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Able Abell rescues Somerset

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A sparkling innings of 95 from debutant Tom Abell kept Somerset in the LV= County Championship clash at Taunton where by the close of day two Warwickshire led by 82 runs with all second-innings wickets intact.

The visitors added 33 to their overnight score thanks to a career-best 40 from last man Oliver Hannon-Dalby before they were all out for 367.

Somerset, third in Division One a place ahead of the hosts, struggled in reply and at 153 for seven were in danger of following on when 20-year-old local product Abell was joined by Lewis Gregory. They added 84 together to see the hosts past the required 218.

Abell was eventually last out as Somerset posted 286, Jeetan Patel and Richard Jones both finishing with 4-81.

Warwickshire had scored one without loss in their second innings by the close.

At the start of the day the visitors' last pair frustrated the Somerset bowlers for 30 minutes before Hannon-Dalby was caught at deep square-leg by Abell off Alfonso Thomas.

Having comfortably beaten his previous best with the bat, Hannon-Dalby then got Warwickshire's bowlers off to a good start when Marcus Trescothick was caught at first slip by Varun Chopra with the total on 13.

Johann Myburgh and Nick Compton saw Somerset on to 55 when both perished, the former caught by Chopra at first slip off Jones and, in the next over, Compton got an inside edge off Hannon-Dalby in to his stumps.

Abell looked unfazed by the situation and along with James Hildreth appeared to be launching a recovery. But, with the score on 98, the senior batsman tried to hook Jones and was caught by Hannon-Dalby at long-leg.

Alex Barrow brought up the Somerset 100 with a single into the off side from Patel, but after moving on to 11 he tried to work the off-spinner round the corner and was caught at short-leg by Ian Westwood.

Peter Trego stayed briefly before he pushed at Jones and was caught by wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose with the total on 128.

Craig Overton and Abell saw Somerset to 150, but three runs later the tall all-rounder attempted to hit Patel back over his head and was caught by Jonathan Trott at wide mid-on for 16.

When Gregory joined Abell, Somerset still needed 65 to avoid the follow-on but the young pair, with a combined age of 42, settled about their task in a manner way beyond their years.

Gregory lofted Patel high and wide into the Old Pavilion to record the first six of the innings while at the other end Abell continued to accumulate.

Abell took a boundary off Patel which he followed with three to midwicket off the same bowler to bring up his maiden half-century for Somerset, which came off 134 balls with three fours.

While Abell remained calm, Gregory plundered another six off Patel in the 58th over which landed over the boards in front of Gimblett's Hill.

Gregory then pulled Rikki Clarke into the Somerset Stand to see up the 200 and when he hit Patel to the long-on boundary the hosts had reached the follow-on target of 218.

The partnership was worth 84 when Gregory, on 47, looked to pull Jones and was caught at wide mid-on by Recordo Gordon.

Abell had faced 188 balls and hit seven fours in a terrific effort of concentration when caught off Patel to end the innings.

Abell later said: "It's a day I have dreamt about and I'm over the moon to have taken my opportunity. My family were here, which made it something really special for me.

"I tried to stabilize things when I went out and tried not to give my wicket away cheaply. The people I batted with helped me through and kept me ticking along and the partnerships I had along the way were a massive help."

Warwickshire's Hannon-Dalby said: "It was a very good day for us. At the start we added a few to give us some good momentum going into our bowling.

"We got good momentum from our batting and took that into our bowling. There are not too many genuine tailenders any more and I think everyone has to bat."


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