Kendall shows that where there's a Will there's a hundred

Hampshire's first century of the season was a long time coming - but Will Kendall ensured it will be long remembered. His superb 161 against Somerset at Taunton transformed a County Championship match that had been heavily one-sided for most of the first two days.

And it restored some pride to the Hampshire batting ranks, for whom the summer had previously been one to forget.

When the rain relented to allow the third day's play to start at 3.15pm, the visitors resumed on 140-2 in their second innings, 86 runs behind.

An innings defeat still appeared a possibility, particularly when skipper Robin Smith fell to the opening ball of the second over, having added only a single to his overnight 35.

Smith pushed forward defensively in textbook fashion to Steffan Jones, but left a chink of light between bat and pad, which the ball located to clean bowl him. The scoreboard read 144-3 when Derek Kenway came out to join Kendall, who was unbeaten on 77. By the time the pair were parted 160 runs had been added in rapid time and Hampshire were right back in the game.

Two late wickets restored Somerset's advantage. But at the close Hampshire were 319-5 and had a lead of 93 to take into the final day.

Despite the early breakthrough, Somerset's bowling was wayward and lacked penetration. Kendall and Kenway allowed virtually nothing loose to go unpunished and were soon scoring at five an over.

Teenaged seamer Peter Trego came in for especially fierce treatment as his three overs cost 29 runs. But the more experienced seamers also suffered as they failed to maintain line and length.

Kenway was given a life on 11 when edging Jones to second slip. Keith Parsons normally fields there, but he was bowling at the other end and given a break from slip duty so it was Piran Holloway who failed to accept the sharp chance to his left.

It proved an expensive mistake as Kenway went on to offer solid support for Kendall, who blossomed after reaching his century off 199 balls, with 15 fours.

His next 50 runs took only 61 deliveries as he added seven more boundaries, dealing particularly severely with anything short as he square cut with great power and timing.

It was a magnificent effort, which ended after Kendall had faced 273 balls and collected his 23rd four. Holloway atoned for his earlier miss by holding a fine catch diving forward at cover off the bowling of medium-pacer Mike Burns. Kenway reached his half century off 88 deliveries, with 7 fours, but he also fell to Burns in the closing overs, lbw on the front foot for 54 to a full length ball he appeared to think he had hit.

Adrian Aymes and Peter Hartley added a further ten runs before the close as Dimitri Mascarenhas and Shane Warne were held back to try and boost Hampshire's advantage in the morning.

Warne will also fancy his chances of doing some damage with the ball in the final innings as the visitors bid to complete a determined fightback.