Close, day two: Somerset 185-8 trail Middlesex 283 by 98 runs
Steven Finn issued a reminder to the England selectors with four wickets as Middlesex reduced Somerset to 185-8 on a second day at Northwood punctuated by rain delays.
Finn was not selected for the first Ashes Test despite being named in the squad but has kept his place for next week’s second Test at his home ground of Lord’s.
And he delivered a timely indication of his form by removing Tom Abell and James Hildreth just after lunch before accounting for Lewis Gregory and Jim Allenby late in the day.
Somerset, who bowled Middlesex out for 283 on day one, began well in reply and reached 69-0 at lunch, before Finn and Tim Murtagh struck in consecutive overs early in the afternoon.
When Finn bowled Hildreth, Somerset were suddenly 86-3 and although skipper and former England stalwart Marcus Trescothick battled to 50, he was then trapped lbw by Toby Roland-Jones.
Ollie Rayner also got in the act, snaring Peter Trego lbw, just before the first rain shower prompted an early tea.
About 90 minutes were lost and there was a further delay in the evening session, as Somerset slipped from 152-5 to 181-8, still 98 behind when another shower ended the day’s play.
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This post was last modified on 12/07/2015