County Championship 2023. Division 1. Middlesex v Somerset. 18^th,19^th and 20^th May. Lord’s.

Middlesex. M.D. Stoneman, S.D. Robson, S.S. Eskinazi, M.D.E. Holden, R.G. White, J.A. Simpson (w), R.F. Higgins, L.B.K. Hollman, T.S. Roland-Jones (c), E.R. Bamber, T.J. Murtagh.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.M. Davies, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach.

Overnight. Somerset 404. Middlesex 175 and 81 for 1. Middlesex trail by 148 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Final day 20^th May – On the way

Middlesex began the third day in a rather different vein to that in which they had finished the second. The positive seeking of runs of the night before was replaced by grim defence on the morning after. In the first 11 overs of the day, Mark Stoneman and Stevie Eskanazi scored 14 runs, on one occasion batting out four successive maidens during a seven-over period when three runs were scored. Bats were beaten more than once but neither Craig Overton nor Matt Henry broke through. It was a frustrating three-quarters of an hour for Somerset supporters, still present in large numbers among a Saturday crowd that to my eye was the largest of the match.

In the end, Overton and Henry gave way to Lewis Gregory and Peter Siddle with Siddle bowling from the Pavilion End. He proceeded to bowl, “The best spell I have seen him bowl for Somerset,” according to the cricketer watching online. His first ball gave no hint of what was to follow. Eskanazi opened the face of the bat and drove square to the Grandstand for four. The stroke released some of the tension which had built up during that long defensive vigil. To the next ball though Eskanazi played defensively but without foot movement. The Somerset players celebrated, Davies held the ball up and Eskanazi departed, apparently caught behind. It soon became apparent that the bails were on the ground. “That was the ball coaches say every fast bowler should be aiming at,” said the cricketer with the online view, “moving in slightly and clipping top of off stump. He did it up the hill too.” No wonder the player celebrations were so exuberant. Middlesex 99 for 2. Eskinazi 28. Deficit 230.

From my seat in the lower section of the Compton Stand, I had a perfect view of Siddle as he ran in. His run up is all pace and bustle, and the bustle was full of intent. He bowled with pace too, which combined with his accuracy constantly pressurised the batters. His duel with Stoneman was a classic. Stoneman, whether defending or leaving was repeatedly hurried and sometimes beaten. Battling on, he occasionally found space to turn the ball into the leg side, though never for more than a single. When a boundary came it was edged just wide of third slip to the Edrich Stand.

With Gregory also restricting scoring and beating bats at the other end Middlesex were restricted to 35 runs in the first 19 overs of the day. At the beginning of the 20^th, Siddle hurried Stoneman and the ball thudded into his pads. Siddle ran backwards along the pitch as he turned to face the umpire to appeal for leg before wicket. There was no response from the umpire and Siddle, with a huge grin on his face, signalled with quick flicks of the fingers that the ball had passed down the leg side. To the next ball, almost identical but straighter, Stoneman came forward in defence and Siddle’s arm rose in celebration. Again, from my position the reason for the celebration was not clear. It became clear when the off stump was seen leaning towards the middle with Stoneman walking off. The roar from the Somerset fielders was followed by one from their supporters as the realisation followed that Middlesex were beginning to succumb to the Somerset pressure. “Clipped the top of off again. Siddle is on the spot today,” said the incoming text from the cricketer watching online. “That was the best spell I have seen Siddle bowl for Somerset,” he concluded. Middlesex were 116 for 3, still 113 behind and Stoneman, who despite his trials against Siddle and Gregory had looked the most likely of the Middlesex batters to stand firm, had gone for 60 and the frustration on Somerset faces was beginning to turn to anticipation.

With Siddle’s spell spent, it was Craig Overton who was charging in from the Pavilion End. He looked on top of his game which he had not in the early matches of the season when he was nursing a troublesome knee. Max Holden had replaced Eskanazi and had driven a couple of boundaries, one off Siddle through cover to the end of the Mound Stand where it meets the Tavern Stand. With his third ball, Overton, from around the wicket to the left-handed Holden, pitched full, the ball homed in on leg stump, Holden attempted to turn it to leg, missed and the appeal left no doubt. Holden 13. The cheers from Somerset supporters were even louder now. The pressure from the Somerset bowlers was unrelenting, they were breaking down the Middlesex defences, and at 127 for 4, with Somerset still 102 runs ahead, anticipation of victory was driving the applause and cheers.

“From the Nursery End. Jack Leach,” brought more cheers. More still, and louder, when his first ball, to Robbie White, straightened off the pitch and struck the pad. Middlesex were five down. White three, and Somerset still those 102 runs ahead. “Good turn and hitting middle,” said the text. The pressure wrought by Somerset’s string of international bowlers was telling now to spectacular effect and there were enough Somerset supporters present to create a continuous buzz among the crowd. The buzz exploded into cheers and whooping when Somerset’s potential nemesis, John Simpson, attempted a rather limp cut and dragged Overton onto his stumps. Middlesex 131 for 6. Simpson one. Deficit 98.

Somerset supporters were on the edge of their seats, not in tension, but in anticipation of what was to follow. Siddle, Overton and Leach were running through Middlesex with some alacrity and Henry and Gregory had applied the sort of constraint and pressure at the other end that acts as an anvil against the hammer blows of the wicket-takers. With Leach adding spice to the mix there had been nowhere for the Middlesex batters to go in a morning which, in the end realised 59 runs in 29 overs for the loss of five of the top six wickets. “Somerset have bowled very well this morning,” said one Somerset supporter with feeling and a heavy emphasis on the ‘very’. It really had been a case of Middlesex being caught between the hammer and the anvil. At lunch they had reached 140 for 6, a deficit of 89.

From a Somerset perspective, the afternoon, in which the crowd actually grew swelled by groups of twenty and thirty-somethings, belonged to Overton. Henry and Siddle opened the bowling and Ryan Higgins and Luke Hollman tried to repair some of the damage to the Middlesex innings which Siddle and Leach had inflicted in the morning. It was too late though for their efforts to be more than the cricketing equivalent of the charge of the forlorn hope. After a careful start, four singles in four overs, Hollman played a flashing straight drive to Siddle, but his head swung sharply round as the ball flew off the edge, bisecting third slip and gully and running to the Mound Stand for four. Another victory for the bowler, evidenced by Overton applauding Siddle.

“C’mon boys!” shouted Abell as Henry resumed at the Nursery End, but Hollman cut him hard and square to the Grandstand. In Henry’s next over it was a back foot square drive and, off Siddle, a glance to the Compton Stand. Higgins was a little more circumspect but steered Siddle past the slip cordon towards the Compton Stand for three and drove Henry back past the stumps for four. Middlesex were making progress but still trailed by 60 runs. There was though still threat in the bowling and a sense that the embryonic recovery could not long survive. That same sense could be seen in the resigned faces and slightly slumped body language of Middlesex supporters as bats were beaten and leg before wicket appeals rang out. Once, Siddle coaxed a ball up the hill to Higgins and beat the bat. The ball barely missed the edge, went straight into Davies’ gloves and fell to earth, a rare mistake from the keeper. The beaten batt added thoughto the feeling that the end was only a matter of time away.

Time brought a change of bowling. Overton returned at the Pavilion End and Leach at the Nursery End. “This is a different Overton to the one that bowled in the first innings,” said the incoming text as Overton got into his stride. “He should get something out of this pitch. And he is,” the confident assessment. The assessment was confirmed by the first ball of Overton’s second over. Slanted slightly across Hollman, it perhaps moved away a trace more off the pitch, hurried the stroke and the ball flew low to Tom Lammonby at third slip. Middlesex 175 for 7. Hollman 28. Deficit 54.

Toby Roland-Jones joined Higgins and produced a final flourish of defiance from Middlesex. Twenty-seven runs from 24 balls in 24 minutes. He scored mainly with drives, mostly lofted. Three times he cleared the infield to find the boundary, once driving Leach straight back over his head. Holman added a cut off Leach to the Tavern Stand, but the overriding feeling was one of inevitability. Roland-Jones swung across the line against Overton and lost his leg stump. Ethan Bamber was bowled leaden footed trying to force the ball back past Leach and Holman, finally, mishit a pull off Overton and was caught at long leg by Gregory, the last four wickets falling away in a shade over half an hour. It left Overton with five wickets, Somerset with their first win of the season, 23 points and, as the incoming text quickly pointed out, mid-table after being in the bottom two for most of the season.

It was a happy bunch of Somerset supporters who left the ground, those who had spent the day, or the match, watching from the Pavilion, in their finery. The rest of us in our more plebeian cricket-watching attire, but all relieved that finally, Somerset had won a Championship match. The win was perhaps put in perspective by the person who pointed out that, despite their two wins, Middlesex had only garnered one batting point this season. An indicator of tougher times to come perhaps, but for now this win was enough to produce a steady stream of smiles as the Somerset contingent ambled its way to the exits.

Result. Somerset 404 (G.A. Bartlett 121, T.B. Abell 77, T. Kohler-Cadmore 68, R.F. Higgins 4-74, T.J. Murtagh 3-102). Middlesex 175 (J.A. Simpson 57*, M.J. Henry 5-45) and 216 f/o (M.D. Stoneman 60, C. Overton 5-46, P.M. Siddle 3-57). Somerset won by an innings and 13 runs. Somerset 23 points. Middlesex 2 points (deducted 1 point for slow over rate).

Elsewhere in Division 1.

The Oval. Kent 278 and 141 (T.E. Lawes 5-22). Surrey 362 and 59 for 1. Surrey won by nine wickets. Surrey 22 points. Kent 4 points.

Southampton. Hampshire 367. Northamptonshire 56 and 176 (L.A. Dawson 6-61). Hampshire won by an innings and 135 runs. Hampshire 22 points. Northamptonshire 3 points.

Trent Bridge. Essex 298 and 362 for 8 dec. Nottinghamshire 442 (M. Montgomery 177) and 97 for 4. Match drawn. Nottinghamshire 11 points. Essex 7 points.

Division 1 table AWAITING UPDATE

P      Pl       W       L       D      Ded*   Pts

1.      6        4        0        2        0      104          Surrey

2.      5        3        1        1        0        79          Warwickshire

2.      6        3        2        1        0        79          Hampshire

4.      6        2        2        2        0        68          Nottinghamshire

5.      6        1        1        4        0        67          Somerset

6.      6        1        1        4        0        60          Essex        

7.      6        2        4        0       -1       50          Middlesex

8.      5        0        0        5        0       46          Lancashire 

9.      6        1        3        2        0       43          Kent        

10.    6        1        4        1        0       38          Northamptonshire

*Middlesex deducted one point for slow over rate