Hildreth erases nightmare memory

Yesterday the 19-year-old Somerset all-rounder took impressive revenge as he fearlessly attacked Shoaib and the rest of the Durham attack in racing to a century off 112 balls at Taunton.

A Millfield School product on a gap year before taking up a place at Loughborough University, Hildreth played in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh last winter but was making only his second championship appearance.

His previous encounter with Shoaib was in the National League game at Riverside last August, but he had no fear of the world's fastest bowler yesterday and it was in taking two fours off Shoaib's first over after lunch that he sparked two hours of misery for Durham.

Relief then turned almost to ecstasy as Shoaib, previously wicketless, suddenly took three in six balls to reduce Somerset from 222 for three to 223 for six, but Durham were unable to capitalise and the hosts went on to make 375. In three overs' batting Durham replied with nine without loss.

Despite the three-wicket burst suddenly transforming Durham's fortunes, Shoaib sent down only one more over - his fourth of the spell - before being replaced by Gareth Breese for the second time in the afternoon.

Breese's innocuous off-spin instantly let Somerset off the hook again as Keith Parsons and Keith Dutch put together the second fluent stand of the day and Breese finished with none for 85 in 18 overs.

If Somerset harboured any gremlins following Shoaib's part in dismissing them for 56 at Riverside last August, they showed no sign of them as they chose to bat on a murky morning.

On his first appearance of the season, the Pakistani looked rusty and sent his first two balls down the leg side. He worked up a fair head of steam in his third over, but after the fourth he departed the scene for ten minutes.

He bowled a three-over spell straight after lunch, then came back with the score on 203 for three after 60 overs and conceded ten runs in his first five balls, then sent down a wide.

At that point Neil Killeen returned and also bowled a wide and when Hildreth pushed Shoaib for two through extra cover to complete his century, things were looking desperate.

But Hildreth pushed forward at the next ball and edged it to Andrew Pratt to end a remarkably confident innings which included 13 fours and two sixes, both swept off Breese.

Hildreth, the third youngest century-maker in championship history for Somerset, was in the team only because of injuries to skipper Mike Burns, England one-day man Ian Blackwell and all-rounder Aaron Laraman.

He gave no real chances but enjoyed two slices of luck, the first on 22 when he edged Shoaib just out of Andrew Pratt's reach.

On 90 he missed a slower ball from Paul Collingwood, which swung past leg stump and Pratt whipped off the bails in a slick piece of work with Hildreth appearing to lift his foot. But John Hampshire gave him not out.

Hildreth dominated the stand of 170 in 38 overs with acting captain Jamie Cox, who made 66 before slapping a fierce cut straight to Gary Pratt at point.

Shoaib then pinned Rob Turner lbw first ball with a yorker, and as Durham had also gained three lbw verdicts in reducing Somerset from 40 for no wicket to 52 for three they could be well satisfied.

As the weather steadily improved to produce a sunny evening, conditions favoured the batsmen after the first hour on Taunton's usual excellent pitch and at 223 for six Durham had cause to celebrate.

But Parsons and Dutch then put on 127 in 27 overs, taking the total to 350 before Killeen bowled Dutch for 72, then had Richard Johnson lbw.

Mark Davies, who made the initial breakthrough in the morning, earned his 20th championship wicket of the season when he trapped Parsons lbw for 55.

It continued the trend of wickets falling in batches of three, and this time there was only a short wait before a last-wicket stand of 21 was ended when Andrew Caddick drove Davies to mid-off.

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