Somerset reach 389 then take four quick wickets to continue to dominate their Division One County Championship match with Northants.
Will Young scored 85 but he fell before close, leaving Northants 184-6 at the end of day two.
At 271-4 the day started in stunning September sunshine.
The fourth slip catch of the match, out of six chances, was taken off Jack White by Will Young who told Goldsworthy he had to ‘leave right now’ for 22 with Somerset still shy of a third batting bonus point.
They did eventually get to 300 in the 107th over, but next over saw James Rew lbw to Taylor for 32, bringing the arm-whirling returning favourite son Craig Overton to the crease after weeks of drinks carrying for England.
He and Gregory showed intent for a 30-run partnership before the scoreboard’s nightmare; stumped Vasconcelos, bowled Keogh just squeezed in next to Overton’s 13.
Josh Davey kept Gregory company whilst the retired cricketers, turned golf pros, Max Waller and Pete Trego regaled the livestream viewers with tails of decades of cricket during another great period for Somerset.
Gregory faced just 10 balls after lunch, before, like Rew, he fell lbw for 32, stone dead off White.
Every batter reached double figures, all getting starts until Sajid Khan ruined that statistic hitting Keogh to the only man on the legside boundary-White catching well on one leg, stabilising strongly right by the rope at deep square.
Kasey Aldridge opens the batting in the second XI T20 side; the best number 11 in the country?!
But he succumbed to a T20 shot, an attempted sweep off Keogh (4-99) only finding Josh Cobb at mid-on. 389 all out not what Somerset would have expected from the luncheon break, but a score they would take all day long compared to their other Championship scores this season.
Surprisingly Overton did not take the new ball, Josh Davey bowling beautifully one end for 2-9 off four one end whilst Gregory went for 20 off two at t’other end. Last ball of the third Gay was caught behind, then first of the fifth Luke Procter fell first ball, Davey on a hattrick, seam spearhead Overton taking the second catch at slip.
Davey did not get three in three, but Overton soon had Cobb caught off the splice by Bartlett at short leg, then Keogh caught behind, both for single figures. 37-4 and Overton had 2-6 off four.
After 15 overs (57-4) Aldridge and Gregory had gone for pretty much all the runs (42 off their 6 overs) whilst Overton and Davey had all the wickets. Great to see the Bob Willis Trophy best opening pair back in tandem taking wickets for Somerset.
Northants continued to score fairly quickly to the tune of 73-4 off 20 overs at tea.
Will Young reverse swept Khan second ball after tea for four and continued his almost lone vigil; by the time he reached 50 off 88 balls with 10 fours, his partner Vasconcelos was still their second top scorer with only 13. And very next ball he edged Davey inches short of Overton at second slip.
The Northants wicketkeeper and key wicket Vasconcelos only reached 17 before a brute of a delivery from Overton saw Rew take well above his head, 95-5.
Saif Zaib, fresh off his second first-class ton v Surrey last week, came in at seven and the two put on 57 for the sixth wicket before surprisingly the Kiwi test opener Young fell. Overton had him caught by Abell at second slip to cue the biggest cheer from the home faithful of the match so far. Crucial wicket as Young had looked so solid and scored over half his side’s runs with 85 of their 158-6.
The one change going into this game; Tom Taylor for James Sales, saw the new number eight successfully steer his side to stumps with his 19*, Zaib 27* 184-6 leaving an intriguing day three on Thursday at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Rewatch the day’s play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJO4KJ_yfSI
