Essex are batting in the third day of their absorbing duel with Somerset at Taunton boasting an encouraging lead.

By 1pm today Essex were 137-3 with Andy Flower and Aftab Habib still at the crease on 57 and 20 respectively a lead of 198 runs.

Only a vigorous wag of Somerset's tail yesterday saw them escape the follow on after slumping to 198-8, eventually reaching 339.

Essex had added a further 52 to their first innings advantage of 61, but in doing so lost openers Will Jefferson and Alastair Cook to Nixon McLean.

Cook was beaten for pace and trapped lbw while Jefferson's stumps were left in disarray when beaten pushing forward.

The Somerset revival was mainly due to Richard Johnson and Andy Caddick, both of whom scored half-centuries which mocked the efforts of their middle-order colleagues.

Johnson smashed 58 off only 36 deliveries, 22 of those from one Adrian McCoubrey over.

He struck four sixes and six fours before James Middlebrook had him caught on the mid-wicket boundary and Caddick was no more circumspect.

And, when Johnson departed, Caddick and McLean , who struck an unbeaten 22 from 15 deliveries added a further 48 in half-a-dozen overs.

Published Thursday May 27, 2004