Lancashire seal victory

Chilton falls short of century in run chase

Last updated: 27th September 2008

Lancashire seal victory

Chilton: Three short of ton

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LV County Championship - Division One
Taunton - Day Three
Somerset 202 (P D Trego 81, O J Newby 4-72) & 227 (I D Blackwell 55, G Keedy 5-56) v Lancashire 248 (M B Loye 61, A R Caddick 4-79) & 183-2 (M J Chilton 97, P J Horton 58)
Lancashire (18pts) beat Somerset (4pts) by 8 wkts

Lancashire claimed the 60 runs they needed on the final day to clinch victory - but there was no century for batsman Mark Chilton.

The opener, resuming on 76 with his side cruising on 122-0, fell three short of a ton when he edged Andy Caddick down the leg side and was caught by Craig Kieswetter.

The wicket was the second to fall after Caddick had claimed fellow opener Paul Horton, who advanced his score to 58, in the previous over, edging to Marcus Trescothick in the slips.

But skipper Stuart Law joined Kevin Brown at the crease and the pair ensured Lancashire earned their fifth victory of the season.

Play had not resumed until 11.30 owing to the early morning fog, but with the sun finally bursting through the visitors were able to complete the job.

Day Three

Lancashire look certain to be playing in Division One next season after they dominated day three at Taunton, putting an end to Somerset's title hopes.

The Red Rose county will return for the final day of play neednig just 60 more runs for victory with 10 second innings wickets still in hand.

Former captain Mark Chilton hit a crucial 76 not out as the visitors made serene progress chasing down a target of 182.

Paul Horton contributed 43 to the unbeaten opening stand after Lancashire had bowled out Somerset for 227 in their second innings.

Beginning the day on 66-2, the hosts lost early wickets to slump to 96-5 and despite the best efforts of Ian Blackwell (55) they were never able to recover.

Gary Keedy was the pick of the bowlers with 5-56 while Oliver Newby picked up 3-55 to finish with match figures of 7-127.

Day Two

Luke Sutton scored an unbeaten 49 for Lancashire on the second day at Taunton to hamper his old club's hopes of a first title.

The wicketkeeper faced 162 balls as the visitors were bowled out for 248, a first-innings lead of 46.

Mal Loye top-scored on 61 after progressing from an overnight 26, while Andy Caddick claimed four for 79 and Charl Willoughby three for 36.

In their second innings, Somerset lost openers Justin Langer and Marcus Trescothick before Zander de Bruyn and James Hildreth saw the hosts to 66 for two at the close, 20 in front.

The day began with Lancashire 56 for four and Langer surprisingly opted to use Alfonso Thomas and Steffan Jones, rather than his opening attack of Caddick and Willoughby.

Plan backfired

His plan backfired as Loye and nightwatchman Gary Keedy added 53 before Caddick was introduced.

With his fifth delivery of the morning the 39-year-old former England seamer had Keedy caught at second slip by Trescothick for a valuable 25.

It was then 119 for six when Steven Croft was bowled by Jones for a duck, while Loye looked a shade unlucky when lbw to the left-arm spin of Ian Blackwell with the total on 141.

But Glen Chapple hit 36 off 50 balls to help Sutton take the total to 192 before Jones ended his resistance through a catch by Langer at first slip.

Tom Smith then hit five boundaries in his 29 as Lancashire picked up one batting point and went in search of another.

They were just nine short when Caddick had Smith caught behind, and Willoughby quickly clean-bowled last man Oliver Newby for two, leaving Sutton one away from a deserved half-century.

Somerset's second innings saw Langer caught at first slip by Paul Horton driving at Newby for six, while Trescothick played an even looser stroke to edge a wide ball from Chapple through to Sutton, having made 19.

Hildreth (16 not out) and De Bruyn (23 not out) played sensibly to the close and the game remains in the balance.

Day One

Somerset's clash with Lancashire remains finely balanced after 14 wickets fell on the first day on a grassy Taunton pitch.

The host's hopes of a first-ever County Championship seemed to have taken a blow when they were out for just 202.

But they reduced the visitors to 56 for four by stumps on a green wicket clearly prepared to produce a decisive result.

The toss looked likely to prove significant and Lancashire's Stuart Law called correctly to put Somerset in.

The hosts were in trouble straight away, with Marcus Trescothick falling for a duck to Oliver Newby in the second over.

The skipper Justin Langer soon followed after being caught driving at Glen Chapple, leaving the hosts on 20 for two.

It was soon 33 for three when Newby captured James Hildreth caught behind before Zander de Bruyn tried to stem the tide, scoring 39 off 66 balls before he edged Tom Smith to Paul Horton at first slip.

Ian Blackwell then gave Smith a return catch to reduce the hosts to 95 for five at lunch.

Things did not get better after the interval when Craig Kieswetter was out caught attempting a pull shot off Newby with only 11 runs added.

The hosts were then reduced to 110 for seven when Chapple got Alfonso Thomas out lbw and it did not look like they were going to earn a bonus batting point

But Steffan Jones and Peter Trego added 41 for the eighth wicket before Jones was caught off Newby.

Trego and number 10 Andy Caddick then added 51 before Trego was caught behind driving at Gary Keedy for a magnificent 81 having faced 151 balls.

Caddick was then out bowled by Chapple for 24 without adding any further runs, but the hosts had reached 202 and took to the field in good spirits.

Caddick then got Paul Horton and Karl Brown both caught behind with two classic lifters, before Charl Willoughby had Law caught by Trescothink at second slip.

Willoughby then clean bowled Mark Chilton to give Somerset a chance of earning the victory they need to have any chance of beating current leaders Nottinghamshire to the title.