Somerset in the County Championship at Taunton

                     Lancashire win by an innings and 4 runs.

Top of the County Championship! Well, alright we've only played 1 game, but we've got to start somewhere! Lancashire took 19 points out of the maximum 20, and 2 of the other 3 games in the division being draws, and Essex crushing Leicestershire, leaves us 1 point ahead at the top. Anyway, Lancashire beat Somerset by an innings and 4 runs. After bowling Somerset out for 204 in their 1st innings, Glen Chapple taking 6-46, Lancashire scored 378, with a majestic 179 not out. This gave Lancashire a lead of 174, and by the end of day 2 (Saturday), Somerset had been reduced to 106-6. Now on Sunday, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Gods weren't on our side. The whole day was washed out. Thankfully, we got dry weather on the Monday, and Peter Martin took a wicket with his first ball of the day, without the score changing. We then seemed to have trouble removing the tail. Andrew Flintoff was brought into the attack with the score at 161-7, and immediately broke the partnership, removing Johnson with his first ball. Jones then went to Martin with the score on 170, Flintoff then cleaned up, clean bowling opener Piran Holloway for 74, leaving Somerset 4 runs short of avoiding the innings defeat. Freddy finished with 2-7, with his new remodeled action, which is hoped will remedy his back problem, Mike Smethurst took 3-32 and Peter Martin 3-55, Chapple and Scuderi both chipping in with 1 wicket apiece. Start as you mean to go on and all that...                                                        Back to Match Report Index