County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd April. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, C.T. Bancroft, T.B. Abell (c), T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, K.A. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle, J.A. Brooks.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings (c), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas, G.J. Bell (w), C. de Grandhomme, G.P. Balderson, T.W. Hartley, T.E. Bailey, S. Mahmood, J.M. Anderson.

Overnight. Somerset 441. Lancashire 302 for 1. Lancashire trail by 139 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Third day 22^nd April – Gregory and Siddle battle for Somerset

This was a day when two Somerset’s bowlers, 37-year-old Peter Siddle and 30-year-old Lewis Gregory, who has battled through more back injuries than enough, stepped up and put Lancashire to the test on a pitch made in a batter’s dreamland. Lancashire ended on 554 all out, but the last eight wickets fell for 178 runs after the day began with talk among home supporters of 700 being within range. With Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon adding 72 relatively untroubled runs in the first 11 overs of the day that talk seemed painfully all too realistic from the top of the Trescothick Pavilion.

I drifted into the ground a little late for the start. Then, no sooner had I slid into my seat than I was jolted from a lazy Saturday morning and the crowd were jolted from their relaxed chatter by Kieron Jennings. Jennings, on 143 at the start of a Kasey Aldridge over, had taken his score to 160 by the end of it. A drive through midwicket crossed the Priory Bridge Road boundary for four, a hook top-edged over fine leg cleared the Trescothick Pavilion boundary for six, and another hook, this time cracked off the middle, cleared the long Ondaatje boundary for six more. During that over, Jennings brought up Lancashire’s 350, adding a third batting point in the process before retaining the strike with a single. Somerset supporters applauded Jennings while speaking of a Lancashire lead stretching into the distance and the match slipping away from Somerset. And yet the despond that that feeling can produce was tempered by the nature of Jennings’ innings. On the second day, he had demonstrated a lightness and deftness of stroke which both caught the eye and belied the speed with which the ball sped off the bat. He continued in like vein on the third. It was a masterclass of batting of its type.

Although four of the five blocks of the Somerset Stand were closed, the crowd, to my eye, was above the average for a Saturday, not always the best-attended day of the week, people perhaps carrying out many of the maintenance tasks in their lives before relaxing for the rest of the weekend. Perhaps more encouraging for the future of red ball cricket in this country than the size of the crowd was its composition. There was a greater proportion of younger people than in the usual Championship crowd, including families with young children spread about the top of the Trescothick Pavilion, and, as far as I could see, elsewhere.

For all of the impact made by Jennings’ innings, a relaxed atmosphere marked most of the day. Most eyes were on the cricket most of the time, most children’s attention was held through most of their stay, and most families stayed until bad light ended play just as the tea interval was upon us despite another day of gloomy light and a bitterly cold wind. With the outfield still in no fit state to accommodate spectators, they were confined to the stands and the areas behind them. The days of seeing children playing cricket on the outfield again could not come soon enough for most spectators. It cannot be said too often: children playing cricket on the outfield are the future lifelong supporters of county clubs.

The relaxed chatter perhaps reflected the expectation that Lancashire would pile up, to use the old term, a huge score and that the competitive edge would not return to the match until Somerset batted again with a match to save. A lofted off drive for four to the Hildreth Stand from Jennings in Jack Leach’s first over did nothing to dispel that thought. Neither did Jennings and Bohannon pushing Lancashire on at seven an over. When eventually Josh Bohannon was caught behind off a defensive prod to one of those searching, piercing balls typical of Peter Siddle even when he is under pressure, the snick could be heard in the top of the Trescothick Pavilion. There was relief, but I doubt anyone saw it for what it was, a harbinger of a change in the nature of the Lancashire innings. At 376 for 2, with 75 runs already scored in the morning, and just 65 more needed to catch Somerset, it seemed to be no more than a random ripple in the wake of the headlong Lancashire advance.

A flowing cover drive from Dane Vilas off Siddle seemed to confirm Lancashire’s continuing dominance but it flattered to deceive. The edge which preceded it and fell just short of the line of the slips before running fortuitously through the gap between first and third slip for four was more indicative of a subtle shift in the nature of the innings as Siddle and Grefory in particular began to test the batters. That there was no second slip was indicative of the compromises Somerset were still having to make in the field in the face of that mounting Lancashire total. At 404 for 2, the day had darkened sufficiently for the lights to come on. And then a further blow to Lancashire. Jennings struggled in taking a single and called for assistance. A runner appeared but two balls later Jennings left the field to be replaced by George Bell. And then, within the space of an over, Lewis Gregory removed Vilas and Colin de Grandhomme, both caught by James Rew and the chatter became more animated, although a flurry of boundaries from George Balderson and George Bell took Lancashire to lunch on 440 for 4, one run behind Somerset.

With cloud building further, the left-handed Balderson began the afternoon with four boundaries in Kasey Aldridge’s first over. One came off the edge but fell short of the slips but two driven through the off side, one square to the Somerset Stand and one to the Hildreth Stand, were classic strokes. Two more drives, one straight and one through the on side off Aldridge, again by Balderson, brought the resigned comment, “Another fifty partnership.” There would have been a third boundary in the over but for a spectacular diving stop at point by Cameron Bancroft which brought several Somerset players rushing to him in congratulation. Somerset’s fielding was incisive throughout the Lancashire innings. It never relaxed or faltered, however much Lancashire dominated. Then another drive, at least an attempt at one, this time off Gregory, brought an edge and the comment, “Another one for Gregory,” reflecting the persistent threat Gregory had demonstrated since the departure of Bohannon. It was too Rew’s fourth catch of the innings. Lancashire 469 for 5. Balderson 26. Lancashire lead 28. Somerset clinging on.

Lancashire remained intent on attack despite the fall of wickets, but as they continued to push for runs, Somerset’s bowlers caused problems. Both Bell and Tom Hartley gathered boundaries from an Aldridge over, but both came from the edge, one passing close enough to first slip to bring gasps from the crowd, perhaps because there was no second slip who would have been better placed to take the catch. When Siddle replaced Gregory, Bell cut his first ball to the Somerset Stand for four. Siddle’s second, Bell edged to Rew and Lancashire were 496 for 6. Bell 36. Lead 55. In immediate response, the left-handed Hartley fought back, driving Aldridge to the Garner Gates and Somerset Stand boundaries in an over. Jack Brooks replaced Aldridge for an over and was driven square to the Somerset Stand before Jack Leach was slog swept to the Caddick Pavilion boundary to take Lancashire to 534 for 6.

Somerset’s resurgence was under threat. It could be sensed as tension crept into the conversation. Would Jennings return? Might Lancashire still reach 700? And then Rew took his sixth catch. Hartley attempted to cut Siddle. Siddle was bowling impressively. No matter how well Lancashire batted, his energy and effort never dropped. He never stopped asking questions. When the ball slammed into the gloves of Rew Lancashire were 535 for 7. Hartley 34. Siddle and Leach continued to apply pressure and Lancashire began to play and miss as they continued to attack. One top edge from Tom Bailey off Leach looped over cover but fell safely, the batters running through for a single in the process. Then Saqib Mahmood, with the straightest of bats, checked a drive off Leach and chipped the ball to Aldridge at mid-off. 538 for 8. Mahmood one. And, finally, a sharply turning ball from Leach pitched outside Jimmy Anderson’s off stump, Anderson attempted a reverse sweep and the flying bails could be seen perfectly from the top of the Trescothick Pavilion as they emerged from in front of Rew. When Rew immediately headed for the Caddick Pavilion it was clear Jennings would not bat. Anderson had eight, Bailey was 22 not out, Lancashire were all out for 554 and Somerset would begin their second innings in light which continued to fade 113 behind.

Somerset began in attacking mode, Tom Lammonby in particular. He played with a lightness of touch to match that of Jennings, twice finding the boundary, both times off Anderson. An on drive to Gimblett’s Hill was struck with so little apparent power, it would not have surprised if it had struggled to trickle back to the bowler. Instead, it brought cheers from the crowd which after the long Lancashire innings buzzed with anticipation as Somerset began to gather runs. Sean Dickson was as positive as Lammonby but one of his two boundaries came from a cut edged over a jumping first slip off Anderson. An inside edge, also off Anderson, ran for two but brought a cry of, “That was clearly a drop,” as it burst through the leg slip who had been placed in addition to four orthodox slips. And then, on the brink of tea, with the score on 41 for 0, the fading light finally persuaded the umpires to call a halt which eventually ended play for the day when rain began to fall. As so often, the morrow would prove crucial. There was no prospect of a Somerset win, but for Lancashire, early inroads into the Somerset innings might open the door to an unlikely victory.

Close. Somerset 441 and 41 for 0. Lancashire 554 (K.K. Jennings 189 ret hurt, J.J. Bohannon 85, L.W.P. Wells 82, L. Gregory 3-81, P.M. Siddle 3-97). Somerset trail by 72 runs with ten second innings wickets standing.