Somerset bowlers share the spoils at the Hampshire Rosebowl

Somerset enjoyed the best of the first day of their three day friendly against Hampshire at the Rosebowl, where they ended 168 runs behind their hosts with nine wickets in hand.

Batting first the hosts were dismissed for 207, with Will Kendall contributing 63. For Somerset Steffan Jones took 2 for 14, and there were also two wickets each for Simon Francis, Aaron Laraman, Keith Dutch and Ian Blackwell.

By close of play Somerset had reached 39 for 1, with Peter Bowler falling for 11. The not out batsmen are Matt Wood(17) and Piran Holloway (6).

At the end of the day Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me; "I am really happy with the way that things went for us today. It was really freezing out there, but they all stuck to the task and bowled well."

Tomorrow new signing Nixon McLean will be joing the Somerset attack to play against his old team.