Essex struggling as rain curtails reply

Keith Dutch and Rob Turner completed centuries before Somerset were finally bowled out for 415 by Essex on the second day at Taunton.

The seventh-wicket pair had taken their partnership to 222 off 74 overs when Dutch gloved a catch to wicket-keeper James Foster off Mark Ilott, having made 118.

The former Middlesex player's maiden first-class century came off 198 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. He had come in at 158-6 and departed with the scoreboard reading a much more healthy 380-7.

Turner was unbeaten on 115 at the end of the innings, having battled away for five hours to reach his hundred, with 10 fours and two sixes.

Ilott eventually cleaned up the tail for figures of 4-116 from 38 overs, while Ronnie Irani emerged unscathed with 2-38 from 23 overs. Twelve overs had been lost to a 40-minute rain-break early in the day.

In reply, Essex soon plunged into trouble as Paul Grayson, Darren Robinson and Stephen Peters departed with only 23 on the board, Richard Johnson taking two of the wickets.

He removed Paul Grayson to a juggling catch by Mike Burns at gully and then pinned Peters, who had already been dropped, lbw with a yorker.

Steffan Jones weighed in with the wicket of Darren Robinson, lbw playing down the wrong line as he pushed forward, to leave the visitors ruing the absence of injured Australian batting star Stuart Law.

Bad light brought at early tea with Essex 34-3 off 17 overs, still 381 behind and requiring a further 232 to avoid following-on. Then the rain returned to wipe out the final 34 overs.