase saw the side secure a dramatic victory over Warwickshire.
Somerset won the toss and the Vertu Motors-backed side elected to field first, making good progress on the opening morning to grab four wickets – three of which went to Migael Pretorius – and leave the visitors on 97-4 at lunch.
Will Rhodes and Ed Barnard shared a century stand for the fifth wicket before Rhodes was caught off the bowling of Jack Leach for 63 and he was followed in the next over by Jacob Bethell, with Warwickshire six down as Michael Burgess came in at number eight to join Barnard.
They would share 99 before Leach bowled Barnard, but Chris Woakes and Michael Booth provided plenty of support to Burgess who made 147 before finally being dismissed on the second morning as Warwickshire racked up 412.
Somerset went in to bat needing to reach 263 to avoid the follow-on but didn’t make the best of starts when Umeed was out in the second over, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Lammonby falling before the score had hit 60 to leave the home side in trouble.
Tom Abell and Tom Banton calmed the nerves somewhat with a solid partnership of 139 before Banton was caught for 78 off the bowling of Olly Hannon-Dalby to trigger a late evening collapse.
Josh Davey and Leach both fell to the same bowler to leave the home side on 208-6, and Abell fell without a run being added on the third morning.
An unbeaten 35 from Overton helped to ensure that Somerset avoided the follow-on, but being bowled out for 284 meant Warwickshire took a lead of 128 into the second innings.
It meant the remainder of day three was all about scoring runs, and although Overton took solid figures of 4-57, Rob Yates, Alex Davies and Jacob Bethell all passed 50 to leave Warwickshire on 281-8 at the close with a lead of 409.
Declaring on the overnight score, Warwickshire went into the final day looking to wrap up victory – but Somerset had other ideas.
Umeed hit a quickfire 30 at the top of innings before he edged a shot to the ‘keeper, with Lammonby then out for 26 to leave the home side on 77-2 as Abell came to the crease to join Kohler-Cadmore.
Reaching lunch at 117-2, the pair continued to knock off the runs when the afternoon got underway before Kohler-Cadmore became another victim for Hannon-Dalby with Somerset having yet to reach 150.
Banton came in to join Abell at the crease and they started to give the home fans belief that an unlikely victory could be on as both passed 50; Banton eventually falling for 81 from 109 balls with the score on 282.
Pretorious followed soon after to leave Somerset on 299-5 with 20 overs of play left and a further 111 needed, with James Rew coming in to join Abell at the crease.
As Abell reached his century, Rew got into his stride as the required runs came down and the pair would carry Somerset a stunning win with an unbeaten partnership of 114, with Abell hitting 152 and Rew 57.
The 20 point win – secured with a six from Abell - means Somerset are now second in Division One.
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