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Tom and Ben put Somerset on top on day two
Somerset remained in the ascendancy on the second day of this three-day pre-season fixture against University of Exeter at the Cooper Associates County Ground despite a spirited fightback from their opponents.
In their second innings, Somerset had been reduced to 89 for five before Tom Lammonby and Ben Green put their side back on top with a half century partnership for the sixth wicket.
Play was interrupted on several occasions throughout the day due to rain which interrupted the flow of the game, but the Somerset bowlers got some valuable miles in their legs and overs under their belts.
University of Exeter resumed this morning on 95 for four but Craig Overton made a double early breakthrough in the second over of the day.
Charlie Mumford, who had played in a composed fashion in reaching 31, cut straight to Ben Green at point, and then Jack Dickson flicked the very next ball off his pads to Tom Banton at short leg. Louis Whitmore survived the hat trick ball, but the visitors were now struggling on 99 for six.
After a brief pause for rain, Ned Leonard replaced Josh Davey at the River End and accounted for Charlie Sharland, beating him for pace as the batter departed for a well-constructed 43.
Heavy rain arrived just before 12:30pm which resulted in an early lunch and the suspension of play until 2:45pm.
When play did eventually resume, Kasey Aldridge, who had looked dangerous from the River End, found Whitmore’s outside edge and James Rew took a regulation catch behind the stumps to reduce the students to 164 for eight.
Tom Draca and Harvey Cutmore (27) played aggressively and advanced the score to 193 until the latter picked out Josh Davey on the boundary in front of the Somerset Stand to give Aldridge his second wicket of the session.
Ben Green then wrapped up the innings when he got one to rise at Luke Charlesworth who was forced to fend at it but only succeeded in edging it through to Lewis Gregory at first slip.
Leonard was the pick of the Somerset attack, claiming three for 38 as University of Exeter were dismissed for 194, trailing by 79 runs. There were also two wickets apiece for Aldridge (two for 35) and Overton (two for 20).
The Somerset opening pair of Tom Lammonby and Sean Dickson had batted well in the first innings, adding 77 for the opening wicket, and they were looking solid once more when further rain put a hold on proceedings again shortly before 4:20pm with the scoreboard showing 39 without loss.
Play finally got back underway at 5:30pm with Lewis Goldsworthy replacing Dickson who retired out on nine.
Goldsworthy and Lammonby added 20 for the second wicket before the Cornishman edged Luke Charlesworth to Johnny Connell at second slip and departed for 14.
Tom Banton (1) then reached for one from Tom Draca and got the faintest of edges through to Charlie Mumford at 61 for three in the 17th over.
This brought James Rew to the crease and he set about the University attack with relish, racing to 20 from just 14 balls, including a big six off Sam Daniel that was dispatched into the Priory Bridge Road car park. However, he was bowled by Draca to leave Somerset on 89 for four. That soon became 89 for five when Josh Davey was caught behind two balls later off Draca.
Green then joined Lammonby in the middle and the pair complemented each other perfectly. As Lammonby continued to accumulate his runs with watchful calculation, Green took the opportunity to take the attack to the visiting bowlers.
Lammonby reached his 50 from 71 balls and the half century partnership came from just 36 deliveries.
By the close of play Lammonby (64*) and Green (40*) had taken Somerset to 153 for five, a lead of 232.
