da bet7： Four Somerset batsmen hit half-centuries to secure a valuable first inningslead in the top three First Division clash at Old Trafford
Andy Wilson20-Jul-2001Four Somerset batsmen hit half-centuries to secure a valuable first inningslead in the top three First Division clash at Old Trafford.Mike Burns and Peter Bowler provided a solid pre-lunch platform, then IanBlackwell and Rob Turner led a determined recovery from 199 for five to 385for nine in reply to Lancashire’s 324.Turner top-scored with 72 and although his innings was the slowest, taking238 minutes and 202 balls, it was also the most valuable as he linked upfirst with Keith Dutch then Blackwell to add 138 for the sixth and seventhwickets.Following an unbeaten century in the last game against Essex, it continuedthe wicket-keeper’s return to form after a lean season, and left Somerset ina good position – especially with Lancashire’s captain John Crawley unlikelyto take any further part in the match following a family bereavement.Somerset’s captain Jamie Cox was also missing at the start yesterday forfamily reasons, so Bowler joined Burns to resume their innings on 77 forone.Burns quickly reached an 84-ball 50 with 10 fours and a six, but he was thefirst man to go in the 18th over of the day, a victim of a sharp returncatch by Gary Keedy.Keedy was the pick of the Lancashire bowlers, as he also took three morewickets – all caught by Chris Schofield in the gully – to end the day withfour for 73 from 34 overs.Mark Lathwell was the first and then, after Cox had been bowled bySchofield for 46, Keedy had Bowler snapped up, but only after the veteranhad made a typically patient 65.With the pitch offering plenty of turn, Lancashire would have beenconfident of a first innings lead, but Somerset, and especially Turner, hadother ideas.Dutch hit all but ten in a sixth-wicket stand of 41, then Blackwelldominated the seventh-wicket partnership, with the former Derbyshire spinnerreaching his 50 from 60 balls and going on to 64 with 12 boundaries.He was finally bowled by John Wood with the second new ball but Turnerground on to 72 until he, too, fell to the Keedy-Schofield combination.