Vodafone Challenge: Somerset v Australians at Taunton, 13-16 Jul 2001 CricInfo Live Report

Vodafone Challenge: Somerset v Australians at Taunton, 13-16 Jul 2001
Mark Easterbrook

Somerset 1st innings: Tea - Day 2, Stumps - Day 2,
Australians 1st innings: Lunch - Day 2,
Live Reports from previous days

FLEMING PICKS UP SIX WICKETS AS AUSTRALIANS TAKE 81-RUN LEAD

Damien Fleming bowled Australia to a first innings lead of 81 by taking 6-59 on the second day of the Vodafone Challenge Match at Taunton.

The pace bowler's best haul of the tour saw Somerset dismissed for 267 after Australia had declared on their overnight 348-3.

Rain delayed the start of play until 1.45pm, with 31 overs lost. But Fleming soon made up for lost time, sending back Piran Holloway, Mike Burns and Peter Bowler with clever variation of pace to leave Somerset 33-3.

Aamir Sohail, one of two Pakistan Test players guesting for the county, helped launch a recovery, with 20-year-old Devonian Matthew Wood (39) helping to add 78 for the fourth wicket.

Sohail went on to a half-century off 118 balls, with seven fours, surviving a dropped chance in the slips off Fleming when he had made only six.

He eventually fell for 50, but useful contributions down the order from Rob Turner (42), Keith Parsons (38) and Ian Blackwell (30) allowed Somerset to reach a respectable total.

Fleming returned to clean up the tail, removing Turner, Blackwell and Jason Kerr, only to be denied career-best figures when Ashley Noffke spilled a straightforward chance at mid-off offered by last man Jamie Grove.

It was left to Colin Miller to dismiss Grove in the final over of the day, leaving Australia in control.

Michael Slater did not take the field for Australia because he was resting a bruised wrist, sustained while batting of Friday. But the injury was not thought to be serious enough to threaten his participation in the Second Test Match, starting at Lord's on Thursday.

FLEMING BURSTS THROUGH SOMERSET'S TOP ORDER

Damien Fleming soon had Somerset in trouble after Australia had declared on their overnight 348-3 in the Vodafone Challenge Match at Taunton.

The start of the second day was delayed until 1.45pm by rain, with 31 overs lost. But Fleming soon set about making up for lost time.

Piran Holloway fell to the first ball he faced in Fleming's opening over, fending tamely to Simon Katich at short leg after Aamir Sohail had opened the scoring with a single.

Mike Burns had made only nine when becoming Fleming's second victim in the fifth over, mistiming a drive to Colin Miller at extra cover.

And it was 33-3 when Peter Bowler, on two, completely missed an attempted pull shot and had his middle stump knocked back. At tea Fleming had figures of 3-42 from 12 overs.

Sohail, one of two Pakistan Test stars guesting for Somerset, needed some luck early on and was dropped by Damian Martyn at first slip off Fleming, having made only six.

He went on the share a fourth-wicket stand of 78 with young Devonian Matthew Wood, who made an impressive 39 before disappointingly guiding a delivery from Miller to Katich at short leg off the full face of the bat.

Sohail profited from several boundaries through the slips to reach 49 not out by tea, which was taken with Somerset 122-4 off 36 overs.

Michael Slater did not take the field for Australia as he was resting a wrist injury suffered when hit by a delivery from Shoaib Akhtar yesterday.

NO PLAY BEFORE LUNCH

There was no play before lunch on the second day of the Vodafone Challenge Match at Taunton where Australia were due to resume their first innings on 348-3 against Somerset.

Overnight rain and showers during the morning left the outfield saturated and umpires Mervyn Kitchen and Mike Dixon decided an early lunch should be taken at 12.30pm.