County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 25^th, 26^th and 27^th  June. Taunton.

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

Nottinghamshire. B.T. Slater, H. Hameed, M. Montgomery, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c), T.J. Moores (w), M. Carter, B.A. Hutton, J.T. Ball, D. Paterson.

Overnight. Somerset 163 and 268 for 4. Nottinghamshire 186. Somerset lead by 245 runs with six first innings wickets standing.

Final day 27th June – An astonishing victory

From the upper level of the Trescothick Pavilion it seemed that Somerset came out to play cricket on the first day, and Nottinghamshire played it better. On the second day, Somerset were a different team with a sharpened focus. Led by Craig Overton and Matt Henry they came out to dominate and then overpower the opposition and did precisely that. It was a shock to the Nottinghamshire system from which they never recovered and after which, on the third day, they simply disintegrated. When you have teams from the same level of cricket, their skills are not too far apart, and mindset is what matters. With the right mindset, every skill a cricketer has is sharpened and hardened. Somerset’s mindset changed between Sunday and Monday, perhaps aided by Overton and Henry bowling as they did, and Nottinghamshire wilted in the face of it on Monday and Tuesday.

The floodlights were on from the start, and within an over Nottinghamshire had the new ball in their hands. And yet, George Bartlett and James Rew, the overnight batters, began batting as if the night before had never happened and the day before had continued uninterrupted. Bartlett drove the new ball straight back down the ground in its first over, bowled by Hutton. “What a shot!” the comment as the ball disappeared out of sight below those of us watching from the upper tier of the Trescothick Pavilion. “Shot!” again when Bartlett drove Ball through the covers to the Priory Bridge Road Stand. There was some fortune too as both Bartlett and Rew benefited from boundaries from thick edges, the second of which took Somerset past 300 and the lead past 280, still only four wickets down. Cricket is about pressure as well as skill, and the pressure was now firmly on Nottinghamshire.

Somerset’s dominance was reflected in the tremendous buzz and continuous, animated chatter which reverberated around the stands. Neither showed any sign of relenting, even when the Nottinghamshire bowlers began to assert some pressure of their own. They caused some problems for the batters with no boundaries coming over the next ten overs. But Somerset had time on their side and quiet overs posed no threat. Bartlett though, had batted over five hours and, as is so often the case with overnight centurions, struggled, playing and missing more than once. Eventually, he was rushed into a defensive stroke by a full ball from Paterson, did not get bat behind ball and was bowled. “He’d been struggling for a few overs,” the comment. He had taken his overnight 109 to 134. Somerset 320 for 5. Lead 297.

Aldridge joined Rew, and together they ensured Somerset’s advantage told, adding 127 in 31 overs to take the match all but beyond Nottinghamshire’s reach. After his alarums of the previous evening, Rew now found the ball with the middle of the bat and Aldridge matched him from the start. They reacted to the dismissal of Bartlett with a short charge, Rew driving through the covers, straight and through mid-on for a succession of twos off Lyndon James. Aldridge drove Paterson through the on side to the Ondaatje Stand and through the covers towards Legends Square for three, the third run, keeping up Somerset’s momentum and the pressure on Nottinghamshire, being run quickly to a shout of, “Come on!” Rew now glanced Paterson towards the Lord Ian Botham Stand for two more to bring up his fifty to extended applause and then drove the next ball square to the Somerset Stand for four. Somerset were leaving Nottinghamshire in their wake, 28 runs coming in the five overs after Bartlett was out, before easing back again to coast to lunch on 365 for 5, a lead of 342. A glance to the Colin Atkinson Pavilion from Aldridge off Paterson along the way was so neatly struck, it gave the impression of just being part of the scenery of some free and easy Somerset batting with Nottinghamshire powerless to intervene.

The first three overs after lunch brought another 20 runs. That, and Rew lofting Carter over the Colin Atkinson Pavilion boundary for six, drove talk of the timing of a declaration, so dominant had Somerset’s batting become. It was one of three sixes in Rew’s innings. “Good shot!” the comment when Aldridge paddle swept Carter for two, although the two runs with which Rew brought up Somerset’s 400 came from an attempted sweep which flew over slip. Despite that edge, Rew was playing with confidence and skill. He opened the face to Hutton and steered him backward of point for four, and glanced him perfectly to the Lord Ian Botham Stand to register a century partnership with Aldridge from 144 balls. Nottinghamshire brought the keeper up for Hutton, but Rew drove him to Gimblett’s Hill for four more. When he edged a drive just past the keeper someone said, “That’s the risk you take when you bring your keeper up.” With the ball on its way to the Lord Ian Botham Stand boundary the ground rose to applaud Rew’s century.

Aldridge went to his fifty with a simple push into the covers, and one of the strokes of the afternoon, a back foot cover drive to the Somerset Stand off Carter, had come from his bat. “My goodness,” someone said in response, “He stepped outside leg, and thumped it through the gap.” Aldridge’s innings though had run its course. He played defensively on the back foot to James, but inside the line and was bowled. With Rew, he had made Somerset’s position all but impregnable and he walked off to extended applause. Somerset 448 for 6. Aldridge 50. Lead 425 and Nottinghamshire, controlling the game two days before, were facing a mountain of a task.

But still, Somerset continued their assault, piling ever more pressure on the minds of the Nottinghamshire batters and overwhelming Nottinghamshire in the field. Wickets fell as Somerset charged, but the lead was now such that they had little relevance to the continuing course of the game. It was the pressure being built that counted. Overton came and went, a thick edge and a lofted on drive off Paterson contributing to his 11 from seven balls before a top-edged pull off James was plucked out of the sky by Montgomery three quarters of the way to the Somerset Stand. Somerset 458 for 6. Lead 435. Josh Davey took two boundaries in an over from Paterson, one off an angled bat, one off the edge, and another, top-edged over the keeper, off Mullaney, before being caught at deep midwicket by Hutton, also off Mullaney, for 19 from 21 balls. Somerset 488 for 8. Lead 465. Rew meanwhile, providing ballast for the innings, had taken seven singles from seven overs, but Henry charged on. He faced 11 balls and made 22 runs during which he top-edged a pull over the keeper and drove through midwicket, both for four, and cleared long leg and long on for sixes, James and Hutton the suffering bowlers. Henry’s merciless barrage and the tea interval were enough for Abell. He declared the innings closed on 514 for 8, a far cry from Somerset’s first innings 163, and set Nottinghamshire 492 to win in four sessions.

There had been talk of a declaration all afternoon with calculations proposing targets anywhere from 450 upwards. The more Somerset batted beyond this the more was the concern that they leave enough time to bowl Nottinghamshire out. I took up my usual teatime chatting post by the covers store where there is never a shortage of people to talk to. Some wondered if Surrey’s 501 for 5 of a fortnight before might spook, as one put it, captains when setting targets. The reality probably was that Abell was simply following the natural reluctance of captains to take chances in a two division Championship where the consequences of defeat can be so great. No doubt the Kent captain, in setting such a target for Surrey, thought he had eliminated all risk of defeat.

As is often the way with these things, the chat extended beyond the length of time the tea interval allows for it, and by the time I was back in my seat in the Trescothick Pavilion the Nottinghamshire innings was already in disarray. Haseeb Hameed, on a pair, in the second over edged Overton across the face of the four slips but beyond their reach. Hameed, ball watching, set off for a single, then hesitated. Ben Slater, at the other end half responded and turned back just as Hameed set off again. Stranded, Hameed turned and sprinted back towards the striker’s crease. Bartlett, at point, sprinted too, towards the ball, picked it up with his left hand, passed it to his right, and threw the stumps down with Hameed two despairing yards short of his ground. The crowd, a little tense at the start of the innings, erupted. It had been a brilliant throw while on the move from Bartlett. Nottinghamshire 0 for 1.

Such a wicket, so soon after the start of the innings energised the crowd and perhaps the team too, although I had not seen Henry anything other than energised since he had arrived at Somerset. Now he pounded in to bowl to Slater, angled the ball in, and pitched full. Slater’s bat came down as if in slow motion and the ball slammed into the pad halfway up the stumps. A replay shows it hitting the pad in front of off but destined to strike middle. Nottinghamshire 2 for 2. Slater one. Another huge cheer erupted, followed by frenetic chatter, for this was beyond hope. An over later, beyond dreams, Overton, having already, like Henry, beaten the bat several times, ran in with fast flowing stride and arms, and drifted the ball away off the seam. Montgomery opened the face, but guided the ball fast and waist high to Aldridge’s right at second slip. Somerset were on fire now and Aldridge swivelled in perfect sybchronisation with the ball and took the catch. It was as if the ball had been directed into his hands. Up again went the cheer, bursting out of the animated chatter which had not stopped since the run out of Hameed. Nottinghamshire 10 for 3. Montgomery seven. The ground alive from end to end.

The lights were now throwing sharp shadows as the light darkened but play went on. The third wicket dispersed the small gathering at the cover store and sent us back to our seats. Perhaps people wanted to be in their familiar surroundings with Somerset now pushing hard to win the match. I had not long sat down when the fourth wicket fell, Joe Clarke trying to keep out a fast ball, angled in from Henry, edged it low and wide of Overton at second slip. With a movement as smooth as his approach to the wicket had been, Overton reached low to his right with both hands and took the catch with apparent ease. How easy he can sometimes make slip fielding look. Nottinghamshire 14 for 4. Clarke three. And another colossal cheer accompanied by looks of disbelief at what people’s eyes were seeing. This was pace bowling, albeit in helpful conditions, at its best and most destructive.

With Nottinghamshire now in desperate straits, Somerset pressed home their advantage, Henry and Overton continuing their devastating attack. Mullaney played and missed at Henry’s next ball, the third in the over, to gasps. The fourth hit his pads and rolled wincingly close to the stumps. More gasps. The fifth hit Mullaney in the midriff and doubled him up. The last went for four, but off a thick edge, through the air and just too wide of backward point to be catchable. The atmosphere was bubbling like the cauldron in which Nottinghamshire seemed to be batting. Their batters had no answer to the continuous fusillade they were facing from Henry and Overton. James took four off Overton, but only because an edge flew through an empty fifth slip and out of reach of fourth. A fifth slip was found but the chance had gone. Mullaney did manage a cover drive off Henry, but edged the next ball short of, but perilously close to Overton at second slip. That sent Overton from the field with a damaged hand. With Henry having only four slips, James then edged the ball at catchable height through fifth slip for four. More gasps.

This was cricket at warp speed. If there was any expectation that things might ease when Davey replaced Overton, it was an expectation that underestimated Davey. Perhaps James underestimated him because he attempted to drive his third ball. The ball flew off the edge waist high between second and third slip. Tom Lammonby, replacing Overton at second, reached to his left and caught the ball two handed as it flew past. Nottinghamshire 32 for 5. James eight.

Tom Moores joined Mullaney, and the warp speed cricket continued as they attacked the Somerset bowlers at every opportunity. With what intention, with the Somerset lead still above 450, was difficult to imagine. Moores drove Davey through the covers and cut him square, both times for four, but was beaten badly by the ball in between, “Josh Davey! Goodness me,” someone said by way of a compliment. Moores followed up with a pull to the Ondaatje Stand and an on drive to Gimblett’s Hill off Aldridge. Mullaney meanwhile took four off Aldridge with an uppercut over the slips to the covers store. Such an edge-strewn assault couldn’t last of course and Mullaney was soon caught by Rew off Aldridge attempting an off drive. “Hooray! Yes!” the shout amidst yet more cheers. Mullaney, and particularly Moores had added 30 runs in five hectic overs, but Nottinghamshire were now 62 for 6. Mullaney 23 from 26 balls.

Hutton joined Moores and was well caught down the leg side by Rew off an inside edge in the next over, bowled by Davey. Nottinghamshire 63 for 7. Hutton nought. Still Moores attacked, cutting Aldridge square to the Somerset Stand off the second ball of the next over. This was helter-skelter cricket and Moores was badly beaten by the third ball to a shout of, “Keep it there,” from the crowd. Aldridge did keep it there, and the next ball was edged from a straight defensive bat to Rew who caught it without moving. Nottinghamshire 67 for 8. Moores 24 from 27 balls. Next down the helter skelter was Carter. He took three fours in an over from Aldridge, two pulled and one driven with an open face through backward point. Ball, who had replaced Moores found himself at the mercy of the other aspect of the helter skelter. Davey beat him twice in successive balls and he was caught before the over was out clipping the ball to Dickson at midwicket. Nottinghamshire 84 for 9. Ball one.

And finally, Paterson, having driven Aldridge over extra cover to the Priory Bridge Road Stand for four, launched a huge drive at Davey and edged the ball fast and high over Overton’s head at second slip. Overton reached up with two hands and caught it as if it the catch had been pre-ordained and Davey had four wickets. In an instant, the Somerset players were celebrating the most astonishing of victories, Overton punching the air in delight, and in the crowd, everyone who could stand was standing and applauding the team off the field. The match was over in three days, and it felt like everyone would need the fourth to recover such had been the turnaround in fortunes after the first day and the intensity of Somerset’s charge for victory on the last.

Result. Somerset 163 (B.A. Hutton 5-34, M. Carter 3-43) and 514 for 8 dec (G.A. Bartlett 134, J.E.K. Rew 123*, T. Lammonby 73). Nottinghamshire 186 (B.T. Slater 70, M.J. Henry 6-59) and 92 (J.H. Davey 4-17). Somerset won by 399 runs. Somerset 19 points. Nottinghamshire 3 points.