County Championship Division One - day one (close)
Nottinghamshire v Somerset 353-7
JAMES Hildreth scored his third County Championship century of the season, passing 1,000 runs for the summer in the process, as Somerset enjoyed a productive day with the bat against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Hildreth's superb 137 was backed up by half-centuries from Marcus Trescothick (71) and Steve Davies (55), who fell to the final ball of the day as Somerset closed on 353-7.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Trescothick lost his opening partner Tom Banton (3) - whose father Colin played seven First Class matches for Notts - early as the youngster played across his pad and was pinned in front by Luke Wood.
Azhar Ali, in the final match of his stint with the county, made 19 before edging Harry Gurney to first slip but Hildreth and Trescothick led Somerset to 100-2 at lunch.
The blossoming partnership was ended when Trescothick chipped Gurney to cover for 71 - a welcome return to form for the veteran after his pair against Surrey last week - and Hildreth survived a let off on 30 when a tough chance was put down in the slips.
He certainly capitalised on the life he was given, reaching his 44th First Class century and becoming just the second player this season to reach 1,000 runs in Division One.
The other, Surrey opener Rory Burns, has been rewarded with a place in England's Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka and Hildreth must be wondering for the upteempth time what more he has to do to earn a shot at international level.
Hey @ECB_cricket, there's a lad called James Hildreth who plays for @SomersetCCC - don't know if you've heard of him? You should take a look - he's quite good...😉
— Jon Kerslake (@JonKerslake) September 24, 2018
Greatest player to never play for England? 🤔 https://t.co/xAC60gBQz6
— Emily Vickery (@emily_vickery97) September 24, 2018
James Hildreth, the best professional sportsman to have never represented his country! #Fact
— Lloyd Alley (@lloyd_alley89) September 24, 2018
Dear Ed Smith,
— sam trego (@tregs100) September 24, 2018
If at any point during your tenure as ‘Chief National Selector’ you need a batsman in the middle order who averages 43 in Div 1 and has 44 1st Class 100’s here’s how to get to him......... pic.twitter.com/a1MlhCxKMG
Of England's options in the 16-man squad, Joe Denly is currently averaging 36.27 in Division Two (though admittedly his part-time leg-spin is a factor in his selection) and 20-year-old Ollie Pope, bright as his future is, would surely be better served on a Lions tour rather than sitting in the nets as a 'spare batsman'.
Hildreth has now scored a century in every final match of the season since 2015, while one has to go back to 2009 for the last campaign in which Hildreth failed to make a ton in September.
The last season James Hildreth did not hit a century in September was 2009. #WeAreSomerset #NOTTSvSOM #CountyCricketLive https://t.co/OVtQniJV4t
— Alex White (@AlexBrianWhite) September 24, 2018
Hildreth lost the company of Tom Abell for 42 - leaving Somerset's skipper needing 117 in his final innings of the season to join Hildreth in four figures - and put on 90 with Davies before his vigil ended on 137 when he edged Gurney behind.
Gurney went on to remove Lewis Gregory, strangled down the leg-side for 10, and Davies (55) as he completed a fine five-wicket haul.
Somerset have earned four of the six points required to seal second place and they are likely to need the other two to make sure, with third-placed Essex sitting pretty on 176-2 having rolled champions Surrey out for just 67 at the Kia Oval.
Speaking at the close, Hildreth said: "I’m very pleased with how it’s gone. Watching Tres bat, then having a partnership with him gave me a bit of confidence. There was a period where not much happened and the ball was swinging around a little bit and I thought they bowled quite nicely.
Sit back and enjoy a James Hildreth masterclass! 👊👊
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) September 24, 2018
He was the star today with a magnificent 137 from 203 balls#WeAreSOMERSET pic.twitter.com/EYO4oGHpCW
“So, to get through that period was good and after that it became easier. The ball got older and I was able to score a few more runs.
“I love playing here. One of the guys mentioned the 2004 game here when Jamie Cox got a double hundred and I got my first hundred on the ground.
"It’s a lovely place to play and I’m pleased to have passed 1,000 championship runs because with only 14 games and with some of the wickets you play on it’s really quite tough to get there.”
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