County Championship: Surrey tighten grip against Somerset after Burns hundred

Rory Burns' century was his second for Surrey in this season's County Championship

Rory Burns' century helped leaders Surrey into a potentially winning position on the second day of their County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.

Unbeaten on 35 overnight, the England Test opener went on to score 113 off 217 balls, with 15 fours and a six, to help his side post 382-7 in their first innings, a lead of 202.

Will Jacks contributed a fluent 88, with 10 fours, and Jordan Clark 63 not out as Surrey capitalised on a true pitch in a manner Somerset had singularly failed to do on day one.

Before play started it was announced that Somerset's Craig Overton had failed a concussion reassessment after being struck on the helmet by twin brother Jamie on Sunday and would be replaced in the match by Marchant De Lange.

Hashim Amla was unable to resume his innings for Surrey because of illness and retired not out on his overnight 19, with Ben Geddes taking over as Burns' partner.

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The pair took few risks until Burns moved to his half-century with a top-edged pull off Peter Siddle that flew over the fine leg boundary for six.

It was 128-1 when De Lange was introduced to the attack and he made a breakthrough as Geddes, who had left the ball well in moving to 21, nicked a defensive shot to first slip.

By lunch, Surrey had progressed to 151-2 from 57 overs, with Burns unbeaten on 97 and De Lange having figures of 1-8 from seven overs, five of them maidens.

Burns moved to his 23rd first class ton, off 203 balls, with a single off Siddle. Never flamboyant, it was an exemplary innings in terms of shot selection and concentration.

He lost another partner with the score on 170 when Jamie Smith, on six, edged to wicketkeeper Steve Davies, giving 21-year-old Bristolian seamer Kasey Aldridge, a first-day concussion replacement for Josh Davey, his maiden first-class wicket.

Burns departed 12 runs later as left-arm spinner Roelof Van Der Merwe found an outside edge to slip with his first delivery of the day.

Surrey were just two runs ahead at 182-4, but Jacks and Cameron Steel dampened Somerset hopes of a fightback by calmly adding 65 before tea.

The final session began with Siddle darting the second new ball into Steel's pads from wide on the bowling crease to dismiss him lbw for 22.

Jacks went confidently to a 95-ball half-century, including six fours and some of the most attractive shots of the day, and he found a capable partner in Clark as they set about batting Somerset out of the game.

Clark had a life on 30, with Lewis Gregory failing to hold a sharp one-handed chance at slip off Tom Lammonby, before Surrey settled for three batting points, reaching 331-5 off 110 overs.

Jacks looked set to follow Burns to three figures when he was bowled between bat and pad by De Lange, who almost struck again when Clark's pull shot went through Siddle's hands at fine leg for six.

Clark moved to fifty off 65 balls and Jamie Overton clubbed a straight six off Van Der Merwe before Tom Abell had him caught behind for 20 as the visitors completed a more than satisfactory day.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network