Trescothick falls early as Yorkshire take control

Somerset 272 and 201 for 6 v Yorkshire 419
Scorecard

A second consecutive Championship victory is well within Yorkshire's grasp after they took control over Somerset on the third day of a hard-fought encounter at Headingley.

Somerset were 201 for 6 in their second innings at close of play, a lead of only 54 runs. Yorkshire, 320 for 7 overnight and leading by 48, were gradually put into a position of strength by Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad who batted together throughout the morning session and early into the afternoon to take their stand to 111 before being parted.

They resisted the temptation to try to make 30 off the day's first seven overs in order to pick up a fourth batting bonus point, preferring instead to play everything on its merits and build up the lead gradually. At the 120-overs stage, Yorkshire were 339 for 7 and the scoring was suddenly boosted by Rashid who took three fours in an over off Charl Willoughby to make the stand worth 50 in 13 overs.

Shahzad, generally the quieter of the two batsmen, took a step down the pitch to drive the left-arm spin of Arul Suppiah for four before Rashid went to his 50 off 96 balls out of 400 for 7.

Yorkshire were 407 for 7 at lunch but hopes of a surge of runs after the interval were quickly dashed by Peter Trego, who polished off the remainder of the innings with three wickets for one run in eight balls.

Shahzad was caught by wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter for a businesslike 47 from 140 balls, David Wainwright was bowled without scoring and Rashid drove straight into the hands of Damien Wright at cover, his 63 coming off 127 deliveries with eight fours.

With a comfortable lead of 147, Yorkshire wanted to strengthen their position still further by getting rid of Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick, who hit a dazzling 117 in the first innings, and he was severely tested in a fine opening spell from Tim Bresnan.

The England paceman had a confident appeal rejected for a catch behind the wicket from Trescothick, who was then fortunate not to chop a ball into his stumps. He had made 16 out of an opening stand of 30 with Suppiah when Bresnan was finally rewarded for his work as Trescothick moved into his stumps and was lbw.

Bresnan should also have picked up the wicket of Suppiah for 18 but the batsman's edge presented Jacques Rudolph with a relatively straightforward chance at first slip which he put down.

Wainwright was employed as early as the eighth over as Yorkshire opted for a combination of pace and spin and the left-armer made it 69 for two by clean bowling Nick Compton for 21. It became 88 for 3 in the first over after tea when Suppiah played Wainwright to mid-wicket and set off for a single but James Hildreth did not anticipate Rashid's smart piece of fielding and he could not beat his throw to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

Suppiah enjoyed another life when he was dropped at cover by Anthony McGrath off Wainwright and the opener soon completed his 50 off 95 balls with eight fours.

Yorkshire's lead continued to be whittled away as Zander de Bruyn helped Suppiah add 52 against Wainwright and fellow spinner Rashid, but with Somerset trailing by only seven, Oliver Hannon-Dalby returned to the attack and Suppiah played all round his first ball to be lbw for 71 off 127 deliveries with 12 fours.

Further resistance followed as Kieswetter helped de Bruyn put on 37 before Shahzad pinned Kieswetter lbw - the 13th such dismissal of the match - and Shahzad struck again near the close by getting Trego caught behind, with De Bruyn ending unbeaten on 49.