County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Gloucestershire. 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th September. Taunton.
Craig Overton and Jack Leach were unavailable for selection for this match due to being on international duty. James Hildreth had retired from professional cricket. Matthew Renshaw and Peter Siddle were no longer available as overseas players and were replaced by Imam-ul-Haq and Sajid Khan.
Somerset. Iman-ul-Haq, T.A. Lammonby, 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.
Gloucestershire. B.G. Charlesworth, M.S. Harris, O.J. Price, M.A.H. Hammond, J.R. Bracey (w), G.L. van Buuren (c), J.M.R. Taylor, T.J. Price, J. Shaw, D.A. Payne, A.S. Dale.
Overnight. Gloucestershire 343 and 246 for 5. Somerset 248. Gloucestershire lead by 341 runs with five second wickets standing.
Final day – Somerset survive to fight another day
My day began with a weather forecast littered with heavy showers, a torrential shower, a wait on the Somerset website to see if there would be a start on time, and then, when it was announced there would be, a rush for a bus which took 25 minutes to arrive. I arrived at the Brian Rose Gates 20 minutes late, just in time to reach the old Legends Square to see players and crowd looking high towards the heavens. Not for rain but trying to track a ball from Jack Brooks which David Payne had just pulled towards the Somerset Stand. Too late to pick up the flight, I looked along the flats just in time to see the ball ricocheting between one of the lower-level balconies and the back of the Somerset Stand before falling onto the concourse below.
Three balls later the first of the predicted showers emptied its coffers onto the ground and Gloucestershire declared having added 33 to their overnight score in 6.1 overs, setting Somerset 375 to win in 90 overs. The shower was short and cost only three of those overs. Imam-ul Haq and Tom Lammonby emerged among discussion among the small crowd, doubtless restricted by the forecast, as to whether Somerset would go for the runs. We shall never know. Before the fourth over was out the next shower had dropped its offerings on top of the earlier deposits and heavy overnight rain.
By then Somerset were 11 for 0 and Imam had survived a huge appeal for caught behind when he attempted to cut a wide ball from Payne which swung away even further, the appeal bringing laughter from the crowd as James Bracey took the ball towards first slip. Imam’s riposte was to steer Payne between gully and backward point to the Colin Atkinson boundary. From there, Imam and Lammonby batted positively as if at least exploring the possibility of building a base, and then that fourth over shower had its say.
It meant business and was supported by a succession of others, the umpires emerging from time to time in between the showers to inspect. It was though an unequal struggle against the rain which variously fell in short, sharp torrents, bursts of lighter rain and spells of steady rain. The sun occasionally put in an appearance but showed little inclination to stay, until finally at 3.15 an inevitable end was called to proceedings, and in all likelihood to Gloucestershire’s brief sojourn in the First Division. Somerset survive to fight another day. An extension to Somerset’s record breaking 14-year spell in the top flight still hangs in the balance, although the draw in this match has slightly strengthened their hand.
Result. Gloucestershire 343 (M.S. Harris 159, B.G. Charlesworth 56, O.J. Price 52, L. Gregory 4-62, J.H. Davey 3-80) and 279 for 7 dec (B.G. Charlesworth 64, O.J. Price 53, M.A.H. Hammond 53). Somerset 248 (Imam-ul-Haq 90, J.E.K. Rew 44*, T.J. Price 5-75) and 11 for 0. Match drawn. Gloucestershire 14 points. Somerset 12 points.
Elsewhere in Division1.
Canterbury. Essex 573 (F.I.N. Kushi 164). Kent 164 and 149 f/o (S.J. Cook 7-33). Essex won by an innings and 260 runs. Essex 23 points. Kent 1 point.
Old Trafford. Lancashire 276 (K.K. Jennings 119, G.C.H. Hill 6-26) and 280 for 5 dec (L.W.P. Wells 124). Yorkshire 255 and 102 for 3. Match drawn. Lancashire 13 points. Yorkshire 13 points.
Southampton. Hampshire 400 for 9 dec Northamptonshire 175 and 221. Hampshire 24 points. Northamptonshire 3 points.
Division 1 Table.
P Pl W L D Ded* Pts
1. 12 9 2 1 -2 217 Hampshire
2. 11 7 0 4 0 209 Surrey
3. 12 5 1 6 0 188 Lancashire
4. 11 5 2 4 0 158 Essex
5. 11 2 3 6 0 133 Northamptonshire
6. 11 1 3 7 -2 129 Yorkshire
7. 12 2 5 5 -3 115 Kent
8. 11 2 5 4 0 111 Somerset
9. 11 1 5 5 -1 104 Warwickshire
10. 12 0 8 4 -5 74 Gloucestershire
*All deducted points were the result of slow over rates.
'Farmer White' Somerset Cricket Writing 