County Championship Division One

Somerset 216 & 200 beat Yorkshire 96 & 202 by 118 runs

SOMERSET picked up the nine wickets they needed on the final day against Yorkshire to secure two successive wins at the start of a season for the first time since 1993.

The visitors resumed a finely-poised day on 49-1 in pursuit of 321 to win and Somerset made the best possible start, claiming a wicket with the first ball of the morning when Cheteshwar Pujara edged a Lewis Gregory delivery through to Steve Davies.

Wickets continued to fall steadily throughout the morning, with Tim Groenewald's probing line outside off stump eventually drawing an edge from Adam Lyth (34) which landed in the hands of James Hildreth at first slip.

With Lyth back in the pavilion, Gary Ballance became the key man but any hopes he had of a long stint were ended when he could do nothing more than feather a peach of a delivery from Gregory behind on 19, leaving the visitors on 81-4.

Craig Overton picked up his first wicket of the day, collecting a return catch from a leading edge to dismiss Matthew Waite (6), and a fine first session for the hosts was completed when the same bowler trapped Andrew Hodd (1) lbw.

The only concern from the morning session came as Josh Davey pulled up midway towards the end of his eighth over and played no further part - the extent of his injury is yet to be revealed.

Beginning after lunch on 116-6, visiting pair Jack Leaning and Tim Bresnan frustrated the hosts with a stubborn seventh-wicket partnership.

Both dug in on a tricky surface and it took captain Tom Abell bringing himself into the attack to spark a breakthrough, as the 24-year-old pinned Bresnan in front and the former England man departed for 21 from 83 balls.

Jack Brooks took a rather different approach to the man he replaced at the crease, striking four boundaries, but fell for the same score as he chipped a delivery straight back at Tim Groenewald.

Abell then picked up his second scalp, drawing Ben Coad (2) into an edge which was well taken by Marcus Trescothick at second slip as Yorkshire slipped to 191-9.

Overton took the final wicket to fall, finally ending Leaning's resistance when the batsman top edged a pull to Matt Renshaw having made 68 from 172 balls.

Overton ended with 3-43, with the other wickets shared between Gregory (2-59), Groenewald (2-51), Abell (2-15) and Davey (1-12).

Speaking afterwards, director of cricket Andy Hurry said: "This start is credit to the hard work the players have put in over the winter to upskill themselves.

"Momentum is important and, though we were delighted to get the win against Worcestershire last week, we knew this would be a tougher game.

"We had to work hard and step up, and it's great to build on last week.

"We have 11 blokes playing for the badge and everyone wants to contribute.

"I came back because I believe in the players here and I have confidence we can go right through this competition and the other two.

"That said, we to take it one session and one game at a time and it's foolish to look too far ahead."

Hurry also provided fitness updates on Josh Davey, Jack Leach and Jamie Overton.

"Josh [Davey] picked up a quad strain, so we'll get a scan done but it's too early to say about the extent of the injury," he said.

"Jack [Leach] is up in the dressing room and seems better so should be fine for Friday, while we are taking Jamie's progress one step at a time.

"He needs to return gradually to the process of playing competitively - we don't want to rush him back."

Seamer Tim Groenewald said: "We bowled well last week but knew we would need to step up a level, so it's really pleasing to have done so.

"We knew there would be a partnership at some point in the game and that we'd have to be patient. We stuck at it and got our rewards.

"The pitch was not doing as much as in the first innings but as a bowler I always felt in the game."

Reflecting on the fine caught and bowled which dismissed Jack Brooks, Groenewald said with a smile: "I wasn't too pleased at being driven for a one-bounce four over mid-off, but I've done that to him a couple of times so I suppose it was payback.

"Those ones either stick or they don't.

"We've started well and there's a confidence in the group - this start is testament to the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes, the things people don't see.

"I'm 34 now but I am bowling quicker than I have done in the past couple of years and a lot of that is due to the work I've put in over the winter, as well as the fact there's always youngsters wanting to take your spot so I have to stay one step ahead.

"We have been in some tricky situations but different guys have put their hands up at different times and got the job done.

"Tom [Abell] is a reluctant bowler, we're always having words in his ear about having a few overs. He should bowl more, he's better than a part-time seamer."