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Six for Jack but Notts on top after day three
A career best score of 157 from Nottinghamshire’s Jack Haynes ensured that Somerset were forced to toil in the field on the third day of this Rothesay County Championship First Division match at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Jack Leach claimed six wickets but it was undoubtedly Nottinghamshire’s day as they were dismissed for 509, their highest ever First Class score at Taunton, and more importantly in the context of this game claimed a first innings lead of 130.
Somerset needed to survive one over at the death but Matt Henry, who looked to score off every delivery, was bowled by Liam Patterson-White off the last delivery of the day as the home side finished on four for one.
The visitors began the day on 214 for three, trailing by 165 and the deficit had been reduced by a further 21 when the home side made the breakthrough.
Ben Slater, who had been a thorn in Somerset’s side on day two, finally fell for 124 when Leach trapped him for room, found his outside edge and James Rew did the rest. Slater’s runs had come from 245 balls and he had occupied the crease for nearly 280 minutes. Quite rightly he received a warm ovation from the Taunton faithful which once again included nearly 2000 school children as part of the Club’s Schools Day initiative run in conjunction with Somerset Cricket Foundation.
The new ball was taken with 238 on the board, and Haynes reached his 50 from 92 balls before Ishan Kishan brought up the Nottinghamshire 250 with a six off Matt Henry.
The score had moved to 269 when Leach and the Somerset fielders were convinced that Haynes had edged behind but the umpires were unmoved. The 50 partnership between Haynes and Ishan Kishan came from 96 deliveries and the 300 arrived in the 98th over.
Kishan went to his half century from 83 balls and by lunch the visitors were 322 for four, just 57 runs shy of the Somerset first innings total.
The 100 partnership came off the 173rd ball but Kishan survived twice in the space of two overs. When on 60, he gloved Kasey Aldridge but Rew was unable to hold onto the difficult chance diving full length to his right. The India international had added five runs to his score when he edged Archie Vaughan but Craig Overton was unable to secure the chance diving to his left.
Haynes continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over and went to three figures 176 balls.
Kishan eventually fell for 77 when Leach turned one in from the rough. There was an inside edge onto the pad and Tom Abell took a routine catch. At that point the score was 373 for five and the partnership had been worth 138.
Any optimism that built up following that breakthrough was quickly dissipated as the Notts 400 arrived in the 127th over before Haynes and Lyndon James took their sixth wicket stand to 50 from 84 deliveries.
By tea, the score had advanced to 431 for five and the visitors were leading by 52.
After the break, James went to 50 from 87 deliveries before Haynes passed 150 for the first time in his First Class career. Haynes was finally dismissed for 157 when he was trapped lbw by Leach at 478 for six. It was a superb knock which turned the tide of the fixture in Nottinghamshire’s favour and Haynes received a warm ovation from the crowd as he made his way back to the dressing room.
Five further runs had been added to the total when a brilliant piece of work from Rew accounted for Liam Patterson-White. The Notts batter was beaten by Vaughan and Rew removed the bails as quick as a flash.
The visitors surpassed their previous best score at Taunton of 505, which was set in 2018, but Leach completed his five-for when he got one to turn sharply and Brett Hutton (16) could only edge the ball through to Overton at first slip.
Farhan Ahmed then chipped Vaughan straight to Leach at 509 for nine and when a diving Overton at first slip accounted for James (66), Leach had six for 121 and Notts were all out.
