COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, The Rose Bowl:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY THREE: Hampshire 548 v Somerset 393 & 50-0 (Hants 6pts, Somerset 3pts)
27-30 August 2009

Tahir has starred for Hampshire with bat and ball in this game

Imran Tahir took 7-140 as Hampshire forced Somerset to follow on, but they must bowl them out again on the final day to ease their relegation fears.

Marcus Trescothick (118) pushed Somerset on from their overnight total of 98-3, and added 147 with Craig Kieswetter (94) for the sixth wicket.

Omari Banks resisted with 45 not out but the visitors were bowled out for 393, 156 runs behind Hampshire.

Forced to bat again, Trescothick had helped Somerset to 50-0 by the close.

Dominic Cork had taken two early wickets soon after play resumed, removing nightwatchman Alfonso Thomas and Zander de Bruyn in quick succession.

But former England opener Trescothick compiled his seventh Championship century of the season, as he and Kieswetter kept a Hampshire attack lacking captain Dimitri Mascarenhas - who limped off with a bruised heel - at bay long into the afternoon.

But Tahir - who smashed a career-best 77 not out with the bat on Friday - eventually removed them both, and picked up two more wickets to add to the three he took the previous evening.

Hampshire will hope the leg-spinner can produce another devastating spell on Sunday if they are to capitalise on the fact that relegation rivals Warwickshire and Yorkshire drew with each other on Saturday.

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