Yorkshire stunned by Lee's assault
Somerset 309 & 395 Yorkshire 292 & 160-7
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Your support makes all the difference.A furious 134 off 109 balls from Shane Lee, the Australian who cannot get into the New South Wales team, spearheaded a Somerset recovery of such strength that Yorkshire face their third defeat today.
They were left with a target of 413 in the last innings, with a minimum 127 overs remaining; at stumps last evening they stood at 160 for 7, mesmerised by Andrew Caddick's swing and flailing at Kevin Shine's pace.
Martyn Moxon, driving comfortably, was brilliantly held inches off the turf at midwicket. Caddick's late movement accounted for Michael Vaughan, David Byas was caught down the legside following Shine while Anthony McGrath accomplished his first king pair in first-class cricket by top-edging the next ball, in an attempted pull, to be caught by third slip, running back.
Craig White, like Byas, was tempted into trying to glance Shine. Only Michael Bevan was able to take the match into the last day. Caddick, grumbling Tykes were saying, should have been bowling at Lord's.
A third weather change in three days - overcast with a brisk crosswind that died in mid-afternoon - meant that the pitch so praised on Thursday became more of its old mulish self. Yorkshire, short of skill and inspiration, found it almost impossible to get out a Somerset man, apart from captain Andy Hayhurst and he looked far from pleased.
Nightwatchman Jeremy Batty's advance from five overnight to 26 set the pattern. Mark Lathwell contributed a stylish 80, crisp driving and cutting bringing 12 boundaries. His partnership with Lee rocked Yorkshire: they added 50 in only six overs and in three overs after lunch Lee went from 69 to his 100, off 81 balls, his last three scoring strokes, all off Peter Hartley, 4-6-4. He should have been taken at the wicket when 104, off the first ball of Richard Stemp's second spell.
Under this rain of shot and shell the Yorkies fell apart. Darren Gough contributed some silly overs, including three bouncers that sailed over Richard Blakey's head to give Somerset another 12 runs.
When Lathwell edged to slip, Lee found another reliable partner in Rob Turner who simply held one end safe while the mayhem continued at the other. Of the 95 added for the seventh wicket, in 16 overs, Turner contributed eight. Lee was eventually taken low down on the deep midwicket boundary.
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