Day Three
Yorkshire V Somerset
LV County Championship

ANDREW HODD believes his Yorkshire team-mate Tim Bresnan is back to his best ahead of a busy summer of international cricket, which starts next week with England’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s.

Bresnan has taken 11 wickets in three LV County Championship matches, including two in the ongoing rain-affected clash with Somerset at Headingley, having returned from right elbow surgery he had in February.

The 28-year-old hopes to return to the England squad for Lord’s when it is named by the selectors at 9.30am tomorrow.

He removed Nick Compton and night-watchman Jack Leach in the first half hour of yesterday’s third day before rain wiped out the afternoon and evening session to frustrate the White Rose.

Somerset, replying to a first-innings 505-9 declared, reached 190-5 from 69 overs.

Bresnan was rewarded with his wickets after causing Compton and opening partner Marcus Trescothick problems late on day two.

Wicketkeeper Hodd said: “Brezzy hit a rhythm and made it look effortless. It’s a decent deck, one that if you put in, you’ll get something out. They’re two of the best openers in county cricket, and to have those two in that much discomfort is some effort.

“He’s back where he was definitely, there’s that snap.

“He’s got one of those beautiful actions, but he’s got so much behind it. He hits the pitch and gloves hard. It’s a joy to catch to him. You always feel in the game. He should feature this summer, hopefully.”

Bresnan set Yorkshire on their way as early as the second ball of the day when he removed Compton lbw.

The seamer then ripped out Leach’s off stump within eight overs as the visitors slipped to 123-3 in the 52nd over. He finished the day with figures of 2-60 from 22 overs.

South Africa opener Alviro Petersen posted his fourth score of 50 or more in five Championship innings for his county – two have been hundreds.

But he fell for 54 when he punted leg-spinner Adil Rashid to a tumbling Steve Patterson at mid-on in the 67th over. Soon, Somerset were teetering at 189-5.

Yorkshire still have a chance of winning their third match on the spin, but it is an outside one with only a day left. Somerset are 166 away from the follow-on target.

James Hildreth will resume on 31 not out having passed 10,000 first-class career runs during his innings.

SCORECARD

LV COUNTY
CHAMPIONSHIP
DIVISION ONE
Yorkshire v Somerset
At Headingley Carnegie.
Overnight: Yorkshire 505-9 dec (A U Rashid
180, G S Ballance 107, R MPyrah 55; P D
Trego 4-107). Somerset 92-1 (M E
Trescothick 53).
Somerset First Innings Close
N R Compton lbw b Bresnan ...............33
M J Leach b Bresnan .......................... 8
A N Petersen c Patterson b Hodd .........54
J C Hildreth not out ............................31
A V Suppiah c Sayers b A U Rashid ..... 0
J C Buttler not out .............................. 1
Extras (lb8 nb2 pens 0) ...........10
Total 5 wkts (69 overs)...........190
Fall: 1-90 2-92 3-123 4-189 5-189
To Bat: P D Trego, S P Kirby, A C Thomas,
J Overton.
Bowling: Bresnan 22-6-60-2. Brooks 16-4-
47-1. Pyrah 12-5-26-0. Patterson 15-3-34-
0. A U Rashid 4-0-15-2.