Trego rescues Somerset

Peter Trego © Getty Images

Peter Trego hit a Liverpool Victoria County Championship best 135 to rescue Somerset on the second day of the match with Derbyshire at Taunton.

The 25-year-old all-rounder hit 25 fours in his 166-ball innings, sharing a seventh-wicket stand of 143 with Simon Francis (36) after the home side had slumped to 149 for six and lost Keith Parsons with a broken hand.

Trego’s superb innings allowed Somerset to reach 340, a first innings deficit of 56, with their former player Steffan Jones claiming four for 88 and Graeme Welch 3-72.

By the close Derbyshire had made 21 for two in their second innings, losing Michael Di Venuto to Andy Caddick and night-watchman Andy Gray, run out by a direct hit from John Francis.

That day had begun with Jones and Ian Hunter extending their last wicket stand to 78 before the visitors were bowled out for 396.

Hunter made 48 and Jones 34 not out, in both cases their best scores for Derbyshire.

Somerset began their reply poorly. Matt Wood was well caught at slip by Marcus North, flashing at a wide ball from Jones and Justin Langer followed for 18, lbw padding-up to Welch.

Arul Suppiah was dropped on 20 by Steve Stubbings at second slip and went on to make a patient half-century - adding 70 with John Francis, who looked solid until a rush of blood after lunch saw him caught behind off Hunter.

The home side were 91 for four, with only a single added, when Somerset captain Cameron White miscued a pull shot off Jones and was brilliantly caught left-handed by the diving Graham Wagg at mid-wicket.

At 112 for four Parsons was hit on the glove by a rising delivery from Hunter.

After facing the next delivery he retired hurt and hospital X-rays later revealed a broken bone in his left hand, which will keep him out for a month.

Somerset’s problems increased when Suppiah played across a straight ball from Welch and departed lbw just after reaching his 50 off 96 balls, with four fours.

When wicketkeeper Carl Gazzard was caught in the slips by Stubbings off Welch the scoreboard read 149 for six, with Parsons unable to resume his innings, and the 247 needed to avoid following on looked a long way off.

But Trego and Francis employed sensible shot selection to lift their team out of trouble.

Their stand was a seventh-wicket record for Somerset against Derbyshire and neither gave a chance.

Trego’s century came off 132 balls, with 18 fours, and was his third in the Championship since returning to Somerset this season.

For Francis, who had taken 3-61 in the Derbyshire first innings, his valuable runs were timely as he is seeking a new contract for next season.