County Championship Division One - day two (close)

Lancashire 217-2 v Somerset 429

LANCASHIRE pair Keaton Jennings and Dane Vilas shared an unbroken century stand to frustrate Somerset's bowlers on day two of the County Championship clash at Old Trafford.

Earlier, visiting captain Tom Abell fell just one run short of a first century as skipper as Somerset scored 429, picking up four batting points in the process - one shy of the maximum five as they were on 379-6 after 110 overs.

Somerset resumed on 321-5 after centuries for Marcus Trescothick and George Bartlett on day one, and Abell - having begun unbeaten on 48 - soon brought up a second successive Championship half-century, this one coming from 136 balls and including six fours.

Lewis Gregory edged to first slip on 10 but Craig Overton joined Abell and the pair added 61 useful runs for the seventh wicket before a mini-collapse saw three wickets lost with the score on 415.

Overton was the first to go, chipping Matt Parkinson to James Anderson in the leg side on 28, before Abell - who was stuck on 98 and then 99 for some time - was pinned in front by Joe Mennie to depart one short of his milestone, though this was another impressive innings by the captain to follow his 82 against Yorkshire last week. 

Jack Leach failed to trouble the scorers before an attempted sweep found the gloves of Alex Davies from the bowling of Parkinson, and Paul van Meekeren was dismissed lbw by the same bowler as Somerset were dismissed for 429.

Tim Groenewald, who had struck a big six in a typically belligerent innings with the bat, was the man to provide a breakthrough in reply as Davies played a loose shot outside off stump and edged through to his namesake Steve with the score on 35.

Home skipper Liam Livingstone made a match-winning century in this fixture last season but he was not as influential this time around, as a leading edge found Gregory at slip to provide Jack Leach with his first wicket of the season.

At 48-2 Lancashire were in a spot of trouble, but Keaton Jennings and Dane Vilas combined to negotiate the remainder of the day.

Jennings was patient and will resume on 91 from 219 balls, while Vilas was not afraid to go on the attack - launching Leach for successive sixes in the afternoon - and begins tomorrow on 83 with his side on 217-2.

The draw is the most likely outcome but Somerset will be wary of a repeat of last year at Old Trafford, when they looked in a strong position before losing comfortably on the final day.

More optimistically, a few quick wickets tomorrow morning will put the visitors in the driving seat - which Jack Leach is aiming for.

The spinner said at the close: "With the newer ball it was ripping quite nicely and then at the end of the day the ball had got quite soft.

"That made it harder to make anything happen but we stuck at it pretty well.

"It was the first time we'd been tested in the field and that was why it was important to keep the energies high.

"Whenever I'm with Liam [Livingstone] he talks about how much he enjoys playing against Somerset, so it was a pleasing wicket and a nice way to get him.

"But there wasn't much happening and we have to go on tomorrow morning, get a couple early and put them under pressure."