On another gloriously sunny day at the County Ground in Taunton the Somerset bowlers made the Warwickshire batsmen toil long and hard for their runs today.

First thing in the morning Somerset's last pair added just five runs to their overnight score before Matt Bulbeck was caught by wicket-keeper Ian Clifford off the bowling of Graham Wagg for 31.

Chasing a Somerset total of 408 the Warwickshire opening pair of Michael Powell and Nick Knight made a solid start and had just brought up the fifty when Simon Francis who had just been brought into the attack struck twice. In the seventeenth over he removed Powell, who was caught by wicket-keeper Rob Turner for 26, and Mark Wagh who was caught by Keith Parsons for 4.

Ian Bell and Knight shared a third wicket partnership of 78 before Bell was caught by Ian Blackwell off Richard Johnson, but from 132 for 3 the Somerset bowlers, who were cleverly managed by skipper Jamie Cox were always on top.

Knight looked destined to score his fifth century of the season until in the fifty fourth over he was trapped LBW by Francis for 98.

From 197 for 5, the visitors fell away and at one stage of the afternoon the follow on looked like a distinct possibility, before Neil Smith eventually passed that landmark, by running three to Keith Parsons at third man.

The last wicket pair of Shane Bond and Neil Carter added a quickfire 34 but Warwickshire were eventually all out in the early evening for 304 leaving the Cidermen a difficult fourteen overs to navigate before the close of play.

For the Cidermen Simon Francis produced his most impressive bowling performance of the season so far to end with career best figures of 5 for 73, and Bulbeck finished with 3 for 75.

By the close of play Somerset had reached 35 without loss in their second innings, to stretch their lead to 139, and those who make the journey to Taunton tomorrow will be in for another interesting day's play.

After the close of play Somerset bowling hero told me: "It has been great to get my first five wicket haul, and to get it here at the County Ground in front of my home crowd. There is still a bit at Taunton for the seamers with carry and bounce and a bit of swing that helped me to get my career best."

He continued: "We have won most of the sessions in this match, and things are at last looking good for us. We batted exceptionally well yesterday, and now today we have bowled well. Everybody is determined to get maximum points from this one, which will help us to turn things around."

Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "This has been one of our better championship days here. I'm really proud of the way that we bowled and fielded today, and I'm especially pleased for Simon Francis who thoroughly deserved his five wicket haul."

He concluded: "Tomorrow we will be looking to get a substantial score and put some scoreboard pressure on them, and then bowl as well as we have done today. I am really proud of these guys."

© SOMERSET