Rob Keogh struck a stylish 69 yesterday as Northamptonshire 2XI returned to red ball action against Somerset 2XI.
Keogh hit nine 4s and a six as he gained vital preparation ahead of Northamptonshire’s County Championship fixture against Middlesex on Sunday.
Somerset won the toss at Taunton Vale Sports Club and put Northamptonshire into bat, with Jack Bates and van der Merwe opening up.
van der Merwe fell in the seventh over for 16 as he was bowled by Roberts which brought Aadi Sharma to the crease.
Sharma was dismissed four overs later however as he was caught and bowled by Roberts for his second. Bates and Keogh steadied the Northamptonshire innings, putting on a resilient 79-run partnership.
Academy youngster Bates struck eight 4s on his way to 55 before he miscued a reverse sweep off the bowling of Jack Leach.
Keogh and George Bartlett saw the 2XI finish the session in a good spot at 140/3.
Somerset started the afternoon strongly as Bartlett and Keogh were dismissed inside the opening 11 overs.
The 2XI stuttered from 181/5 to 220 all out in the 50th over.
Somerset made a strong start in their reply but Lewis Reeder struck in the 10th over and just before tea, removing Archie Vaughan for 33.
In the final session of the day, the 2XI took four more wickets, two from Whitehouse and one from Greer and Boorghu.
Somerset finished the day 186/5, trailing by 34 runs with five wickets remaining.