Trego and Hildreth make hay as Somerset dominate

Worcestershire 44 for 4 trail Somerset 565 for 5 dec (Hildreth 220*, Trego 130*, Trescothick 85, Cooper 57) by 511 runs
Scorecard

Somerset took a firm grip on their LV= County Championship match against Worcestershire on the second day at Taunton.

By the time play was abandoned because of rain with 32 overs remaining, the visitors trailed by 521 runs with six first-innings wickets in hand.

Resuming on 349 for 5, Somerset continued to dominate until declaring early in the afternoon on 565 from 138.2 overs without further loss.

James Hildreth was unbeaten on 220 and Peter Trego had reached 130 not out. Worcestershire then slipped to 44 for four in the 19 overs before tea, Lewis Gregory having claimed 2 for 6 from seven overs, five of which were maidens.

No further play was possible, but Somerset had claimed an iron grip on the contest.

Hildreth began the day on 133, and continued to take his runs with ease, a single off Charlie Morris to the on side moving him to his 150 from 205 balls with 23 fours.

Trego, who was 4 not out overnight, wasted no time in going for his shots and a boundary off Morris, flicked off his legs, saw 400 onto the board for Somerset.

The allrounder, in his benefit season, took a single off Brett D'Oliviera to go to his half-century which came off 60 balls with six fours and two sixes.

In the afternoon the sixth-wicket pair kept on relentlessly taking their runs and in the fourth over after lunch Trego took a single to backward square leg off Saeed Ajmal to bring up the 500.

Hildreth and Trego were neck and neck going to their respective targets, a double century and a century, and it was Hildreth who got there first with a boundary through backward point off Ross Whiteley - his double ton reached in 287 balls with 27 fours and one six.

Three balls later Trego pushed a single to mid wicket to bring up his first century of the season, a rapid ton which came off 131 balls with 12 fours and three sixes.

By the time Somerset declared at 2.20pm, the pair had added 221 for the sixth wicket in 44.2 overs.

When Worcestershire replied they were soon in trouble as Craig Overton claimed his 41st wicket of the season in the second over when opener D'Oliveira was caught at second slip by Marcus Trescothick without a run on the board.

With six close fielders, Lewis Gregory claimed two wickets in the ninth over.

Tom Fell was caught at first slip by Jim Allenby as he pushed forward, and three balls later Gregory bowled Alex Gidman for no score.

Daryl Mitchell and Ross Whiteley looked to have steadied the situation before left-arm spinner Jack Leach came on for the 15th over and had the Worcestershire captain caught by wicketkeeper Michael Bates.

Heavy rain then began to fall and the umpires formally abandoned play for the day at 6pm.