County Championship – day three (close)

Somerset 335 v Lancashire 133 & 247-8

SOMERSET are on the verge of completing their second successive County Championship victory as their Division One survival bid gathers momentum.

On a testing day against a stubborn batting line-up, Somerset were persistent and reduced Lancashire to 247-8 by the close - a lead of 45 - with Jack Leach (4-79) and Dom Bess (3-85) again to the fore.

After a delayed start due to a wet outfield, Lancashire openers Alex Davies and Haseeb Hameed safely negotiated a testing period against the probing seam of Craig Overton and Tim Groenewald.

Both openers were watchful – the first boundary was struck from the 73rd ball of the morning – and it wasn’t long until spin was in operation from both ends, with Dom Bess and Jack Leach entrusted to make the required breakthroughs.

Bess was not straight into his usual rhythm to begin with, however, and offered up numerous scoring opportunities which ever so slightly released the pressure on the visiting batsmen, who were at risk of getting bogged down by the slow scoring rate.

The score had progressed to 82-0 by the time a brief shower interrupted proceedings, but Somerset benefitted from the break and picked up their much-needed first wicket with the third ball after the delay.

Jack Leach was the man who broke through as Davies, aiming to play through mid-wicket, succeeded only in offering a return catch to the spinner, who moved to his right and held on to see the back of the opener for 49.

The score had progressed to 89-1 from 40 overs when more rain arrived, which brought about an early lunch, after which Liam Livingstone joined Hameed to take the visitors past 100 in the 45th over.

Livingstone briefly released the shackles by launching Bess for a six over deep mid-wicket, while the watchful Hameed, perhaps aware of the presence of England selector Mick Newell, cautiously moved through the gears and brought up his half-century with a push through the covers for two from the 151st ball he faced.

The steady if rather turgid partnership was almost broken by Leach, who induced an edge from the bat of Livingstone that didn’t quite carry to Craig Overton at slip, but the visitors continued to make untroubled progress through the early afternoon on a pitch that was offering precious little turn for Somerset's spin twins.

Leach's patience was eventually rewarded when Hameed, having worked so hard for his 62, tamely chipped to Tom Abell at cover as the second wicket fell with the score on 144.

Visiting captain Steven Croft’s stay was brief as, after surviving an appeal for caught behind off Leach, he got down to sweep Dom Bess and was hit flush on the toe to provide the 20-year-old with his first scalp of the day.

Croft's departure for five summoned the arrival of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made his second single figure score of the match as a beautifully flighted Bess delivery clean bowled the West Indian on nine.

The 43-year-old's exit reduced Lancashire to 171-4, still 31 behind, and they added four to their total by the time of the tea break.

Somerset started the evening session with the new ball in hand and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Craig Overton made the most of it as Dane Vilas (14) was caught behind for the second time in the match.

That was the first wicket of the day to fall to seam bowling, but the often destructive Livingstone continued to play well within himself and his new partner, Ryan McLaren, took 29 balls to get off the mark as Somerset again had to bide their time between breakthroughs.

Livingstone passed his half-century, which took him 153 balls and included three fours and a six, as his side gained a lead for the first time in the match in the evening sunshine.

Their advantage was up to just 13 runs when Leach claimed the key wicket of Livingstone, who had occupied the crease for 212 minutes for his 57 runs before edging behind to take Somerset into the tail.

Lancashire's lower order offered more resistane than they had done in the first innings, and yet again it took the guile of Leach to break a frustrating partnership.

McLaren had reached 15 without undue concern before he was surprised by the extra bounce of a Leach delivery and offered a simple catch to Trescothick at short leg as the visitors slipped to 232-7.

That became 238-8 when Stephen Parry popped a catch up to James Hildreth at silly point and, though Jarvis (2*) and Bailey (7*) saw Lancashire through to the close, Somerset ended the day in a dominant position.

It was a captivating day of Championship cricket - certainly one for the purist - and Somerset were rewarded for their admirable patience.

Neither Leach or Bess were at their absolute best, but both stuck to the task at hand and bowled enough wicket-taking deliveries to reap the rewards - the latter's ball to dismiss Chanderpaul was a sign of a young spinner who is already mastering the art of flight.

The hosts were also sharp in the field, regularly cutting off singles in the circle to keep the squeeze on the visiting batsmen during a day in which the run rate never exceeded three an over.

Barring some remarkable lower order defiance or a spectacular collapse with the bat - which can't be 100% ruled out on this season's evidence - Somerset will wrap up another vital victory tomorrow which is likely to take them out of the relegation zone for the first time this season.

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SPEAKING after the close of play, Dom Bess said: "It was a long day and the wicket wasn't doing a lot for large parts of it, so we had to stick in there and bide our time.

"Leachy [Jack Leach] and I communicate a lot - at times I was trying to do something different to try and make something happen, whereas he was just hitting his lengths consistently.

"As an off-spinner, the wind allowed me to drift the ball more and I felt dangerous when I found my rhythm.

"Shiv [Chanderpaul] is a class player so I was very glad to get him out - Craig Overton wanted the new ball but I fancied one more over, hence my celebrations when I got him!

"We know that only we can get ourselves out of the position were in, no-one else will do it for us. It's a very good division and the competition is so strong, which is a great experience for us youngsters.

"Days like today - hard days in the dirt aiming for a massive victory - are why you play the game. I'd much rather be out there bowling and fielding than watching us bat as I just love being involved.

"First Division status is massive. The likes of Tres, Hildy and Tregs got us up and we've been here ever since, so for us youngsters it's crucial we stay up as then we can have another crack at this division next year.

"Ultimately you want to compete against the best and win trophies, so staying in this division is the way to do that."