Somerset's victory charge hinges on the weather once more ahead of final day at Taunton

SAM DALLING: They will hope that enough time remains in the game ahead of a final day likely to be heavily impacted by conditions beyond their control

• Somerset v Gloucestershire: Scorecard

History has a habit of repeating itself. That was the last thing Somerset wanted. No play was possible until 4pm at Taunton today due to the inclement weather. That there was any cricket at all is a minor miracle.

Rain had been forecast but no one expected it to be this bad; the collective groan when the squad pulled back the curtains this morning could be heard across the Quantocks.

There was no official word of an inspection during the morning. It wasn’t needed. When there are puddles on the outfield it doesn’t take a MENSA membership to conclude that the prospects are bleak.

Groundstaff are the unsung heroes of county cricket and they worked tirelessly throughout, but even they can do little when its bucketing down. By the time the umpires strode out for the first of many laps of the outfield, Somerset head coach Jason Kerr and captain Tom Abell were already in the middle.

They kept their distance at first, checking out their prey from a distance. But soon enough Kerr was bounding over to his former teammate Ian Blackwell wanting to know the score.

They were desperate to get on with it. With one round to go in the Bob Willis Trophy after this, now is not the time to fall behind the eight-ball.

It’s understandable really; he and Abell still bear the scars from last week’s trip to Edgbaston. By the time the heavens opened in Birmingham, just a solitary wicket was needed for victory. Two wins from three would have been three from three. So near, yet so far.

In the aftermath, plenty of disgruntled spectators voiced their displeasure at the timing of Abell’s declaration.

^{George Hankins was comprehensively bowled}

There were a few making the same call yesterday, suggesting that Somerset had batted too long to allow Tom Lammonby the chance of a maiden first-class ton.

That seems excessive, though. Declaring halfway through the second day of a four-day clash with a lead of under 300?

Nine times out of ten, that is a winning score anywhere, let alone at Taunton, but that’s not a risk to be running when so much time is left in the game.

Ironically, those who might criticise their side’s inability to spend more time in the middle in the first innings, then chastise them for batting too long in the second. There’s no pleasing some people.

Somerset’s plan was simple: put the game to bed and then get at Gloucestershire’s batsmen with the lethal attack that Abell has at his disposal.

They rolled their local rivals for 76 in the first innings and backed themselves to repeat the trick, with Tuesday’s forecast less than palatable nationwide.

By the time play eventually got underway, there were 38 overs to be bowled. With the dark clouds loitering dangerously on the surrounding hills, that was never going to happen.  

But it did hold off long enough for Somerset to take three more quick wickets and reduce the visitors to 49 for 6. A brief rain interlude followed, before five more overs saw a further two men fall. But then, the umpires took the players from the field with the light worsening once more.

Somerset lingered clearly unhappy at being brought off. They will argue that conditions were no worse than when play restarted and, of course, the floodlights were on. It was all in vein.

They will hope that enough time remains in the game ahead of a final day likely to be heavily impacted by conditions beyond their control.

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