Somerset 342 & 148-3 Surrey 266: Caddick kills off Surrey's attempt to take control

The Recreation Ground has not been a fun place for Surrey over the years. Since the Second World War they have won here only once, in 1959, and this latest visit is shaping up badly too, with Surrey conceding a first-innings lead of 76, an advantage that Somerset then added to substantially in the final session, thanks to Matthew Wood's unbeaten half-century.

Surrey had needed only seven balls to finish off the Somerset first innings although Peter Trego managed to add seven runs to his overnight 103 before his top-edged slash found Alistair Brown's hands.

The pitch was flattening out but the majority of the Surrey batsmen could not build on good starts. Not until Alistair Brown shared in a stirring fourth-wicket stand of 106 with Mark Ramprakash did Surrey begin to look as if they would take control. But when he was looking well set, Brown, who had hit a superb 63 that contained 15 boundaries, played back to Andrew Caddick and was lbw.

The momentum was maintained by Rikki Clarke, who hoisted a six and seven fours in his 34-ball innings. But it ended abruptly when he chased a wide ball from Caddick and was caught behind, endinga 50-run stand with Ramprakash.

Clarke's departure was followed a ball later by James Benning, taken at first slip off Caddick but Martin Bicknell halted the slide in a gritty 44-run stand with Ramprakash, but Charl Willoughby returned to take first Bicknell then, next ball, Ian Salisbury.

The next over saw Peter Trego repeat the feat, accounting for Neil Saker and Mohammad Akram to put himself on a hat-trick in Surrey's second innings and Ramprakash stranded short of a deserved century.