Hussain proves his value to put Somerset on a roll

Round-up

(GETTY IMAGES)

Those who doubted Somerset's wisdom in signing Gemaal Hussain from Second Division neighbours Gloucestershire would have been obliged to keep quiet after the 27-year-old late starter took a career-best six for 33 as Worcestershire succumbed to Marcus Trescothick's title aspirants at Taunton.

The 6ft 5ins fast bowler finished with 67 wickets last season, a total bettered only by Andre Adams for champions Nottinghamshire. Given that he had been rejected by five different counties before landing a contract at Bristol in 2009, it was an astonishing breakthrough.

Somerset clearly felt it was no one-off and offered him the chance to move to Taunton with team-mate Steve Kirby over the winter.

Yesterday he demolished Worcestershire's hopes of chasing the 257 needed. His first spell included the key wickets of Moeen Ali and Alexei Kervezee in the space of four deliveries; his last wrapped up a 91-run win despite Somerset having themselves been bowled out for 185 earlier, when all-rounder Damien Wright took six for 56 but 20-year-old Jos Buttler's unbeaten 46 made sure the visitors faced a difficult target.

Somerset, heavily beaten in their opening two matches, have now won their last two.

Nottinghamshire's walking wounded frustrated Yorkshire at Trent Bridge, where the erstwhile Division One leaders fought back to avoid the follow-on despite having been 291-8 in reply to Yorkshire's 534-9 declared.

Alex Hales completed his fourth half-century in five innings after leaving the field with blood pouring from a face wound inflicted when a short delivery from England pace bowler Ajmal Shahzad struck his helmet grille.

Then Andre Adams, who had been able to bowl only nine overs because of an elbow injury which prompted Notts to send him for a precautionary X-ray yesterday morning, followed the pain-defying trend by hitting three sixes and seven fours in a 47-ball 54.

And former Somerset pace bowler Ben Phillips, who had been forced off the field with a damaged thumb on Thursday, marked his Championship debut for Notts with an unbeaten 74, sharing a 114-run partnership with Adams for the ninth wicket. Luke Fletcher then smashed 20 from just nine deliveries before Notts were all out for an unlikely 428.