County Championship: Essex edge past Somerset in Division One thriller | Cricket News

Essex battle to one-wicket County Championship Division One victory over Somerset at Taunton as Adam Rossington’s unbeaten 29 sees them to their lowly target of 84; Craig Overton takes career-best match figures of 13-87 for hosts

Adam Rossington steered stuttering Essex over the finishing line in Taunton

Adam Rossington kept his head in a crisis to guide Essex to a nerve-jangling one-wicket LV= County Championship Division One win over Somerset at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton.

Needing just 84 for victory, the visitors, who started the day 3-1, crashed to 4-4, 28-6 and then 60-8 before Rossington’s 29 not out from 49 balls saw them reach their target by the narrowest of margins.

Somerset vs Essex scorecard

Matt Critchley (15) and Adam Wheater (17) were the only other Essex batters to make it into double-figures, while No 10 Shane Snater made nine in a crucial ninth-wicket stand of 23 alongside Rossington before being dismissed with the scores tied.

It was rough justice for Somerset’s Craig Overton, who claimed 6-30 to complete career-best match figures of 13-87. He was well supported by Peter Siddle (3-25) as Somerset’s seamers fought to the last.

Rossington rode his luck with a number of plays and misses on a pitch that proved too much of a test for the batters on both sides, but he also played some impressive shots as his side claimed 17 points to Somerset’s four.