LANCASHIRE coach Dav Whatmore described the Taunton pitch as "sub-standard" after his side collapsed to a humiliating defeat inside two days against Somerset.

The pitch was not given a bad report by umpires Jack Bond and Nigel Plews but Whatmore said: "I thought it was definitely sub-standard, as 21 wickets falling on the first day would suggest."

The advantage was with the team that bowled first but we misunderstood the amount of surface moisture on the first morning.

"It was the sort of wicket where everyone agreed they never really felt

in, there was the potential of getting out any ball. So personally I thought let's get as many runs as we can before the pitch gets you out."

That strategy backfired disastrously as Lancashire collapsed for the second time in consecutive days to leave Somerset needing just 65 for victory.

They resumed on 40-1 with Jason Gallian also ruled out by injury but the whole morning session washed out by rain.

But after being bowled out for 88 in 22.1 overs in their first innings on Wednesday, Lancashire lost eight wickets in 27 overs second time around.

Only Neil Fairbrother and skipper Mike Watkinson resisted for long as Lancashire continued to go for their shots.

Whatmore added: "Losing inside two days is never pleasant. But the difference between the two sides wasn't as great as it seems. If we could have got another 100 runs, it would have been interesting."

Lancashire were back at the County Ground in Taunton today for nets before Sunday's Axa Life League game.

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