Somerset will need to take some quick wickets in the morning if they are to avoid losing their relegation battle with Hampshire after their hosts finished strongly at the end of the third day at The Rose Bowl.

Resuming on 14 for two, the Cidermen batsmen were made to work hard for their runs this morning.

Night watchman Matt Bulbeck stayed long enough to score 26, but when he was out with the score on 57 for 4 his side quickly slipped to 79 for 6 from which they were rescued by Piran Holloway and Rob Turner.

Between them the seventh wicket pair added 69 invaluable runs before Turner was out for 34. The left handed Cornishman stayed at the wicket right until the end of the innings when he was last man out for 48 as Somerset were all out for 190.

Needing 233 to win Hampshire made a very confident start and reached 60 without loss in 13 overs.

They appeared to be cruising towards the hundred when with the score on 97 Jason Laney was caught by Richard Johnson off the bowling of Hampshire old boy Simon Francis for 46.

Keith Parsons took a second wicket for the visitors when he accounted for the other opener Neil Johnson for 57, but Will Kendall and veteran Robin Smith saw the hosts safely to the close of play by which time they had reached 136 for 2, still needing another 97 for victory.

At the end of the day Kevin Shine told me: "There is still a lot of cricket to be played. The wicket's done a little bit all day long but we had very good contributions from both Piran and Rob.

"In the morning they need to get 97 runs and we need to get eight wickets to win. We need to go out there and bowl well and we are feeling very very positive about tomorrow."

© SOMERSET