When play started at 11 this morning it was honours even, just about. Nottinghamshire knew that early wickets in the first session would put them in charge. Somerset knew if they could see out the first session, they would be firmly in the driving seat.
The assistance for the bowlers yesterday fell away completely as Tom Abell and George Bartlett went about accumulating a mammoth fourth wicket partnership. The started the day as watchful as they had the previous evening. The first hour passed without and any drama.
74 for 3 at the start of the day became 174 for 3 at Lunch. Abell and Bartlett continued past as Steve Mullaney rotated his bowlers.
The Notts captain was without Samit Patel for the first session as Patel was celebrating the birth of a baby daughter. It was the only good news for Notts in those first two sessions until Luke Wood finally made the breakthrough.
The partnership of 223 was the highest for Somerset against Nottinghamshire for the fourth wicket beating the previous of 206 by Graham Burgess and Ian Botham on this ground in 1976.
Abell snicked off to Luke Wood shortly after he had past his century. It ended an innings of 101 from 198 balls. Bartlett was joined by Steve Davies and normal service was resumed and the two took Somerset into tea on 309 for 4.
If the first two sessions had gone Somerset’s way, then the last session was to belong to Nottinghamshire as they fought back to take 6 wickets after tea.
Somerset were on the hunt for bonus points before the cut-off point and wickets were there for the taking as the batting side looked to accelerate.
Bartlett was out shortly after tea shouldering arms to Luke Fletcher. Having been a last-minute choice before the first game of the season Bartlett had certainly taken his chance to cement a place in the Somerset side and his 133 from 223 balls with 17 fours was scored with the confidence of a first-team regular.
Josh Davey with 25 from 28 balls and Lewis Gregory 50 from 50 balls ensured that Somerset got to 400 and the full set of bonus points but they both fell in consecutive balls to Broad. Stuart Broad finished with figures of 5 for 73.
Somerset were bowled out for 403 and a lead of 140. Their bowlers had 13 overs to make early inroads to the Notts top order. Ben Duckett was on a pair when he burst a potential catch through the hands of Bartlett.
The young fielder was upset with himself, but he needn’t have been as the other century-maker Abell made amends taking a low catch to dismiss Duckett for 4.
Brooks finally had some luck go his way. It continued when he then got the wicket of Notts highest scorer Chris Nash for a duck.
Nottinghamshire finished the day on 25 for 2 trailing by 115 runs as Somerset take a grip of the game with two days left to go.
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