Nottinghamshire slipped to a narrow two-wicket defeat on the final morning of their game at Taunton as Somerset edged home despite a flurry of wickets giving the visitors late hope.

The home side, challenged to score 401 in more than five sessions, reached the finishing line after two hours play on a tense final morning.

Without a win on the ground since 1985, Notts were optimistic going into the last day but they were unable to part Peter Trego and Jim Allenby until only 42 runs were needed.

Samit Patel took two of the three wickets to fall, to finish with three for 57 in the innings, whilst Matt Carter’s dismissal of Trego was his tenth wicket of the match.

Understandably there was disappointment in the Nottinghamshire camp afterwards. “We knew that 400 wasn’t an unchaseable score,” said Mick Newell. “We knew the history of the ground and that’s the sort of score that doesn’t phase teams here but from our perspective we should have batted them out of the game in our second innings and that’s where we feel we let ourselves down.”

The director of cricket explained the decision not to enforce the follow-on, after Notts had secured a first innings advantage of 210. “If you think the ball is spinning and turning and bouncing then you generally would anticipate that the pitch would continue to deteriorate but I don’t think it did deteriorate massively.”

Carter’s debut performance was clearly the big bonus to come out of the match for the visitors. “He should be very proud of what he’s achieved down here,” said Newell. “And so should everybody who has brought him to our attention and developed his cricket.”

The balance of power was difficult to predict at the start of the day, with Somerset requiring 127 runs with five wickets in hand.

Trego, who began the day on 26, hit Carter for two boundaries in the opening over and the early momentum was with the home side.

Notts took the second new ball as soon as it became due but the two batsmen were both timing the ball sweetly, particularly Trego, who raced to his 50 from 64 balls, ten of which were hit for four.

The dangerous all-rounder scored 52 of the first 60 runs they added together, before Allenby moved to his own half century (81 balls 6x4 1x6).

Patel made the first breakthrough, trapping Allenby in front, for 62 and then it seemed that Notts had lost a golden chance when new man Tim Groenewald was spilled by Ben Hilfenhaus, although it had been a wondrous effort by the Australian to race in and get two hands under the dropping ball.

Dismay was short-lived because that brought Trego back on strike and he nudged Carter into the hands of Steven Mullaney, at slip, for 79.

Groenewald then also went LBW to Patel and still 20 were needed. Abdur Rehman didn’t hold back and took his side over the line after cleanly connecting with three boundaries off Carter, who ended with second innings figures of three for 139.

Somerset had secured a famous victory at the end of a thrilling match, leaving Nottinghamshire to reflect on 30 years of hurt at Taunton.

 

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