Carnage at Somerset as 20 wickets fall

WICKETS tumbled throughout the first day of County Championship action between Somerset and Essex in Taunton.

The home side won the toss in the Division One clash and soon proved the decision to bowl was the correct one.

Former Somerset man Dean Elgar was the first man out, falling lbw to Josh Davey for five, and opening partner Nick Browne soon followed, bowled by Craig Overton for nine.

When Jordan Cox (7) was held by Tom Lammonby off Overton it was 28 for three, and then 45 for four as Matt Critchley (9) was caught by Sean Dickson off the bowling of Migael Pretorius.

Skipper Tom Westley (43), Noah Thain (14) and Harry Duke (25) steadied the ship a little from there, but Lewis Gregory, Jake Ball and Pretorius ensured they did not make too much of an impact.

With Simon Harmer (5) and Shane Snater (13) snared by Pretorius and Sam Cook (0) out to Ball in between, Essex were all out for just 156 in 51 overs.

Pretorius, below, finished with figures of four for 36 from 12 overs, while Overton claimed two for 31 and Ball two for 33.

However, the Somerset reply was not much different to the efforts of the visitors.

Matt Renshaw (1) was claimed by Cox off the bowling of Cook from only the eighth ball of the innings, and it was 15 for two when Dickson (10) was caught by Harmer off Porter.

In contrast to almost everyone else, Andy Umeed decided not to hang around on a wicket that was favouring the bowlers.

He made 31 from 37 deliveries, including three fours and a couple of sixes, before Harmer’s catch off Cook sent him packing.

Unlike Umeed, in-form Tom Lammonby took a much more measured approach, trying to hold things together as his teammates came and went.

Tom Banton was caught by Critchley off Cook for four, before James Rew (4) and Gregory (9) both went lbw to Jamie Porter.

Craig Overton took the Umeed approach, striking three fours in a 15-ball stay worth 16 ahead of Porter and Critchley teaming up to end his stay, but Lammonby refused to budge. That was until four overs from the close when he was caught by Elgar off Porter for 38 having faced 116 balls. Pretorius and Ball followed as Somerset were polished off for 128.

In one over before the close, Essex were six for none, 34 ahead.