Beau Webster’s four-wicket burst puts Warwickshire on top
Beau Webster’s four-wicket burst puts Warwickshire on top
Lewis Goldsworthy kept Somerset afloat on the opening day of their County Championship match against Warwickshire in Taunton, but it was Beau Webster who stole the show with a four-wicket burst that put the visitors in control.
On a day when Somerset’s batting misfired, Goldsworthy contributed a crucial 90 from 184 balls in a below-par total of 208. Webster proved Warwickshire’s destroyer-in-chief, claiming 4 for 23 in eight overs, while Ethan Bamber, Nathan Gilchrist and Manav Suthar weighed in with two wickets apiece as the home side were dismissed in 65 overs.
Somerset’s batting struggles
Somerset won the toss, elected to bat on a green-tinged pitch and saw their top-order batting exposed by the new ball. Bamber struck twice in three balls in the third over, angling a delivery into Josh Thomas, who edged behind to Alex Davies, and then locating the outside edge to have Tom Kohler-Cadmore held by Rob Yates at second slip.
When Jordan Hermann flashed hard at a ball outside off stump from Gilchrist and was pouched by Webster at third slip, Somerset were 21 for 3, having lost their top three in the space of five deliveries.
Goldsworthy and Rew lead the recovery
Charged with the task of rebuilding, Goldsworthy and Thomas Rew saw off the new ball threat posed by Bamber and Gilchrist before profiting from change bowlers Ed Barnard and Jordan Thompson to lead a partial recovery. Making only his third Championship appearance, teenager Rew marked the advent of Suthar by hoisting his slow left-arm for six over long-on as the balance of power shifted in favour of the fourth-wicket pair.
Their partnership was worth 65 when Rew shouldered arms to a straight one from Webster and fell lbw for 35. Warming to his task, Webster then extracted additional lift to find the edge, Archie Vaughan feathering a catch to first slip as lunch was taken with Somerset precariously positioned at 94 for 5.
Warwickshire’s consolidation
Warwickshire then consolidated their position in the final session, Sam Hain and Dan Mousley (both 37 not out) staging an unbroken third-wicket stand of 78 as the visitors reached the close on 92 for 2, trailing by 116.
Somerset made early in-roads with the new ball, Jake Ball having Davies held at first slip and Overton pouching a return catch to remove Yates and reduce Warwickshire to 14 for 2.
Adopting a low-risk approach, Hain and Mousley batted with discipline to shut out Somerset’s bowlers thereafter, going to a 50 partnership in 87 balls.
