Somerset’s seamers give leaders Essex a fright

At Chelmsford Somerset (118-5) trail Essex (159) by 41 runs

Somerset seamers Paul van Meekeren and Craig Overton gave Essex the first real examination of their Specsavers County Championship title credentials for nearly four months when they skittled the Division One leaders for 159.

Van Meekeren, 24, claimed career-best, first-class figures of four for 60 on his championship debut, with Overton chipping in with four for 40, as Essex were bowled out in 51 overs.

Only Nick Browne and Ryan ten Doeschate, who compiled 51 for the fifth wicket before lunch, showed any serious resolve on a day when the ball nipped and swung.

But when Somerset replied they found Jamie Porter in equally devastating form, taking four wickets for 27 from 12 overs as the visitors ended the day 41 runs adrift with five wickets in hand.

Essex, who opted to bat, had won five of their previous six Championship outings since Middlesex had them on the ropes at the end of April in a rain-affected match at Lord’s.

But with no batting points collected here, their 41-point lead suddenly looked vulnerable. The wickets started tumbling from the sixth over onwards. Varun Chopra was first to go when he missed a straight one from van Meekeren to go lbw. The Dutchman had a second wicket in his next over as Dan Lawrence drove at one outside off stump and was snaffled at second slip without scoring.

Overton switched ends to relieve van Meekeren and had Ravi Bopara trapped lbw with his fourth ball. Adam Wheater went the same way, playing around one from Tim Groenewald, and Essex were 39 for four.

Browne survived a dropped chance at square leg by Eddie Byrom on 24 before putting on 51 in 13 overs with ten Doeschate that repaired the early damage.

Ten Doeschate was caught in the slips off Overton – after the umpires had decided that the ball had carried – after making a 42-ball 35 that included five fours. Browne, on 44, followed in Overton’s next over, attempting a hook but top-edging it.

Marcus Trescothick departed in the fifth over of Somerset’s reply, caught behind from a faint edge off Porter. From a shaky 20 for three, James Hildreth and Tom Abell steadied the ship with a fourthwicket stand of 78 in 22 overs.

Hildreth reached his fifty from 67 balls with six fours, but Abell departed next ball for 30 from 75 balls. Hildreth was out soon after when he hooked to midwicket.