Slater century leads Notts reply against Somerset
Ben Slater's 15th first class hundred spearheaded a solid Nottinghamshire batting display on the second day of the County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.The home side extended their first innings score from an overnight 275-6 to a challenging 379 all out, Tom Banton dismissed for 84 and Matt Henry making an unbeaten 41 off just 29 balls, with four fours and three sixes.By the close, Notts had posted 214-3 in reply, opener Slater contributing an unbeaten 116, off 224 balls, with 14 fours.Like their opponents on day one, Somerset bowled few loose deliveries and every run had to be fought for on a day of soaring temperatures. Jack Leach conceded just 42 runs from 25 overs of left-arm spin and Craig Overton 31 from 13.Banton was unbeaten on 57 at the start of play, having been dropped on two, and shouldered major responsibility for lifting Somerset to a competitive score. With only nine runs added to the total, he lost partner Kasey Aldridge, caught at second slip by Freddie McCann low to his right off Mohammad Abbas.Overton looked in good touch, scoring 24 and helping Banton add 44 for the eighth wicket, before being pinned lbw by Brett Hutton with the total on 330 in the 111th over, both sides having been forced to settle for two bonus points.Left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White had bowled tightly throughout the innings and reaped the reward of a second wicket when Banton, who had battled away for four hours and 17 minutes, striking eight fours, mistimed a reverse sweep straight to Abbas at backward point.The remainder of the innings was all about Henry, who treated the 2,000 children admitted free from schools around the region, to some exciting hitting. The New Zealander survived a chance to Joe Clarke on the long-on boundary and produced numerous clean strikes in a last wicket stand of 39, to which Jack Leach contributed just six before being caught at bowled off a leading edge by Farhan Ahmed.The visitors had to negotiate a tricky 15 minutes before lunch, but reached the interval on 15 without loss from three overs, Leach having opened the home bowling attack with Henry.The afternoon session saw Somerset bowl without much luck in rising heat - but they made a breakthrough with the total on 38 as Haseeb Hameed got a thin edge to a delivery from Henry to be caught behind by James Rew.Slater was soon looking to capitalise on a pitch offering no more than occasional assistance to the bowlers and moved confidently to a half-century off 62 balls, with nine fours. McCann contributed to a second-wicket stand of 66 before pushing forward to off-spinner Archie Vaughan and providing Rew with a second catch. At tea, the scoreboard read 124-2, but the final session saw Leach strike with the vital wicket of Joe Clarke, on 18, as the Notts player aimed a big drive at a wide delivery and edged into the safe hands of Overton at slip.Haynes had a heart in mouth moment next ball as it rapped his back pad and went straight to Overton. Somerset's huge appeal for either leg before or a catch off an inside edge went unheeded and it proved a big moment as a meaningful fourth-wicket stand developed.Slater remained unmoved and brought up a hugely valuable century with a square cut for two off Vaughan, having faced 171 deliveries and extended his boundary count to 14. It was an innings of patience and sound shot selection on a pitch, which like the first day, required application with both bat and ball.By stumps, the partnership with Jack Haynes (34) was worth 71 and Notts could reflect on a decent afternoon's work.ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
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