Nottinghamshire's Stuart Broad huffs and puffs for two Somerset scalps

Even in the most difficult spell of his career so far, Stuart Broad cannot have endured many more exasperating days than this. It started so well, after he took a wicket with his seventh ball in a rare county appearance that had been hastily arranged following his omission from England's team for the NatWest series decider against Sri Lanka last Saturday. But he had to wait another 21 sweaty overs spanning six hours until a second breakthrough, and even then it came after he had turned to leg theory to dismiss James Hildreth with a nasty bouncer from around the wicket. By that stage he had strapping on his right ankle as well as protective padding on his bruised left heel, none of which could have helped his prospects of avoiding another unfamiliar exclusion from the first Test against India at Lord's next week. Geoff Miller, the national selector, watched each of his five spells closely, and although with a bit of luck Broad could have had more wickets as he mostly pitched the ball up on a green and helpful pitch, this fell well short of an irresistible case for selection as the third seamer behind James Anderson and Chris Tremlett – a role for which Tim Bresnan and Steven Finn are also challenging. "This is the first time in his career that his position's been under a bit of threat," conceded Mick Newell, the Nottinghamshire director of cricket, insisting that neither injury was a serious concern. "But I thought he bowled pretty well throughout the day. His first spell with the new ball was excellent, and although he perhaps didn't bowl so well at the end, we asked him to mix it up then and he got us a wicket. I'm sure he's going to be in the squad when they pick it for Lord's – I'd be amazed if he isn't." Broad's day was summed up by two near-misses for Craig Kieswetter in quick succession during his third spell after lunch, as Kieswetter survived an lbw appeal on 36 then edged wide of second slip on 40. England's one-day wicketkeeper powered on to a 144-ball century, hooking Broad for six over long leg late in a day that he ended just short of his career best of 153. Somerset were in a mess at 48 for four when Kieswetter joined Hildreth before lunch, Marcus Trescothick having been undone when he drove at Andre Adams after surviving Broad's testing opening burst. But the pair rode their luck and played with increasing confidence through the afternoon in a partnership that reached 290, beating the record for the county's fifth wicket against Notts that had been set at Taunton last year. The Somerset players cheered loudly when Hildreth reached his century, and even Kieswetter celebrated more enthusiastically than he had on passing three figures himself with consecutive boundaries off Steven Mullaney seven overs earlier. It has been a difficult season for the 26-year-old, who was on course for an England call-up after scoring 1,440 Championship runs in 2010 then impressing as captain of the Lions, but he had mustered only 301 at an average of 27 this year. So this was a pleasing hint of a return to form, until Broad exposed a possible weakness by having him fending to leg slip, where Chris Read sprinted to take a typically brilliant catch.