Somerset Tighten Grip on Nottinghamshire in County Championship Division One – 20 April 2024

Somerset’s Craig Overton shone on the second day of the County Championship Division One match against Nottinghamshire at Taunton, as he played a crucial innings to help his team tighten their grip on the game.

Starting the day at 116-1, Somerset were in a precarious position at 246-7 before Overton’s heroics with the bat. The all-rounder scored an unbeaten 95 off 111 balls, guiding his team to a total of 454 in their first innings, building a commanding lead of 261 runs.

Alongside Overton, Sean Dickson (72), Tom Banton (83), and Migael Pretorius (77) made valuable contributions to Somerset’s total. Despite a strong performance from the Notts seam attack, Somerset managed to take the lead before lunch on day two.

In response, Nottinghamshire struggled in their second innings, ending the day at 38-1 with Ben Slater falling for just eight runs. They still trail Somerset by 223 runs heading into day three.

Overton’s partnership with Pretorius was particularly impressive, as they put on a century stand off just 95 balls, extending Somerset’s lead even further. Unfortunately for Overton, he was denied the chance of scoring his second first-class century as the last man, Shoaib Bashir, was dismissed.

Overall, Somerset’s dominant performance on day two puts them in a strong position to secure a victory in this crucial County Championship match. With Overton leading the charge, Somerset will be looking to maintain their advantage heading into the remaining days of the game.