County Championship: Banton & Rew put Somerset on top against Kent

Centuries from Tom Banton and James Rew helped Somerset to 440-7 after losing the toss on the opening day of their County Championship Division One match with Kent.

Banton contributed a career-best 133 while Rew added 114 as the pair put on 205 for the fifth wicket in 42.4 overs, and Tom Lammonby hit 69 as Kent’s seamers found it tough going at Taunton.

Somerset’s innings got off to a poor start when Sean Dickson slashed at a wide ball from Beyers Swanepoel and edged through to wicketkeeper Harry Finch for a fourth-ball duck.

Matt Renshaw and Lammonby put on 75 for the second wicket before the former fell for 40, caught at mid-on mistiming a drive off George Garrett.

Andrew Umeed looked in good touch, a glorious straight-driven boundary off Garrett helping to bring the hundred up before Lammonby went to his fifth half-century of the season.

But, with the total on 116, Umeed edged Swanepoel to first slip and departed for 25.

Lammonby and Banton played positively at the start of the afternoon session, taking the score to 172 before the former got a bottom edge on to his stumps.

It proved the only success for the visitors before tea as Banton and Rew took over.

The final session saw Banton survive a sharp chance to backward point just after their stand passed three figures.

It was all the good fortune he required to reach a 150-ball ton before racing past his previous top score of 126.

Rew followed him to a hundred after Kent had taken the second new ball at 349-4.

Banton departed shortly afterwards, caught behind attempting to uppercut a short ball from Grant Stewart, and Rew also fell to the new ball, lbw to Joey Evison.

Craig Overton was dismissed for 23, but Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory was unbeaten on 26 at stumps, having passed 4,000 first class runs.