Title-chasing Somerset face uphill task as Lancashire take control

Lancashire's batters made title-chasing Somerset work for every wicket on the second day of the Vitality County Championship match at Old Trafford and had built a formidable 292-run lead at close of play.

Josh Bohannon's 60 and Luke Wells' unbeaten 78 enabled the home side to finish on 298 for seven in their second innings of a match both sides desperately need to win, Lancashire to preserve their hopes of avoiding relegation, Somerset to stay in touch with Surrey at the top of the table.

The difference between the first day's wicket-laden play and the second was immediately apparent during a morning session in which Lancashire scored 90 runs in 27 overs for the loss of only two wickets.

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Nightwatcher Will Williams was leg before wicket to Craig Overton for seven but Harry Singh then added 85 for the third wicket with Bohannon.

Bohannon tried to pull a ball from Kacey Aldridge shortly before lunch but only succeeded in diverting it via the toe of the bat to Tom Abell in the gully.

After lunch, Singh edged a catch to James Rew off Brett Randell to give the New Zealander his first wicket for Somerset.

Singh had faced 142 balls during his 260-minute innings of 31.

Matty Hurst edged Randell to second slip and Rocky Flintoff was bowled by Jack Leach's arm-ball for 27

Wells and George Bell moved their seventh-wicket stand to 83 before Bell was bowled for 23 when trying to pull a ball from Gregory that kept low.

The day ended with Lancashire in the ascendancy. Wells was unbeaten on 78 and Somerset's fielders appeared aggrieved that George Balderson had not been adjudged run out on five when apparently run out by Overton's throw from slip.

The visitors had earlier been penalised five runs for fake fielding.