County Championship: Somerset fight back against Nottinghamshire

Tom Abell scored 148 across two innings for Somerset

Somerset fought back against Nottinghamshire to give themselves a chance of a second win of the season.

Nottinghamshire began on 89-4 but added just 101 runs to their overnight score, with Samit Patel (46) top-scoring as the hosts' bowlers shared the wickets.

Set 401 runs to win, Marcus Trescothick (65) and Tom Abell (72) made a perfect start with a 129-run partnership.

Johann Myburgh added 56 before Notts recovered to leave Somerset 274-5 at stumps, requiring another 127 to win.

Somerset began the day on the front foot as Tim Groenewald (3-65) trapped the dangerous Riki Wessels lbw in the first over.

Luke Wood was then bowled by Alfonso Thomas (2-43) to leave the visitors reeling on 95-6 and give Somerset hope that they could set up an attainable victory target.

Will Gidman (22) and Patel moved the score along, but Gidman was caught and bowled by Groenewald before Patel was caught at point off the bowling of Abdur Rehman (2-60) and the tail soon followed to leave Somerset five sessions to make 401 runs.

Trescothick and Abell set about their sizeable task with positive intent, with the Somerset captain reaching his third Championship half-century of the season from 79 balls before he was caught and bowled by Patel.

Gidman (2-29) then took two crucial wickets in quick succession, having Abell and the in-form James Hildreth caught at short extra cover to leave the score at 201-3.

Matthew Carter (2-95) had both Tom Cooper and Myburgh caught to reach nine wickets for the match, but Jim Allenby (32 not out) and Peter Trego (26 not out) reached the close untroubled to leave both sides hopeful of a victory going into the final day.

Somerset coach Matt Maynard:

"It would have been nice had we have lost one or two fewer wickets, but we are still in a position where if we can get a couple of partnerships together, it is going to be a very tight finish.

"We know the new ball is around the corner, but if Trego and Allenby can develop their partnership and see off 10 or 15 overs of the new ball, it's going to be very exciting.

"I think we have done brilliantly to get ourselves back into this position in the first place. We were 200 runs adrift on the first innings, but to have bowled and fielded like we did is very encouraging."

Nottinghamshire all-rounder Will Gidman:

"The game is certainly in the balance and it's shaping up to be a fantastic last day.

"It's very clichéd, but I think the first half-hour to 45 minutes is going to be vital. Whoever wins that will be in a very strong position.

"The first innings was all about Matthew Carter but they have dealt with him a lot better and as a result, they are a lot better off in terms of the game position."