Abell, Rew, Banton help Somerset rebuild

Half-centuries from James Rew, Tom Abell and Tom Banton dug Somerset out of trouble on a compelling first day of the Rothesay County Championship match with Division One leaders Nottinghamshire at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.

A crowd of just under 3,000 saw the home side slip to 46 for three after winning the toss before Rew (58), Abell (64) and Banton (57 not out) guided them to 275 for 6 at the close. There were two wickets each for Mohammad Abbas and Brett Hutton.

All the Notts bowlers displayed commendable accuracy to ensure their opponents could never cut loose and the pitch offered them just enough assistance to ensure an absorbing contest between bat and ball.

Somerset opted for a new opening partnership of Sean Dickson and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, but were soon in trouble as, with only ten runs on the board, Dickson fell lbw to Hutton for a duck, advancing down the pitch.

Soon it was 22 for 2 as Tom Lammonby, on two, played forward and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan to give Hutton a second wicket. Kohler-Cadmore had begun positively and hit five fours in scoring 31 off 55 balls before getting a good delivery from Mohammad Abbas that left him off the pitch, forcing an edge that was again snapped up by Kishan.

At 46 for three in the 15th over, Somerset were in hole. But there was no great movement in the air or off the pitch for the seamers and Patterson-White's left-arm spin was soon introduced from the River End as Rew and Abell went about rebuilding the innings.

By lunch they had taken the total to 100 for 3 from 31 overs, Rew looking the more fluent in moving to 41, while Abell had battled for his 17. The afternoon session saw Rew move to a half-century off 86 balls, including 8 fours, making good use of the sweep against the spinners.

Abell had gradually found his timing and placement, but when the stand had progressed to 99 from 34.4 overs, Rew straight drove a delivery from seamer Lyndon James, who stooped to take a sharp return catch.

It looked an important breakthrough for the visitors, although Abell was looking an increasing threat as he moved to fifty off 126 balls, with five fours. Banton, struggling for form since a triple century in the opening game of the season against Worcestershire, was given a life on two when Patterson-White spilled a relatively straightforward chance at first slip off James.

Patterson-White quickly atoned by taking the valuable wicket of Abell, who spared the umpire a decision by turning to walk off after feathering a catch to Kishan down the leg side. At 179 for 5, Somerset were back under pressure and just six runs had been added when tea was taken.

Notts had bowled well all day, giving little away, and that continued in the final session, which saw Banton and Archie Vaughan made to fight for every run on the normally fast-scoring ground. Both displayed exemplary concentration and careful shot selection to put together a half-century stand from 83 balls.

Despite a short boundary on the town side of the ground, the scoring rate was only fractionally above three an over when the second new ball became available at 243 for 5. The impressive Abbas struck with it in the 83rd over, as Vaughan, on 35, aimed a back-foot forcing shot and was caught at a wide third slip by Jack Haynes.

Banton, who loves nothing more than dominating a bowling attack, showed the required degree of restraint to reach fifty off 103 balls, having hit five fours. Kasey Aldridge, recalled to the Somerset team, proved an equally determined partner in taking Somerset through to the close, scoring just four off 34 balls.