Somerset took another step nearer to recording a much-needed championship victory and some more valuable points in their fight to stave off relegation when they had the best of the third day's play against Warwickshire at Taunton today.

Resuming on 35 without loss this morning the Somerset openers Jamie Cox and Matt Wood took the score onto 96, before Cox edged a ball from Neil Carter to wicket-keeper Ian Clifford who took the catch to send the captain on his way back to the pavilion for 44.

Mike Burns joined Wood, and by lunchtime the score had moved onto 186 for one. The scene looked set for a very large Somerset total, and discussions were taking place around the boundary edge as to what time a declaration might be made.

But true to the game of cricket nothing can be taken for granted, and in eleven overs immediately after lunch Shane Bond produced a spell that might have changed the balance of this game.

The New Zealander, who was making the last of this three county championship appearances for Warwickshire claimed the wickets of Wood for 68, to put an end to the second wicket partnership of 98, Burns for 80, Keith Parsons for no score and Peter Bowler for 12 to reduce the Cidermen to 238 for 5.

The demise of Bowler brought Ian Blackwell striding to the wicket. He quickly got into his stride and together with Rob Turner the sixth-wicket pair stopped the temporary decline.

Blackwell hit one memorable six early on in his stay at the wicket off Michael Powell over the Stragglers Bar that sent umpire Barry Dudleston scurrying back to the boundary edge to find a replacement ball.

The left-hander brought up the fifty partnership and shortly after the Somerset 300, much to the delight of the good-sized crowd.

He passed his own 50, which came off 58 balls and then brought up the hundred partnership in the same over. Off the first ball of the next over he smote another gigantic six, again off the unlucky Powell and by tea he had moved his own score on to 66 and Somerset onto 351 for 5.

Shortly after the interval the sixth wicket stand was ended when Turner was out lbw to Carter for 37. Along with Blackwell, the Somerset wicket-keeper had added 119 in 23 overs.

Blackwell stayed a little longer until he was bowled Neil Carter going for the big hit for 81. In all he had faced 93 balls, and hit 2 x 6's and 5 x 4's.

Shortly afterwards Bulbeck was caught by wicket-keeper Clifford for 9 and Somerset were all out for 394, setting their visitors a target of 499 for victory, off a minimum of 115 overs.

By the close of play on the third day Warwickshire had moved on to 42 for the loss of skipper Michael Powell.

Tomorrow at the County Ground could prove to be a very interesting day, with both sides keen to get a result.

At the end of the day Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "The way that we have played today has put us in a strong position for 20 points. On a good wicket we have bowled aggressively at them tonight and hit them hard which is what we need to do again in the morning."

He continued: "The scoreboard pressure that we posted will help us, and that was due to some good performances with the bat. Mike Burns got the momentum going for us, Matt Wood played a good innings, Jamie Cox showed that he is coming back to form and Ian Blackwell played another good innings. It was a good all round performance from us today."

© SOMERSET