County Championship 2022. Division 1. Warwickshire v Somerset. 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th September 2022. Edgbaston.
Jack Leach was unavailable for selection by Somerset due to being on international duty and Craig Overton had not fully recovered from his injury.
Warwickshire. D.P. Sibley, A.L. Davies, R.M. Yates, W.M.H. Rhodes (c), S.R. Hain, Y. Yadav, M.G.K. Burgess (w), D.R. Briggs, H.J.H. Brookes, M. Siraj, O.J. Hannon-Dalby.
Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, Iman-ul-Haq, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, L. P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, K.L. Aldridge, J.H. Davey, Sajid Khan, J.A. Brooks.
Overnight. Somerset 219 and 277 for 4. Warwickshire 196. Somerset led by 300 runs with six second innings wickets standing.
Final day 15th September – Cheers of relief
Over three days of hard-fought cricket, Somerset had finally gained the ascendancy on the second half of the third day. As the players walked out on the fourth morning in bright sunshine and under large clumps of white cloud, the only question at issue was: when would Somerset’s declaration come? With good weather in prospect and the pitch showing little by way of demons, most expectations were of a draw. That would send Somerset into the penultimate round of matches eight points ahead of Warwickshire with, crucially, one win more. “Take the 12 points,” had been the general consensus among Somerset supporters on the third afternoon as conditions eased and Somerset built their advantage, although it had been difficult to suppress that whiff of anticipation.
A curiosity of this match was that Somerset had found themselves batting at 10.30 on all four mornings. Batting at 10.30 in September creates risks of its own because whatever the prevailing conditions the ball is liable to misbehave in the first half hour. Given the importance of the match it was something of a surprise to find only 150 or so spectators in the ground at the start, although there may have been more sitting in the two large Edgbaston bars with excellent views of the ground. In the 5,900-seater Hollies Stand there were four of us as the players took the field, well spread, like sentries on some far-flung frontier. There was not long to wait for something to report. Lewis Goldsworthy, who had battled for nearly two and a half hours for his 44 on the third afternoon, was bowled by Henry Brookes with the fourth ball of the morning. A replay shows the ball going straight through his defence and uprooting his off stump. At 278 for 5, Somerset led by 310.
James Rew joined George Bartlett, now on 92, and it soon became apparent that Somerset were batting towards a declaration, and that Warwickshire were offering no help in getting them there. It was Rew, who had built a reputation as a solid, defensive bat since coming into the side midway through the season, who took the lead. “It’s good to see Rew can play an attacking role,” said an incoming text after he had lofted Yadav to the Barnes Stand for four and followed up by pulling the next ball brutally, if without style, square to the Hollies Stand, again for four. Where the boundaries did not come, he and Bartlett looked hard for singles. Bartlett pushed too, reverse sweeping Yadav fine to the Pavilion to take himself to 99 and Somerset to 300 for 5, Rew following with an off drive off Brookes to the Pavilion for four and a drive through the covers for two. Somerset supporters dotted around the ground and in an enclave at the City End were applauding the batters at every turn, for it was clear Somerset were pushing for victory. When Rew was leg before wicket trying to sweep Yadav he was applauded off by Somerset supporters for his 22 scored in 22 minutes.
Rew’s wicket brought Gregory to the crease. He promptly took a single to give Bartlett the strike. Keeping the momentum going, before the over was out Bartlett had driven Yadav square to the Hollies Stand for the four he needed for his century. It was a stroke worthy of the outcome. Bartlett raised his bat and the Somerset support in the ground could be identified by those rising to their feet. It was Bartlett’s sixth century, again scored when Somerset needed runs. He celebrated by pulling Brookes over the wide midwicket boundary and into the second row of the Hollies Stand before being bowled by Danny Briggs for 111 trying to hit him back over his head. He had batted four and a half hours and punctuated solid defence, steady accumulation and periodic bursts of scoring with four sixes.
That left Gregory and Davey at the wicket. They took seven in assorted ones and twos from Brookes, but after an over from Briggs in which he bowled two wides, one running to the boundary, Abell waved the players off. Warwickshire would need 364 from a minimum of 82 overs. Nearly four and a half an over. When Somerset had accelerated on the final morning, it had been at the cost of wickets, and 364 was a large score to win a match. And yet, it felt like Warwickshire might have more of a chance than many Somerset supporters would have felt comfortable with as they had left the ground on the previous evening. “Take the 12 points,” was a comment that would not stop running around the brain. It was to be a day in which those words would ring ever louder.
It was quickly apparent that Warwickshire intended to attempt the target. The third over, from Davey, realised 12 runs, four leg byes and two on drives from the left-handed Yates, both for four, both to the Family Stand. After five overs Warwickshire had reached 20 for 0, and those 20 runs had come with some ease and little threat. The sixth over, from Gregory, brought no relief. Sibley drove him straight to the Wyatt Stand where the fielder, sliding alongside the ball knocked it over the boundary, Somerset not quite reaching their normally exceptional fielding standards in this match. The next ball was steered neatly past the three slips to the Pavilion boundary and by the end of the over Warwickshire had reached 29 for 0.
Early days it may have been, but Warwickshire’s ease of scoring, perhaps driven by the confidence apparent in the batting, left an uneasy feeling in the Somerset stomach. The tension was palpable. It could be heard in its silence. Even a small crowd normally make some noise. Here, all that could be heard was the constant chivvying and encouragement from Abell and the Somerset fielders one to another, and Warwickshire cheers for the boundaries. Behind that was an eerie backdrop of tensed bodies, the silence you could hear, and taut faces. This match was, it felt, however large Warwickshire’s target, back on a knife-edge.
The ease and pace of Warwickshire’s progress against the opening bowlers forced a change of approach on Abell. Sajid Khan had had a mixed start to his stay with Somerset, bowling some tight spells of off spin, but also some expensive ones. There had been a dearth of wickets too, although there had not been much evidence of turn in the pitches. In his first over here, he broke through Yates’ defence and struck him on the pad. As with Yadav in the Somerset innings, there was no hesitation in the appeal, and it was confident. Neither was there any hesitation in the raising of the finger. Nor in the huge sigh of relief breathed by this Somerset supporter and, I have little doubt, every other one in the ground. The celebrations of the Somerset fielders were instantaneous and engulfed Khan. Warwickshire were 30 for 1, Yates had departed for 11 and 334 runs remained to be scored in 75 overs.
With Alex Davies joining Sibley, Warwickshire fought their way towards lunch, defensively at times, attacking at others. Somerset responded by bringing on Jack Brooks, sudden and timely destroyer of Warwickshire’s middle order in the first innings. Sibley promptly drove him straight to the City End sight screen for four. “You bears!” rang out from a group of Warwickshire supporters. “Come on Brooksie,” the Somerset reply. In the next over, Sibley twice drove Khan through the covers and once straight, all for four. “You bears!” “Have we got these two on at the wrong ends?” the question in the text. Abell immediately switched Brooks to the Pavilion End from where he had struck in the first innings and replaced Khan with Aldridge. It didn’t bring a wicket, but it did stem the flow of runs and Sibley was badly beaten by Brooks.
Lunch finally came as a relief to Somerset supporters with Warwickshire on 56 for 1. Sibley had scored 38 of those in 16 overs. Warwickshire needed another 308 in a minimum of 66 overs. It was a tense lunch break for a crowd that had grown a little since the start. Warwickshire supporters were buzzing as they circulated behind the stands, doubtless making the same calculations as Somerset supporters, but with hope in their eyes. Tough though Warwickshire’s task remained, Somerset supporters were split between those betraying anxiety and those who were more relaxed. “Should have batted another four or five overs,” and, “They will shake hands at four-thirty,” the two most commonly heard opposing comments.
My lunchtime perambulation caused me to miss the first three overs after lunch. As those who know me will tell you, that is not an uncommon occurrence. I returned to my seat high up in the Hollies Stand in time to see Davies pull Gregory, and then drive him straight to the City End sight screen to another cry of, “You bears.” Warwickshire were 69 for 1, needing another 295 from 62 overs. Runs, overs and wickets formed the raw data from which supporters from both sides would silently crunch numbers as the target came down. For most, those who had spent a lifetime watching Championship cricket, a detailed calculation would not be necessary. Experienced Championship watchers have a feel for such things. They would know the draw was still the most likely result, but as the target came down, provided wickets did not fall and runs came at a reasonable rate, with each passing over, a Warwickshire victory would become more possible. And with each passing over the tension would rise, the faces become more taut and Somerset supporters more anxious.
Even the singles with which Sibley and Davies now steadily brought the target down gave a slight turn of the screw. For Somerset, Brooks kept the runs down, but did not take a wicket. Khan came back at the City End and Davey replaced Brooks, and still Warwickshire advanced. Davies late cut Khan to the Pavilion for four and reverse swept him for two. Nine runs came from three overs as singles kept the score moving before Davies cut Khan backward of point to the shorter Hollies Stand boundary and lofted him back over his head one bounce to the City End sight screen. Now Davey suffered, cut backward of point to the Raglan Stand by Davies, conceding seven from the over in total. That took Warwickshire to 112 for 1 with Davies reaching his fifty from 73 balls to applause designed to drive Warwickshire on as much as congratulate. Sibley meanwhile had 48 from 96 balls. Warwickshire needed another 252 in 51 overs. The required rate had edged up to five, but still only one wicket had fallen. The day’s momentum was firmly with Warwickshire and the tension could be cut with a knife.
Then, as sometimes happens in a cricket match, the tempo subtly changed. For five overs, Somerset reduced Warwickshire to singles, a two apart when a drive through midwicket from Sibley was brilliantly stopped on the boundary by Davey. Slowly, Somerset began to tighten the screw, and the tension rose another notch. Kasey Aldridge, replacing Davey, added his own quarter-turn by bowling his first over for a single. Then the tension snapped. Off the first ball of Davey’s second over, Sibley pulled him straight into the hands of Davey at deep midwicket. I had a perfect view. Davey was fielding in front of the Hollies Stand, just below me, and he calmly watched the ball all the way into his hands. The catch left Warwickshire on 125 for 2 with Sibley walking back to the Pavilion for 54, clearly irritated with himself. It left Warwickshire needing 239 from 46 overs.
That brought Sam Hain to the wicket. A leg bye brought Davies on strike with Somerset bowling without a slip. He cut Aldridge, although there seemed little conviction in the stroke. The ball flew uppishly towards Lewis Goldsworthy at backward point, he reached up, got both hands to it, and it went straight through them before running away for a single. It was one of those heart-stopping moments, not just for the dropped catch, but for the realisation that 126 for 3 would have significantly reduced the pressure on Somerset and increased it on Warwickshire. Second chances do not come often in cricket. But, in Aldridge’s next over, Davies miscued an on drive. The ball looped towards deep mid-on where Goldsworthy, moved there from backward point, with a bit of adjustment in his position caught the ball with some ease. The relief in the Somerset celebration was visible. Warwickshire were 132 for 3 with Davies gone for 58. It left 232 to win from a little over 43 overs. The equation was tightening. Three wickets were down, and the required rate was rising towards five and a half. Both sides would now feel under pressure. Both sets of supporters certainly did.
The question now in everyone’s minds: will Warwickshire continue to press? It was soon answered. Rhodes, Warwickshire’s captain, joined Hain and they did not relent. First, they pushed hard for singles, then Hain pulled Aldridge to the Hollies Stand for six and the left-handed Rhodes did the same to Khan. Warwickshire reached tea on 165 for 3, 199 from victory with 35 overs remaining. The required rate had risen to over five and a half. If Warwickshire were to win from there, they would need some luck, but the intent from Rhodes in particular left me walking around the ground at tea talking to some very anxious Somerset supporters, taut faces, worried voices all.
“C’mon you bears,” “Come on Warwick,” the Birmingham accent very evident in the cries which rang out after tea. Gregory and Davey opened for Somerset, but 18 runs came from the first three overs. There was only a single boundary, but Hain and Rhodes were able to find gaps for singles and twos with ease. “We have to bowl on one side of the wicket. We are making it very easy for them at the moment,” said the worried text from the online watcher. “You bears!” the confident shout from a watcher in the stands. Looking out from the heights of the Hollies Stand onto the huge Edgbaston outfield, all my Somerset eyes seemed able to see were huge open spaces inviting the Warwickshire batters to push the ball into them.
Somerset replaced Davey with Brooks. Rew came up to the stumps, but Rhodes drove to deep square leg for two. That took Warwickshire to 202 for 3, 162 needed from 27 overs. Six an over, but with seven wickets left, Hain solid at one end, Rhodes on 35 from 44 balls, little sign of a wicket, four Somerset fielders on the boundary, the momentum back with Warwickshire and shouts of, “You bears!” becoming almost endemic, the need for a wicket, from the Somerset perspective, was becoming intense.
And still the runs came, mainly in singles, although Hain glanced Aldridge to the Pavilion for four. With Warwickshire on 220 for 3, 144 were needed in 24 overs. The pressure on the pit of the Somerset stomach was becoming excruciating, the face of a Somerset supporter walking along the front of the Hollies Stand was frozen in tension, the tension everywhere was deafening in its silence. A tipping point was being reached. If Warwickshire got much closer without another wicket falling, the target would be within reach. Brooks had been brought back at the Pavilion End, thoughts of his devastating first innings spell at the front of the Somerset mind. Hope of another such burst filling every thought. But two overs in this spell had already gone, and Brooks, 38 years old, bowls short spells.
Then, hope became fact. Brooks, with Rew standing up as he had in the first innings, bowled Rhodes through a wild attempt to loft him over mid-on. It was an untidy stroke to end what had looked an incisive innings. It brought forth an eruption of cheers from Somerset supporters and huge celebrations among the Somerset players. Cheers of relief as much as anything. Cheers and more relief followed when, off the next ball, Brooks struck Burgess’s pads and the umpire raised his finger. Suddenly, Warwickshire had slipped from 220 for 3 to 220 for 5 and Brooks had bowled his second devastating spell of the match. He received extended applause from Somerset supporters at the end of the over, and congratulatory applause from Warwickshire supporters who had been generous in their appreciation of good Somerset play throughout the match.
When Yadav glanced Aldridge to the Pavilion boundary off the first ball of the next over a ball short of 22 two overs remained, and 139 runs or five wickets were needed for a positive result. Somerset supporters must have breathed their biggest sigh of relief of the season at the fall of the fifth wicket. It was difficult to see how Warwickshire could now win. The heart wondered if Somerset might win, but the head cautioned that five wickets in the remaining time on what was now clearly a flat wicket could be one hope too many.
The two teams seemed to come to the same conclusion. Warwickshire dropped any pretence of attack, and Somerset turned to Tom Lammonby at the City End. There was one final ripple of excitement for Somerset supporters and perhaps of anxiety for Warwickshire ones. Hain turned Lammonby to backward square leg and set off for what would have been a straightforward single. There was though, no square leg fielder, so the batters ran hard for a second run. Khan, from the square leg boundary, ran in, collected the ball and threw down the non-striker’s stumps with a direct hit with Yadav short of his ground. It was an unnecessary run in the circumstances, but it was an astonishing piece of fielding and a lightning throw. Warwickshire were 232 for 6 with 18 overs left, but the light was closing in.
The light permitted only nine of those 18 overs, but by then the life had gone from the match. Somerset turned to the bowling of Green and Khan. Khan was given four close fielders, but there was little sign of a wicket, a few hands on heads apart when Briggs left a ball from Green which passed closer to the stumps than he had perhaps expected. Warwickshire, a couple of boundaries from Briggs apart, showed no interest in runs and the last half hour was spent in reflecting on an astonishing day and match of cricket, and in bringing the emotions gently down from a day of almost continuous release of adrenaline. I do wish Tom Abell would think of his ageing supporters’ nerves when he makes these declarations.
At least Somerset were one match nearer the end of the season and had retained their eight-point lead over Warwickshire, opened up an eight-point lead over Kent, and Yorkshire had contrived to lose by one wicket to Essex and were now only nine points ahead of Somerset. There are only two matches remaining for each to play, but with three teams in contention to join Gloucesterhire in the Second Division, four if Yorkshire are included, it could yet be a long road to the end of the season.
Result. Somerset 219 (L. Gregory 60, Sajid Khan 53*, M. Siraj 5-82, H.J.H. Brookes 3-26) and 340 for 7 dec (G.A. Bartlett 111, T.B. Abell 87, L.P. Goldsworthy 44). Warwickshire 196 (S.R. Hain 67, J.A. Brooks 4-40) and 256 for 6 (A.L. Davies 58, D.P. Sibley 54, S.R. Hain 52*). Match drawn. Somerset 12 points. Warwickshire 11 points.
Elsewhere in Division 1.
Headingley. Yorkshire 134 and 252. Essex 225 and 162 for 9 (S. A. Patterson 5- 46). Essex won by one wicket. Essex 20 points. Yorkshire 3 points.
Northampton. Northamptonshire 339 (R.I. Keogh 123, K.A.J. Roach 5-95) and 426 (S.A. Zaib 124). Surrey 421 (H.H. Amla 133, T.K. Curran 115) and 48 for 1. Match drawn. Surrey 16 points. Northamptonshire 14 points.
Division 1 Table.
P Pl W L D Ded* Pts
1. 12 7 0 5 0 225 Surrey
2. 12 9 2 1 -2 217 Hampshire
3. 12 5 1 6 -6 182 Lancashire
4. 12 6 2 4 0 178 Essex
5. 12 2 3 7 0 147 Northamptonshire
6. 12 1 4 7 -2 132 Yorkshire
7. 12 2 5 5 0 123 Somerset
8. 12 2 5 5 -3 115 Kent
9. 12 1 5 6 -1 115 Warwickshire
10. 12 0 8 4 -5 74 Gloucestershire
* With the exception six points deducted from the Lancashire total for two disciplinary infringements in less than 12 months, all deducted points were the result of slow over rates.
'Farmer White' Somerset Cricket Writing 