SOMERSET had to settle for a rain-affected draw from their Championship match against Sussex at Hove which finished on Sunday afternoon.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Somerset found themselves in trouble at 96 for 5 before the ever-reliable Tom Abell and Craig Overton added 95 in 20 overs before the former was out for 72 off 110 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes.

Overton stayed to take his score onto 54 off 86 balls with 7 fours and a 6 but with the total on 202 he became the first wicket of a hat-trick for Henry Crocombe which brought the innings to a close without any further addition to the total.

Sussex, in reply, were all out for 250, Overton taking 4 for 66 and Lewis Gregory 3 for 55.

In their second innings Somerset fared a great deal better, and after losing the whole of the third day to the weather, eventually declared on 350 for 9, of which Tom Lammonby made 93 off 171 deliveries with 12 fours, and Henry Nicholls hit 50 off 129 balls with 4 fours.

Chasing an unlikely target of 303 for victory in their second innings Sussex reached 62 for 1 in 14 overs before the players shook hands and the match ended in a draw.

The Cidermen take 11 points from this result that keeps them in second place in the table, four behind the leaders Nottinghamshire.

There are four more games remaining this season, the first of which is against Glamorgan and begins at Taunton on Wednesday (Sept 2), where play is due to begin at 10.30am.

After that Lewis Gregory’s team travel away to play against Leicestershire on September 8, then Yorkshire away on 15th before returning to Taunton for the final match of the season against Surrey starting on 24th September. T