Jennings scores brilliant century as Lancs hit back at Taunton
Keaton Jennings piled more agony on Somerset’s bowlers with a flawless century as Lancashire hit back strongly on the second day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match at Taunton.
Having notched a triple hundred against the same opponents at Southport last season, the experienced opener cruised to 124 not out, off 174 balls, with 19 fours, in a total of 302 for one. Luke Wells made 82 and Josh Bohannon an unbeaten 73.
Somerset started the day by extending their first innings score from 311 for four to 441 all out, overnight centurions Tom Abell and James Rew falling for career best scores of 151 and 117 respectively, while James Anderson finished with five for 76 from 28 overs.
That total was soon made to look below par on a pitch offering nothing in the way of uneven bounce, seam movement or spin.
The day began well for Lancashire with two quick wickets, Anderson having Rew caught behind with only three added to his overnight score and pinning Lewis Gregory lbw for five.
A cut single by Abell off Anderson took Somerset to a third batting point, while Lancashire had to be content with two bowling points as the 110th over ended with the score 356 for six.
When Kasey Aldridge, on 14, edged Anderson to Jennings at first slip it meant a 54th five-wicket haul in first class cricket for the evergreen England seamer.
Abell guided a four to third man off George Balderson to reach 150 off 280 balls, with 19 fours and a six, equalling his previous best first class score.
The Somerset captain had batted for 14 minutes short of seven hours when, having added another single, he moved across his stumps and fell lbw to Balderson.
At 370 for eight, the home side looked like falling short of 400. But Jack Leach demonstrated his batting prowess with a quality innings of 40 not out, packed with sweetly-timed orthodox shots.
Aided by some lusty blows from Peter Siddle and Jack Brooks, the last two wickets added 71.
Soon it was the Somerset bowling attack, deprived of favoured new ball pairing Craig Overton and Josh Davey by injury, who were struggling on the unforgiving surface as Wells and Jennings set about Lancashire’s reply.
Wells deposited Gregory over mid-wicket for six in adopting the role of aggressor as the 50 stand was brought up in the 18th over. Two overs later, Somerset turned to the spin of Leach, a move which only served to increase the run-rate.
Wells reverse swept three boundaries off successive deliveries from the England left-armer, the third of those shots sufficiently well timed to clear the ropes.
Another reverse sweep for four off Leach took Wells to a 78-ball half-century, featuring 8 fours and 2 sixes. He then collected a third maximum by hitting the spinner back over his head and another boundary in the same over brought up the century partnership.
Jennings was largely content to play a supporting role, but progressed smoothly to a third fifty in as many Championship games this season off 105 balls, with 7 fours.
It was a major surprise when Wells surrendered his wicket in the over before tea, clipping a short ball from Brooks off his hips to Cameron Bancroft, perfectly positioned to take the catch at backward square leg.
The interval followed with Lancashire 151 for one. There was no respite for Leach at the start of the final session as Josh Bohannon launched him for six with his first scoring stroke and soon followed up with another maximum over mid-wicket.
Somerset suffered a new blow to their already injury-hit seam attack when Aldridge pulled up with cramp midway through his ninth over and hobbled off.
It had become a no-contest between bat and ball as Jennings moved serenely to a chanceless hundred off 158 balls, with 16 fours.
None of the Somerset bowlers posed any threat, Jennings and Bohannon effortlessly sharing a century stand off 102 balls and Bohannon reaching 50 off just 58 deliveries.
It was a relief to the bowlers when, with the floodlights on, the umpires ended play for the day ten overs early because of bad light.
Report by ECB Reporters Network.
