County Championship: Somerset on top against Northants as Craig Overton impresses

As well as dismissing Josh Cobb, Craig Overton took the crucial wicket of Will Young

Craig Overton marked his return to County Championship cricket with four wickets as Somerset took control on the second day of their Division One match with Northamptonshire at Taunton.

Having extended their first-innings total from an overnight 271-4 to 389 all out, the hosts reduced their opponents to 184-6 in reply, Overton ending the day with 4-25 from 13 overs.

Off-spinner Rob Keogh had claimed 4-99 and seamer Jack White 3-84 in a carefully compiled Somerset innings, which occupied 137.3 overs.

But both were upstaged by Overton, who worked up good pace from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End, having missed the last two Championship matches through international duty and then a back problem.

Will Young kept Northamptonshire in the game with a defiant 85, but found little support from the rest of his team's top six, who mustered just 37 between them.

Somerset began the day cautiously at the Cooper Associates County Ground, showing no inclination to chase the 79 runs in 14 overs that would have yielded four batting points.

Lewis Goldsworthy had not added to his overnight 22 in 6.4 overs when edging a defensive shot to first slip off White with the total on 284.

James Rew finally broke loose with successive boundaries off White to bring up the 300 and a third bonus point in the 107th over.

The young wicketkeeper fell lbw to Tom Taylor on 32 and Overton also departed in the morning session, stumped advancing down the pitch to Keogh, having made 13.

At lunch, Somerset were 362-7, having scored 91 in 31 overs. Lewis Gregory was 27 not out and added five after the interval before being pinned leg-before on the back foot by White.

Sajid Khan and last man Kasey Aldridge perished in the bid to accelerate, skying shots to White and Josh Cobb respectively, who both held testing catches.

The Northamptonshire reply had reached 16 when Emilio Gay feathered a catch to Rew off Josh Davey, who quickly followed up by having Luke Procter pouched by Overton at second slip.

Davey almost claimed a third wicket when Cobb chipped a catch to mid-on, but had overstepped and was called for a no-ball.

Overton had not been given the new ball, but his introduction to the attack soon reaped dividends as Cobb fended a sharply rising delivery to short-leg to make it 29-3.

The visitors were in a hole eight runs later when Keogh was caught behind off Overton trying to withdraw his bat.

But Young held firm and was unbeaten on 40 at tea, which was taken at 73-4. The Northamptonshire skipper moved to an excellent fifty, off 88 balls, with 10 fours.

Overton had resumed the attack at the start of the final session and produced a quick delivery to have Ricardo Vasconcelos, on 17, caught behind by Rew reaching above his head.

The England seamer, perhaps still mindful of his recent back spasms, was then immediately replaced by the expensive Aldridge, whose first seven overs, in two spells, went for 42 runs.

Somerset's grip appeared to be loosening as Saif Zaib helped Young add 63 for the sixth wicket. But back came Overton for a third spell to claim another key scalp.

Having faced 153 balls and extended his boundary count to 15, Young edged a defensive push to second slip where Tom Abell held a comfortable catch.

At 158-6, Northants still needed 82 to avoid the prospect of following-on. Zaib survived a testing examination from Overton to be unbeaten on 27 at the close, with Taylor 19 not out in a stand worth 26.

Somerset and England fast bowler Craig Overton:

"Everyone knows how much I love playing for Somerset and that I always give my all when I am out there.

"There was a bit in the pitch for me. Things seemed to go quiet for a while and then suddenly it would do something to assist the bowlers.

"My back felt fine, but I deliberately operated in short spells to be on the safe side. Lewis Gregory was experiencing some stiffness, but we hope he will be able to bowl."

Northamptonshire batting coach Ben Smith:

"Everything happened a little too quickly when we batted. I don't think the dressing room could ever relax. Losing those early wickets set us back.

"But the lads played brilliantly for a time after that and if we could have just got to the close with Youngy batting with Saif our hopes would have been elevated.

"The first target will be to get to 200 and gain a valuable point, then to save the follow-on and try for a second batting point. There are more short-term goals than to look further ahead and expect to get level with Somerset's total to make it an even game."

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.