CRICKETER Tom Banton has had an X-ray on an injury he sustained while playing football in the warm-up ahead of Somerset's clash with Surrey.

Banton, 25, batted heroically with a runner yesterday, despite his ankle injury, but he was unable to field.

At the end of play yesterday (day three), Somerset led Surrey by 190 runs in the Vitality County Championship fixture.

Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry has addressed Banton's freak injury in an interview with the ECB Reporters Network yesterday.

He said: “Tom went over awkwardly playing football in the warm-up this morning and as a consequence couldn’t take field.

“He has been for an X-ray and we know nothing is broken. We will get him scanned tomorrow and will have more information by the end of play.

“His heroics in batting today show how passionate he is about the club.

“We think about playing football as part of the warm-up all the time, considering the benefits and the risks associated with it.

“As director of cricket, I am keen to support it because I understand the value players get from it.

“It gets the energy and heart-rate going in the morning, having rested from the previous day, and also gets them mentally ready to compete.

“The situation in the game dictated that Tom might be needed to bat at the end of our innings. I was not in the dressing room, but I understand that he was adamant that he wanted to go out there.

“We thought that the way the pitch is playing we needed to squeeze out a 180 lead to give ourselves a chance. We have now done that and it won’t be easy batting last on the surface.”

After taking six wickets in only his second first class game, Somerset off-spinner Archie Vaughan said: “It was a pretty special day for me. It’s the first five-for I have ever taken, so I am very happy.

“I have watched Rory Burns and Dom Sibley on TV and bowling against such class players is a real challenge. Getting them out is a real achievement for me.

“I just concentrated on hitting the right area and allowed the ball and the pitch to do the rest. I was a case of being as consistent as possible.

“I couldn’t tell you whether batting or bowling is my strongest suit. Whichever I am doing, I try to enjoy it and that makes me play my best cricket. Maybe I am a genuine all-rounder, but this pitch suits spin, which has helped me do well with the ball.”