Rew steers Somerset towards win at Hampshire

Rothesay County Championship, Division One, Utilita Bowl (day three)

Hampshire 238 & 336: Gubbins 83, Brown 66, Lehmann 50; Gregory 5-42

Somerset 288 & 139-3: J Rew 58*; Baker 3-29

Somerset (4 pts) need 148 more runs to win to beat Hampshire (3 pts)

Match scorecard

James Rew passed 50 for the fourth time in five County Championship innings as Somerset put themselves on course to beat Hampshire.

The eye-catching Rew, whose head coach Jason Kerr has touted for England honours this summer, followed his 86 in the first innings to end the day 58 not out.

They followed scores of 64, 122 and 48 in his other three innings this season – with Somerset 148 runs away from chasing 288, with seven wickets still in hand.

Lewis Gregory had earlier taken his first five-wicket haul in three years to restrict Hampshire, despite half-centuries for Nick Gubbins, Jake Lehmann and Ben Brown.

The first two days saw Somerset seemingly in complete control to Hampshire fighting back and getting their noses in front – all while the pitch swung back and forth from favouring the bat to the ball.

The morning session saw neither side find match momentum, as Hampshire grew their 96-run overnight lead to 215 against an ageing ball, but three wickets kept them in check.

Despite Jack Lehmann and Rew looking likely, no player had managed to reach three figures in the first two innings.

Like the two previous contenders, Nick Gubbins looked destined to reach three figures. It did not pan out that way.

A perfectly played reverse sweep off Jack Leach took him to 83 but jabbed outside next ball to depart.

Australian Lehmann was the next to try to buck the trend. He reached a half-century, for the second time in the match, with another punchy selection of drives and pulls.

He raised his bat and, without scoring another run, chopped the pacy Alfie Ogborne onto his own stumps.