Slater content as champions Notts draw opener at Somerset

The Taunton pitch proved the only winner as Somerset and Nottinghamshire fought out a high-scoring draw on the final day of the Rothesay County Championship First Division match at the Cooper Associates Ground.

James Rew staged a superbly-judged knock of 122 from 184 balls, with 13 fours and 2 sixes, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore posted 104 - his fourth hundred in Somerset colours - as the home side declared their second innings on 407-5, setting the defending champions an unlikely victory target of 417 in a minimum of 60 overs.

Notts closed on a steady 140/3 during what was an underwhelming finale..

"I think we're happy with the result and to come away with the same number if points as Somerset. From being behind the eight ball on day three like we were, to come away with a draw is a positive result for us,” said Slater.

"We were under a bit of pressure today and, in times past, we might have made things more difficult for ourselves. But we showed character to fight back and that shows how far we have come as a group. There were a couple of little stutters, but we saved the game pretty easily in the end.

"Haseeb (Hameed) and I played this innings like we play most others - put away the bad balls when they come and not try and think too much about the situation. You can get yourselves into trouble by going into your shell and you need to transfer the pressure back onto the bowlers. I felt we did that pretty well in the end. We're not quite at the levels we were at the end of last season, but this is a good start for us."

Although a draw appeared by far the most likely outcome, Somerset briefly brought the game to life by removing both openers with the score on 90 early on in the final session.