Sidebottom impresses but rain frustrates Yorkshire

Ryan Sidebottom produced a four-wicket burst before Yorkshire were frustrated by Somerset's 10th-wicket pair on day two of the rain-hit County Championship match at Headingley.

Former England paceman Sidebottom reduced the visitors to 215 for 9 with a lively spell of four for 14 in eight overs, but Alfonso Thomas and Steve Kirby then added 50 for the last wicket as Somerset were all out for 265. The partnership would not have got going if Thomas' edge off Ajmal Shahzad had been taken by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, but neither he nor Adam Lyth at first slip moved, the ball bisecting them on its way to the boundary.

Somerset were finally all out in 74 overs, leaving lowly Yorkshire to negotiate nine overs. They reached the close on 20 without loss. For the second day running, rain prevented any play during the morning session and it was 1.45pm before Somerset were able to resume their first innings on 140 for three. Further interruptions for bad weather meant that a total of 52 overs in the day were lost.

Alex Barrow was on 55 overnight and Jos Buttler 43, and Buttler showed the same aggressive intent of the first day by slamming two balls in Moin Ashraf's opening over to the cover boundary to complete his half-century from 42 deliveries with 11 boundaries. But Buttler had added only one more run, reaching 52, when his middle stump was lifted out of the ground by Richard Pyrah to end a 63-run stand in 11 overs with opener Barrow.

It was after more heavy rain and an early tea interval that Sidebottom began to scythe his way through Somerset's batting. He began by having Barrow superbly caught one-handed low to his right at first slip by Anthony McGrath for a steady 69 from 143 balls with eight fours, and in the same over Craig Meschede was caught behind without scoring.

Peter Trego batted aggressively and leaned back to hammer Shahzad through the covers to bring Somerset a first batting bonus point at 202 for six, but the next ball was a perfect yorker which removed his middle stump.

Wickets continued to tumble as Sidebottom gained lbw verdicts against Adam Dibble and Murali Kartik, but the late resistance from Thomas and Kirby denied him a five-wicket haul. Yorkshire lost some of their poise after Thomas' escape and both batsmen appeared to survive low chances to Lyth at first slip before Adil Rashid came on for the first time to bowl Thomas round his legs for 49 off 68 balls with six fours, Kirby being quite content to survive on 15 against his former county.

Kirby and Thomas were in action again with the new ball but Joe Root and Yorkshire captain Joe Sayers played out the remaining overs without any cause for alarm.