Somerset v Durham: LV=County Championship (Day One)

EVEN the first-ball dismissal of Marcus Trescothick and the removal of their other nemesis, Nick Compton, for seven could not brighten the gloom for Durham yesterday.

On the Taunton ground where teams expect to gain maximum batting points, Durham were well short of picking up any as they were dismissed for a paltry 155.

When rain ended play at 4.30pm, Somerset were 51-2 with Johann Myburgh looking threatening on 26. Durham fluffed a chance to run out the South African, who has replaced local lad Chris Jones at the top of the order.

More rain is forecast over the next two days so Durham’s fifth successive draw looks the most likely result, despite the game making swifter progress than is usual at Taunton.

It proved a bad toss to win and, after choosing to bat, Paul Collingwood went in with his side on 24-4. He and Scott Borthwick, who topscored with 59, put on 73 then Gordon Muchall, batting at seven, made 30.

But the tail folded limply with Ryan Pringle suffering a tame dismissal on his championship debut after hitting a six in making eight.

Muchall may be keeping a slot warm prior to the return of Ben Stokes, who played in a Twenty20 double-header for the seconds away to Nottinghamshire yesterday.

Following his 97 for the Academy on Saturday, he scored 60 and 30 as Durham won one and last one. Durham are keeping his bowling to a minimum as he feels his way back following his broken wrist. He is expected to play in another double-header at Brandon on Wednesday.

Collingwood spoke in advance of the temptation to bowl when seeing a green pitch at Taunton. But he knows that those who do so usually regret it and it wasn’t so much the surface as the muggy atmosphere which caused problems.

The ball swung and, unlike the Durham bowlers on the first day against Yorkshire, Somerset’s experienced newball men controlled it well, Alfonso Thomas taking 5-41.

In the third over, Mark Stoneman (2) aimed to drive Thomas through mid-off and the ball swung just enough to pass through the gate.

Two overs later Keaton Jennings drove a half-volley to the boundary and, when the next ball was predictably short, he produced an edge to first slip, where James Hildreth held a fine catch.

A few drops of rain briefly interrupted play before Michael Richardson (7) shaped to play Peter Trego through square leg off the back foot and was adjudged lbw.

Phil Mustard then edged the next ball straight to first slip.

Borthwick took 14 off four balls from Jamie Overton before the next one flew at great pace past his nostrils.

Collingwood reached 24 at lunch but added only eight before he lost his off bail to a beauty from Thomas.

Borthwick, who had ten fours in his 92-ball half-century, departed six overs later for 59 when he pulled Thomas straight to deep mid-wicket.

Pringle, preferred to Usman Arshad, took two singles then lifted Dockrell in front of mid-wicket for six. But when the spinner tossed one a bit higher, Pringle’s checked drive resulted in a lobbed catch to short extra cover.

Mark Wood made only two before being trapped on the back leg to a good length ball from Thomas, while Muchall, making his first championship appearance for two years, batted well but was a victim of needing to get after Dockrell when in danger of running out of partners.

After hitting the spinner for a straight six, another well-flighted ball from Dockrell lured Muchall into driving and he edged to slip.

Last man Chris Rushworth lasted only four balls before reaching for a wide one from Craig Overton and edging to the Craig Kieswetter.

Rushworth then struck with the first ball of Somerset’s reply as Trescothick jabbed with minimal foot movement and the edge flew to Muchall at third slip.

Compton played and missed several times at Rushworth before he fell to Wood’s first ball, following it as it left him off the pitch and edging through to Mustard.

SCORECARD

At Taunton.

Durham First Innings
M D Stoneman b Thomas....................... 2
K K Jennings c Hildreth b Thomas ....... 8
S Borthwick c Myburgh b Thomas .....59
M J Richardson lbw b Trego .................. 3
P Mustard c Hildreth b Trego ................ 0
P D Collingwood b Thomas.................32
G J Muchall c Petersen b Dockrell.....30
R D Pringle c Compton b Dockrell ...... 8
M A Wood lbw b Thomas....................... 2
J Harrison not out..................................... 6
C Rushworth c Kieswetter b C Overton .....0
Extras (b3 nb2 pens 0)......... 5
Total (46.1 overs) .............. 155
Fall: 1-6 2-11 3-24 4-24 5-97 6-116 7-127
8-134 9-154
Thomas 15-4-41-5. Trego 12-4-35-2. C
Overton 6.1-0-25-1. J Overton 4-0-25-0.
Dockrell 9-1-26-2.

Somerset First Innings
M E Trescothick c Muchall b Rushworth. ... 0
J G Myburgh not out ..............................28
N R Compton c Mustard b Wood ........ 7
A N Petersen not out ............................... 8
Extras (b4 nb4 pens 0)......... 8
Total 2 wkts (13.4 overs).... 51
Fall: 1-0 2-32
To Bat: J C Hildreth, C Kieswetter, C
Overton, P D Trego, A C Thomas, G
H Dockrell, J Overton.Rushworth 5-2-17-
1. Harrison 6.4-1-24-0. Wood 2-0-6-1.