Picture by John Heald. Dan Moriarty was unlucky not to have taken more than one wicket today.
Jack White, Dan Moriarty and Dom Bess claimed the three wickets to fall during a frustrating, weather-affected second day of the Rothesay County Championship clash with Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.
White, the county’s impressive new-ball seamer, struck with the day’s third ball as Somerset fell to 155-4 in the 43rd over before recovering to 391-6 from 118.3 overs thanks to unbroken fifth-wicket pair Tom Abell and Lewis Goldsworthy, who both posted fifties in sharing 143 from early morning through to early evening.
Threatening left-arm spinner Moriarty broke that partnership by removing Goldsworthy for a patient 65 off 185 balls after tea. But determined Abell went on to reach three figures and finished with an impressive 130 off 227 balls to his name, including 16 fours.
The first of two weather interruption was for rain came at 2.06pm, a minute earlier than it did to curtail yesterday’s opening day. Today, play resumed at 3.20pm.
Bad light then ended play early just before 5.25pm, meaning 27.3 overs were cut from the day’s allotted 104.
Former captain Abell reached 50 for the seventh time this season, going beyond 800 Championship runs for the campaign. He reached his second century of 2025 midway through the evening.
Goldsworthy, meanwhile, is playing his first Division One match of 2025 given Somerset are contending with some injury and availability issues.
Both men were watchful against some tight bowling from the visitors.
Abell started the day on three and lost his overnight partner James Rew early on for 54, caught behind by Jonny Bairstow playing back against White.
George Hill, who took the ball alongside White at the start of play today, is leading the way for Yorkshire in terms of wickets. He has taken 41 this term, the third best haul in the top-flight.
But Cumbrian White, aged 33, is not far behind him with 36 having enjoyed an excellent debut summer at Headingley after moving from Northamptonshire. He finished the day with figures of 1-60 from 24 overs.
Today is 10 years to the day – September 9, 2015 – Yorkshire clinched their second successive County Championship title on day one of their clash with Middlesex at Lord’s.
They did it with bonus points in bowling Middlesex out for 106 in the first innings.
Like today at Taunton, Yorkshire struck in the opening over.
In fact, Ryan Sidebottom took a triple-wicket maiden.
As for today, however, this was a much more low-key affair.
Moriarty impressed and, bowling from the River End, threatened constantly. Gaining obvious turn, the left-armer – like White – could have had more reward.
Somerset were 266-4 in the 89th over when the first rain delay came.
Incidentally, having started at lunch down the road at Taunton Vale, Yorkshire’s second team continued to play right through the afternoon against Somerset. Noah Kelly and Harry Duke scored centuries during a dominant batting day.
Upon the resumption here at the County Ground, Abell and Goldsworthy upped the scoring rate to advance their side towards 300.
But just before that milestone, Moriarty (1-82 from 23 overs) trapped a sweeping Goldsworthy lbw, leaving the score at 298-5 in the 98th over.
Yorkshire could only claim one bowling bonus point as Somerset reached the 110-over mark at 354-5.
Immediately before that, Abell reached his century off 202 balls.
He fell to his close mate and former team-mate Dom Bess, caught at deep mid-wicket on the slog sweep, leaving the score at 390-6 after 118 overs.
Having shared a century stand with Goldsworthy, he added 92 for the sixth wicket with Kasey Aldridge, 29 not out.
Bad light came three balls after the Abell departure.
Picture by Harry Trump/Getty Images. Tom Abell celebrates his century at Taunton today.
