Unmukt Chand came agonisingly close to converting his recent scores into a big one, but his stroke-filled 99 helped Delhi win in a tense finish against Haryana

The Report by Sidharth Monga in Delhi18-Oct-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Harshal Patel picked up four wickets, but couldn’t prevent Haryana’s defeat

Unmukt Chand’s recent scores have read: 52, 90, 64, 56, 84, 51 not out. In the second innings at Kotla, in a chase made tricky because of zero experience in the Delhi middle order, Chand came agonisingly close to converting it into a big one, but his stroke-filled 99 helped Delhi win in a tense finish.When Chand became the fourth wicket to fall, Delhi needed only 60 on a slow pitch where batsmen were getting more and more difficult to dislodge, but Delhi supporters became tense. Soon it became apparent why, with Haryana growing a leg, their players finding a voice, and two wickets falling immediately. Pradeep Sangwan, who opens the innings both with the bat and ball in all local tournaments in Delhi, then eased the situation with a couple of fours early on. Harshal Patel and Ashish Hooda bowled their hearts out in the afternoon. Harshal bowled 12 straight overs either side of lunch for 39 runs and two wickets, Ashish’s afternoon analysis read 7-2-16-1, but Delhi prevailed by four wickets in the grudge match against the side led by former Delhi player Virender Sehwag.The day began for Delhi with 155 required and all their wickets intact. The pitch had become slow. Looking at how Haryana’s lower order had dragged the innings out, it looked increasingly difficult to get wickets if the batsmen did not become adventurous. Gautam Gambhir, though, for the second time in the match, fell to a contentious lbw in the second over of the day. He was fine 10% of his match fee for trying to mislead the umpire by suggesting the ball hit him higher than it actually did.The experiment of Mohit Ahlawat at No. 3 failed with a pair against the rookie wicketkeeper’s name. Nitish Rana and Chand then steadied the innings with sensible batting. Chand, who began the day on 48, batted with intent. He drove beautifully through the covers, none of such boundaries coming off half-volleys. He drove them on the up, with a long stride in to get into position. He slowed down in the 90s, and when he got the short and wide delivery to cut, he managed just the outside edge. Chand later said he was not aware he was batting on 99. “I was not looking at 100, but at the 224 the team needed,” he said.Harshal and Hooda got into their zone. Four wickets fell for 29 runs, the injured Ishant Sharma began to walk up and down in the Delhi balcony. It would have been interesting if he would have been available to bat and also able to run. Coming in with 41 required, Sanwgan eased the nerves by racing away to 10 off 13. This was decisive batting. Drawing confidence from the other end, Milind Kumar, the No. 6 batsman under pressure, went to weather the storm.Once the score went past 200 and Haryana had to go to Jayant Yadav and Sanjay Pahal, Milind too opened up. Yadav admitted he should have done better on a last-day pitch than 14 overs for 48 runs and no wickets. “I have let myself down,” he said. “If I had chipped in with one or two wickets or held one end up like Manan did for Delhi, this game would have been closer.”Milind ended the game with two fours in one over, one through gully and the other through midwicket. Relief was palpable all around. Milind raised his bat to the spectators, and Delhi rose to the top of the table after a disastrous off-field start to the tournament. The team management, too, has been under pressure with their left-field selections, but for the moment they sit pretty.

A round-up of all the Ranji Trophy Group C matches on October 25, 2015

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2015
ScorecardFile photo: Arindam Das hit an unbeaten 106 and added 194 with Parvinder Singh•Fotocorp

Goa and Himachal Pradesh had to settle for a draw in Dharamsala, but the hosts ended the happier of the two sides, having picked up three points due to a first-innings lead. Goa, who began the day at 182 for 3, were buoyed by a century from Snehal Kauthankar (101), who strung together big stands with Darshan Misal (44) and Dheeraj Jadhav (50*), helping the team to 367 for 6 after which they declared. It set Himachal Pradesh a target of 316, but with less than 40 overs left in the day, the chances of an outright win for either team were slim. Himachal Pradesh managed their way to 125 for 2 in 30 overs before stumps were called, thanks to an opening stand of 107 between Ankush Bains and Prashant Chopra (60).
ScorecardCenturies from Arindam Das and Parvinder Singh ensured Tripura batted throughout the day to secure a draw against Jammu & Kashmir in Agartala. The result meant J&K had to settle for just three first-innings points, rather than the six they would have got from an outright win. Having set a target of 368 after declaring overnight, J&K had more than 90 overs to try and bowl Tripura out. However, after losing Rajib Saha and Udiyan Bose early in the day, Arindam and Parvinder held firm, batting together for 68 overs. Arindam hit 11 fours and a six for his 106, while Parvinder’s 100 featured nine fours. The pair’s unbroken 194-run stand took Tripura to 243 for 2 before stumps were called.
ScorecardKerala’s spinners Karaparambil Monish and Rohan Prem picked up four wickets apiece, helping the team to a three-run innings lead, and as a result, three crucial points from their drawn game against Services in Delhi. Services, who began the day at 281 for 7 still adrift of Kerala’s first-innings total by 41 runs, were pushed forward by a half-century from Muzzaffaruddin Khalid. However, Khalid received little support from the tailenders, as Services were bowled out for 319 and fell just short of an innings lead.Kerala could have settled for just the innings points, but the visitors pressed on for an outright win, as a 72 from Akshay Kodoth led the team to 176 in their second innings, after which they declared. His knock set Services a target of 180, but Kerala had just 18 overs to bowl the hosts out. A three-wicket burst from Sachin Baby reduced Services to 43 for 4, but Kerala ran out time to push on for victory.

The Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) has formed 10 sub-committees that will work under court-appointed observer, former Justice Mukul Mudgal, in regards to the organisation of the fourth Test between India and South Africa

PTI20-Nov-2015The Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), during an internal meeting today, has formed 10 sub-committees that will work under court-appointed observer, former Justice Mukul Mudgal, in regards to the organisation of the fourth Test between India and South Africa. Justice Mudgal will be going to the Feroz Shah Kotla at 11am on Saturday morning for his first meeting with senior DDCA officials.”Today we have formed the 10 sub-committees that will be working for the smooth conduct of the Test match. Each committee will have a chairman and also have three-four members,” DDCA treasurer Ravinder Manchanda told PTI. “Tomorrow Justice Mudgal will be coming to Kotla for inspection and first meeting with the officials. We have asked all our executive committee members to be present.”However Manchanda said that they are yet to finalise the names of the members in each committee. “We will fill up the names by tomorrow. We will need to
see what Justice Mudgal advises,” he said. “We will certainly obey and follow his instructions.”

Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera’s 3 for 52 and opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s 93 were the highlights in another modest day for the Sri Lankans in their three-day tour match in Queenstown

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2015
ScorecardFile photo – Dushmantha Chameera was the only Sri Lankan seamer to take a wicket•AFP

Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera’s 3 for 52 and opener Dimuth Karunaratne’s 93 were the highlights in another modest day for the Sri Lankans in their three-day tour match in Queenstown. The NZC President’s XI took a 95-run lead at the end of day two, having dismissed the Sri Lankans for 193, then hitting 288 for 7 on the back of a brisk 179-run opening stand. Ben Smith struck 81 from 108 balls, and Bharat Popli made 79 from 137.The Sri Lankans began the day on 97 for 5, having lost four wickets for eight runs the previous evening. They quickly resumed losing batsmen, as both Milinda Siriwardana and Kusal Perera were dismissed for 1. A 59-run stand between Rangana Herath (34) and Karunaratne helped push the visitors towards respectability, but the tail fell quickly after Karunaratne’s dismissal for 93.Offspinner Tim Johnston picked up the innings’ best figures, with 4 for 43 from 16 overs, but New Zealand will also be pleased with Neil Wagner’s outing. The left-arm seamer, who is in the New Zealand Test squad, took 3 for 31 from his 16 overs.The President’s XI openers had raced to 179 from 38.3 overs before Chameera made the Sri Lankans’ first breakthrough. He was the only Sri Lankan seamer to take a wicket. Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay and left-arm spinner Siriwardana took one each, while Kusal Perera claimed two in something of a Sri Lankan resurgence. The visitors took six wickets for 42, but then conceded a 51-run partnership to the seventh-wicket pair, towards the end of the day.

Chris Gayle has denied allegations that he indecently exposed himself to a woman in Sydney during the 2015 World Cup

Daniel Brettig06-Jan-2016Chris Gayle has denied allegations that he indecently exposed himself to a woman in Sydney during the 2015 World Cup. The Melbourne Renegades’ chief executive Stuart Coventry, whose team Gayle plays for in the BBL, is also the subject of scrutiny by Cricket Victoria for labelling the claims as “opportunistic”.The alleged incident was reported by Fairfax Media, which claimed that the West Indies manager Richie Richardson had subsequently sent a communique to all team members about the need to be more respectful to women at the World Cup. However Gayle’s agent Simon Auteri delivered a blunt denial, along with a threat of legal action. Gayle had until Tuesday been a guest columnist with Fairfax.”Chris denies the allegations published by Fairfax Media earlier today,” Auteri said in a statement. “It is important that anyone seeking to make false accusations against Chris be aware that Chris and his management will be considering all rights and legal options available. There will be no further comment from Chris or his management at this stage.”When asked for his reactions to the allegations, Coventry said they were “opportunistic”, Fairfax Media reported. “Whatever third parties come out and make comments about incidents that happened in the past have nothing to do with us,” he said.Cricket Australia officials were believed to be privately fuming at Coventry’s words on Wednesday morning, and Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide released a statement in late afternoon emphasising the status of the BBL as a competition designed to be welcoming to women. He went on to say that the comments attributed to Coventry were out of order.”Cricket Victoria and its BBL teams are committed to demonstrating that our sport respects girls and women and we’re working incredibly hard to ensure that is the case,” Dodemaide said. “We certainly don’t condone the reported comments attributed to Stuart this morning and we’re looking into it further.”The fresh allegations surfaced as a result of Gayle’s controversial televised exchange with the Ten Network BBL broadcaster Mel McLaughlin, for which the Renegades fined him $10,000. McLaughlin stated she accepted Gayle’s apology and wished to move on from the incident.Coventry declined an ESPNcricinfo request for an interview.

East London and Kimberley are in a battle to become the home cities for one of two new South African franchises while Potchefstroom may be the base for the other as CSA looks to expand its domestic structure

Firdose Moonda08-Feb-2016East London and Kimberley are in a battle to become the home cities for one of two new South African franchises while Potchefstroom may be the base for the other, as CSA looks to expand its domestic structure. An insider revealed to ESPNcricinfo that there is talk of increasing the number of franchises from six to eight in order to deepen the talent pool and create a larger professional structure.”It makes sense for Potchefstroom to have one of the franchises. They have such a good stadium there, all the facilities are within a small distance of each other and there’s a population that’s very interested in the game and all live just around the ground and university,” the source said. “There is obviously the political considerations and with CSA’s transformation agenda, putting a franchise in East London may be an option. With administrative issues there and between Kimberley and Bloemfontein, there may be a case for a separate franchise there too.”In 2004, South Africa revamped its domestic system in an attempt to create a strength versus strength structure, similar to Australia’s. The 11 provincial teams were contracted into six franchises, with each retaining their identity in the second-tier amateur competition. The function of the provinces is to feed players into the franchise system. It has since become semi-professional and grown to 13 teams.When the franchises were formed, not all the provincial sides were happy to merge. Border (based in East London), together with Eastern Province (Based in Port Elizabeth), became the Warriors, while Griquas (the Kimberley-based team) and Free State (in Bloemfontein) became the Eagles (now renamed the Knights). However, there as been history of infighting in both. At the Warriors, the argument was whether Port Elizabeth or East London would be considered the main host venue while Griquas initially refused to merge with Free State before agreeing to a joint shareholding of the franchise a season later.Both East London and Kimberley are considered hotbeds of talent for players of colour. East London is the heartland of black African cricket and with an increased focus on speeding up the pace of transformation, there have long been calls for a team based in the city. Peter Kirsten is one of the people who have long championed the cause for a team there. Kimberley has a significant population of mixed race people so it would make transformation sense for a team there as well.Potchefstroom, who are currently the second ground of the Johannesburg-based Lions, would not be able to offer those benefits but it does have some of the country’s best sports facilities at its High Performance Centre. Touring international teams, most notably Australia, choose to start the stay in South Africa at this venue while in 2010, the Football World Cup winners, Spain, were based there. Potchefstroom recently hosted the Varsity Cup Cricket, a week-long tournament between the country’s university teams. It is a venue known for jovial, student, sports-mad crowds, which may also work in its favour when CSA considers where to base a franchise.The new structure could come into place as early as next season, which would not give the new franchise teams much time to contract players and would also significantly increase the running costs of domestic cricket. “CSA needs to be very careful about this because even though they might have the money for it at the moment with the Rand-Dollar exchange rate, it’s a long-term decision,” the source said. “And with all the criticism over the strength of the domestic game, maybe it will dilute that even more.”Recent results across the international level has put the domestic system under severe scrutiny; South Africa’s Test team lost back to back series, the ODI side are two-nil down against England, the A team has lacked competitiveness and the Under-19s were booted out of the age-group World Cup in the first round. Everything, from the quality of coaches to the extent of the quota system which now requires franchise teams to field six players of colour including three black Africans, is currently being examined.

Twenty-one year old left-arm spinning allrounder Mohammad Nawaz took 4 for 13 to set up Quetta Gladiators’ victory over Islamabad United in the opening match of the PSL

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Mohammad Nawaz took 4 for 13 on a slow, turning pitch•Chris Whiteoak

The Pakistan Super League has been hailed by many as a pipeline for young talent to break into the world stage and 21-year old left-arm spinning allrounder Mohammad Nawaz took the opportunity to do so in the tournament opener as his 4 for 13 set up Quetta Gladiators’ eight-wicket victory over Islamabad United in Dubai.The Pakistan fans have had to wait years to have a T20 league of their own. An extensive opening ceremony made them wait some more and the match only began at 9.30 pm. Quetta’s captain Sarfaraz Ahmed opted to bowl and it proved a wise decision as his new-ball bowlers kept Islamabad tied down for much of the innings. None of the top five batsmen were able to cross 15 runs and Nawaz was responsible for dismissing three of them.Nawaz has already been earmarked as a future prospect with Pakistan having turned out for the ‘A’ team in the recent series against England Lions at the ICC Academy ground in Dubai. He took 11 wickets from five matches and struck a half-century as wellIslamabad were 63 for 6 in the 15th over when their captain Misbah-ul-Haq (41 off 28) and Andre Russell (35 off 20) slammed 57 runs in 27 balls to lend some respectability to the total. Russell caned Umar Gul for three fours and a six in the 18th over and Misbah carved Anwar Ali, who had bowled a maiden to kickstart the PSL, for three fours in the 19th over.Still a chase that was barely over run-a-ball asks very little of batsmen and when someone from the top order scores a half-century off 31 balls, the result becomes quite apparent. Luke Wright finished unbeaten with 86 off 53 balls with 11 fours and four sixes to wrap the match up with 24 balls to spare.

West Indies Women used their belligerence to defend 143 by six runs against New Zealand Women in Mumbai to book a place in their maiden final against Australia in Kolkata on Sunday

The Report by Shashank Kishore31-Mar-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBritney Cooper’s maiden T20I fifty lifted West Indies to 143, a score they defended by six runs•AFP

All along, batsmen have had to find innovative ways to keep the runs ticking. Scoops, paddles, dabs and strike rotation have been the key largely due to surfaces on offer. The first sign of a true surface and the belligerence of the batsmen came to the fore at the Wankhede Stadium in a high-scoring clash that West Indies Women won by six runs – their first semi-final victory – to set up a final date with Australia Women in Kolkata on Sunday. Like the men, New Zealand Women bowed out of the tournament after going through the group stages unscathed.West Indies, all swagger and substance, challenged the might of New Zealand’s spin trio of Morna Nielsen, Leigh Kasperek and Erin Bermingham to post an imposing 143 for 6. Sara McGlashan and Amy Satterthwaite then overcame slices of luck – they could have been run-out on a number of occasions during the course of their fourth-wicket stand of 59, but their dismissal in the space of four deliveries thwarted New Zealand’s designs. They eventually finished on 137 for 8 as West Indies broke their semi-final voodoo after three failed attempts.Britney Cooper was the principal destroyer for West Indies as she made a belligerent 48-ball 61. However, it was far from a one-woman show as Stafanie Taylor, the captain, and Deandra Dottin played their part in injecting momentum at various stages of the innings to somewhat cover up for the lack of big hits towards the end. While they managed just one four and two sixes in the last five overs, they still managed to eke out 43 valuable runs.New Zealand, who had stamped their authority over the rest of the field in the group stages, needed their accomplished top order to produce the best batting display of the tournament. Although Rachel Priest fell early, Sophie Devine came out all guns blazing, hitting four boundaries off her first six deliveries to bring the chase back on track. But some lackadaisical running coupled with Dottin’s rocket throw from point found her inches short of the crease. When Bates was pouched off a leading edge at mid-off four balls later, New Zealand slipped to 49 for 3 to throw the chase off track again.McGlashan then took the onus on her to keep the scoreboard ticking along, as she combined with Satterthwaite to eat into the target. Without taking any risks, the pair comfortably managed to churn an average of seven runs every over, even as they were helped by a West Indies unit that seemed to have switched off briefly. By bringing down the equation to 56 off the last six, the game was delicately poised. But by picking 13 off the following over, there seemed to be another twist that threw open possibilities of a last-over thriller. But Taylor’s double-strike in the 17th over to dismiss Sattherthwaite and McGlashan, both to Shemaine Campbelle at sweeper cover, subsided New Zealand’s challenge.Mathews provided the early spark as the game started off as an intriguing battle between New Zealand’s spinners and West Indies’ big-hitting batsmen. Nielsen, the left-arm spinner, gave Bates an early breakthrough by trapping Matthews plumb in front in the third over, but West Indies showed their depth when it mattered most.At the other end, the ball was pinging the middle of Taylor’s bat as she started her scoring with a back-foot punch for four, and followed that with a cut shot. Cooper, who came in at No. 3 in what was a surprise move, then unsettled Leigh Kasperek, the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, with two boundaries in her first over by stepping out and clearing the infield.New Zealand looked dangerous whenever their spinners had proved tough to negotiate. But on Thursday, when there wasn’t much turn or slowness off the surface, most of them, barring Nielsen, looked largely ineffective.
Taylor’s mistimed slog against the run of play came as a breather for New Zealand, but Dottin marked her arrival with a whip over square leg for four to seamlessly switch momentum. Cooper’s dismissal in the 18th over could have cost West Indies 10 extra runs on another day, but Merissa Aguilleira’s cameo ensured West Indies kept going forward despite losing wickets.After finishing off well with the bat, Dottin was summoned to bowl the final over in which she had to defend 19, and she did like she had against India to close out the game in style.

Hamish Marshall saved Gloucestershire from first-day capitulation against Kent by scoring the 28th first-class hundred of his career in steamy Canterbury.

ECB Reporters Network08-May-2016
ScorecardHamish Marshall was facing a scoreline of 14 for 4 shortly after he arrived at the crease•Getty Images

Hamish Marshall saved Gloucestershire from first-day capitulation against Kent by scoring the 28th first-class hundred of his career in steamy Canterbury.Marshall rescued the visitors from the perils of 14 for 4 and led them to relative respectability at stumps on 296 for 9 after they had won the toss and chosen to bat.Extracting decent carry and a little nip off a first-day surface at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Kent’s veteran new-ball pairing Mitch Claydon and Darren Stevens shared six wickets, including two apiece inside the opening 18 overs of the match.The sixth-placed visitors lost Chris Dent 16 balls into the game. Pushing late and down the wrong line to a full-length ball from Claydon, he went lbw for a single.Four overs later, visiting No.3 Ian Cockbain, in attempting to pull against Claydon, edged through to keeper Adam Rouse to depart for a 12-ball duck.After an hour at the crease opener Cameron Bancroft pushed at a good length lifting leg-cutter from Stevens to be caught behind then, in his next over, Stevens produced a near identical delivery to account for Gareth Roderick and give Rouse a third catch of the session against his former county.Marshall’s back-foot cut through backward off the bowling of Calum Haggett opened his side’s boundary account once Stevens rested following an obdurate 10-over spell of 2 for 10 from the Pavilion End that included five maidens.Yet it was Matt Hunn, on his season’s debut, and Haggett claimed Kent’s only mid-session successes. Haggett bowled George Hankins to end a fifth-wicket stand that added 87 in 20.5 overs, then Hunn nipped one down the Canterbury slope to clip the top of middle stump as left-hander Kieran Noema-Barnett played back and across the line.Marshall might have gone with his score on 35, but Claydon was unable to cling on to a low caught and bowled chance in his follow-through allowing him to reach a 179-ball century with 11 fours.Kent were left a bowler light at 4.25pm when, after bowling the 69th over, offspinner Adam Riley went off the field with a suspected side strain.Marshall took full advantage to add 112 in 27.2 overs in tandem with Jack Taylor who looked assured in scoring a 74-ball 50 with seven fours. But Taylor blotted his copybook in the penultimate over before the second new ball by driving a return catch to Stevens for a gift third wicket of the day.Five deliveries later, Claydon’s first delivery of a new spell from the Nackington Road End, lifted, struck Marshall on the gloves and ballooned to Tom Latham at second slip to end his 202-ball stay. Marshall had batted almost four-and-a-half hours for his 112.Claydon and Stevens shared the second new ball but without success as ninth-wicket partners David Payne and Craig Miles added 39, before Miles edged a loose back-foot force against Haggett to Stevens at slip.Fresh from his three wickets, Stevens admitted that losing Riley with a side strain was a blow – and neither was he pleased about the tactics against Marshall.”We spoke about our lengths this morning and we were right on the money in the morning session, but when Hamish came in we pulled our lengths back that little bit too much,” said the Kent beneficiary.”Hamish is international quality. He left the ball really well today. It was like he’s been playing here for years, the way he played the slope and left well. We know he loves the short ball and he probably scored 50 or more, square, behind the wicket or down to third man. He hardly scored a run down the ground, so we need to learn from that second time around.”Kent had made three team changes to the side that beat Glamorgan by 10 wickets to move third in the Division Two table on Wednesday.Opening bowler Matt Coles, suspended for two games under the ECB’s disciplinary procedures, was replaced by Haggett. Top-order bat Sean Dickson needed eight stitches in his left hand after cutting himself when trying to repair a fan at his home.The South African could be out for a fortnight and was replaced by Alex Blake, while Hunn was preferred to rookie seamer Hugh Bernard, who made his first-class debut in the win over Glamorgan.

To suggest that Adam Lyth and Alex Lees were facing a minor crisis when they opened Yorkshire’s innings on a placid Taunton pitch would be a slight exaggeration but it was a telling session nonetheless

David Hopps at Taunton16-May-2016
ScorecardPeter Trego hits out during his 94•Getty Images

To suggest that Adam Lyth and Alex Lees were facing a minor crisis when they opened Yorkshire’s innings on a placid Taunton pitch would be a slight exaggeration. Yorkshire, after all, entered this round of matches one point ahead at the top of Division One as they seek to become the first team to win a hat-trick of titles since they achieved just that 48 years ago. Most would settle for that.Nevertheless, it felt like a telling moment. Yorkshire, to general agreement, have yet to hit their straps this season, and Joe Root and, in particular, Jonny Bairstow, last season’s perpetual batting get-out clause, are now occupied with England. Somerset’s 562 for 7 conveyed the feeling that there were runs to be had, but it was not a time for fripperies.Yorkshire’s prime concern was to avoid the follow-on figure of 413, and Lyth’s unbeaten 80 fulfilled their needs as they closed solidly on 127 for 1, but at the current rate of progress of 2.50 an over, security would not be achieved until the final morning. It would be difficult to conjure up something from that.Unless Somerset prosper, it is hard to see how this match is going anywhere other than the draw column which is where most matches have ended up this season. Flatter pitches have not been without a certain amount of spectator pain.The first half of the day was pleasing fare nonetheless – the completion of the serenest of hundreds by James Hildreth and another excellent ninetysomething from Peter Trego – the third of the innings. Among the Somerset supporters there was contentment, but Yorkshire’s travelling supporters were not enchanted by fielding lapses that included overthrows, balls careering cruelly off newly-laid drains past despairing hands, and some limping from the captain, Andrew Gale, who went into the match with a bruised knee. A little bit of grouching was reported outside the Ring O’ Bells pub.”Flat,” said Hildreth – 166 from 217 balls. “Tough,” said Adil Rashid, who emerged with 4 for 140.A vigilant opening stand of 103 in 41 overs reflected the seriousness of Yorkshire’s task, at which point Lees, whose laborious 33 had been assembled from 122 balls – half the score of his partner from the same amount of strike – drove at Jamie Overton and was caught at second slip. He left with a frustrated kick of the air: hard work that had brought limited reward.The appearance of Will Rhodes at No. 3 emphasised the extent of Yorkshire’s challenge. Rhodes, a 21-year-old, is fancied to kick on with bat and ball this season, but first drop is a big challenge all the same. Last season, Gary Ballance and Jack Leaning shared the role, but both are down the order. Rhodes survived: a big task ahead.Yorkshire’s position could have been more unstable if Somerset had held their catches in the hour before tea. Lyth might have fallen for 2 had Tim Groenewald been able to hold a stooping catch in his follow-through in his first over – and second of the innings. Left-arm spinner Jack Leach also deserved Lees’ wicket, on 7, when Jim Allenby grassed a comfortable chance at second slip, enough to spark his detractors in front of the Colin Atkinson pavilion into another impromptu routine.Most encouraging for Somerset was the form of Jamie Overton. The Big O looked by far the quickest pace bowler in the match, and bowled with decent control, too, putting Lyth on the seat of his pants as he evaded one delivery and beating him on the drive on several occasions. Lees was even more circumspect against him. He is an imposing and rough-hewn figure, looking as if he has arisen for a game of cricket from Giant’s Chair, on Grabbist Hill, where on a clear day you can see all the way to Dunkery Beacon.Jason Gillespie, Yorkshire’s head coach, had even pronounced himself “a happy coach” after Somerset closed the first day on 342 for 4, inviting the thought that by the time they declared at 562 for 7 he must have been beside himself with ecstasy.Somerset rattled up another 220 from 42 overs before declaring 40 minutes after lunch, a hard-fought opening hour giving way to batting dominance. Trego’s 94 continued a run of productive form before his derring-do against Rashid caused his downfall – a catch at the wicket with a hundred in his sights. As forearms as thickly coloured as an artist’s palette swung heartily, he scattered the inhabitants of a hospitality box in the Botham Stand and also christened the new pavilion with the first blow onto the upper tier.Overton, promoted up the order for a slog, put Steven Patterson into the River Tone before holing out against the same bowler at deep midwicket. Rashid is unlikely to be enamoured by the thought that it is Leach, not himself, who is most likely to be bowling on the fourth afternoon. Not that many of the locals anticipate fierce turn – like Neil Sedaka, this Taunton square finds that Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.