Glamorgan’s batsmen enjoyed a decent day at Taunton with Andrew Balbirnie making 82 and Billy Root an unbeaten 49 before the Welsh county declared 24 runs in arrears in their friendly against Somerset. By the close, the home side had reached 121/1 in their second innings to set up the prospect of a Glamorgan run-chase on the final day tomorrow.
Close of Play Report
With Glamorgan having declared on their teatime total of 238/6, Somerset’s second innings began after the interval with Tom Banton off-driving Timm van der Gugten in the opening over. His opening partner Tom Lammonby also began with a boundary as he nurdled the Dutchman safely through the slip cordon before Banton twice cover drove Carey before twice on-driving the same bowler.
Lammonby welcomed the introduction of Dan Douthwaite into the attack by steering him through the gully for four before Banton punched the bowler through the covers. Billy Root entered the attack after 13 overs and was pulled for four besides being drilled to the ropes at mid-on by Lammonby. Banton repeated the stroke against Douthwaite but in the all-rounder’s next over he edged another expansive drive straight into the gloves of Chris Cooke.
56/1 heralded the arrival of Tom Abell at the crease as well as the introduction of David Lloyd’s medium pace, with the vice-captain being driven for four by Lammonby. The opener then flicked Callum Taylor’s first ball to the ropes at square-leg before Abell drove a full toss from Lloyd through extra-cover followed a couple of overs later by a short-arm pull for six over square-leg. Kiran Carlson’s off-spin was also employed shortly before the close and was on-driven for a pair of fours by Lammonby, who then completed his fifty shortly before the close, from 84 balls, with another cover-driven four against the spinner before hitting the last ball of the day high over mid-wicket for six.
Teatime update
Glamorgan had reached 141/2 at lunch with Andrew Balbirnie and Billy Root facing Jack Leach and Josh Davey after the interval. Root brought up the 150 with a typically wristy pair of cover drives against Leach before Balbirnie inside-edged a drive against Davey to fine-leg. His three-hour stay at the crease then came to an end as James Hildreth held a head-high catch as Balbirnie edged a delivery from Davey to the veteran at first slip.
Kiran Carlson got off the mark with a trio of fours against Davey, with two through the covers and the other to fine-leg. He added another boundary next over as he dispatched Leach through backward point, but it proved to be a brief cameo as he was adjudged l.b.w. as he played forward to Leach with the total on 184/4.
Chris Cooke joined Root who unfurled his trademark reverse sweep against Leach with the ball racing away to the third man boundary. Root also deftly cut Lewis Gregory to the boundary boards before flat-batting a short and wide delivery from Marchant de Lange over the head of extra-cover for six. Cooke then swatted Overton for four through backward point but later in the over he dragged another short ball onto his stumps and departed with the total on 218.
His departure saw Callum Taylor join Root who struck another six as he pulled a short ball from Overton high over square-leg prior to nurdling Tom Lammonby through the gully for four. But Taylor was caught behind from the final ball of the session as he edged Jack Brooks into Rew's gloves with Glamorgan declaring at the fall of his wicket.
Lunchtime Update
Glamorgan began the day on 39/1 after Somerset had declared an hour before the close yesterday on 262/8. From a meteorological point of view, the temperatures this morning could not have been more different to yesterday with a chill wind and overcast conditions making bobblehats more appropriate headgear on a day traditionally known for parades of people wearing Easter bonnets!
Andrew Balbirnie and Nick Selman resumed the batting as Josh Davey and Lewis Gregory shared the bowling duties. Balbirnie struck the day’s first boundary as he deftly glanced Davey to the ropes at fine-leg before two overs later dispatching him through mid-wicket for another elegant four, followed by an exquisite cover-drive.
Selman also found the ropes at square-leg as he tucked into a leg-side delivery from Davey before drilling the Scotsman through mid-on where Marchant de Lange failed to stop the firmly struck drive. Soon afterwards, the pace bowler was into the attack at the New Pavilion End whilst Craig Overton returned at the Old Pavilion End and was edged wide of gully for four by Selman. Balbirnie also angled his bat to guide de Lange safely through the slips for four before drilling successive deliveries through extra-cover to see the Welsh county to three figures.
A swiftly run single to point saw the Irishman reach his fifty from 77 balls before Selman brought up the century stand with a clip through mid-wicket against Overton, but later in the over, the England aspirant ended the second wicket stand as Selman shouldered arms to a delivery which jagged back in and removed the off bail. 105/2 saw Billy Root join Balbirnie who added further to his boundary tally by firstly square-driving de Lange before doing the same to Tom Abell when the home captain returned to the attack.
Balbirnie greeted the introduction of Jack Brooks into the attack by dispatching him through mid-off, followed by another flowing cover drive for four. Root survived a sharp chance in the slips as he edged a ball from Abell, whilst Brooks had a couple of shouts for l.b.w. turned down against Balbirnie.
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