Hildreth hits out

By Gary Watton
May 15 2016

The champions look anything but in the early throes of the 2016 campaign. Having said that, they did manage to just about preserve their unbeaten record, although for the second time in three weeks the Tykes were desperately hanging on, and not exactly coping too well with scoreboard pressure. To put it bluntly, Somerset comprehensively outplayed the visitors both with bat and ball. Not only did the northern county labour to take seven wickets, but then the wickets fell at regular intervals, with Ballance, Gale, and Rhodes doing little to justify their place in the first eleven. Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call, as we cannot rely upon the rain all the time to assist us when we are struggling.

Somerset versus YORKSHIRE; Sunday the 15th to Wednesday the 18th of May. YORKSHIRE chose to bowl.

Somerset first innings: 562 for seven declared (Hildreth 166, Trescothick 97, Trego 94, Rogers 91, Allenby 51; Rashid 4-160)

YORKSHIRE first innings: 311 (Lyth 106; Groenewald 3-54)

YORKSHIRE second innings: 141 for six (J.Overton 3-26)

Match drawn. Somerset twelve points, YORKSHIRE nine points.

Lyth - A four-hour century was a return to form for the England opener. His ton included 12 fours and three sixes. Only 18 runs were scored in the second innings. 

Lees - Alex averaged twenty-two runs which is unremarkable, save for the fact that he did bat a long time. His rearguard resistance was just about useful. 

Rhodes - Scores of fifteen and eighteen are par for the course for him. Occupying the crease and failing to make a big score simply isn't good enough yet again.

Ballance - Fifty-five runs in the match was nothing to write home about. He might be better to return to his number six position where he previously excelled for us.

Gale - The captain could only muster eight and then thirteen. He's just not pulling his weight. Deciding to bowl first was definitely not one of his better ideas either.

Leaning - An unbeaten 29 on the nervous fourth afternoon atoned for his mediocre seventeen first time around. He is only just doing enough to merit his place.

Rashid - After conceding 160 runs from 34 overs, Adil had a nightmare with the bat. First he was run out for a duck and then he was dismissed for a second duck.

Plunkett - Liam produced an invaluable unbeaten twenty on the final afternoon. His bowling was less satisfactory, as he conceded eighty-seven runs from 19 overs.

Hood - He proved to be a poor replacement for Bairstow, falling for a duck egg in the first innings collapse. Fortunately he didn't have to bat second time around.

Patterson - Yet again Steve was the pick of the bowlers, taking two for eighty. He then crucially contributed thirty-two runs to a 74-run partnership with Brooks.

Brooks - His 25 overs cost 106 runs, producing only two maidens and no wickets. However, his unbeaten 38 in the tenth wicket partnership was absolutely massive.

BATSMAN CHARTS (minimum of one hundred runs)

Bairstow: average - 88.83; 533 runs; two hundreds

Root: average - 80; 240 runs; one hundred

Plunkett: average - 53.8; 269 runs; one hundred, one fifty

BEST BOWLERS (minimum of ten wickets)

Patterson: average - 25.5; sixteen wickets

Brooks: average - 39.67; fifteen wickets

Rashid: average - 51.64; eleven wickets