Somerset v Yorkshire: Yorkshire stay under the spell of Trescothick

The Somerset left-hander has played county cricket for 18 years, scored not far short of 20,000 first-class runs and made more than 200 international appearances.

And yet there he was, more than two hours before start of play, practising and preparing for the long day ahead.

Trescothick, in fact, never stopped batting from early morning until early evening.

When Ryan Sidebottom finally had him caught at first slip by Adam Lyth at 5.20pm, Sidebottom’s 500th first-class wicket, Trescothick had made 189, his 46th first-class century and third against Yorkshire in four Championship games.

His efforts helped Somerset to 389-6, a lead of 31, on a second day saturated with sunshine and stroke play.

Trescothick’s play was a master class of accumulation that highlighted not only the insufficiency of Yorkshire’s first innings 358, but also the dedication of a 35-year-old who possesses the enthusiasm of a player half his age.

Although some would question the amount of practice and preparation undertaken by modern cricketers, Trescothick’s commitment is an example to all and he continues to reap the richest rewards.

Like Mark Ramprakash, the Surrey batsman still going strong in his 42nd year, the Somerset captain is getting better with age.

His was a vintage performance as the Yorkshire bowlers were put to the sword on one of county cricket’s most unforgiving swards.

Far from going gently into the twilight of his career, Trescothick is blazing up like a bushfire.

He is the leading scorer in first-class cricket this summer with 827 at 68.91 and looks like he, too, could go on past 40.

Even the most ardent Yorkshire follower – and a good number have made the long trip south-west – would doubtless concede it was a pleasure and privilege to watch him in action.

Not that Yorkshire’s players would be inclined to agree.

On the contrary, this was a day they will generally want to erase from their minds – although four wickets in the final session put a much better gloss on proceedings from their perspective.

After Somerset resumed on 7-0, it took an almighty giveaway to present Yorkshire with their first wicket an hour before tea.

Trescothick and Arul Suppiah had added 267 in 62 overs when Suppiah inexplicably swatted a half-tracker from Rashid straight to Steve Patterson at mid-wicket, five runs short of a hundred.

Prior to that breakthrough, Yorkshire must have wondered whether they were ever destined to strike, particularly considering they had dropped two catches.

Adil Rashid grassed Suppiah at third slip off Ajmal Shahzad when the batsman was nine and Oliver Hannon-Dalby shelled a caught-and-bowled opportunity when Trescothick was 98.

Hannon-Dalby, however, could hold his head high.

Although the scorecard shows the tall pace bowler has so far gone wicketless, he has been Yorkshire’s best bowler and was the main threat to Trescothick, whom he several times troubled with lifting deliveries from the Old Pavilion End.

A return of 0-77 from 18 overs was poor reward for a man who did as much as anyone to get Yorkshire back into the match.

Trescothick’s innings was a typical affair – precious little foot movement and yet precious little chance for the fielders either as the ball sped to the boundary – and four times over it.

Trescothick hit straight sixes off Rashid and Joe Root and twice hooked Hannon-Dalby over fine leg into – appropriately enough – the Marcus Trescothick Stand.

Suppiah also struck a big leg-side six off Rashid, who served up yet another mixed bag.

Somerset lost their second wicket on the stroke of tea when Nick Compton was caught behind off Shahzad, the home side failing to make the most of their platform as Yorkshire hit back towards the end.

Rashid had Alex Barrow caught behind before James Hildreth whacked the leg-spinner for yet another six, this time over mid-wicket.

Four balls after dismissing Trescothick, Sidebottom had Peter Trego lbw for a duck, Somerset slipping to 366-6 when Jos Buttler drove Patterson to Andrew Gale at cover.

But Hildreth looked in good touch and will resume today on 49, made from 63 balls with nine boundaries.