Worcestershire ease to innings victory over Somerset
Tuesday 5 May 2015 16:38, UK
Worcestershire bowled Somerset out for a paltry 90 to claim victory by an innings and 62 runs at New Road.
Charlie Morris and Jack Shantry claimed four wickets apiece for the home side, who made the most of some excellent conditions for bowling in Worcester.
Somerset started their second innings on Tuesday morning after bowling Worcestershire out for 402 late on Monday, and they got off to the worst possible start when captain Marcus Trescothick was bowled by Morris for a second-ball duck.
Morris, who took 5-71 in their first innings, had Somerset wobbling on 13-3 after his first four overs, having Johann Myburgh caught behind by Ben Cox for seven and then castling Tom Cooper for just six.
That perilous position worsened in the next two overs from Joe Leach as he bowled James Allenby for one and had Alex Barrow caught by Alex Gidman for a duck, leaving Somerset on 19-5 and facing embarrassment.
Peter Trego hit a couple of fours in his innings of 14 before Morris (4-38) struck again, and there was some brief progress when James Hildreth and possible England debutant Lewis Gregory put on 38 for the seventh wicket.
But it was left-armer Shantry who ended that partnership when he had Gregory caught behind for 14, and he then trapped last hope Hildreth in front for 35 as Somerset stumbled to 87-8.
Shantry (4-15) claimed another leg before decision to dismiss Craig Overton for 10 and then wrapped up a 23-point win for Worcestershire when Alfonso Thomas offered up a catch to Leach and went for a duck.
Trescothick could not hide his anger after the game, which saw Somerset beaten for the third time already this season.
"I feel a little but shell-shocked," he said. "We haven't performed anywhere near the level that we expect as a team for the three days.
"We have been slightly off the boil so we have got a little bit of soul-searching to do. You can't carry on in that vein because it's not good enough.
"There are areas for us in quite a few departments that we can improve on. Our challenge is to get it right by the next game we play."
