Ian Blackwell played the starring role for Somerset as they boosted their
bid for Championship runners-up spot with six bonus points on the second day
at Taunton
Richard Latham24-Aug-2001Ian Blackwell played the starring role for Somerset as they boosted their
bid for Championship runners-up spot with six bonus points on the second day
at Taunton.First Blackwell helped turn an overnight score of 207-6 into 373 all out by
scoring a superb 120, off 202 balls, with 19 fours and a six.Then in his first over of left-arm spin he had Mike Carberry caught at slip
by Peter Bowler for 34 to leave Surrey 94-2 in reply.Ian Ward had already fallen for a brisk 48, well caught by Keith Dutch at
second slip off Jamie Grove. After tea Richard Johnson took 3-7 in the space
of four overs to have the visitors struggling at 155-5.Ben Hollioake then batted soundly, hitting a half-century off 62 balls, with
9 fours, to guide Surrey to their initial target of 224, the score necessary
to avoid following-on.He received good support from Martin Bicknell in an unbroken stand of 37,
which took the total to 224-6 off 55 overs at the close.Earlier, Blackwell and Grove had frustrated Surrey with a last wicket
partnership of 107, despite the efforts of Saqlain Mushtaq, who varied his
pace and flight to return 6-107 from 42.4 overs.Blackwell showed a mixture of sound defence and sweetly timed attacking
strokes to collect his fourth Championship ton of the season.It was a mature innings lasting just over four hours from the 23-year-old
former Derbyshire player, who is pressing hard for a one-day international
call-up.
