County Championship: Craig Overton helps Somerset build big lead over Notts

Craig Overton came to the crease with Somerset holding a lead of just 53 at 246-7

Craig Overton hit an unbeaten 95 off 111 balls as Somerset tightened their grip on the second day of the County Championship Division One match with Nottinghamshire at Taunton.

From an overnight 116-1, the hosts were bowled out for 454, building a first-innings lead of 261, from a position of 246-7.

Sean Dickson made 72, Tom Banton 83, Migael Pretorius 77 and nightwatchman Josh Davey 45.

By the close, Notts were 38-1 in their second innings, Ben Slater falling for eight, and still trailed by 223.

It took Somerset until the final over before lunch to score the 78 runs needed for a first-innings lead as the Notts seam attack performed well under cloudless skies.

Dickson fell early, bringing in Tom Lammonby, who walked out with 241 runs already to his name in three Championship innings. He and Davey added 41 for the third wicket before he fell leg before to Brett Hutton playing across the line for 17.

Lewis Goldsworthy fell for three but Banton began to establish himself in fine fashion.

He lost Davey as a partner with the total on 218 and Notts began to rally. James Rew departed for 12 and Lewis Gregory fell lbw for just one.

At 246-7, Somerset's lead was just 53. But that was as good as it got for the visitors as Banton moved to his fifty off 80 balls while Overton, fresh from a half-century against Surrey at The Oval, looked in prime form.

Notts took the new ball at 262-7 and Overton greeted it with successive boundaries off Hutton.

Banton departed for an elegant 83 but Overton was unbeaten on 57 at tea, which was taken with Somerset 347-8, leading by 154.

The final session saw Overton and Pretorius turn the screw with a century stand off just 95 balls. They had extended it to 139 when Pretorius was bowled by the occasional off-spin of Matt Montgomery.

Overton was denied the chance of his second first-class century when last man Shoaib Bashir inexplicably tried to slog Harrison and skied a simple catch.

Match report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.