Somerset put Lancs under cosh
9:11am Thursday 9th September 2010 in Sport
SOMERSET have the advantage after two days of their LV= County Championship match against Lancashire at Taunton following a positive batting display led by Craig Kieswetter yesterday.
A five wicket haul for Gary Keedy at least managed to just about keep Lancashire in the hunt, although they were frustrated by an unbroken ninth wicket stand of 74 between Kartik Murali and Ben Phillips.
When rain brought an early end to the day’s play, the hosts had reached 350-8 in the 92nd over with Kartik on 37 not out and Phillips on 29.
The pair will resume this morning with a lead of 91.
Kieswetter and Peter Trego looked to be taking the game completely out of reach when in the midst of a dangerous sixth wicket partnership of 111.
But Keedy, who claimed his first wicket during the evening session of the first day, removed Trego, Joss Buttler and Kieswetter within the space of four balls to reduce the hosts from 271-5 to 278-8 in reply to Lancashire’s 259.
Kieswetter, dropped by England for the forthcoming 50-over series against Pakistan, hit 84 off 80 balls, and it proved to be his highest score of the Championship season so far.
Trego hit 51 off 71 balls, and the pair united for just short of 21 overs.
Keedy, who had earlier trapped James Hildreth lbw, finished the day with figures of 5-81 from 26 overs.
Tom Smith had Arul Suppiah caught behind by Gareth Cross in the morning session before Sajid Mahmood bowled night-watchman Alfonso Thomas around his legs to leave the score at 71-3 in the 26th over.
Nick Compton and Hildreth shared 57 in 17 overs for the fourth wicket before Hildreth fell to Keedy.
And, when Compton was trapped lbw by Luke Procter for 49, the hosts were 160-5 after 52 overs. It was the medium pacer’s maiden Championship wicket.
But then Lancashire looked to be in all sorts of trouble with Kieswetter and Trego, both big hitters, together.
Trego was more reserved, only hitting seven boundaries, but Kieswetter launched Keedy over wide long off for six and hit a further nine fours.
Lancashire rarely looked like breaking the partnership, so it was a surprise to see three men go in quick succession before the tea break.
Kartik and Phillips later hit sixes off left arm spinner Simon Kerrigan as they united for 17 and a half overs to present their side with a fourth batting bonus point.
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