TAUNTON

(Day two of four; Kent won toss)

Somerset 427 (Z. de Bruyn 81, P. Trego 65, M.E. Trescothick 57, I.D. Blackwell 55, J.L. Langer 50) and 129-5 (J.L. Langer 65 not out) v Kent 208

Lunch

Kent, who were three wickets down overnight, lost three more – all too cheaply - in the morning. Under overcast skies, the ball moved around a little more than on the first day, not least when Charl Willoughby was on from the old pavilion end. Bowling left arm over the wicket at a brisk pace, he angled a ball across Martin van Jaarsveld and had caught at the wicket, which left Kent 41 for four. Then, from the pavilion end, Alfonso Thomas had James Tredwell leg before, playing around a straight ball, and beat Matthew Walker with one that he looked to try to whip through midwicket. Kent were now 90 for six, needing to reach 278 to save the follow on. At lunch, even though Somerset still had to rid themselves of Justin Kemp and Geraint Jones, this looked a stiff task indeed.

Tea

Kent lost their last four wickets after lunch for an additional 118 runs, 50 of which were made for the last wicket in a partnership between Ryan McLaren, a genuine all-rounder despite his lowly position in the batting order, and Robbie Joseph. Geraint Jones was the seventh batsman out, caught at the wicket off a ball Ben Phillips moved away from him, and this was followed by Phillips himself holding a brilliant right handed catch in the gully to account for Yasir Arafat off Steffan Jones. Justin Kemp was ninth out, driving loosely at Jones and well taken by Justin Langer at first slip, which left Somerset 158 for nine. The useful last wicket stand, however, not only delayed the end of the innings but possibly helped Langer make up his mind not to enforce the follow- on, even though Somerset had a lead of 219.

Close

Somerset, having decided not to enforce the follow on, struggled to extend their first innings lead of 219 in the face of accurate Kent medium pace bowling. They lost five cheap wickets: Marcus Trescothick, run out by a direct throw from cover by Joe Denly, and Zander de Bruyn and James Hildreth caught at second slip and gully respectively off Robbie Joseph and Ryan McLaren, followed by Peter Trego, caught behind driving at Martin Saggers and Ian Blackwell caught and bowled for a duck off one James Tredwell spun across him. Yet Justin Langer, who had decided to bat again, remained. He did so until the close, reaching his half century with five fours and hitting a further two by the close. Somerset by then had a lead of 348, but they will not consider that sufficient for a declaration.