Somerset v Yorkshire: Ryan Sidebottom leads fight back as Tykes rally at Taunton

Ryan Sidebottom struck three times in quick succession at Taunton, the dismissal of Dean Elgar being followed just two balls later by home skipper Tom Abell, then Marcus Trescothick four overs later

Yorkshire veteran Ryan Sidebottom took three quick wickets late on day one at Taunton to help the Tykes get out of trouble against County Championship Division One bottom club Somerset.

From 95-6, Andrew Hodd's battling 59 was followed by Sidebottom and Karl Carver sharing 31 for the last wicket.

Having scraped a batting point on 202, the Tykes reduced Somerset to 41-3.

Sidebottom removed the hosts' top three - Dean Elgar, Tom Abell, in successive balls, then Marcus Trescothick.

After both Elgar, caught at slip and Abell, caught behind, went in the fifth over, Trescothick was then bowled by 39-year-old Sidebottom in the ninth.

His burst had Somerset in some peril on 18-3 but James Hildreth (21) and Steven Davies (6) have so far added 23 for the fourth wicket.

Earlier, on a track being used for the third time this season, Somerset took seven wickets between lunch and tea as Jamie Overton did the main damage, taking three of the visitors' first five wickets,.

He accounted for Adam Lyth (24), Peter Handscomb (25) and Jack Leaning, while spinner Jack Leach's two victims included bowling Tykes captain Gary Ballance round his legs for 19.

But it was left to wicketkeeper Hodd to guide Yorkshire towards 200 before he finally departed, brilliantly caught by Abell at mid off.

Somerset's Jamie Overton told BBC Radio Bristol:

"It was slightly frustrating to finish the day as we did, losing three wickets. However, hopefully we can get some good runs tomorrow and get ourselves back in there.

"We have some good players. It's just a pity they are all out of form. Still, we have full belief in them and they are certainly trying their hardest.

"I was pleased with the way I bowled. The last two or three weeks, it has been coming out nicely. I was just trying to hit the pitch as hard as I could. If you could get it just back of a length, it was doing a bit."

Yorkshire's Andrew Hodd told BBC Radio Leeds:

"Ryan's contribution was big again. He is amazing, on and off the field. He just has that ability to get the big players out and he has done it again.

"Everyone down here has said that the game might not go beyond three days, so we knew every run was crucial. That was why it was important to go on the counter attack.

"It's been quite a good start to the season for me and nice to get a few scores and a few contributions. But, to be fair, I didn't see my first ball. Jamie was bowling well and it was really quite hostile."