Banton's 92 helps Somerset past 300 against Pears
Tom Banton fell just short of his second century in first-class cricket
- Published
Vitality County Championship Division One, Kidderminster (day one)
Somerset 309-9 dec: Banton 92; Holder 3-72
Worcestershire 14-0:
Worcestershire 3pts, Somerset 2pts
Tom Banton continued his upturn in form to hold the Somerset innings together after Jason Holder had threatened to put Worcestershire in a position of strength on day one of their County Championship encounter at Kidderminster.
West Indies all-rounder Holder produced another devastating spell with the ball as he sent back Andrew Umeed, James Rew and Lewis Gregory in the space of 12 deliveries immediately before tea to reduce Somerset to 181-6.
But Banton ensured there was no complete collapse by the visitors and produced a series of glorious strokes and brutal hitting in making 92 from 140 balls before being run out.
He had managed only 46 runs from his first four Championship innings of the summer but found his touch with 83 against Nottinghamshire at Taunton last week.
His knock, plus some late-order big-hitting by Migael Pretorius (49) enabled Somerset to recover and claim two batting points before declaring on 309-9 late in the day.
Jake Libby and Adam Finch safely negotiated five overs as Worcestershire closed on 14-0.
After Somerset had been sent in, Sean Dickson was dropped before scoring but it did not prove a costly miss as he fell lbw for 16 in Matthew Waite's first over.
The return of Ben Gibbon led to a second breakthrough as Matt Renshaw (30) edged to slip to make it 81-2 before Leach came back to the attack after lunch and had Tom Lammonby (34) snapped up by Holder at second slip.
Banton was beaten twice in an over from Waite as Worcestershire searched for further success but it was Holder who did the damage, dismissing Umeed three runs short of his maiden first-class half-century for Somerset, before sending back Rew and Gregory cheaply.
Waite claimed a deserved second wicket when he trapped Kasey Aldridge lbw after tea, making it 210-7, but Banton and Pretorius helped Somerset past 300.
Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.