Yorkshire fail to learn history's lesson as Somerset claim victory

The silky tongue of Marcus Trescothick and the scintillating strokeplay of James Hildreth brought about Somerset's first County Championship Division One victory and Yorkshire's first defeat at the end of another run-infested day at Taunton. Jacques Rudolph, captaining Yorkshire in the absence of Andrew Gale, obviously does not believe in history repeating itself. Last year Yorkshire set Somerset 476 to win at 5.2 runs per over and lost. Today they were persuaded by Trescothick to declare again; the required rate was similar to 2009 but the target smaller – 362 from what turned out to be 71 overs. Hildreth made a mockery of these calculations. Somerset won with 5.2 overs to spare, with young Jos Buttler applying the coup de grace with 31 from 17 balls. But it was Hildreth, who caused Rudolph to grow ever more red-faced as the run-chase became a canter. His century from 68 balls is the fastest in first-class cricket this summer. Hildreth came to the crease after the groundwork had been laid by a relatively subdued Trescothick (53) and Nick Compton (65), who had unveiled several classical drives. When both of these Somerset batsmen were dismissed by Adil Rashid, who bowled a little better than his figures of 20.4-0-123-2 suggest, the match was in the balance. But with Zander de Bruyn a calm, relatively orthodox ally, Hildreth swept the Yorkshire spinners to smithereens. Against deliveries that Rashid would have been content with when they left his hand, he employed the reverse sweep and the reverse pull-drive to devastating effect. If not, he swept as a right-hander with stunning power. Rashid could do nothing to contain him and nor could David Wainwright even though there was some slow turn available to the spinners. For most of the innings Yorkshire were reduced to four bowlers since Tino Best was forced to leave the field after two expensive overs. But with Hildreth in this mood Best's absence made little difference. Next year it is just possible that Yorkshire will refrain from declaring at Taunton.