COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Taunton:
CLOSE OF PLAY, FINAL DAY: Match Drawn. Somerset 401-8 dec and 344-2 dec, Nottinghamshire 356 (Somerset 12pts, Notts 10pts)

Arul Suppiah hit a career-best 151 as Somerset's County Championship match with Nottinghamshire at Taunton petered out into a disappointing draw.

Suppiah shared an opening stand of 229 with Marcus Trescothick (99) but it was all pretty meaningless as the home side batted through the day to make 344-2.

The only prospect of a result on the final day lay in a flurry of wickets.

But that was never likely at Taunton where pitches tend to get even better the longer the games go on.

Somerset, who led by 45 on first innings, began the final day on 29-0 and had progressed to 154 by lunch, with Suppiah unbeaten on 90 and Trescothick on 58.

There was no suggestion of a breakthrough as Suppiah moved serenely to his second century of the season off 175 balls, reached with a six over long-on off Samit Patel.

The 200 partnership came up in the 58th over and it seemed only a matter of time before Trescothick joined his partner in three figures.

But, after failing to pierce the field for four deliveries on 99, he lofted the next from Patel straight to Darren Pattinson at mid-off.

Suppiah then passed his previous best score of 131, made against Yorkshire at Taunton just over a month ago.

He then reached his 150 off 256 balls, with a six and 20 fours, before he was bowled having a big swing at the occasional left-arm spin of Adam Voges.

By then most of the sparse crowd had lost interest but Somerset skipper Justin Langer was never going to declare and set Notts a target on such a friendly pitch.

Wes Durston's unbeaten 54 at the end was the easiest half-century he will score at this level, completed mostly off the bowling of Ali Brown.

Notts skipper Chris Read told BBC Radio Nottingham:

"Once we passed the follow-on target on Sunday, it put paid to any chance of a result and it turned into a predictable draw.

"Ryan Sidebottom has been very impressive over the last month or so since coming back from the Twenty20 World Cup.

"And there were some real plus points with the bat, notably Scott Newman coming in and performing the way he did, as well as the guys down the order, especially Mark Ealham with his 69."

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