Leach takes four as Surrey collapse

Surrey 236 for 8 (Davies 49, Leach 4-31) v Somerset
Scorecard

Jack Leach was the bowling hero on the first day of Somerset's Specsavers' County Championship game against Surrey at Taunton. He picked up four wickets in his 18 overs as Surrey finished the day on 236 for 8.

Having chosen to bat first, Surrey made a quickfire start before losing their first wicket, at 26, when Rory Burns was caught at second slip by Marcus Trescothick off the bowling of Craig Overton.

Arun Harinath followed with the score on 70, once again caught by Trescothick at slip, this time off the bowling of Jim Allenby.

It was turning out to be a morning of mixed fortunes for Allenby who had earlier dropped Kumar Sangakkara at slip off Jamie Overton. Still, the former Glamorgan allrounder did strike shortly before lunch when trapping Gary Wilson lbw for 12 at 90 for 3.

Sangakkara looked in decent touch until the first over after lunch when he offered a return catch that bowler Tim Groenewald gratefully accepted.

Left-handers Steven Davies and Zafar Ansari played well, thereafter, adding 85 for the fourth wicket in even time. However, having been dropped at short leg by Trescothick earlier in his innings, Davies eventually played around a Leach delivery, from the River End, and was given out lbw, for 49, off 119 balls.

Then, off the final ball before tea, Ansari, who struck four boundary fours and a six over long-on, off Leach, offered a catch to Trescothick at short leg to leave Surrey on 201 for 6.

Leach picked up a third wicket, that of Tom Curran, caught at slip by Allenby for 0 and shortly after sent back captain Gareth Batty, lbw for 0. At that stage, Surrey had lost four wickets for no runs in 28 minutes.

Ben Foakes and Mathew Pillans dug in after tea and together rescued what was a rather desperate situation, for Surrey. They added an unbeaten 35 for the ninth wicket when the players were forced off the field due to rain, thunder and lightning.