Cricket: Caddick finds form

Somerset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .246 and 412

Nottinghamshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157 and 131-4

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE may have been high-flyers, third in the Championship before the start here, but having had their undercarriage blown away by Andy Caddick they were heading for a rocky landing thanks to some fine shot-making from a variety of Somerset turrets. And to say the visitors were left with a target of their own to aim at was rather stretching a point.

The niceties, though, must be preserved, Nottinghamshire were a mammoth 502 away from a sixth win this summer once Somerset had finished cutting a rather basic-looking attack to ribbons. When Caddick struck again to account for Paul Pollard, Somerset were fast disappearing out of sight. A fourth successive victory at the County Ground was in the making as soon as Caddick had collected his six for 70 in the first innings.

While Caddick did the damage on Friday, it was up to his colleagues to make the most of an overnight lead of 273 with seven wickets in hand and yesterday they were well up to the task. Apart from the bowling of Chris Lewis, who, like Caddick, is looking for an England recall and who collected three for 58 from his 25 overs, Nottinghamshire were hardly threatening.

They arrived loaded up on seam, having discarded the slow left arm of Andy Afford, and much of it was dispatched comfortably. The early dismissal of Rob Turner, Lewis making the breakthrough and departing with figures of 6-2-7-1 from his first spell, mattered little because though Andy Pick came up with four wickets he and his partners were picked off.

Richard Harden may have taken four hours over 68, but Andy Hayhurst made light of the groin strain with seven fours and a six in his 39. Nor did it end there, Neil Mallender featuring in a stand of 77 with Graham Rose, who went on to a half-century. As for tail-end Charlies, Harvey Trump would have none of it with 10 boundaries in an unbeaten 43.

All of this had Nottinghamshire eyeing nothing more comforting than the escape hatch. However, Paul Johnson's absence with severe stomach pain went against the cause and while the captain, Tim Robinson, managed fifty, he eventually became Mallender's second victim, Somerset closing in the luxurious position of a whole day in which to collect six wickets.