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Five for Jack but Hampshire on top
The battle between Somerset and Hampshire for second place in Division One of the Vitality County Championship swung in favour of the visitors on day two at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.
By the close of play, Somerset had wiped out Hampshire’s first innings lead by making the scores level after reaching 60 for four in their second innings.
With just six wickets remaining, a lot could depend on the overnight not out batters, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and James Rew.
Following overnight rain which continued throughout the morning, play wasn’t able to commence until 12:55pm.
Despite the deluge of the previous 12 hours, the Ground Staff did a remarkable job in ensuring play could resume with Hampshire on 62 for five.
After seven overs of seam, Jack Leach was brought into the attack at the River End and his introduction brought about instant reward.
With his second delivery the England spinner found Felix Organ’s outside edge and Kasey Aldridge took a sharp catch low down at second slip to leave the visitors on 76 for six.
However, Toby Albert reached his 50 from 116 balls, punishing Somerset after being dropped on 0 in yesterday’s gloom, and shortly afterwards Hampshire reached their 100 in the 38th over.
The 50 partnership between Albert and Ben Brown, which had all but eradicated the Somerset lead, arrived from 67 balls and Hampshire surpassed the host’s first innings total shortly thereafter.
The visitors lead was 13 when Kasey Aldridge finally accounted for Albert. The Hampshire opener feathered behind to James Rew and departed for what could be a crucial 77.
Ben Brown and James Fuller took Hampshire to 159 before the Hampshire ‘keeper tried one reverse sweep too many and picked out Archie Vaughan to give Leach his fifth wicket of the innings. Then Kyle Abbott, who had made 18, slapped Lewis Gregory straight to Shoaib Bashir who took the catch at the second attempt.
Hampshire were eventually all out for 196 when Fuller (25) skied Archie Vaughan to Tom Abell and the lead was 60. Leach finished with five for 52 from 20 overs.
Tom Lammonby’s hopes of reaching the 1000-run mark this season were dashed when he edged Muhammad Abbas behind to fall for five at 11 for one, and when Vaughan was trapped lbw by Abbott for 25 Somerset were 34 for two, still trailing by 26.
When Andy Umeed edged Abbott through to Tom Prest at third slip, Somerset were still 23 runs in arrears, and Abell’s demise, caught by Albert at second slip off Abbott, saw Somerset slip to 38 for four.
Further rain just before 5pm sent the players scurrying from the field once more with the score at 54 for four, and after a 30-minute delay play resumed albeit briefly.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore and James Rew had added a further six runs, taking their partnership to 22, when another heavy downpour just before 5:30pm saw the players go off and the covers go on yet again. This time it would put an end to proceedings.
