Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. George Hill and Dom Bess shared 166 for the seventh wicket today to advance Yorkshire’s cause.
All-rounders George Hill and Dom Bess continued their excellent form to help Yorkshire set Rothesay County Championship title-chasers Somerset a stiff target of 287 at tea on today’s third day at Headingley.
Somerset closed a day briefly interrupted by three rain showers on 73-3 from 30.2 overs, needing 214 more to win.
This was a day which started with the White Rose at 128-6, leading by 139, but Hill and Bess put the hosts in a healthy position by completing a seventh-wicket partnership of 166.
Hill contributed a season’s best 89 off 173 balls and Bess 77 off 186 to back up the 80 he scored in last week’s win over Essex here.
Of course, Devonian Bess is playing against the county where he came through the Academy before leaving to join Yorkshire ahead of 2021.
Like Hill, he has proven to be a talismanic figure for his adopted county this summer, with both men providing valuable runs as well as wickets.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Dom Bess dives to make his ground against Somerset today, en-route to a superb 77.
Having played a big part with the bat last night and today, they could well be to the fore with the ball tomorrow as Yorkshire bid to wreck the Taunton title bid.
Somerset led the table from Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire ahead of this fixture as they chase a maiden four-day title. However, the Bears beat Essex inside two days yesterday and hold the ‘in-game’ lead.
Hill and Bess were fabulous this morning, largely in understated fashion.
There was an over which went for 17 from Migael Pretorius, including three Hill boundaries. But progression was considered.
Batting conditions looked as easy this morning as at any other stage in the match.
Craig Overton broke the partnership shortly after lunch when Hill top-edged behind an attempted pull, leaving the score at 220-7 in the 91st over.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPi.com. George Hill on the cut today in his superb 89.
Hill got a wonderful reception from the Headingley faithful, while Overton broke off from the Somerset celebrations to congratulate him.
Bess, having reached his 130-ball fifty, was the next to go when bowled by Migael Pretorius with the score at 239-8 and the lead 250.
The tail, led by Kuldeep Yadav with 23 not out, then took the lead up towards 300 before Archie Vaughan’s off-spin had Ben Coad caught at short-leg and Ben Cliff bowled in the 111th over to wrap things up.
Kuldeep won’t have been disappointed at all to see some turn starting to appear, with Vaughan claiming the first two wickets of the match to fall to spin.
Somerset nerves would certainly have been jangling when Coad then removed Josh Thomas caught behind three balls into the chase, which started immediately after tea.
Given the prize at stake for Yorkshire, it will be fascinating to see how Somerset handle the pressure tomorrow, while the hosts can play with freedom tomorrow.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ben Coad celebrates dismissing Archie Vaughan early in the Somerset chase.
If the weather plays a significant part, clearly a draw is by no means out of the question.
However, Jonny Bairstow’s men have every chance of claim win number five of 2027, one which would give them every chance of finishing fourth come next weekend.
And Coad strengthened that bid when he bowled a Vaughan, shouldering arms to a nip-backer, leaving the visitors at 20-2 in the 13th over.
Further success came with the score on 60 when Matthew Revis bowled New Zealand international Henry Nicholls through the gate.
And talking of Kiwis, England’s new Test coach Stephen Fleming was at Headingley today and watched some play through the middle of the day alongside Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket Gavin Hamilton.
Tom Lammonby 29 and Tom Abell 6 will be at the crease for Somerset tomorrow.
