County Championship: Somerset pair keep Surrey waiting to wrap up victory

Somerset's Lewis Goldsworthy hit a career-best 67 at Taunton

Somerset's Lewis Goldsworthy and Lewis Gregory kept Surrey waiting to wrap up victory on the third day of the County Championship match at Taunton.

The visitors were bowled out without adding to their overnight score of 382-7, Hashim Amla again absent through illness, but still had a commanding lead of 202. Jordan Clark ended unbeaten on 63.

A three-day finish looked probable when Somerset slipped to 119-4 in their second innings. But Goldsworthy had other ideas, hitting a career-best 67 before Gregory weighed in with 71 not out.

By the close, Somerset had reached 319-8 in their second innings, building a precarious lead of 117 on a pitch that has rewarded good batting and bowling.

The day began well for the home side when Gregory ended the Surrey first innings in the opening over.

With his second delivery, he had Gus Atkinson caught behind off a defensive nick and four balls later Dan Worrall edged another catch to Steve Davies with a more aggressive drive.

Amla, who had retired unbeaten on 19 at the start of day two, did not appear and Clark was left stranded without facing.

Somerset lost their first wicket on 16 when Ben Green edged a good delivery from Worrall to Ryan Patel, who grasped a sharp chance at third slip.

Tom Lammonby struck four fours in moving to 20, but then top-edged an attempted pull off Atkinson and skied to backward point with the total on 37.

Tom Abell took 12 from the first over of the day sent down by former team-mate Jamie Overton and by lunch he and Tom Banton had advanced the score to 93 with few alarms.

Banton, attempting to establish himself as a Championship batsman this summer, had shown good judgement in moving to 31 when flicking at a leg-side delivery from Overton and unluckily getting a touch through to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Somerset looked sunk when an error of judgement by Abell, who had been in impressive form, saw him run out for 45 by Atkinson's throw, seeking a second after playing Overton off his legs.

But Goldsworthy had battled for more than two hours in the first innings and again offered resistance in a fifth-wicket stand of 72 with former Surrey player Davies.

The Somerset wicketkeeper made 29, but when appearing set fell leg before to off-spinner Will Jacks, attempting to sweep, with the total on 191.

Goldsworthy, whose previous best first-class score was 48, reached his maiden half-century off 72 balls with a top-edged pull for four off Clark.

Gregory then put Somerset in front with a straight boundary off Jacks and at tea the hosts were 222-5, leading by 20.

The diminutive Goldsworthy had struck eight fours and a six when caught behind looking to cut a wide ball from Jacks.

Roelof van der Merwe fell lbw to Atkinson for two, despite his best efforts to get outside the line of off stump, and at 249-7, Somerset led by only 47.

But Gregory grew in confidence from a sketchy start and reached an attractive fifty off 76 balls, with five fours and a six over deep square off Atkinson.

Kasey Aldridge, playing in only his third first-class match, provided excellent support as Surrey took the second new ball at 283-7. The pair brought up a half-century stand in 11 overs before Aldridge was pinned lbw by Overton for 15.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network