Day 2 Somerset- 171 AO & 88 AO Durham- 265 AO
Ben Stokes performed impeccably with the ball once again as Durham took only five sessions to beat Somerset by an innings and six runs in their Vitality County Championship clash at the Seat Unique Riverside.
Stokes, who claimed figures of four for 23, was backed up by Ben Raine, Peter Siddle and Paul Coughlin as they skittled a rejigged Somerset batting line up who were battling illness and injury, however the visitors were on top in the early stages of day two.
Concussion substitute turned five-wicket hero Jake Ball took the prized wicket of Division One’s leading run scorer David Bedingham early on and had the hosts 199 for nine at one point, but lower order runs from the impressive Raine and Siddle got the hosts to a total of 265, a first innings lead of 94.
Durham’s bowling attack have struggled at times this season but they were all singing from the same hymn sheet here, with Stokes the pick of the bowlers once again, the all-rounder was back to his best with the ball as he led his side to a vital win and claimed match figures of eight for 77.
The win sees Durham climb to fourth and Somerset remain in second in the Vitality County Championship Division One table.
It was vital for either side to have a good start with the match firmly in the balance after an eventful first day.
It was Somerset who got the upper hand early on as Ball grabbed his fourth of the innings when overnight centurion Bedingham, who became the first ever Durham player to score four consecutive hundreds on day one, edged behind to James Rew for 101, only adding one to his overnight score.
Craig Overton then continued the visitors’ perfect start as he removed Coughlin for two, before Ball secured his seventh First Class five-wicket haul with the scalp of Callum Parkinson.
Durham fought back through their final pair as Raine came out and played positively while Siddle played shots that any number 11 would be proud of including a crunching straight drive for four off the bowling of Josh Davey.
Raine was the last man to go at the hands of Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory for 46, after putting on 66 with Siddle, a record tenth wicket partnership in this fixture, and the Australian was left unbeaten on 31.
The final pair helped Durham reach 265 all out, handing the hosts one batting bonus point and a sizeable first innings lead on a pitch that offered plenty for the bowlers.
Raine then quickly switched focus to his bowling as he removed Tom Abell for the second time in the match, with the opener edging behind to Ollie Robinson for two.
Siddle then got in on the action as he bowled fellow Australian Matt Renshaw for six with one that kept low to leave Somerset 12 for two.
Tom Lammonby and Andy Umeed looked to steady the ship after lunch, but Stokes struck in the first over of his spell, removing Lammonby for the second time in the match after he feathered one behind to Robinson.
Stokes struck again in his next over to remove Umeed for 16 when he edged to Colin Ackermann at second slip.
Josh Davey, who received a promotion up the order due to Tom Banton being unwell, gave Coughlin his first of the match when he edged to the safe hands of Ackermann.
England Test captain Stokes then got his third of the afternoon when Rew departed for seven after he edged one to the dependable Robinson.
Stokes continued his remarkable spell when Overton edged to Ackermann to depart for six, then Raine continued his good day when he got Gregory LBW for seven, leaving Somerset staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat.
Raine then claimed the final wicket as Banton was too unwell to bat, bowling Jack Leach for 13 to give Durham a second win of the season.
David Bedingham continued his fine start to the season with a fourth hundred in a row despite challenging batting conditions at Seat Unique Riverside.
Ben Stokes took four wickets to restrict Somerset to 171 all out in their first innings while Bedingham led Durham’s reply with an unbeaten century on day one at an overcast Seat Unique Riverside.
Having been put in on a grassy pitch, Somerset had their backs to the wall for most of the day, but Migael Pretorius, who was later replaced by Jake Ball due to concussion, got his second 50 of the season and Craig Overton had the hosts in a spot of bother at 19 for three.
Ball took three late wickets including that of Stokes and Ollie Robinson, but Bedingham got his century just before close to leave Durham 177/6, six runs ahead with four wickets in tact.
Durham skipper Scott Borthwick elected to bowl at the toss and it was justified in the first over, with Ben Raine claiming the scalp of Tom Abell for four with a ball that clipped the top of off-stump.
After being restricted to run-scoring rations by Raine at the other end, Tom Lammonby then started to find his groove, with three fours from a Paul Coughlin over.
At the other end, Australian international Renshaw was dogged in defence, with just five runs from 39 balls before he was caught behind by Ollie Robinson, Stokes’ first wicket of the day.
Lammonby was the second victim of Stokes with the left-hander looking to cut one but extra bounce deceived him and he edged behind to the dependable Robinson for 22.
Just five balls later, Siddle then joined the party on home debut as Andy Umeed edged to second slip for nine.
Banton and James Rew came to the crease and combined nicely, but Raine got his second of the innings on the stroke of lunch when Rew was out LBW for 13 after padding up to one which was plumb.
The lunch break didn’t bring better fortune for Somerset as in the first over after the break Siddle struck twice in two balls, removing Gregory and Craig Overton before Pretorius successfully defended the hat-trick ball.
Pretorius supported Banton as they combined for a partnership worth 35, but Raine put an end to Banton’s defiance, as he chipped a ball straight to mid-wicket to give Raine his third.
Stokes grabbed his third of the day when Josh Davey was LBW for 10, which spurred Pretorius on to attack and reach his half-century.
Despite wickets falling at the other end, Pretorius played well for his 50, but the South African did not last much longer as he edged a Stokes delivery to second slip to wrap up the Somerset innings.
That was Pretorius’ last action of the match as he was subbed out with concussion after being struck on the helmet prior to his dismissal, with Jake Ball replacing him for the rest of the game.
Responding to Somerset’s total of 171, Durham started in the worst possible way as Alex Lees was run out for three while backing up, after Overton got his hand to a Borthwick straight drive and the ball cannoned onto the stumps when Lees was out of his ground.
Colin Ackermann was then dismissed for one after he edged an Overton delivery to second slip and the Somerset man struck again to leave Durham 19 for three, after Borthwick was out LBW for nine.
The in-form duo of Bedingham and Robinson decided to attack on the bowler-friendly wicket, as they ticked the scoreboard over and went past 100.
The pair elegantly chipped away at Somerset’s total, with Bedingham hitting a Jack Leach delivery down the ground for six to reach his half-century from 60 balls.
Unlike his partner, Robinson could not make it to the half-century mark as he fell to Ball for 46, which brought Stokes to the crease.
The England Test captain then departed for a duck after Ball got him LBW and Ball struck again to remove Graham Clark for one.
Just before close Bedingham hit his fourth consecutive County Championship hundred from 103 balls, giving Durham the edge over Somerset going into day two.