Somerset title hopes end as Hants hold on for draw
Archie Vaughan's 6-96 are his best figures in first-class cricket
- Published
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton (day four)
Somerset 454-8 dec: Aldridge 180, Abell 118; Barker 2-41
Hampshire 172 & 201-8 (f/o): Sundar 46; Vaughan 6-96
Somerset (16 pts) drew with Hampshire (10 pts)
Nick Gubbins led a determined rearguard action as Hampshire eased their relegation fears with a battling draw on the final day of the County Championship Division One match with Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.
The experienced left-hander faced 203 balls to score 37 and shared a crucial fourth-wicket stand with skipper Ben Brown that occupied 40 overs after their side had begun the day on 35-1, needing a further 247 runs to avoid an innings defeat.
Washington Sundar top-scored with 46 as Hampshire fought their way to 201-8 by the close, despite the best efforts of Somerset off-spinner Archie Vaughan, who finished with a career-best 6-96 from 50 overs, and Jack Leach, whose 2-40 from 49.5 overs, including 33 maidens, gave him match figures of 9-109.
Somerset took 16 points from the game to consolidate third place in Division One, albeit the draw ended their outside chance of winning the title, while the 10 points mean Hampshire stay out of the bottom two going into the final round of fixtures.
The visitors had added only two to their overnight score of 35-1 when Vaughan struck the first blow for Somerset, Fletcha Middleton getting an inside edge to be caught at leg slip by Kasey Aldridge for nine.
It was soon clear that Hampshire were going to rely on application, concentration and skilful defence to avoid defeat. Toby Albert had faced 52 balls to score 10 when pinned lbw on the back foot by Vaughan with the total on 57.
At times, Somerset had as many as seven fielders crowded around the bat for Vaughan and third day hero Jack Leach, but Gubbins and Brown displayed solid resistance to take the score to 82-3 off 57 overs at lunch.
The pattern continued in the afternoon session, Brown surviving a tough stumping chance to James Rew off Vaughan when on 16. It was a rare moment of anxiety as the fourth-wicket partnership continued to frustrate all Somerset's efforts to force another breakthrough.
The second new ball made the difference as skipper Lewis Gregory soon recalled Vaughan to his attack with almost immediate effect.
The sixth over with the new ball saw Gubbins push forward defensively, only to edge in the direction of Aldridge, fielding in a kneeling position at a close-in gully. Out went a right hand to take the ball fractionally before it pitched and the reflex catch reignited Somerset's victory hopes.
Gubbins had battled away for three-and-three-quarter hours, barely risking an attacking shot in an innings perfectly suiting his team's situation and the stand of 67 with Brown had proved hugely frustrating to Somerset..
But there was still time before tea for Leach to strike Brown on the back pad on 36 and earn an lbw verdict after the Hampshire captain had faced 128 deliveries. At 129-5, Hampshire were back in a position of peril.
The final session saw Sundar bat with authority, counter-attacking when possible and striking nine fours before being bowled through the gate by a ball from Vaughan that went on with the arm from around the wicket.
Felix Organ then added studiously to the Hampshire resistance, facing 82 balls for his four runs before falling to another brilliant close-in catch, this time from substitute fielder Josh Thomas off Leach, with less than half-an-hour left to play.
The tension grew when James Fuller, who had played solidly to reach 20, was bowled between his legs by Vaughan to become the bowler's sixth victim.
But Keith Barker and Kyle Abbott saw out the final 15 minutes to seal a potentially huge day in their side's season and deny Somerset the extra eight points that would have kept them in with a chance of overhauling Nottinghamshire and Surrey at the top over the final four days of the season.
Match report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
