Imran Tahir became the first overseas bowler to take five wickets in an innings for Nottinghamshire for 12 years, on the third day of the county’s Specsavers County Championship game against Somerset at Trent Bridge.
Tahir, who had claimed a couple of wickets on the second day, gathered five more to finish with seven for 112 as Somerset were bowled out for 437, a lead of 36.
The visitors were indebted to a splendid double hundred from Marcus Trescothick as they forged their narrow advantage. Having brought up his first three-figure score on the ground, the previous day, he batted on and on – to reach 218 before being last out.
Trescothick’s marathon spanned 491 minutes and he faced 355 deliveries and hit 32 fours and a six.
When Nottinghamshire batted for a second time they lost two wickets before the deficit had been wiped away, before closing on 58 for two, a slender advantage of 22.
Somerset began the day on 244 for three, trailing by 157 runs, with Trescothick unbeaten on 117 and nightwatchman Jack Leach on a single.
Leach soon succumbed to the spin of Tahir, without being able to add to his overnight score.
He edged one ball that eluded the grasp of Steven Mullaney at first slip but the next snick was held by Samit Patel standing next to him, at second slip, despite the fielder juggling the ball three times before holding on.
That was the solitary success for Notts during the opening session as Trescothick continued to accumulate. The 40-year old brought up his 150, getting there from 227 deliveries, with 24 boundaries and a six. It was the 25th occasion in which the former England international had reached 150 in first class cricket, with Notts’ the 17th different side he’d done it against.
Jim Allenby maintained a steady flow of runs from the other end also and reached his 50 soon after lunch from 92 balls. He advanced his score to 63 before being bowled by Patel, hitting across the line.
Somerset brought up the 400 in the 108th over, with Notts then grabbing a sixth wicket a couple of balls later as Peter Trego popped up a short leg catch to Brendan Taylor for five.
Bowler Tahir followed that dismissal with his fourth of the innings by pinning Lewis Gregory lbw for nought.
Trescothick’s 200 arrived from 323 balls and on 205 he brought up his 1,000th first class run for the season.
Ryan Davies fell to the first ball after tea, nudging Tahir to Mullaney at slip and shortly afterwards Trescothick’s marathon was over after he punched the leg spinner to Taylor at extra cover.
Craig Overton trapped Mullaney for 11 and Michael Lumb was bowled by Allenby for nought in the final session but Jake Libby and Taylor saw it through to the close without further alarm.
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