County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd September 2022. Taunton.

Jack Leach was unavailable for selection for this match.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, Iman-ul-Haq, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, L. P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, J.H. Davey, Sajid Khan.

Northamptonshire. W.A. Young (c), E.N. Gay, L.A. Proctor, J.J. Cobb, R.I. Keogh, R.S. Vasconcelos (w), S.A. Zaib, T.A.I. Taylor, L.B. Williams, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Somerset 389. Northamptonshire 184 for 6. Northamptonshire trail by 205 runs.

Third day. 22nd September – A perfect afternoon

“Yes!” the cry from the Hildreth Stand among an explosion of cheers for the fall of Saif Zaib’s wicket. It was the first ball of the day, and those still finding their seats had missed it. I had watched the field take its place, a meandering, undirected exercise which nevertheless ends up with the fielders where they should be. It says something of the concentration of first-class cricketers that they can amble onto the outfield at the start of play at not much above my circumnavigation speed while chatting amiably to one another and within a minute take a blinding catch.

Craig Overton’s catch to dismiss Zaib could not be described as ‘blinding’, but it was sharp and more difficult than he made it look. Davey ran in from the River End in his unprepossessing way, his run-up and delivery stride the antithesis of the marauding opening bowler. But he is effective, Somerset’s second-highest wicket taker in 2021. The left-handed Zaib tried to keep the ball out but edged it short and to the right of Overton at second slip. Overton stretched forward and down, scooped the ball up and Northamptonshire were 184 for 7, still 56 runs short of avoiding the follow-on. Lower order batters score more runs in the modern age than they did of old, but Zaib’s wicket had people speculating on whether Somerset would enforce the follow-on. “If we bowl them out in time,” the inevitable note of caution.

Davey and Overton strained to drive home Somerset’s advantage. Overton, from the Trescothick Pavilion End, began with a sharp, lifting ball to Tom Taylor, the other not out overnight batter. Taylor got bat behind ball, but not over it. It popped up. All eyes were on the cricket now, breaths were held fast, but the ball fell short of Overton in his follow through. The next ball, equally sharp, was edged chest high, but falling, across the face of the slips, Taylor stealing a single while Lewis Goldsworthy at backward point parried the ball on the bounce and retrieved it. Next, Lizaad Williams, the new batter, was beaten by Davey, then a dawdling single almost led to a run out and the Northamptonshire innings stood on the brink.

Somerset faces were taut, expectant. Minds were on the other two relegation matches too, one going heavily against Somerset, the other close enough to warrant worry. Now, with Somerset closing in and Northamptonshire wobbling, Taylor, in partnership with Williams, launched a devastating counterattack. With an edged four off Overton, straight drives off Overton and Davey, a drive through extra cover, a cut through backward point and an uppercut, all off Aldridge, all cracked off the middle of the bat, and all for four, he took Northamptonshire past those 56 follow-on runs at what seemed a canter. It was an exceptional innings from a number eight batting under pressure and the follow-on target withered before it.    

Then, follow-on saved, rather in the way of the end of the Somerset innings, Northamptonshire faded. Williams had stayed with Taylor, added 23 in a partnership of 63, with an off drive to the Garner Gates off Davey bringing loud applause. But when, after an extended break when a spectator was taken ill in the Hildreth Stand, Taylor played the ball gently to midwicket. Williams set off up the pitch at speed and passed halfway with Taylor still standing his ground. He was run out by a throw from Davey at midwicket. “There was never a run there,” the spectator judgement. Such are the vagaries of cricket, for the pair were playing with such ease that there had been no expectation of a wicket. They had taken Northamptonshire to 247 for 8, 142 behind. How much further they might have got is one of cricket’s unknowable unknowns.

Ben Sanderson replaced Williams but struggled against Abell who had replaced Davey in a morning of bowling changes. Twice in an over he was beaten and, never looking secure, edged over the slips to the Lord Ian Botham Stand. Eventually he was tucked up trying to drive Aldridge, got under the ball with no power in the stroke and was caught for 13 by Sonny Baker, on the field as substitute, half running, half diving forward at mid-on. An over later, Jack White drove at Overton, replacing Abell, and was caught by Rew. Northamptonshire were 265 all out and Taylor, after his follow-on saving onslaught, had in the end drifted through the final wickets for one run to 60 not out. It all left Somerset 124 ahead with five sessions and a few overs to stretch that to a match-winning lead and then bowl Northamptonshire out. Three overs were possible before the umpires took the players to lunch with Somerset adding 12 runs. Apart from a leg before wicket appeal, there were no alarums, Imam-ul-Haq driving White through extra cover to the Ondaatje boundary along the way. 

Lunch meant another meander onto the outfield, this time to be met by two people with whom I often watch the cricket, although rarely with both at the same time. We had not seen each other in this match, but they had spotted my broad-rimmed wyvern hat making its way to the middle and approached from different parts of the ground. The question of a declaration inevitably came up with, of course, the age-old question hanging over it. Whether to take a risk and, “Get Northamptonshire in for half an hour before the close,” or to make the game safe by batting into the last morning and applying pressure with attacking fields. Supporters tend to favour the adventurous option. I incline towards the position of captains who almost always take the safer route, the match at Edgbaston providing them with evidence to support their stance. Warwickshire set 364 in 82 overs reached 220 for 3 in quick time and gave Somerset, or at least their supporters, a fright.

This being the penultimate day of the home season, apart from the traditional inspection of the pitch and the customary discussion of the state of the match, the most important business was the end of season greeting. “Winter well,” being the most common form. The more jovial “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy New Year!” the less common. All are designed to signify that those exchanging the greetings will not meet again until the first home match of the following season.

If there is such a thing as a perfect afternoon of cricket, if you were a Somerset supporter what followed was it. A century opening partnership of left-handed bliss to set the scene, followed by a century at better than a run a ball, a captain’s innings if you like, from Tom Abell. A century too in four hours from Tom Lammonby to counterbalance those scintillating hundreds of 2020. They showed he can be the cutting edge of the top-order batting, perhaps he can be the backbone too. And then, when Old Father Time’s scythe swept the players from the field at the end of the day, the scoreboard had Somerset just one second innings wicket down with a lead of 401 and a whole day in which they might shape their destiny, for who knows what fate might lie in store for those teams not able to shape their future in the First Division of 2023?

“That was a lovely shot,” the comment when Imam drove White through long off to the covers store. It was a stroke of the smoothest silk, woven off the bat with exquisite timing, the bat ending its passage in perfect alignment with the path of the ball, the ball running unerringly to the rope as the bat continued to watch over its line. It was the only boundary in the hour after lunch, an hour of just 30 runs. But in that hour Lammonby and Imam established an aura of permanence around the innings and extended the Somerset lead to 166. It was a partnership of artistry and precision. In an over from Taylor, Imam eased the ball to the deep square leg boundary in front of the Caddick Pavilion at a pace and to a place which minimised risk and created time to run three. In the same over, Lammonby drove, seemingly without power through the off side, and appropriately, to the Hildreth Stand and again there was time for three. “Well run boys!” someone shouted. A two was driven straight by Imam and another through the covers by Lammonby but, for the most part, it was all studious defence and occasional pushed or guided singles.

The news from the smartphone that Gloucestershire were struggling on 45 for 4 in pursuit of 148 to beat Warwickshire raised the anxiety level a notch or two. Meanwhile, Lammonby and Imam raised Somerset’s tempo and went on the attack. Imam announced the change with an attempt at a crisp straight drive off Williams. The ball flew off the edge low and well wide of the two slips before crashing into the Colin Atkinson Pavilion boards. An on drive for two followed, while in Williams’ next over, Lammonby steered to the Priory Bridge scoreboard for two and swivelled to hook fine to the Hildreth Stand boundary. The hook is not a stroke usually associated with beauty, but Lammonby has the facility to execute the pull or the hook with an uncommon smoothness. This was one such as his body swivelled with the eloquence of the ballet; the bat, at one with the body, guided the ball full off the face to the destination of Lammonby’s choosing. An effortless lean into a drive to the Somerset Stand at deep midwicket was of similar pedigree. This was the Lammonby of 2020 returned. The drive brought him level with Imam on 32, Somerset to 68 for 0 and had the crowd buzzing with anticipation. The talk though was still of a draw, for the pitch seemed to be offering little assistance to the bowlers. Sentences beginning with, “If Warwickshire win …” and, “If Gloucestershire win …” began many conversations, but thoughts rested a little more easily as the news came through that Gloucestershire had reached 59 for 4, their target down to 89.

With the partnership gaining in momentum, Imam stepped down the pitch to Keogh and lofted him, this time with more force than beauty, back over his head and the rope in front of the Trescothick Pavilion to take Somerset’s lead to 200. Twice in an over Lammonby turned Taylor into the on side, the resulting sharply run twos bringing comments of, “Well run!” and “Well run again!” When Imam, on 52, finally edged Keogh to the keeper, the partnership had realised 101. There were only three overs remaining until tea, but Somerset did not break step. Lammonby drove Taylor to the Priory Bridge Road boundary, again with the smoothness of stroke of an artist, and Abell, in his own punchy classical style, drove Keogh to the Somerset Stand to take Somerset to tea on 118 for 1, a lead of 242 with Lammonby on 54 and Abell on eight.   

The last score I had heard from Bristol was 109 for 4 which left Gloucestershire needing 39 to win. Anything can happen in cricket, and sometimes does, but the impact of that match moving heavily Gloucestershire’s way had the same impact on the Somerset crowd as a dose of helium on a party balloon. Hampshire, after a strong but forlorn rear guard against Kent, led by James Fuller, had fallen short by 78 runs and Kent were ahead of Somerset in the table, but if Gloucestershire triumphed, and Somerset drew, Somerset would have a 17-point advantage over Warwickshire going into the final round of matches. There were smiles everywhere, a sight not often seen in this summer of Somerset cricketing disasters.

When your team is doing well, and other matches are going your way it is easy to get lost in conversation. My tea interval conversation dawdled too long on Gimblett’s Hill while my notebook sat in my bag in the Hildreth Stand. The first 20 minutes or so of the evening session therefore constitute a blank page. My notes do record that in those 20 minutes the sun of earlier had taken its leave and the floodlights had replaced it. It cannot have much troubled Lammonby and Abell, for in that time they moved the score on by 17 runs. Never take your eyes off the cricket. Or your phone. When I looked again, Gloucestershire had lost three wickets. They needed only ten to win, but the loss of those three wickets was enough to give the Somerset nerves more of a twang than was comfortable.

Then, three rounds of cheering broke out in quick succession. The first two were for Abell, facing Keogh. One for an angled drive through backward point to the Somerset Stand. The second for an attempt to repeat the stroke, albeit with some edge mixed in. The ball flew past the slips to the Hildreth Stand. No matter. “Abell is shifting it along,” someone said, and he was, for the lead had passed 270. And then a tremendous cheer followed by extended applause. Three people in the Hildreth Stand even stood to applaud. “Gloucester have won,” the unnecessary explanation. “I didn’t realise we had so many Gloucester supporters in,” someone added before Keogh contributed two byes and brought up the fifty partnership to more applause.

Now, with Somerset confirmed as 17 points ahead of Warwickshire and within eight points of salvation, came the heart of Abell’s glorious innings. He was especially punishing on the on side, employing blisteringly struck slog sweeps against the spin to crushing effect. The first, a six off Keogh, and then two fours, all landed, or ended up, among the dug outs in front of the Caddick Pavilion. “Another one,” the comment after the second four. Off Cobb he did not connect as intended, but in the rush of runs, the bottom edge to the Colin Atkinson Pavilion boundary barely drew comment. Zaib, by way of variation, was reverse swept to the Hildreth Stand to loud cheers. Taylor was driven through the covers and Zaib pulled twice in an over, all to the Priory Bridge Road boundary. Cobb was driven to Gimblett’s Hill for the boundary which brought up Abell’s thousandth first-class run of the season, and finally, Cobb, having changed ends to bowl at the River End, was lofted over extra cover and straight into the Priory Bridge Road car park, and then for a one-bounce four into the Garner Gates end of the Somerset Stand. It was an onslaught which, to all intents and purposes, put the match beyond Northamptonshire’s reach.

Lammonby continued as he had begun, securing an end, rotating the strike and attacking with measured care. Sanderson was driven to the Lord Ian Botham Stand, Cobb pulled, and Zaib lofted, to Legend’s Square, the ball clearing the rope on the first bounce. With Abell freed at the other end to lead the onslaught at five and a half runs an over, it was, for an hour and a half, as if we were watching a montage of balls flying through the air, scorching the grass, clattering into or going over boundary boards, runs quickly taken, all drenched in applause, cheering and smiles. It had been a late afternoon of Somerset delight. Talk of a declaration was the topic of choice for a while, but it quickly subsided when it became clear that that was not in Somerset’s plans. Instead, once Warwickshire had lost, people just sat back and enjoyed the spectacle.

Almost unnoticed, in addition to Abell’s thousand runs, the first by a Somerset batter since James Hildreth in 2018, were his and Lammonby’s centuries, both reached to tremendous applause and standing ovations. It was the fifth of Lammonby’s short career, the fifth of Abell’s season, the latter scored in under two hours from 87 balls. Both were worthy on their own of a day at the cricket. Somerset’s lead of 401 was only noticed as I gathered my things to walk out of the ground. There had been no declaration, but the anticipation for the morrow was of a day of pressure on the Northamptonshire batters. Expectations were limited by the ease with which Somerset had gathered their runs and therefore the difficulty the Somerset bowlers might encounter in prizing out ten Northamptonshire batters who were used this season to batting long hours in a series of drawn matches. A draw would leave Somerset needing a maximum of eight points, another draw, against Kent to ensure first-division survival, but that was like paradise compared with the situation of just a few weeks ago when Somerset were deep in the relegation zone.

Close. Somerset 389 and 277 for 1. Northamptonshire 265 (W.A. Young 85, T.A.I. Taylor 60*, C. Overton 5-38, J.H. Davey 3-54). Somerset lead by 401 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.