London, May 3 -- Jack Leach took centre stage in a dramatic Essex batting collapse on the opening day of the County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.
The visitors looked to be coping well with a green pitch when progressing to 115-2 early in the afternoon session on Friday, having lost what looked likely to prove an important toss.
But England left-arm spinner Leach found plenty of turn from the River End and claimed three
wickets in quick succession to help reduce Essex to 155-7 at tea.
They were eventually bowled out for 206, Noah Thain top-scoring with 41. Leach finished with
3-35 from 30 accurate overs, while seamer Migael Pretorius returned 3-24. By the close,
Somerset had replied with 9-1, losing Archie V...