Images: John Heald Photography

Scorecard

Somerset’s Australia opening batsman Matthew Renshaw scored a brilliant century on a day for the bowlers at Taunton, with the hosts having much the better of proceedings as 20 wickets fell.

After being bowled out for 216, including 5-57 from Jack Brooks, Somerset’s seamers wreaked havoc amongst Yorkshire’s batting line-up in bowling them out for 96 on day two.

They took advantage of swing on offer and were extremely disciplined to start this Specsavers County Championship fixture in action-packed style, and the hosts reached close at 6-0 from two second-innings overs. They lead by 126.

Lewis Gregory and Tim Groenewald finished with three wickets apiece.

All of this came after yesterday’s opening day was washed out.

Queensland left-hander Renshaw, Middlesbrough-born, flew out of the blocks following Yorkshire’s decision to take an uncontested toss and to bowl.

He hit a superb 112 off 99 balls, reaching his second successive Somerset century before lunch.

He even got off the mark with a six, reached 50 with a six and did likewise to get to three figures.

His first 52 runs all came in boundaries, including 10 fours and two sixes, and it was the second highest first-class score ever made up of all boundaries.

Brooks had previously taken only one wicket in three previous appearances here, but he finished with 5-57 from 15 overs.

He struck early when he had Marcus Trescothick caught in the gully by Harry Brook. That left the score at 5-1.

Renshaw, in belligerent mood on the way to his fifth hundred in his last eight first-class matches, then shared 140 for the second wicket with George Bartlett inside 26 overs to put the visitors under pressure.

Bartlett’s 39 represented a career best, and he played in similar fashion to Renshaw until he was one of two late morning wickets for Ben Coad, who trapped him lbw and had James Hildreth caught at mid-wicket.

And when Brooks bowled Tom Abell with the penultimate ball of the morning, Somerset were 166-4.

Wickets continued to fall in the afternoon.

Brooks had Renshaw and Dom Bess caught behind either side of Gregory lbw, while Coad’s third wicket was that of Steven Davies caught behind.

Tim Bresnan wrapped up the innings when he had Josh Davey caught and mid-wicket and Groenewald lbw, with Somerset’s last nine wickets falling for 61 runs.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the wickets, with Groenewald and Gregory both on hat-tricks after tea.

Adam Lyth was run out at the non-striker’s end in the second over before Che Pujara was trapped lbw by Gregory shortly before tea, which Yorkshire reached at 31-2 with 39 overs remaining in the day.

The start of both innings could not have been more different.

As Somerset flew out of the blocks, the visitors had to be watchful against a disciplined bowling attack in swinging conditions.

But, unfortunately, for Yorkshire, Gary Ballance inside-edged Groenewald behind for eleven as the score slipped to 51-3 in the 26th over before Brook played on to Overton in the 29th to fall for 32 – 53-4.

And not too long afterwards, it was 64-6 as Groenewald had both Matthew Waite and Andrew Hodd caught at second slip with successive deliveries.

Gregory was also on a hat-trick in the next over, the 33rd, when he had Leaning caught behind and Brooks bowled. It left Yorkshire at 64-8 having lost four wickets for no runs in 10 balls.

Yorkshire avoided the follow-on, but they could not reach 100 as Coad was bowled by Overton at 82-9. Davey then wrapped up the innings when Bresnan was caught behind for 22.

Yorkshire’s innings lasted 49.4 to Somerset’s 47.1

Renshaw was batting again at the end of the day.

The White Rose came into this match having left out Alex Lees and Josh Shaw for Waite and Carver.

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