‘Craig didn’t play my bouncer too well’

SURREY’S Jamie Overton made no concession to brotherly love on an explosive return to Taunton as his side bowled out Somerset for 180 on the opening day of the County Championship.

The tall pace bowler, facing his former club, claimed three wickets and also sent twin Craig and Josh Davey for concussion assessments by striking them on the helmet with short-pitched deliveries.

Craig Overton returned to continue his innings when Davey was hurt and top-scored with 29, but his team-mate was ruled out of the rest of the match and replaced by Kasey Aldridge.

Dan Worrall finished with three for 28 and Gus Atkinson three for 40 after Somerset skipper Tom Abell had won the toss.

By the close, Surrey had replied with 56 for one, Rory Burns unbeaten on 35.

Jamie Overton said: “Of course I didn’t want to hit Craig. He made it clear straight away he was okay, so I knew there was no cause for concern, but it was the first time I had bowled to him since moving to Surrey and a strange experience.

“To be honest, he didn’t play the delivery too well! Unfortunately, I then hit Josh Davey as well, but I have seen him since and he is okay too. I bent my back in that spell, having concentrated on putting the ball in the right areas.”

■ Glenn Phillips’ century helped Gloucestershire seize the initiative on day one against Kent as the bottom two teams in County Championship Division One faced off at Canterbury.

The rock-bottom visitors came back from being put in and reduced to 46 for three to reach stumps on 388 for seven and eyeing maximum batting points for just the second time this summer.

They were indebted largely to an imperious 125 from Phillips, on his maiden first-class appearance of the summer, with able support in the form of a half-century from Miles Hammond and Oli Price’s career-best unbeaten 48, compiled on his 21st birthday.

Phillips said: “It’s a really good day for us. We were going to bat first anyway, which is a great mindset to go into the middle with, seeing as how we were sent in.

“I was literally taking it one ball at a time and trying to make the right choice to that ball and doing it for as long as possible. Today just happened to be my day.

“Partnerships in the lower order are key to four-day cricket and there was some good work from Tom and Oli Price and Zafar Gohar towards the end.”

LV= Insurance County Championship Division One – Canterbury: Gloucestershire 388-7 (G D Phillips 125, M A H Hammond 66) v Kent.

Taunton: Somerset 180, Surrey 56-1.