Batty's seven puts Surrey in charge on frenetic day

Surrey 264 (Leach 4-34) and 94 for 6 (Leach 3-37) lead Somerset 102 (Batty 7-32) by 256 runs
Scorecard

Gareth Batty bowled Surrey into a winning position on day two of their Specsavers' County Championship game against Somerset at Taunton.

Batty, the 38-year-old former England offspinner, returned figures of 7 for 32 as Somerset lost all 10 first innings wickets for 56. By the close, in their second innings, Surrey had reached 93 for 6, an overall lead of 256.

Resuming on their overnight total of 236 for 8, Surrey added another 28 runs before being bowled out for 264. Ben Foakes was bowled by an unplayable delivery from Craig Overton before Stuart Meaker was last man out, caught at third slip by Overton off the bowling of Tim Groenewald.

In reply, Somerset made the perfect start with Tom Abell and Marcus Trescothick adding 46 for the first wicket, inside 14 overs. However, when the former was trapped leg before by Meaker, for 25, the wheels came off Somerset's innings in dramatic fashion.

Trescothick followed his opening partner back to the pavilion in the next over, when Batty picked up the first of his seven wickets.

Shortly after, the in-form James Hildreth lost his middle stump to Meaker and though the lunch interval provided some respite, Somerset were back under pressure when captain Chris Rogers was caught by Mathew Pillans off the bowling of Batty for 19.

With the ball turning and Somerset struggling to break free, wickets fell with alarming regularity. Craig Overton, who was dropped by Rory Burns at slip off the first ball he faced, edged Batty to the same fielder, next ball, before wicketkeeper Ryan Davies top-edged an attempted slog-sweep to Meaker, at midwicket. The capitulation continued with Jim Allenby becoming Batty's fifth victim, Jack Leach, his sixth and finally, Jamie Overton, his seventh, off the final ball of the 29th over.

It came as something of a surprise to most in the ground when Surrey decided against enforcing the follow on. In the hour that ensued, their decision came back to bite them. Having reached 17 for 0 they were soon up against it at 51 for 6.

First-innings bowling hero Jack Leach picked up the wickets of Rory Burns, Steven Davies and Tom Curran, while Craig Overton sent back Arun Harinath and Kumar Sangakkara. Jamie Overton weighed in with the wicket of Gary Wilson before Foakes and Zafar Ansari, who had earlier left the field when Surrey were fielding, with an injured right thumb, added an unbeaten 43 for the seventh wicket. How valuable that proves to be, only time will tell.

However, their resilience means Surrey go into day three with a handsome lead of and four second innings wickets in hand.