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Second XI Championship: Essex come out on top
DAY THREE
Essex resumed on 166 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 148 on day three of this Second XI Championship match at Taunton Vale Sports Club.
Ben Allison and Ayaan Malik took their partnership for the eighth wicket to 67 before the former was bowled by Jack Leach for 70 with the score on 202.
Malik and Aum Patel frustrated the Somerset bowlers and shared a 48-run stand for the ninth wicket before Blaise Baker cleaned up the tail as Essex were dismissed for 256, setting Somerset a victory target of 239.
Leach (30) and Lachlan Rice added 54 for the opening wicket before Rice (25) and Lewis Goldsworthy took the score to 66.
Goldsworthy fell for 16 and by tea Somerset had reached 100 for three, requiring 139 more runs for victory.
George Thomas fell shortly after the break at 102 for four but Charlie Mumford and Josh Thomas added 71 for the fifth wicket.
Mumford made 48 and Thomas scored 47 but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as Somerset were dismissed for 231 to give Essex the victory by seven runs.
Luc Benkenstein was the pick of the bowlers, claiming six for 81.
DAY TWO
Somerset resumed on 105 for two on the second day of this Second XI County Championship match against Essex at Taunton Vale Sports Club, trailing by 110 runs with eight wickets remaining.
Seven runs were added to the total before Charlie Mumford fell for 19, and 117 for three soon became 117 for four when Lachlan Rice was dismissed for 42.
Wickets continued to fall, but 31* from George Thomas helped to ensure that Somerset reached lunch on 176 for six.
Thomas was eventually dismissed for 38 shortly after the break, but late contributions from Alfie Ogborne (22) and Sonny Baker (20 not out) ensured that Somerset posted a total of 233, a first innings lead of 18.
Sonny Baker bowled Robin Das for five with the penultimate ball of the second over and by the time the tea interval arrived Essex were 51 for one.
Luc Benkenstein and Charlie Allison took their partnership for the second wicket to 48 before the latter was caught by Seb Linnett off the bowling of George Thomas for 35. Ogbourne then accounted for Benkenstein (18) for the addition of just six further runs to the total.
Aaron Beard, Jamal Richards and Simon Fernandes all fell in quick succession but Ben Allison shared 30+ partnerships with Ronnie McKenna and Ayaan Malik as Essex finished the day on 166 for seven, a lead of 148.
DAY ONE
Somerset take on Essex in the Second XI Championship at Taunton Vale Sports Club this week after the match was moved.
Somerset Captain, Jack Leach won the toss and elected to field.
Sonny Baker made an early breakthrough when Luc Benkenstein fell for three with just nine runs on the board. However, Robin Das and Charlie Allison shared a second wicket stand of 64 before the latter was trapped lbw by Blaise Baker at 73 for two. Das fell just 12 runs later and at lunch the score was 116 for three.
After the interval, two half century stands (55 between Jamal Richards and Aaron Beard for the fourth wicket and 57 for the sixth wicket between Ben Allison and Simon Fernandes) took Essex to 209 for eight at tea.
Blaise Baker then cleaned up the tail shortly after the evening session began to finish with three for 42 from nine overs as Essex were dismissed for 215. There were two wickets for Leach and Lewis Goldsworthy.
Leach and Lachlan Rice shared an opening stand of 49 before the Somerset skipper was bowled by Richards for 28. Goldsworthy fell to Benkenstein at 76 for two.
By the close of play, Somerset had reached 105 without further loss and will resume tomorrow trailing by 110 with eight wickets in hand.
Second XI Coach, Greg Kennis has named the following squad: Jack Leach, Lewis Goldsworthy, George Thomas, Josh Thomas, Alfie Ogborne, Sonny Baker, Blaise Baker, James Theedom, Seb Linnett, Joe Haywood, Lachlan Rice and Charlie Mumford.
