Essex 360 for 4 (Cook dinner 128, Critchley 119*) vs Somerset
Alastair Cook dinner lastly struck his 74th first-class century as Essex took benefit of excellent batting circumstances of their LV=Insurance coverage County Championship conflict with Somerset.England legend Cook dinner had been dismissed for 99 for the primary time in his profession in opposition to Nottinghamshire, in his final innings earlier than the beginning of the Vitality Blast. However he made no mistake by changing to a few figures in 210 balls earlier than reaching 128, as Essex racked up 360 for 4 on the opening day – with Matt Critchley offering leisure in a chic 119 throughout and after a 153-run stand with Cook dinner.
On a grueling day for Somerset’s bowlers, England fast Craig Overton was pressured off the sphere in his fifteenth over after showing to injure his left foot whereas bowling, though he did return and bowled an additional three overs.
Tom Westley could not have been happier to win a toss with sizzling temperatures and a dry flat wicket on provide; batting was the one choice, particularly with the sweatless Cook dinner able to mattress in.
Matt Henry and Overton discovered some early play and misses in a testing begin to the day, which noticed Nick Browne put down at second slip on 4. However issues settled down and Browne and Cook dinner placed on their highest opening stand of the season – 66 – earlier than the previous tamely chipped to mid-off.
Somerset handed offspinner Shoaib Bashir a first-class debut, having just lately made his T20 bow and obtained a two-year contract. The 19-year-old performed age-group cricket for Surrey, Middlesex, and Berkshire earlier than impressing Somerset whereas on trial final summer season.
He began out his Championship profession with a maiden to Cook dinner, which included two deliveries that produced vital flip – sadly it wasn’t a prophecy of issues to come back, though Cook dinner would solely rating 20 runs off him all day. Bashir bowled 29 tidy overs from the River Finish, and regardless of going wicketless made scoring laborious in his 0 for 89.
Westley is Division One’s main run scorer and took his season tally previous 600 runs as he scored 37 in a 77-run partnership with Cook dinner. He departed to a snorter from Overton which caught the skin edge via to the keeper. Paul Walter then placed on 52 with Cook dinner earlier than…
..
