Rose Bowl (Day three of four, Hampshire won toss)

Somerset 385-7 (ID Blackwell 104 not out, AC Thomas 19 not out, 107 overs) v Hampshire 316

Lunch

Marcus Trescothick, having batted patiently for much of the session, lost his way five minutes before a delayed lunch for 65 with a mistimed sweep against the left-arm spin of Liam Dawson. James Hildreth scored more quickly during the third-wicket stand of 87, receiving too many four-balls early on.

James Tomlinson, who took 8 for 46 in the corresponding game at Taunton in May, claimed the first two wickets in a testing seven-over spell to peg back Somerset. With the wind behind him, he used his inswinger sparingly but effectively to undo Arul Suppiah going too far across and then tempting Zander de Bruyn to chop on.

Tea

A sometimes punishing half-century by Ian Blackwell ensured that Somerset retained momentum as Imran Tahir, the much-travelled wrist-spin bowler from Pakistan, started to give Hampshire encouragement on a slow, turning pitch. With four sessions left and the new ball due soon the contest was balanced intriguingly.

Blackwell reached his fifty from 89 balls with five fours and a straight six against Tahir, but James Hildreth fell to a direct hit by Liam Dawson soon after passing the same landmark. Tahir then undid Wes Durston sweeping before teasing a bat-pad catch from Craig Kieswetter immediately before tea.

Close

In their most rewarding session of the first three days, Somerset secured another two batting points, adding 134 runs for the loss of only Peter Trego, whose 58 from 51 balls exposed weaknesses in the Hampshire seam department. The second new ball simply came off the bat quicker and sweeter than the old one.

Ian Blackwell completed his second hundred of the season from 168 balls with a six and nine fours, but he was outscored three-to-one in a seventh-wicket stand of 88 with Trego. With Alfonso Thomas offering more orthodox support, Somerset will enter the final day with a lead of 69.

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