Wickets late in the day helped to nurse Kent wounds as Somerset dominated the opening day of the two counties’ Vitality County Championship match at Taunton on Friday.
Tom Banton contributed a career-best 133, off 174 balls, with 19 fours and two sixes, while James Rew stroked his way to 114 off 145 deliveries with 12 fours and three sixes.
The pair added 205 runs for the fifth wicket in 42.4 overs.
Earlier, Tom Lammonby hit 69 as Kent’s seamers found it tough going and the home side ended the day 440-7.
An entertaining morning session ended with Somerset 133-3 from 32 overs. Their innings got off to a poor start when ex-Kent batsman Sean Dickson slashed at a wide ball from South African Beyers Swanepoel (2-65) and edged through to wicketkeeper Harry Finch for a fourth-ball duck.
Soon, Matt Renshaw and Lammonby were making batting look easier, Lammonby striking three fours in a Swanepoel over – two of them to a short boundary on the motorway side of the ground.
The duo brought the 50 up in the 12th over and Renshaw celebrated by pulling a six off George Garrett (1-56) before, with the total on 75, he fell for 40, caught at mid-on mistiming a drive off the same bowler.
With the total on 116, Umeed edged a defensive shot off Swanepoel to Marcus O’Riordan (0-83) at first slip and departed for 25. Lammonby was unbeaten on 54 at lunch, having been joined by Banton.
Both played positively at the start of the afternoon session to take the score to 172 before Lammonby got a bottom edge onto his stumps, attempting to pull a boundary off Grant Stewart (2-86).
It proved the only success for the visitors before tea as Rew launched his innings with three fours in quick succession off Garrett. And Garrett had to leave the field after two balls of his 11th over, which was completed by Joey Evison (1-61).
By then, Somerset were 209-4 and Kent, without Jack Leaning because of a hand injury, were forced to turn to the off-spin of O’Riordan.
The final session saw Banton survive a sharp chance to backward point off Stewart just after his stand with Rew went to three figures.
Rew followed him to a hundred with his 12th four, clipped over mid-wicket off Stewart after Kent had taken the second new ball at 349-4.
The left-hander had faced 128 balls, timing the ball sweetly. Banton departed shortly afterwards, caught behind attempting to uppercut a short ball from Stewart.
Rew also fell to the new ball, lbw to Evison, falling across his stumps to give Kent a second bowling point.
Craig Overton was dismissed for a rapid 23 but Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory was unbeaten on 26 at stumps, as he moved passed 4,000 first class runs.
