Rew & Overton Take Somerset To Win Over Essex

Rothesay County Championship Division One, Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton (day four)

Essex 206 & 259: Cox 103* (retired hurt); Pretorius 3-36

Somerset 145 & 325-7: Rew 116, Gregory 57, C Overton 53*; Harmer 4-120

Somerset (19 pts) hit Essex (3 pts) by 3 wickets

Match scorecard

James Rew's 10th first-class period guided Somerset to an improbable first County Championship triumph of nan season, a three-wicket occurrence against Essex astatine Taunton.

Having been 78-5 astatine 1 shape successful their 2nd innings, chasing 321 to win, nan location broadside began nan last time connected 216-6, still needing 105.

But Rew took his people from 65 to a superb 116, disconnected 189 balls, pinch 18 fours, sharing a seventh-wicket guidelines of 133 pinch Craig Overton, who contributed 53 not out, to complete a singular fightback.

Overton ended nan crippled 25 minutes earlier luncheon pinch a consecutive six disconnected Simon Harmer, which took him to a 111-ball half-century notable for unbroken attraction and exertion successful a unit situation.

Essex had fto things gaffe pinch immoderate bad boy bowling nan erstwhile evening and their bowlers recovered scant assistance successful a last-day transportation that had aided seam and rotation considerably successful nan erstwhile sessions.

They had to settee for 3 points, having been connected apical for agelong periods, while Somerset claimed a invited 19 aft a disappointing commencement to nan campaign.

The Essex onslaught will person welcomed nan first meaningful unreality screen of nan lucifer erstwhile play began pinch 12 overs to a 2nd caller ball, Sam Cook opening up from nan Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End and off-spinner Harmer operating from nan River End.

Overton, unbeaten connected 4 overnight, played and missed astatine nan first transportation of nan greeting from Cook, but soon he and Rew were eating into nan 105 runs needed for victory, nan second clipping Cook done wide mid-on for nan first bound and edging a 2nd to 3rd man disconnected nan adjacent ball.

Overton reigned himself successful commendably against Harmer, contented to prime gaps successful nan section for ones and twos, while utilizing his agelong scope to negate immoderate spin. Rew, who had looked successful premier shape nan erstwhile evening, was nan much fierce arsenic nan people passed 250 and he moved into nan 90s.

With nan sun breaking through, nan brace safely negotiated nan opening half hour, experiencing fewer alarms. But location was still nan matter of nan caller ball, taken astatine 258-6, pinch a further 63 needed and Essex nether unit to break nan stand.

Cook began his 2nd spell of nan greeting pinch it. At nan different extremity Jamie Porter recovered nan wrong separator of Rew's bat only for nan shot to alert past wicketkeeper Michael Pepper for four, taking nan Somerset man onto 97.

His 161-ball period came up pinch a back-foot changeable done nan limb broadside for 2 disconnected Porter, a mature innings from a young subordinate who looks destined for an world future. There was still activity to do, but Somerset were starting to look patient favourites arsenic Overton brought up nan 100 partnership.

Essex quickly reverted to Harmer from nan River End, who hit nan extracurricular separator of Rew's bat successful his first complete pinch nan harder ball. But it was a uncommon infinitesimal of worry for Somerset arsenic Overton, who had moved patiently to 27 without hitting a boundary, opened his shoulders to thrust Hamer done mid-off for four.

Rew besides sensed triumph was assured arsenic he trim loose pinch immoderate sweetly-struck shots. But his superb publication ended pinch conscionable 9 runs required, lbw aiming to motorboat Harmer complete nan limb side.

It mattered small arsenic Overton off-drove Harmer for 4 and past smashed nan shot backmost complete his head, pumping a fist arsenic celebrations began successful nan location dressing room.

ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay