Somerset battle their way to first innings lead

Four Somerset batsmen hit half-centuries to secure a valuable first innings lead in the top three First Division clash at Old Trafford.

Mike Burns and Peter Bowler provided a solid pre-lunch platform, then Ian Blackwell and Rob Turner led a determined recovery from 199 for five to 385 for nine in reply to Lancashire's 324.

Turner top-scored with 72 and although his innings was the slowest, taking 238 minutes and 202 balls, it was also the most valuable as he linked up first with Keith Dutch then Blackwell to add 138 for the sixth and seventh wickets.

Following an unbeaten century in the last game against Essex, it continued the wicket-keeper's return to form after a lean season, and left Somerset in a good position - especially with Lancashire's captain John Crawley unlikely to take any further part in the match following a family bereavement.

Somerset's captain Jamie Cox was also missing at the start yesterday for family reasons, so Bowler joined Burns to resume their innings on 77 for one.

Burns quickly reached an 84-ball 50 with 10 fours and a six, but he was the first man to go in the 18th over of the day, a victim of a sharp return catch by Gary Keedy.

Keedy was the pick of the Lancashire bowlers, as he also took three more wickets - all caught by Chris Schofield in the gully - to end the day with four for 73 from 34 overs.

Mark Lathwell was the first and then, after Cox had been bowled by Schofield for 46, Keedy had Bowler snapped up, but only after the veteran had made a typically patient 65.

With the pitch offering plenty of turn, Lancashire would have been confident of a first innings lead, but Somerset, and especially Turner, had other ideas.

Dutch hit all but ten in a sixth-wicket stand of 41, then Blackwell dominated the seventh-wicket partnership, with the former Derbyshire spinner reaching his 50 from 60 balls and going on to 64 with 12 boundaries.

He was finally bowled by John Wood with the second new ball but Turner ground on to 72 until he, too, fell to the Keedy-Schofield combination.