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It was the Lancashire batters turn to impress on the second day of this LV= Insurance County Championship match at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
The Somerset batters were in dominant form on day one, and it was a similar story for their Lancashire opponents today. Keaton Jennings in particular looked impressive as he ended the day on 124 not out, off 174 balls, with 19 fours, in his side’s total of 302 for one. In addition, Luke Wells made 82 and Josh Bohannon an unbeaten 73.
Somerset started the day by extending their first innings score from 311 for four to 441 all out. Overnight centurions Tom Abell and James Rew fell for career best scores of 151 and 117 respectively, while James Anderson finished with five for 76 from 28 overs.
The day began well for the visitors with two quick wickets, Anderson having Rew caught behind with only three added to his overnight score and pinning Lewis Gregory lbw for five.
A cut single by Abell off Anderson took Somerset to a third batting point, while Lancashire had to be content with two bowling points as the 110th over ended with the score 356 for six.
When Kasey Aldridge, on 14, edged Anderson to Jennings at first slip it meant a 54th five-wicket haul in First Class cricket for the evergreen England seamer. Abell then guided a four to third man off George Balderson to reach 150 off 280 balls, with 19 fours and a six, equalling his previous best First Class score.
The Somerset captain had batted for 14 minutes short of seven hours when, having added another single, he moved across his stumps and fell lbw to Balderson. At 370 for eight, the home side looked like falling short of 400. However, Jack Leach demonstrated his batting prowess with a quality innings of 40 not out, packed with sweetly-timed orthodox shots.
Aided by some lusty blows from Peter Siddle and Jack Brooks, the last two wickets added 71.
Soon it was the Somerset bowling attack, deprived of favoured new ball pairing Craig Overton and Josh Davey by injury, who were struggling as Wells and Jennings set about Lancashire’s reply.
Wells deposited Gregory over mid-wicket for six in adopting the role of aggressor as the 50 stand was brought up in the 18th over.
A reverse sweep for four off Leach took Wells to a 78-ball half-century, featuring eight fours and two sixes. He then collected a third maximum by hitting the spinner back over his head and another boundary in the same over brought up the century partnership. Jennings was largely content to play a supporting role, but progressed smoothly to a third fifty in as many Championship games this season off 105 balls, with seven fours.
Jack Brooks made the breakthrough in the over before tea when Wells clipped a short one off his hips to Cameron Bancroft, perfectly positioned to take the catch at backward square leg. The interval followed with Lancashire 151 for one.
Somerset suffered a new blow to their already injury-hit seam attack when Kasey Aldridge pulled up midway through his ninth over and hobbled off.
Jennings moved to his hundred off 158 balls, with 16 fours and he and Bohannon shared a century stand off 102 balls and Bohannon reaching 50 off just 58 deliveries.
With the floodlights on, the umpires ended play for the day ten overs early because of bad light.
