Nottinghamshire slid to a huge first innings deficit on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton.
The home county, bidding to win the title for the first time in their history, hold the upper hand after dismissing Notts for just 138.
Somerset had stretched their first innings score to 365 in the opening portion of the day and then decided against making Notts follow-on as they reached stumps on 105 for two second time around, an overall lead of 332.
Mick Newell felt that some of his batsmen had spurned an opportunity to spend some quality time in the middle.
“Given the fact that it was probably better for batting today than it will be tomorrow afternoon and on the last day it is a bit of a missed opportunity,” said the director of cricket.
“I thought Jake Libby played nicely but apart from that we didn’t really show enough skill really,” he said.
Somerset’s two young spinners, Dom Bess and Jack Leach, enjoyed their time with the ball, with Bess taking five for 43 in only his second championship appearance.
“We’ve practiced a lot,” said Newell. “We spent a lot of time at Trent Bridge last week trying to get ready for this game and did a lot of practice against bowling machines and spinners and all sorts, so we can’t fault the preparation, we just haven’t played well enough during the match.”
Newell referred back to last year’s contest when asked about the decision not to make Notts bat again.
“I seem to remember us not enforcing it here last year and getting absolutely slaughtered for it, so let’s hope maybe the same thing happens over the next two days and we end up chasing 400. But it wasn’t a surprise, if the pitch is spinning now you think it will get worse and if it’s seaming it’s probably good to get bowling again.”
Play had begun on time at 10.30am with Somerset resuming on 322 for nine, with the home side trying to repair some of the damage lost late on the first evening when five wickets went down in the final 22 balls of the day.
Dom Bess and Jack Leach, two young spinners making their way in the game, showed that they knew how to cope with the pressure of the situation in a frustrating partnership of 43. Bess was the aggressor, scoring 41of the runs, including a clubbed six over long on off Imran Tahir.
Samit Patel finally ended his fun, as Bess drove into the hands of Michael Lumb at short extra cover.
With four batting points secured in their quest for a first county championship, Somerset went in pursuit of early wickets and nearly had one in the first over as a brilliant stop and throw from Roelof van der Merwe nearly ran out Jake Libby, before the opener had even faced a ball.
Steven Mullaney did depart in the early stages, slashing Lewis Gregory to backward point, having made just five.
Tom Moores was also in fear of being run out early in his innings, after a shy from sub fielder Max Waller threw down the stumps at the non-strikers end, with the batsman scrambling to make his ground.
Without further alarm Libby and Moores took the total to 35 for one at lunch, despite sending down five consecutive maidens before the interval.
Shortly after the resumption, Moores’ attempted a drive at the off-spinner but only succeeded in nicking it to Gregory at slip. The left-hander had gone for 10, giving Bess the first of his three wickets in the session.
After Libby and Lumb had put on 53 for the third wicket, a short leg catch by Abell accounted for the young opener, who had made 42.
Bess followed that success by taking a one-handed caught and bowl in his next over to remove Lumb for 29, as Notts slid from 91 for two to 92 for four.
With an over rate of +7, Somerset’s spinners kept plugging away and further reward came towards the end of the afternoon.
Patel had taken the fight to Bess, hitting him for a straight six and a drive for four, through the covers. He came undone though, given out stumped by Ryan Davies, for 12, from Leach’s bowling.
The board read 117 for six after Chris Read was adjudged to be run out for four. Billy Root chopped to backward point, sub Max Waller ran around and fired in a return, which found favour with umpire Mallender.
Three further wickets went down straight after tea, without a run being added. Root proffered up a short leg catch to go for 10 and Matt Carter hit his first ball straight to Craig Overton at mid off. Leach didn’t get his hat-trick and came in for some treatment in his next over as Imran Tahir bludgeoned 16, including a six and two fours.
Either side of that over Bess picked up his fourth and fifth victims. Brett Hutton skied to Overton and then Ball was given out lbw, both batsmen making two.
With a lead of 227 the follow-on wasn’t enforced, so Somerset batted again with 95 minutes remaining in the day.
Brett Hutton trapped Abell lbw for 10 and Matt Carter snared his first victim of the match when Marcus Trescothick nicked firmly to Mullaney at slip for 39.
With captain Chris Rogers at the crease, and determined to go out on a high, the home side will look for quick runs on the third morning and then hope to put Nottinghamshire’s batsmen under more pressure.