IT’S the changing of the guard at Somerset where, after injury forced a number of the senior players to miss the championship match away against table-toppers Notts, the younger brigade stepped up to the mark to help pull off an impressive 306-run victory over the reigning champions at Trent Bridge.

After being asked to bat, the visitors looked to be in trouble at 47 for 3 in the 18th over. Thomas Rew then walked to the wicket to join Jordan Hermann and between them they took the total onto 169 for 4 before the 18 year old Rew was out for a vital 68 off 133 balls with 11 fours. The youngster had looked a little edgy early on but soon settled in and grew more and more confident the longer he was at the wicket.

Twenty year old Archie Vaughan then joined Hermann and saw up the 200, before the South African opener was out for 106, scored from 211 balls and which included 11 fours and one 6.

Vaughan remained out in the middle as further wickets tumbled, only Jack Leach making any impression with 21 before Somerset were all out for 310 in 103 overs. Vaughan ended unbeaten on 66 from 145 balls with seven 4s.

The hosts in reply were bowled out for 193, Lewis Gregory claiming 4 for 51 from his 13.4 overs, while Leach ended with 3 for 44 from 15.

Batting for a second time Somerset made 355 for 7 declared, the highlight of which was Thomas Rew’s 127 - his maiden first class century for the county- and the first of many hopefully, which came from 151 deliveries and contained 8 fours and six 6s.

Chasing a target of 473 for victory, the Somerset attack was minus the services of skipper Gregory who suffered a hamstring injury and Jake Ball was drafted in as a substitute replacement.

The home side never really looked in the hunt as Craig Overton kept the wickets tumbling, with only Australian Fergus O’Neill, who made an unbeaten 54, offering any resistance as the home side were all out for 166 in 63.5 overs. Overton ended with 5 for 29 from 16.5 overs, seven of which were maidens.

Afterwards a delighted Overton said: “Our youngsters have been outstanding and the Somerset academy just keeps churning them out.

”They turn up and produce runs when we need them. Tom Rew is a phenomenal talent, I thought the 68 he got in the first innings was actually more significant than his hundred because it kept us in the game when it was difficult.

“Notts are a very good side and if they immediately go off and get another win there's no reason to suppose they can't win the title again.

“So it's obviously a very good result for us as they don't lose here (Trent Bridge) very often but we've the belief we can beat anyone and I think we showed that today.”

This result brings the Cidermen right back into contention in their bid to lift the blue riband event, the county championship, for the first time in their history and takes them up into third spot in the table.