Honours were just about even by stumps on the first day of Nottinghamshire’s LV= County Championship match against Somerset at Trent Bridge.

The visitors were dismissed for 312 and Notts replied with 57-2 by stumps.

Vernon Philander returned his best figures in Nottinghamshire colours, taking four for 56, after Chris Read had won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The home side made two changes from that beaten at Durham last week, with Greg Smith making his county debut in place of Alex Hales, who had been allowed to join up with the Mumbai Indians for the latter stages of the Indian Premier League. Jake Ball also returned, having recovered from a hand injury, to replace Brett Hutton.

Marcus Trescothick has seldom enjoyed the West Bridgford air. In 33 first class innings for Somerset and England he has never scored a century at Trent Bridge. For one of the best of his generation it seems an unlikely statistic and one that is overdue to be broken.

Sadly for him, today wasn’t the day as his stumps were clattered by Vernon Philander’s sixth ball of the opening over.

The South African, who had a stint with the West Country side in 2012, seemed to relish the opportunity of facing his former teammates and soon added another scalp as Tom Abell edged behind for 10.

A stand of 78 for the third wicket appeared to be turning the morning in Somerset’s favour but the session ended dramatically, with three wickets falling within the space of eleven deliveries.

Johannes Myburgh had battled his way to 49 – the only moment of concern for him came when Abell called him for a non-existent run on six but Samit Patel narrowly missed with the shy from cover.

The introduction of Steven Mullaney into the attack just before lunch was Myburgh’s undoing, as the fifth delivery knocked the off pole flat.

James Hildreth, so often a thorn in Nottinghamshire’s side, had stroked his way to 32 but an error of judgement allowed Philander to fire the ball into an unprotected off stump.

The cherry on top of the home side’s icing then followed as Mullaney squared up Tom Cooper, who could only send a leading edge high up and into the hands of the waiting James Taylor at point.

At 101 for five, lunch was taken with the skipper’s decision to insert having been fully vindicated.

Peter Trego and Jim Allenby re-built in emphatic manner during the early part of the afternoon. Both looked to play positively and added 85 in 15 overs together to blunt the Nottinghamshire thrust.

Again it was Mullaney who answered his captain’s call by picking up a much-needed breakthrough, bowling Trego for 41.

Lewis Gregory was the next wicket to fall, having been set up nicely by Luke Wood. The young left-armer dumped the batsman on his backside with a well-delivered bouncer before knocking back his off stump.

Craig Overton then took centre-stage, clubbing ten boundaries in a quickfire 50, that occupied only 28 balls. He hit another boundary before Harry Gurney bowled him but three batting points had been secured by then.

Alex Barrow made 23 not out for the Cidermen but a single exposed Tim Groenewald who was defenceless as Luke Wood cleaned him up, the seventh ‘bowled’ dismissal of the ten to fall.

In the 24 overs that remained in the day Notts lost both Steven Mullaney, for 19, and Greg Smith, for eight, to leg before wicket dismissals.

They will start the second day with Brendan Taylor and James Taylor at the crease still 255 runs adrift.

 

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