Four-wicket victory for Somerset

LEWIS Gregory’s swift unbeaten half-century landed the decisive blow as Somerset sealed a fourwicket victory over Middlesex in their LV= County Championship opener at Lord’s.

Gregory pummelled the home bowlers just after lunch, hitting 62 not out from 72 balls to tilt a seesaw encounter back in Somerset’s favour.

But an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 98 between the England international all-rounder and George Bartlett, who finished on 76 not out, saw the visitors home without further alarm.

Resuming on 112 for three, Somerset adopted a patient approach during the first hour and offered no chances as Bartlett settled into the groove alongside captain Tom Abell, who led the way with a measured knock of 84.

Bartlett batted confidently, capitalising on the absence of third man to keep the scoreboard ticking over, although there was a close call when his thick edge flew just wide of the diving Max Holden at gully.

But Bamber’s switch to the Nursery End paid dividends as he ended Abell’s three-hour vigil with a thin edge behind, and then dismissed Steven Davies for a duck, moving the ball back down the slope to trap the left-hander leg before.

Craig Overton got off the mark by cracking Bamber through the covers for four, but Tim Murtagh’s outswinger removed him on the stroke of lunch, with Somerset still 98 short of their target.

However, Gregory immediately regained the initiative for the visitors after the interval, rapidly eating into the deficit as he dispatched Murtagh to the boundary three times in quick succession.

Bartlett brought up his half-century – passing 50 at first-class level for the eighth time – by driving Tom Helm off the back foot for four and Gregory soon followed suit from only 55 deliveries.

Middlesex kept rotating their seamers in a bid to stem the flow of runs, but the damage had already been done and Gregory applied the finishing touch, carving Bamber for four to level the scores before adding a single off the next ball.