County Championship: Worcestershire draw with Somerset

Tom Lammonby continued his excellent start to the season and played a major role as Somerset earned a hard-fought County Championship draw at Kidderminster against newly promoted Worcestershire.

Lammonby dug in to score his third half-century of the season, in addition to his hundred against champions Surrey.

Receiving excellent support from Andy Umeed, who hit his best Somerset score of 60 in a decisive fourth-wicket partnership at Chester Road, Lammonby’s unbeaten 81 lifted his run tally for the campaign past the 350 mark.

When the duo joined forces, Somerset were still 76 runs in arrears at 66-3 but they effectively blunted the Pears attack to bat throughout the afternoon session in adding 117 in 39 overs.

Lammonby enjoys facing Worcestershire, having become in 2020 Somerset’s youngest player, at the age of 20, to carry his bat through an innings in a crucial four-day Bob Willis Trophy game at New Road.

This time his efforts helped sealed a fourth successive draw for Somerset and a third in four games for Worcestershire – as well as a home defeat by Durham – since gaining promotion.

Nightwatchman Jake Ball frustrated Worcestershire during the opening hour and also did the bulk of the scoring, as Renshaw weighed anchor.

But Adam Finch bowled Ball for 29 before home captain Brett D’Oliveira brought himself into the attack shortly before lunch and accounted for Renshaw, whose attempted to paddle sweep the leg-spinner earned a simple catch to Kashif Ali at short leg.

Lammonby completed a solid half-century from 126 balls and Umeed brought up his 50 – from 117 deliveries – before falling to a fine return one-handed reflex catch by Ben Gibbon as the visitors closed on 190-4.

Flood-hit Worcestershire end their two-match stay at their Chester Road second home for another year.

When the Pears next host next a Championship game on 25 May it will be back at New Road.

Before then Somerset host leaders Essex at Taunton next week.

Worcestershire now have 11 days off before facing Kent at Canterbury.