County Championship Division One, Taunton, April 28 to 30th 2018
Somerset 216 all out (Renshaw 112, Brooks 5-57) and 6-0 lead Yorkshire 96 all out (Groenewald 3-12, Gregory 3-30) by 126 runs
No one leaving the Cooper Associates County Ground at the end of the opening day of Somerset’s second Championship game of the season can have any grounds to complain about the entertainment serve up for them.
Matt Renshaw’s second century in as many games, this one before lunch, dominated the first innings of the game. Ably supported by George Bartlett (39) in a second-wicket partnership of 140 the Aussie was belying his slightly dour reputation for the second time in two weeks.
The way the Somerset innings subsided after lunch bore testament to how well Yorkshire, and, Jack Brooks in particular, bowled. Renshaw referred to this after the day’s play crediting the skill of the bowlers for determining his aggressive approach.
While Yorkshire would have been pleased to be batting before tea on day one they would have undoubtedly faced the task with some trepidation. And by the time they were 64-8 the prospect of following-on still loomed.
The omens were not good when Adam Lyth was brilliantly run out backing up by George Bartlett. What followed was a sorry procession for the White Rose before rookie opener Harry Brook was joined by the redoubtable Tim Bresnan. These two, at totally opposite ends of their respective careers, mustered the visitors past the ignominy that was 66 all out but they could not get the total into three figures.
The Yorkshire capitulation made Somerset’s solitary batting point look like riches indeed. Renshaw, on the other hand, found himself batting again for the final moments of a superb day of red-ball cricket.
The most sage among Somerset supporters were left to recall that most famous of Somerset sporting equations:
20 wickets < 1 day * (none for spin) ➡ does not = The Pitch Inspectors
