Sometimes in sport you have to stand back and appluad the opposition. As Somerset rain out victors by 10 wickets at Taunton, today was one of those days as Marcus Trescothick demonstrated why he is the finest batsman on the county circuit.

MATCH INFORMATION

MATCH SCORECARD	CLICK HERE
DAY 1 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS	CLICK HERE
DAY 2 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS	CLICK HERE
DAY 3 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS	CLICK HERE
DAY 4 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS	CLICK HERE
GARY BALLANCE INTERVIEW AFTER DAY 1	CLICK HERE
RYAN SIDEBOTTOM INTERVIW AFTER DAY 2	CLICK HERE
JONNY BAIRSTOW INTERVIEW AFTER DAY 3	CLICK HERE
LVCC DIVISION 1 POINTS TABLE	CLICK HERE

DAY FOUR REPORT

Sometimes in sport you have to stand back and appluad the opposition. As Somerset rain out victors by 10 wickets at Taunton today was one of those days as Marcus Trescothick demonstrated why he is the finest batsman on the county circuit.

Trescothick's recent history against Yorkshire makes unhappy ready for the Tykes. His last 8 innings have resulted in 78, 146, 96, 117, 16, 39, 53 and 189. He was making that recent average of 91.75 even more impressive as he finished unbeaten on 151 not out.

It was all set up to be an interesting Day 4, but Bairstow edged the third ball of the dayfrom Charl Willoughby and Yorkshire lost their prized wicket without adding to their overnight score.

Rashid and Shahzad enjoy batting together. Remember Basingstoke 2009 when Rashid scored 117 not out and Shahzad 78 to take Yorkshire to victory. The Tykes needed some of that magic again. Rashid was dropped at slip by James Hildreth off Charl Willoughby when on 16 and the score 267-7. 13 runs later Somerset took the new ball with the 8th wicket partnership worth 31 runs - it was potentially make or break for the Tykes.

Rashid and Shahzad had added a careful 35 when Rashid pushed to mid-wicket and called for what should have been a comfortable run. Sub fielder, Jake Lintott, pounced and brilliantly through down the stumps with Shahzad just short and out for 11. Yorkshire were 284-8 and 190 runs ahead.

Ryan Sidebottom lost his leg stump to give Steve Kirby his 500th first-class victim on the stroke of lunch and Yorkshire were 9 wickets down with a lead of 202 runs.

At 306-9 a tweet arrived from Tino Best saying, 'Hope the guys win. Keep the faith boss.' Rashid immediately hit Trego to the cover fence for four. OHD hung around manfully as the diminutive leg-spinner passed his fifty, but when he was caught by Hildreth off Gemaal Hussain for 2 Yorkshire were all out for 321.

Yorkshire were going to have to bowl like demons throughout the afternoon to rescue a result from this match. Early wickets could be key as Somerset required 228 to win in a minimum of 51 overs.

 Those wickets did not come as Trescothick and Suppiah reached 49-0 in 11 overs. Rashid was introduced, but is too inconsistent of length at the moment and his first ball was hit to the leg-side fence to bring up the fifty. Somerset were coasting.

When Trescothick rocked back and put Rashid through cover twice to reach 52 Somerset were 142 short of victory with 33-3 overs remaining. Trescothick repeated the stroke for good measure. Four wides followed and tea came to give Yorkshire's fielders a much needed break - it had not been a good session.

Somerset required 133 to win with a minimum of 33 overs left and Trescothick was 56 not out and Suppiah was unbeaten on 29 at tea. Trescothick played a pull off Steve Patterson, from a ball that was not that short, which hit the fence before he finished his follow through. Sidebottom was despatched over deep-square for six and then punched through mid-wicket for 3 to bring the 150 up in the 28th over - it was relentless stuff.

Trescothick edged Root to third man for four to bring up his second century of the game from 89 balls which included 13 fours and 2 sixes. One wondered whether he was human. Suppiah notched his fifty from 95 balls with 6 fours.

It had been Trescothick and Suppiah who had made the difference in the game. The Yorkshire bowlers did not bowl badly, infact Oliver Hannon-Dalby and Ryan Sidebottom produced excellent spells. But when Trescothick bats like that it is very special indeed. He is only just short of a thousand runs this summer and the leading run-scorer in the country by some way. If he stays hungry, and there is no sign that he's not, his statistics by the end of this season, and his career, could be ridiculously good.

JAMES BUTTLER in TAUNTON

DAY THREE REPORT

Yorkshire face a nervy final day in Taunton as they closed Day 3 at 249-6 in their second innings with a lead of 155 runs over Somerset. Jonny Bairstow is unbeaten on 80, to add to his first innings 136, and resumes with Adil Rashid on the final day. Yorkshire will need to bat into the afternoon session and then bowl like demons if they are to rescue a win from this match. A draw is the least likely of all possible results.

Overnight rain prevented play before 12 noon, but in Ryan Sidebottom's opening over he had Lewis Gregory bowled off his pads for 17. A back foot push took James Hildreth to fifty off 70 balls with 8 fours and 1 six. Oliver Hannon-Dalby finally got his reward for good spells yesterday when he had Gemaal Hussain caught behind for 4.

At lunch the score was 437-8 and the lead had been extended to 79 runs. Hildreth despatched Rashid to the cover boundary, but in Rashid's next over he had Kirby lbw for 6 to one that fizzed on a little. Hildreth was the last wicket to fall, caught behind off Rashid, for a well made 87 and Somerset were 452 all out securing a lead on first innings of 94. Rashid had taken 4-100 and Sidebottom finished with 3-66.

There were a minimum of 66 overs left on Day 3 so it was over to the Yorkshire batsmen who began well, but Adam Lyth (14) pushed meekly at Gemaal Hussain's third ball and was caught behind. Anthony McGrath never got going for 4 and was a victim of a fired up Steve Kirby (when isn't he). The score was 46-2 and Yorkshire were still 48 runs behind.

Andrew Gale top edged a hook to Hussain for six in the 18th over. Joe Root was particularly strong on the back foot through the off-side and timing the ball beautifully. Yorkshire edged ahead in the 22nd over with Gale and Root also notching their fifty stand for the 3rd wicket in the process.

At tea Yorkshire were 108-2, a slender lead of 14 runs, and Gale at his obdurate best, but the Yorkshire skipper had got lucky 8 runs earlier when he was 36 as a leg-side push found the top edge only for the ball to loop tamely over bowler Trego's head. 

Joe Root was unbeaten on 33 at tea and Gale went to fifty in the 3rd over after the interval with a sweetly hit pull off Kirby. He'd faced 46 balls with 1 six and 5 fours and it was the third time he'd past fifty this season. Shortly afterwards a Yorker from Peter Trego did for him and he was out lbw for a round 50. The score was 117-3 and Yorkshire had a lead of 23 runs.

Joe Root has found himself in some precarious positions this season since he made his debut in the opening match at Worcester, but he has looked composed throughout. There were 4 fours in the 115 balls that took him to fifty. At the other end Jonny Bairstow was starting to be as dominant as he had been on Tuesday. His fifty arrived, with a sumptuous cover drive off Arul Suppiah, off 71 balls and contained 9 fours.

The stand for the 4th wicket reached a hundred at the start of the 56th over and the lead by then was 123. Joe Root was bowled by Lewis Gregory for 67 and the match was in the balance again. So cue Gary Ballance (sorry!). It had appeared for some time that the only way Yorkshire could feasibly win the match would be to be bowled out and then take 10 Somerset wickets.

The first part of that equation looked more likely when Ballance, on 7, played back and fended at a ball from Arul Suppiah and was caught by Marcus Trescothick at slip. Two balls later the nightwatchman Steve Patterson was adjudged lbw to the samer bowler despite putting in a big stride and Yorkshire were 245-6. Adil Rashid joined Bairstow, who was undefeated on 80, but four balls later, just after Bairstow hit another of his 12 boundaries, the rain returned and the play was called off for the day.

It will take more Yorkshire grit, determination and fight tomorrow if the squad are to leave Taunton with a smile on their faces.

JAMES BUTTLER

DAY TWO REPORT

Yorkshire battled hard in Taunton today, perservering despite falling victim to Marcus Trescothick - the best batsman on the English county circuit. Somerset closed Day 2 on 389-6 and take a lead of 31 runs into Thursday, but for the majority of the day it seemed that Somerset would be in a much superior position by the close.

Trescothick played a typically brutal innings at Taunton today after reaching his century in 146 balls which included 10 fours and 1 six off Adil Rashid before lunch. Arul Suppiah played the perfect foil to Trescothick's flashing blade before he was out ten minutes before tea after the pair had added an opening stand of 257. Ryan Sidebottom dismissed Trescothick for 189, a fitting way to take his 500th first-class wicket.

Trescothick went to his first fifty in 75 balls, but both Ryan Sidebottom and Oliver Hannon-Dalby beat the outside of his enormous blade and will be cursing their fortune. Both bowlers put in their best stints of the summer with scant reward.

Things looked ominous for the Yorkshire attack when Trescothick stroked Shahzad's first ball of the morning to the cover boundary. He then fenced at a couple in Ryan Sidebottom's opening salvo before hitting through long-off for four. Arul Suppiah edged Shahzad to Adil Rashid at third slip only to see a regulation chance spilled and Somerset went past fifty after only 40 minutes of play.

Yorkshire stuck to their task admirably in the morning session with Trescothick lunching on 74 and Suppiah 30. It was set up to be a potentially long afternoon for the Tykes bowlers. And so it has proved.

Trescothick turned his fifty into a ton in double quick time. Oliver Hannon-Dalby, otherwise Yorkshire's pick for much of the day, was lured into dropping short and Trescothick slung deliveries in consecutive overs into the stand named in his honour at fine-leg. A slightly fuller ball was swipped away in the next over, nearly taking Joe Root's head (just behind square) with it and, although he prevented the boundary, Steve Patterson will have regretted getting his leg in the way.

Suppiah went to fifty in 141 balls and 7 fours. But Hannon-Dalby persevered and dropped a smart return chance off Trescothick the ball before he went to his seemingly inevitable hundred. Soon after Suppiah (on 68) was put down at first slip by Adam Lyth - it wasn't Hannon-Dalby's day and he deserved better.

Adil Rashid operated from the River End and in his 4th over of the day, the second of his spell, he went 6,6.3nb,4,4,dot as Trescothick and then Suppiah tucked in. Joe Root replaced Rashid and bowled a better length, but was withdrawn when Suppiah play two exquisite drives which pierced the off-side field. Rashid returned to bowl a slightly better spell, but it was a rank long-hop that finally accounted for Suppiah who belted a pull straight to Steve Patterson at mid-wicket. Suppiah went for 95 and Yorkshire finally had a wicket - the score was 257-1. 

The problem with Trescothick is he doesn't know when to stop! Flicks and glides for ones and twos lull a bowler into thinking they are safe, only for the big blade to punch, bully and fire the ball to the boundary at will.

Nick Compton drove loosely at Shahzad and was caught by Bairstow for 4 at the end of the penultimate over before tea and Somerset trailed by 86 runs.

Trescothick went to 174 with consecutive boundaries off Rashid, one a drive through wide mid-wicket, the next a flowing off-drive. There was no margin for error at all. Rashid was having a mixed day as in his next over he had Alex Barrow caught behind by Bairstow for 10. His 14 overs had cost 76 runs, but he'd taken two of the three wickets to fall. In his next over a long-hop to James Hildreth was clobbered over mid-wicket for six.

Hannon-Dalby continued his luckless day when a Hildreth edge dropped just short of Ballance at second slip and went to the boundary. Two balls later the ball hit the perimeter hoardings again, this time drive hard and straight by Hildreth. Andrew Gale took the new ball after 80 overs with the scoreboard reading 325-3 and Somerset trailing by 33 runs. Yorkshire needed it to bend 'round corners. Sidebottom battled, Shahzad steamed, but Trescothick was relentless. Hildreth drove and pulled consecutive Shahzad boundaries.

Sidebottom got his just reward in his 18th over when he finally induced a Trescothick edge and the Somerset opener was caught well by Lyth to his left for 189 made in 257 balls and including 17 fours and 4 sixes. He is the leading run scorer in Championship cricket with 827 at 68.91 and it was his third century of the summer. His highest score this year was 227 against Hampshire in April.

It was a fitting scalp to mark Sidebottom's 500th first-class wicket. His Dad, Arnie, took 596. Peter Trego was lbw to Sidebottom without score and Somerset were 343-5 and trailing by 15 runs.

Somerset edged in front after 90 overs, but Jos Buttler hit Patterson to Andrew Gale at cover and all of a sudden Yorkshire's day didn't seem so bad after all. 

James Hildreth (49) and Lewis Gregory (13) resume for Somerset tomorrow morning. 

JAMES BUTTLER at TAUNTON

DAY ONE REPORT

It has been a day of ups and downs for Yorkshire as they posted a first innings 358 all out in Taunton. Jonny Bairstow hit a blistering 136 and Gary Ballance continued his Yorkshire development with a Championship best 61, but the Tykes lost their last 6 wickets for 53 runs and Somerset came through a testing 4 overs before the close unscathed at 7-0.

Yorkshire won the toss and batted and Adam Lyth got proceedings underway by cracking a cover drive for four off the third ball of the day. Joe Root was more circumspect, but unleashed a textbook drive of his own, again off Charl Willoughby, and despite a green looking track both openers apeared comfortable as both Steve Kirby and Charl Willoughby were too wide with the new ball.

Lyth drove Willougby straight back past him and in the next over Root guided behind point for four. Yorkshire were building a solid foundation. Lyth leaned into a full ball from Kirby guiding it to the cover boundary and Hussain and Trego took over the bowling responsibilities with less than an hour played.

Trego was immediately glanced off Lyth's hip for four and two balls later the bat flowed sweetly again as Lyth added four more. The fifty coming up in 47 minutes and Lyth was punishing Trego's width as his first over went for 13 runs.

Lyth's timing was exemplary, both in defense and attack, but Root was tempted by a full swinging wide ball from Hussain and Trescothick clung on at second slip at the second attempt. Anthony McGrath, on his return to the 1st Team, hit two full bladed boundaries but them jabbed a cut at Trego and was caught behind by Buttler (no relation to your correspondent).

Lyth continued plundering over-pitched bowling through the covers as he went to 39, but then Hussain dropped short, Lyth rocked back and the edge flew hard to Hildreth at slip. Lyth trudged back to the Pavilion head down. Another good start had gone begging and Yorkshire were 75-3. Hussain was moving the ball both ways and causing problems.

Bairstow got off the mark with a boundary through mid-wicket off Charl Willoughby, but the next ball he aimed a cut and an inside edge beat Buttler's dive and went for four. Next ball Bairstow punched an inswinger through mid-wicket. Three consecutive boundaries, two sweetly hit and one a moral victory for the bowler - the story of the morning session.

Bairstow was assuming Lyth's role of aggressor and on a fast outfield where batsman get value for money for anything decently struck he was to benefit. Andrew Gale was dropping anchor, refusing to give the Somerset bowlers any more Tuesday morning joy. The scoring rate was healthy - the hundred up on the scoreboard more than fifteen minutes before lunch. At lunch Yorkshire were 109-3 with Andrew Gale unbeaten on 12 and Jonny Bairstow on 25, including 6 fours. Both would have been determined to advance much further into the afternoon.

Hussain then bowled full to Bairstow who took the challenge when he unleashed a full blooded drive, the edge tipping Peter Trego's outstretched fingertips at third slip when the batsman was on 28. It was a tough chance but would prove a costly miss.

Gale was caught behind by Buttler off Kirby who got a ball to lift and get big on the Yorkshire skipper. Kirby had his tail up and beat Ballance's bat first up and the left-hander edged through gully to get off the mark. Bairstow indignantly drove Hussain through wide mid-on and punched his thigh as the ball sped across the boundary rope. Ballance drove straight for four as if responding to Bairstow's positivity.

When Bairstow plays like this it almost smacks of rudeness. A prodigious 21-year-old talent knocking experienced bowlers around the park like they were making up the numbers in a club game. He had the temerity to edge boundaries early, but as he reached fifty in 83 balls with 10 fours, alongside Ballance, he made batting look easy and their century stand arrived from the first ball of the 59th over, Ballances share was 38.

After tea Bairstow's boundary splurge continued. Hussain was driven through point. mid-wicket, straight and wide mid-on as the pacey outfield guided anything remotely timed to the fence, and Bairstow was timing everything, but when he'd made 136 he was bowled by a full inswinging delivery from Charl Willoughby. His innings had included exactly a century made in boundaries. He is coming of age fast.

Willoughby had entered a purple patch as he got the old ball to reverse. A full swinger accounted for Adil Rashid lbw with his next ball and four overs later Ballance perished when he played a loose drive and was caught behind. Ballance had made a mature 61, his second successive Championship fifty.

Hussain took the new ball mid-way through the 85th over when the score was 346-8, but it was soon Willoughby and Kirby that had the new cherry in their hands. The 4th batting bonus point was earned, but Kirby struck almost immediately trapping Shahzad lbw for 27 including 4 fours.

So 305-4 turned into 351-9 and then 358 all out when Oliver Hannon-Dalby caught behind off Kirby who finished with 3-54 against his former county. The last six wickets adding just 53 runs. Steve Patterson was unbeaten on 11.

JAMES BUTTLER at TAUNTON

Yorkshire XI: Lyth, Root, McGrath, Gale (c), Ballance, Bairstow, Rashid, Shahzad, Sidebottom, Patterson and Hannon-Dalby.

MATCH PREVIEW

Yorkshire arrived in Taunton in better spirits after a comfortable CB40 victory over Worcestershire Royals on Sunday, but the pain caused by losing the Roses Match in such late and dramatic fashion in Liverpool last week must still hurt badly.

It was a match that Yorkshire didn’t deserve to lose after being inserted on a green wicket and rolled for 141 in 73.3 difficult overs. They showed spirit, guts and pride under Andrew Gale’s determined tutelage to claw their way back into the match only to see the Red Rose triumph with only four balls of the match remaining.

That huge effort and the pain caused by the defeat could derail some sides, but the same squad beat the Royals in the CB40 at New Road without breaking sweat. Yes, Worcestershire are a poor side, but it was important to get back into winning ways and get the ball moving back in the right direction.

Yorkshire secured only 2 bowling points from their Liverpool defeat and need to compete in Taunton this week and in Hove a couple of days later to avoid breaking for t20 action in the relegation zone. It’s early days in the Championship season, but it’s time to start looking up the table rather than counting how many points separates the Tykes from the teams below.

YORKSHIRE SQUAD

Adam LYTH, Joe ROOT, Anthony McGRATH, Andrew GALE (c), Jonny BAIRSTOW (wk), Gary BALLANCE, Adil RASHID, Ajmal SHAHZAD, Ryan SIDEBOTTOM, Steve PATTERSON, Oliver HANNON-DALBY, Moin ASHRAF, David WAINWRIGHT.

Three players return to Yorkshire action after missing the Roses match. Jonny Bairstow and Ajmal Shahzad are back from England Lions duty and Anthony McGrath returns to add experience to the top order after recovering from sciatica.

Joe Sayers, who scored 53 and 75 against Lancashire, misses the game after being hit on the foot on Day 3. He batted on through the pain, had an x-ray which showed no broken bones, but is still suffering painful bruising.

Gerard Brophy also misses the match as his injured thumb is still causing him discomfort, but Simon Guy returns to his day job as Jonny Bairstow will take back the gloves he has donned throughout the Championship campaign until the roar of the England Lions took him away.

SOMERSET SQUAD

Marcus TRESCOTHICK (c), Arul SUPPIAH, Nick COMPTON, James HILDRETH, Jos BUTTLER (wk), Peter TREGO, Alex BARROW, Lewis GREGORY, Steve KIRBY, Charl WILLOUGHBY, Alfonso THOMAS, Gemaal HUSSAIN

In Somerset, Yorkshire face a side tipped by many to go one better than last summer’s 2nd place this time around. The Yorkshire team have bad recent memories of declaring at Taunton only to lose, but neither were Andrew Gale's declarations - instead it was Jacques Rudolph in charge in 2010 when Somerset scored 364-4 ton win and Anthony McGrath was skipper in 2009 when Somerset scored an incredible 479-6 to get home. It is hoped those memories do not serve to remove any Yorkshire adventure should the opportunity arise.

Somerset sit in 6th spot in Division One and are 3 points ahead of Yorkshire who have played the same number of matches. Somerset have two wins to Yorkshire's one - they have beaten both teams sitting in the relgation spots in the table - Hampshire and Worcestershire, but have lost to Warwickshire, Lancashire and Sussex and drawn with Durham.

Somerset welcome back Alfonso Thomas who has been on IPL duty. No one needs reminding that Marcus Trescothick is a major run-scoring threat and alongside James Hildreth, Nick Compton and Joss Buttler they have considerable batting talent. And don't forget Yorkshire oldboy, Steve Kirby. He's been in the wickets this summer and will be fored up against his home county.

All-in-all Yorkshire will heve to have their A game ready over the next 4-days to compete. If they do perform and collect a decent haul of points, or even a win, it will be a major boost.

JAMES BUTTLER