Somerset v Hampshire, Day Three at Taunton
Kyle Abbott (89*) fell just short of his previous first-class best 97* in a record ninth-wicket partnership of 177 for Hampshire against Somerset, then kept his pads on for another 10 minutes and opened the batting in the second innings!
Opening bat/offspinner who bats anywhere from eight down – Felix Organ did reach 97 alongside him as Hampshire claimed three batting bonus points, finishing 330 all out, 21 short of the follow-on target of 351.
Tom Abell continued his 100% record of enforcing the follow-on when he has the opportunity to do so, making Hampshire, and initially their surprise opening pair, face 14 overs before close.
At the start of the day, after Ogborne surprised James Vince with a full toss edged for four, Somerset took the two most crucial wickets with Hampshire on 64. Former Test number three and Hants captain Vince caught by Lammonby at third slip for 16 to give Ogborne his first first-class wicket – some scalp! Ogborne just the fifth left arm seamer to have taken a Championship wicket for Somerset since 2000.
And next over Nick Gubbins went for 14, caught behind off Jack Brooks. Two wickets in three balls, just seven balls into the day!
104 overs were scheduled for day three since the weather cost 50 overs of this fascinating contest over the first two days. Remember Somerset not using an overseas professional this match with most of their T20 XI rested/playing in Sidmouth this afternoon (Craig Overton was on regularly twelthers duty here).
19-year-old Bashir’s second ball today was slog-swept into the legside by Liam Dawson (8), attempting to impress the Bazball selectors, but he did not get it far enough, fellow 19-year-old Ogborne holding on at deep midwicket, horror dismissal in the circumstances – both sides on exactly 80 when half of their first-innings wickets fell.
Brown was bowled by Ogborne for 39 soon after the interval and it should have been two in the over as Barker was dropped by Bess before a run more was added.
BBC third voice for this game; Rikki Clarke reckoned the way to get Barker out is “to have a right armer slant it across him and have his curtain rail caught in the slips” and that was pretty much what Aldridge did – Barker (12) fending him straight to Rew – no rest for the Championship top run scorer behind the sticks.
152-8 brought Abbott in as Bess tried bowling from both ends but to no avail.
Abbott – known for terrorising Somerset with ball in hand usually, today defying them with bat in hand, playing some sumptuous drives, most memorably through the covers rather like his former Proteas captain Faf Du Plessis – some compliment.
The period before the second new ball had Andrew Caddick pulling his hair out in our commentary box over the lack of seam being bowled, but with only three in the side, two aged under 20-years-old and the other nearly 40-years old, this was never going to be a match where spin was bowled for less overs than seam.
148 balls, four fours, but three sixes into the Somerset stand came from Organ’s local willow as he made 50 before tea and before the new Kookaburra was unsheathed.
The last ball with the old ball actually gave Bartlett a half chance at leg slip, turn and bounce from Bess just evading the close fielder.
The new ball brought all sorts with it. Brooks came back, and with it two fours to take Abbott past 50, then Hampshire’s first batting bonus point and then the 100-run partnership came.
Abbott and Organ continued comfortably until Organ surprisingly opted to run at one from Bashir (3-88) when 97*, the excitement of a chance to reach a fourth first-class hundred getting to his head, Rew completing the stumping, Organ with a depressing trudge off, a top knock deserving the applause given though.
21 short of the follow-on target, Abbas fell lbw for Bess’ first wicket of his loan spell, just after his Sidmouth club side completed a chase of 235-5 in 18.3 overs in their bicentenary match against Somerset’s T20 side at the Fortfield!
Abbott then edged Ogborne for two fours in the second over of the second innings, nearly a spectacular grab by Lammonby first ball, then between second slip and gully fourth ball.
He played some fine shots, including a fine back foot punch for four which brought him massive applause from the Hampshire fans on the Thatcher’s Deck, that bringing up 100 runs off Abbott’s bat in the day.
Six overs into the second innings, Abell turned to Bashir from the River End. In his second over he had Abbott caught and bowled for 16, 105 runs for the South African seamer in the day.
Joe Weatherley (on a king pair) did come out at three, with Gubbins, Organ and Vince all viable other first-drop alternatives. Weatherley did make one, but then Bess had him caught behind, 32-2.
Organ had just an hour with his feet up, put in again by 18.45, this time ahead of Vince at four.
