Somerset captain Craig Overton scored an innings-saving century batting at No.7 on day two of their County Championship fixture against Essex, hitting a career-best 141 off 180 balls.
Craig Overton hits his highest score in professional cricket to save Somerset innings
After bowling Essex out for 149 on day one, Somerset capitulated early in their first innings at Chelmsford. They were reduced to 16-3 before some brief resistance from James Rew at the end of day one saw them start their recovery.
Despite having bowled Essex out, it was a challenging day for Somerset, who lost the services of opening batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore early in the day when he suffered a thumb-joint injury. He was subbed out of the match under the County Championship's injury replacement trial, with Will Smeed selected to stand in for him. However, Smeed was playing with Somerset Second XI in Abergavenny yesterday, meaning he was unable to make the drive in time to open the innings, leaving Somerset to surprisingly promote Jack Leach instead.
Leach was out for six, as the first wicket to fall, and Overton came in when Rew was dismissed, leaving Somerset at 114-5. Overton smashed a 34-ball 50 in the evening session to lead a counter-attack, finishing unbeaten on 50* overnight.
When he came back the following morning, he slowed his scoring rate slightly but reached his century shortly after lunch off 136 balls. He put on a 118-run partnership with Smeed, who was at the ground to bat on day two. Overton was eventually trapped lbw by Shane Snater for 141, his highest score in professional cricket. Somerset were bowled out before Tea on Day Two for 348, with a lead of 199.
Match 14, Essex vs Somerset
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Overton has been capped 15 times for England, in eight Tests and seven ODIs, the most recent of which was in 2022. He is Somerset's regular vice-captain, but is captaining the side at Chelmsford in place of Lewis Gregory, who was named in the travelling squad after missing the opening match of the season last week with a pectoral injury. He wasn't named in the playing XI.
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