Nottinghamshire’s Seconds have an uphill battle on the second day of their three-day friendly against Somerset at Taunton after the hosts enjoyed the best of the opening day.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Notts were all out for 204 despite a lower order 93 from Paul Franks before Somerset scored 193-3 by the close, ending the day just 11 runs behind.
Nottinghamshire began the day with Anuj Dal and Jake Libby at the crease but an early burst from Bobby Gamble saw the visitors on the back foot from the off.
Gamble took the early wickets of Libby (0), Dal (4) and Will Root (18), all caught behind by Alex Barrow, as Notts slipped to 38-3.
Adam Tillcock (15) and Tom Moores (19) tried to wrestle back momentum but both fell in the morning session, the visitors falling to 76-7 by the end of the morning.
Franks and Simon Webster rescued the situation early in the afternoon session, adding a vital 69 for the eighth wicket before the latter edged to first slip off Oliver Sale (4-29) for 15.
Franks continued to play a captain’s knock though, moving to his fifty off just 59 balls and was joined by Tim Wyatt in adding a further 42 for the ninth wicket.
Wyatt had faced 33 balls for his four before he was the ninth wicket to fall, bowled by Tim Rouse, the score moving to 186-9.
Ben Kitt joined Franks and the pair took the score past 200 before the latter fell agonisingly short of his century, caught by Tom Cooper off Liam Redrup for 93, Nottinghamshire all out for 204.
Somerset replied with Adam Hose and Eddie Byrom, the pair putting on 61 inside the first nine overs before the latter was caught behind off Kitt for 21.
Tom Cooper joined Hose and continued the quick scoring before Webster removed the latter caught at first slip for 41.
The 100 came up in the 16th over and with the last ball of the 25th Cooper reached his fifty off just 61 balls, the landmark coming up with a six.
However, next over Gary Keedy provided Root with a second catch at slip, finding the edge of Barrow’s bat on 20, Somerset moving to 154-3.
That was the last of the joy for the visitors on the opening day, the hosts finishing on 193-3 with Cooper 67* and James Regan 22*, trailing Nottinghamshire by 11 runs.
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