da esoccer bet： Murali Kartik hit his highest score for title-chasing Somerset after theirdepleted batting line-up had folded tamely but it was bottom side Hampshire incontrol following the opening day of the County Championship Division Oneclash at Taunton
31-Aug-2011
ScorecardMurali Kartik hit his highest score for title-chasing Somerset after theirdepleted batting line-up had folded tamely but it was bottom side Hampshire incontrol following the opening day of the County Championship Division Oneclash at Taunton.Coming in at 86 for 7, the Indian left-arm spinner scored an unbeaten 59 tohelp Somerset to an unlikely batting bonus point before they were bowled out for204. James Tomlinson took three for 40 from 16 overs at the ground where he recordedcareer-best figures of 8 for 46 in 2008.In reply, Hampshire reached 124 for 1 by the close to complete a highlysatisfactory day. Acting-captain Jimmy Adams, who had won the toss, was unbeatenon 57 and Michael Carberry 65 not out. Somerset were without skipper Marcus Trescothick and Nick Compton through injury, while Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler were away on England Twenty20 duty.Teenager Alex Barrow took advantage of an opportunity to open by hitting ahighly promising 36. But James Hildreth, with 32, was the only other top sevenbatsman to reach double figures. Tomlinson started the rot by scattering Arul Suppiah’s stumps when he had made only three and went on to dismiss Hildreth and substitute wicketkeeper SteveSnell, who is due to be replaced by the returning Buttler for tomorrow’s play.There were two wickets each for Chris Wood, Dimitri Mascarenhas and ImranTahir, but Somerset’s demise owed more to poor shots than any assistance theHampshire bowlers found from the pitch.That was proved when Kartik and Alfonso Thomas (27) added 64 for the eighthwicket after lunch. Kartik went on to face 83 balls, hitting sixes off Tomlinsonand Mascarenhas, as well as five fours. His previous best score for Somerset was 52 not out, made against Essex at Colchester last season.The Hampshire reply got off to a bad start when Liam Dawson fell leg-before toCharl Willoughby in the opening over. Adams and Carberry then had to survivesome testing deliveries from Willoughby and Steve Kirby.But as the shine went off the ball the two batsmen began to prosper, playingwith increasing freedom. Adams survived a confident appeal for a catch behindoff Kirby shortly before reaching his half-century off 95 balls, with sevenfours. Carberry’s fifty soon followed, off 99 balls with nine fours, and together thepair’s century stand in 32 overs gave the visitors a stranglehold on the game.During the morning Trescothick received the results of a scan on his injuredankle. They showed tears to two tendons and he will begin a rehabilitationprogramme on Friday, not knowing whether he will be able to play again thisseason.