Cricket Gregory impresses with the bat as he steers Somerset to home victory

EWIS Gregory led from the front with a brilliant 89 not out as Somerset completed a five-wicket Rothesay County Championship Division One win over Sussex at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton on Sunday evening.

- Richard LATHAM

Set just 150 to win on a benign pitch, the hosts reached their target in an additional half hour to the scheduled day’s play, skipper Gregory taking advantage of his new position as opener to hit 12 fours in a sparkling 118-ball innings.

Earlier, an unbeaten 82 off 164 balls from John Simpson had helped Sussex extend their second innings total from an overnight 127 for four to 335 all out. Fynn Hudson-Prentice contributed 41 and James Coles 39, while Jack Leach finished with four for 51.

It didn’t prove enough and Somerset took 21 points from a second successive Championship victory, while their opponents had to be content with three.

Sussex hopes of a fightback were dealt an early blow when Craig Overton struck with his first delivery of the day at the start of the second over. Tom Alsop, playing defensively, edged a low catch to Gregory at first slip.

Almost immediately it was 129 for six as James Coles called for a single to mid-wicket to get off the mark and James Hayes was run out by Tom Banton’s direct hit at the wicketkeeper’s end.

Coles soon began to time the ball sweetly. He and Simpson held up the home side’s victory bid with a stand of 66, both looking to play positively on a now flat wicket.

Coles had struck 6 fours when attempting another attacking shot off Jack Leach and driving in the air to Tom Lammonby at mid-off. At 195 for seven, his side led by just nine runs.