Somerset 526-8 dec (128.4 overs)
Sussex 253 (71.1 overs) and 113-7 (57.4 overs)
Somerset (15 points) drew with Sussex (10 points)
Somerset were denied the opportunity of a third Rothesay County Championship victory of the season when rain brought a premature end to the Division One match with Sussex at the Cooper Associates County Ground, in Taunton.
The visitors could add only 17 runs to their overnight first innings score of 236-8 in reply to Somerset’s 526-8 declared and were forced to follow on 273 runs behind.
Sussex then slipped to 111-7 by tea, Craig Overton claiming 3-14 from 13 overs. But, with two runs added at the start of the final session, the weather intervened and no further play was possible.
Somerset took 15 points from a match they dominated while Sussex had reason to be pleased with 10 from a below-par performance.
It took Somerset just 12 balls at the start of the morning session to claim the last two Sussex first innings wickets.
James Coles edged to second slip off Alfie Ogborne and Henry Crocombe was snapped up at first slip off Lewis Gregory.
With the floodlights on under some threatening clouds, batting did not look easy when first innings centurion Daniel Hughes and Tom Haines began their side’s second innings. But it was two poor shots that led to both departing before lunch.
With the total on 22 in the sixth over, Haines, on five, aimed a big drive at Ogborne and edged to Gregory at first slip.
It was an error that Sussex could ill afford and Hughes compounded it with a disappointing exit himself, having helped Tom Clark add 32 for the second wicket.
The Australian left-hander, who moved comfortably to 21, stood transfixed after contriving to cut a long-hop from off-spinner Archie Vaughan straight to Migael Pretorius, who took a simple catch at backward point.
By lunch, Clark and Jack Leaning had progressed the score to 65-2 wo from 26 overs, Clark unbeaten on 25.
At that point, there was no sign of the forecast rain and Sussex had a potential 66 more overs to bat out for a draw.
Their sequence of soft dismissals continued after the interval with the total on 79 when Leaning, on four, miscued a back-foot defensive shot off Overton and looped the ball up to mid-wicket where Ogborne pouched a straightforward chance.
Clark played well to make 34 off 95 balls and looked crestfallen when judged leg before to Overton, bowling around the wicket and angling the ball in to the left-hander, to leave Sussex in trouble at 86-4.
With only a single added, the inspired Overton found the edge of Coles’s bat and Tom Abell claimed a waist-high catch at first slip. To Sussex’s dismay, the skies were actually brightening.
A bigger worry for Somerset was a repeat of the floodlight malfunction that had ended play early on day two.
They went out unexpectedly during the afternoon session and, when overhead conditions darkened again, umpires Tom Lungley and Ben Debenham were soon consulting.
Spin at both ends kept the players on the field, with Jack Leach and Vaughan bowling in tandem. It was Vaughan who struck next as Charlie Tear missed a back-foot defensive shot and was bowled for six.
The lights came back on at 3.15pm, allowing Somerset to recall their seamers. It quickly led to another wicket as Fynn Hudson-Prentice was trapped on the crease by a delivery from Ogborne and fell LBW for five.
John Simpson had faced 59 balls for his 11 runs when tea was taken, with a possible 36 overs left in the day. Rain began to fall during the break and when play resumed at 4.15pm three of the overs had been lost.
Only 10 balls had been bowled when light drizzle sent the players to the pavilion. To Somerset’s frustration, it persisted and the players shook hands on a draw at 5.50pm.
Somerset head coach Jason Kerr said: “There is huge frustration in the dressing room but I prefer to focus on things we can control and this was an exceptional team performance.
“Tom Abell was exemplary with the bat as he has been all year. It was our plan to get a big first innings total and put Sussex under pressure which is exactly what happened.
“I’m really proud. Unfortunately the weather has intervened, but that’s not something we can control.
“We have played on six very different surfaces this season and I haven’t heard the guys moan once. They have adapted really well.
“There have been times when we have not played great cricket and it has cost us. But the majority of the time we have been in the ascendency and played really well.
“We could easily be sitting with two more wins right up there at the top of the table and if we continue to play in the same fashion, we will be in contention come September.”
Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said: “If I was in the Somerset dressing room, I would be bitterly disappointed at not having won the game.
“They were the better team from start to finish, outplaying us for four days. We have got away with one.
“Someone up above has very kindly looked down and brought a bit of rain to save us. Quite frankly, we didn’t deserve a draw because we didn’t play well enough.
“We have lost our last 15 or 16 wickets for around 140 runs without laying a glove on Somerset.
“I talk our lads up at every opportunity and I know we have a lot of tired bowlers but our batting in this game simply wasn’t good enough.
“We haven’t competed well enough and Somerset deserved to win. But the rain gods have smiled on us.”
