A STUNNING five-wicket haul from Matthew Hoggard ensured Yorkshire took a solid first-innings lead against Somerset at Headingley but the Tykes found themselves frustratingly incapable of forcing the issue to build a more sizeable advantage.
“That’s what he’s (Hoggard’s) capable of with the new ball, a bit of swing and seam, a bit of bounce, that’s him at his best,” said director of cricket Martyn Moxon.
“He’s been working hard in the nets on his bowling, but it’s different in a match and this is a nice start back for him.”
Hoggard was in imperious form, steaming in with authority to remove both Marcus Trescothick and Justin Langer inside the first over of the Somerset reply.
At Scarborough last season, Trescothick was removed by the seamer in his first over and history repeated itself at Headingley as the opener survived only three balls before Hoggard found some movement away from the left-hander and forced a thick edge through to the safe hands of Gerard Brophy.
One Somerset duck turned into two moments later when the ball moved off the seam once more but this time straightened at the last second to outfox Langer and give Brophy another easy take.
At nought for two Somerset were in disarray but more was to come from Hoggard when he struck again to oust James Hildreth for 20, Anthony McGrath holding on to a regulation catch at third slip.
Just 26 for three then became 30 for four as Hoggard put himself on a hat-trick when Zander de Bruyn had no answer to another superb delivery that arched back into his pads in front of middle stump.
The ball was doing everything Hoggard asked but his hopes of taking three wickets in three balls were dashed by a dogged forward defensive from Craig Kieswetter.
England selector James Whittaker was present to see a rejuvenated display from the seamer, who hasn’t seen regular action so far this season.
“He’s obviously been short of a few overs,” said Moxon.
“He’s not been involved in the one-day stuff so I suppose it’s still earlyseason for him.”
“We’ve got other guys who’ve been out-bowling him, that’s the bottom line.”
Hoggard completed his five with the wicket of Peter Trego after lunch but Alfonso Thomas helped Kieswetter put on the brakes with a knock of 64.
The damage had been done by the time Kieswetter was removed for 83 by a diving catch from Brophy off Ajmal Shahzad and a lead that could have been a 100-plus was ebbing away.
David Wainwright eventually helped wrap up the tail to take his own wicket tally for the day to three as Somerset were dismissed for 230.
Jacques Rudolph was then caught by Trego off Charl Willoughby for 22 to bring Hoggard back into the action as night-watchman.
Yorkshire were 26 for one at the close, leading by 73.
Scoreboard
Yorkshire v Somerset At Headingley Carnegie
Overnight: Yorkshire 269-8 (J J Sayers 60).
Yorkshire First Innings
A Shahzad not out ....................... 8
D J Wainwright c Trescothick b Thomas ... 1
M J Hoggard c Kieswetter b Willoughby ...1
Extras (b5 lb12 w2 nb4 pens 0) ..23
Total (99.3 overs) ...................277
Fall: 1-35 2-72 3-111 4-166 5-166 6-248 7- 261 8-269 9-274
BowlingL Stiff 17-2-47-1. Willoughby 23.3- 11-30-3. Thomas 20-1-48-3. Suppiah 3-1-9- 0. Trego 13-4-31-1. Munday 16-0-68-2. de Bruyn 7-2-27-0.
Somerset First Innings
M E Trescothick c Brophy b Hoggard ... 0
A V Suppiah lbw b Wainwright ..............20
J L Langer c Brophy b Hoggard ............ 0
J C Hildreth c McGrath b Hoggard .......20
Z de Bruyn lbw b Hoggard .................... 0
C Kieswetter c Brophy b Shahzad ........83
P D Trego c Gale b Hoggard ................. 3
A C Thomas not out ..............................64
D A Stiff c McGrath b Wainwright ..........28
M K Munday c McGrath b Wainwright ... 1
C M Willoughby b Shahzad .................. 0
Extras (b2 lb9 pens 0) .................11
Total (74.5 overs) ...................230
Fall: 1-0 2-0 3-26 4-30 5-84 6-97 7-149 8-215 9-219
Bowling: Hoggard 16-3-56-5. Naved-ul- Hasan 15-1-47-0. Bresnan 12-3-26-0.
Shahzad 14.5-3-41-2. Wainwright 17-4-49-3.
Yorkshire Second Innings Close
J A Rudolph c Trego b Willoughby ........22
J J Sayers not out ............................ 4
M J Hoggard not out ............................ 0
Extras (pens 0)............................. 0
Total 1 wkt (13 overs)...................26
Fall: 1-26
To Bat: A McGrath, J M Bairstow, A W Gale, G L Brophy, T T Bresnan, A Shahzad, Navedul-Hasan, D J Wainwright.
Bonus Pts: Yorkshire 5 Somerset 4 Bowling: Willoughby 7-3-14-1. Stiff 1-0-6-0.
Thomas 5-2-6-0.
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