Specsavers County Championship
Day 3
Somerset (224 all out & 101-4) v Yorkshire (202 all out & 283 all out)

SOMERSET go into the final day of their County Championship encounter with Yorkshire needing 161 runs to win, after Dom Bess took five wickets to dismiss the visitors for 283.

Yet the home side only have six wickets in hand, after their top order imploded in the evening session, before Adam Hose and Steve Davies steadied the ship.

Yorkshire resumed on 127-2, 105 runs ahead, and it was 19-year-old Bess who claimed the breakthrough wicket, removing Peter Handscomb for 70 (caught at slip by Marcus Trescothick).

The Somerset pair combined again to dismiss Jack Leaning (3), but Yorkshire reached lunch on 213-4.

The spinners got into their stride after the interval, Jack Leach removing Matthew Waite for 18 (caught by James Hildreth at short leg) and Bess trapping Andy Hodd (1) lbw.

Leach struck twice more, dismissing Azeem Rafiq (7, lbw) and Steven Patterson (0, caught by Davies), and Yorkshire were 223-8.

Somerset took the option of the new ball and introduced Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton and Jamie Overton into the attack, but Gary Ballance and Karl Carver were proving formidable opponents.

As the visitors' total climbed, Bess and Leach returned - and after Carver (13) was run out by Leach, Bess dismissed Ryan Sidebottom (0, lbw).

With Yorkshire all out for 283 (Ballance stranded on 98no), that meant a target of 262 to win for the hosts.

But once again a fine bowling effort was followed by sub-standard batting from Somerset.

Dean Elgar - out for six in the first innings - hit four off the first ball of the reply, but then went for seven (caught behind by Hodd off the bowling of Patterson).

Captain Tom Abell improved on his first-innings duck, but not by much as he was trapped lbw by Patterson for four, leaving the home side on 17-2.

James Hildreth helped steady the ship for a while, but Trescothick then departed for seven (caught by Hodd), as Patterson claimed his third wicket of the innings.

Waite then joined the Yorkshire feeding frenzy, trapping Hildreth lbw for 27.

Somerset needed a steady spell, and they got it from County Championship debutant Hose and wicketkeeper Davies.

They brought up the 50 partnership to take the home side up to the 100 mark, and Hose (27no) and Davies (26no) ended the day with their wickets intact to leave Somerset needing another 161 runs for victory.

Speaking after the close of play, the day's standout performer Bess said: "I'm very happy with my personal performance but happier with the position we are in as a team.

"We spoke this morning about building maidens and really putting the squeeze on them, which I think we did very well - they could easily have put 450 on us and batted us out the game.

"Credit to all the bowlers - Leachy was awesome, and there was a spell after lunch when everything just clicked for the both of us. When those times come along you have to make the most of them, which we did.

"Gary Ballance is a quality player and I learned a lot from bowling at him - it was a great challenge.

Bess also spoke of his confidence that the side could close out a first Championship victory of the season tomorrow.

"We were happy with the target set, and there is a great deal of confidence within that dressing room no matter what people say.

"They will have to bowl well - it's not just a matter of landing it in a certain place. 

"Hosey [Adam Hose] and Davos [Steve Davies] batted very well towards the end and I'm backing us to see it through."