Taunton beauty masks real issue

Two matches into a new season and questions are already being raised about the quality of the Taunton wickets. Responding to a high-scoring draw against Yorkshire in the opening match, more grass was left on the pitch for this fixture but another tame draw is the overwhelming favourite after a third day where any buzz was limited to an hour after lunch.

Only 24 wickets fell against Yorkshire and just 21 have been taken in three days here, proving more than a little grass will be required to overcome the flat, hard nature of this square that has often weighed matches at Taunton too heavily in the batsmen's favour, to the detriment of the contest.

It is easy to nestle into the cinema chairs in the Old Pavilion, gaze up at the Quantocks, pick out a Great Spotted Woodpecker that may have fluttered across from the hills and assume all is well with the world. But the glorious surrounds can mask a deficiency on the field. The cricket has be none too engaging in this match.

Several years ago during the Brian Rose regime, remedial work was undertaken on the square and in 2010 Somerset managed four victories at home. It was surely no coincidence that 2010 was the closest Somerset have ever come to winning the County Championship.

For 2014, a solid survival in the Division One is a more realistic aim than a title challenge. But Somerset will struggle to improve on their three victories last season if obtaining results at home remains this difficult. In both matches this season Marcus Trescothick has won the toss and bowled first hoping a fresh surface will offer the most help for his bowlers, safe in the knowledge the fourth day will not hold gremlins for his batsmen - and so it should prove here; Nottinghamshire do not hold a serious spin threat either having decided not to pick Gary Keedy.

Trescothick also gave his side a chance of putting Notts under pressure by declaring 38 runs behind shortly after lunch. But despite a testing new ball spell from Alfonso Thomas, they only managed one wicket with the new ball and Phil Jaques led them professionally into the clear.

But the declaration upped the ante and for 14 overs of the Notts second innings, there was an intensity not seen since the first morning. Thomas was unwavering, bowling five maidens in his seven over spell, and zipped the new ball around to create plenty of problems. An inswinger deceived Steven Mullaney who shouldered arms and was given out lbw and Michael Lumb was very fortunate to survive playing the same stroke to the first ball Thomas tried around the wicket.

From the other end though, Lewis Gregory leaked over four runs an over and despite Jamie Overton roughing up Jaques and Lumb, he failed to find a breakthrough. It wasn't until Lumb tried cutting a Johann Myburgh quicker ball that Somerset struck again; probably too late to change the game.

Preceding the declaration, Somerset snuck maximum batting points to the final ball of the 110th over. 64 were required in 61 balls after lunch and Peter Trego, who bludgeoned 86 in 71 balls, and Thomas gamely took up the task.

Trego struck two fours off Peter Siddle to take him to fifty in 49 balls before depositing Patel into the river to give Somerset a fourth batting point. 29 were then required in three overs for a fifth. Another six found the Trescothick stand before Thomas delightfully flicked Andy Carter past square leg and Trego slugged another four through cow corner. Thomas was left with two to find to bring up 400 in time and he drove Patel delightfully just over the head of long-off to secure the extra point.

Earlier in the day, Craig Kieswetter followed a disappointing first effort with the gloves - two dropped catches - with a poor dismissal after he had made 39. With neither Matt Prior nor Johnny Bairstow having kept wicket this season, alternatives must surely be sounded out. Kieswetter timed two flicks off his legs and also drove a boundary but failed to put up an eye-catching score when the game situation was ideal for such an innings.

Having been dropped at second slip by Mullaney - his second shell of the innings, although he did claim a flying catch at mid-on to remove Gregory - a toe-ended pat to give Patel a return catch was a weak way to end what has so far been a disappointing match for a potential England wicketkeeper.