County Championship 2024. Division 1. Lancashire v Somerset 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th September. Old Trafford.

Tom Banton was unavailable due to an ankle injury.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings (c), H.P.N. Singh, J.J. Bohannon, R. Flintoff, M.F. Hurst, L.W.P. Wells, G.J. Bell, G.P. Balderson, T.E. Bailey, A. Phillip, W.S.A. Williams.

Somerset. A.R.I. Umeed, A.M. Vaughan, T.A. Lammonby, T.B. Abell, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), K.L. Aldridge, L. Gregory (c), C. Overton, B.G. Randell, M.J. Leach.

Overnight. Lancashire 140 and 16 for 1. Somerset 146. Lancashire lead by ten runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Second day 18th September – Drifting away

The start was almost a carbon copy of the start of the first day. Glorious sunshine, a small crowd, by Taunton standards at least, about 600, and an edge off Craig Overton, this time from the bat of Harry Singh, but off the final rather than the first ball of the first over. Again, the ball flew low between two slips, this time between Kasey Aldridge at second and Tom Lammonby at third. This time, it was Aldridge who reached to cover the ball and Lammonby dived for it. He got a touch, but the ball ran for four. Had it carried? Impossible to be sure from my seat. Lammonby stayed down, although my instinct told me that the ball had bounced short, but it was close, very close.

That ‘catch’ might have been designed to be a harbinger of the first half of Somerset’s day. Close to where they needed to be, but not close enough. They did strike soon after that ball, Overton homing in on the stumps and producing an indecisive defensive stroke from Luke Wells. The ball rapped the pads and Lancashire were 21 for 2. Wells 7. Lead 15. Perhaps Overton and Brett Randell were producing some movement, the Lancashire batters walking down the pitch to defend suggested it, and apart from a pair of boundaries through the off side from Josh Bohannon, the batting was circumspect, any runs coming in singles with the occasional two.

Somerset were chirpy in the field too, trying to apply pressure. “Come on!” shouted someone from the inner ring after Singh had driven Gregory through the covers for two. “Come on Lancs,” the instant response from the crowd. Gradually though, Lancashire made progress. Bohannon, the more assertive of the two batters, took them past fifty when he lofted Brett Randell over midwicket for three, but ones and twos continued to be Lancashire’s main fare. Then, a back foot cover drive from Bohannon off Aldridge added four and brought a shout of, “Shot!” With Lancashire on 70 for 2 and beginning to look settled, Somerset, having turned to Jack Leach, requested, and obtained, a ball change.

Bohannon’s response was to deposit Leach over long on for six. That triggered a brief acceleration. Two late cuts for four from Bohannon followed, between the slips and backward point, both off Aldridge. Overton replaced Leach and Bohannon turned him square for four reaching his fifty from 67 balls in two minutes over an hour and a half in the process. It was an accomplished innings, recognised in the applause he received. A back foot square drive for three off Aldridge, “That’s a good shot,” took Lancashire to 106 for 2 and a lead of 100.

From a Somerset perspective, the ease with which Bohannon was scoring looked ominous, and Lancashire were threatening to set Somerset a significant fourth innings target. But, in the end, he attacked once too often. Aldridge pitched short, Bohannon stepped back, pulled, edged, and the ball looped into the waiting hands of Tom Abell, Somerset’s roving close fielder, at gully. Lancashire 106 for 3. Bohannon 60 from 76 balls in a partnership of 85 with Singh. Lead 112. Shades of Jennings’ early dominance in Lancashire’s first innings. Lunch came an over later. Bohannon’s wicket had brought some relief to Somerset, but the feeling around me was that Lancashire had strengthened their position, and the news that Surrey were 155 for 3, only 107 behind Durham, brought a cold shaft of reality.

When spectators were not invited onto the outfield at lunchtime it brought one or two comparisons with Taunton. Someone also commented that we were in the only other ground for a Championship match in 2024 where people’s bags were searched on entry. There was criticism of Somerset’s new signing, Brett Randell too. One travelling Somerset supporter said, “He bowls it wide of the stumps, and when he bowls it at them, he gets hit for four.” It wasn’t an entirely fair criticism, but there was an element of truth, and Randell was taking some time to find his feet. Aldridge’s dropped catch off the first ball of the match was still remembered. There was no criticism of Aldridge. “He is a good fielder,” one person said, “and everyone drops a catch occasionally.” But a ‘what might have been’ can gnaw at the soul, especially when the Championship is hovering within range.

My lunchtime circumnavigation stretched to one and a half laps. The uncovered seating at the Statham End was bathed in warm September sunshine whereas sitting under The Point was to experience the onset of autumn. It was too tempting not to move. But, Somerset were in enough difficulty without me completing only half a lap to find a new seat, so one and a half it was, leaving me three overs and eight runs late in taking up my new residence. It was the first time in several visits to Old Trafford that I had watched from that end of the ground. The first thing I noticed was how much closer it was to the action than the Anderson End. Much more like watching at Taunton.

The attritional cricket continued through the afternoon. Although Somerset took wickets, Lancashire’s gradual but systematic accumulation of runs kept them ahead of Somerset in what felt like a low-scoring match and brought to mind the old adage about the importance of runs on the board. Somerset’s first wicket came when, 12 overs and 26 grinding runs into the afternoon, Singh, who had batted 15 minutes short of four hours, or 142 balls, for 31 with only two fours, was caught behind defending against Randell. It was Randell’s first wicket for Somerset. Lancashire 133 for 4. Lead 127.

Late September it may have been, and deep into the north of England we may have been, Manchester no less, but the mid-afternoon sun became uncomfortably warm, and I retreated into some shade at the back of the Statham End. In the middle, Rocky Flintoff had earlier replaced Bohannon and had scored only a little more quickly than Singh, their partnership realising 37 runs in 14 overs, but that was another 37 runs that Somerset would have to score to stay in Championship contention. With the departure of Singh, Flintoff was joined by Hurst who played a different game. His third ball, his first from Randell, he drove firmly through extra cover for four. it was the first spark of Lancashire aggression for some time and was met with a shout of, “Come on Lanky!” Hurst next late cut Aldridge through backward point, again for four. An edged ball, waist height through where a third slip would have stood followed. It too ran for four, although Overton made a determined effort to catch it from second slip. A Lancashire supporter shouted some advice for Lewis Gregory: “Put a third slip in. You are trying to take wickets, not save runs!” With Lancashire 148 ahead with six wickets in hand, that was a dilemma easier to solve from the stands than from the captain’s shoes at first slip.

Then, Somerset’s mounting victory equation eased when Hurst attempted to drive Randell and edged the ball fast and straight at Overton’s chin. Overton took the catch to the comment, “Overton doesn’t miss those.” Perhaps, but it was a catch more difficult than it looked. Lancashire 164 for 5. Hurst 19 from 28 balls. Lead 158. Randell beginning to make an impact. The equation eased further when Flintoff, having struck Leach straight back over his head for a one bounce four, was tied up in knots by Leach’s next ball as he went back and was bowled. Lancashire 168 for 6. Flintoff 27 in 79 balls and ten minutes over an hour and a half of mainly determined defence. Lead 162. Somerset were pegging Lancashire back. With the possibility of the Championship dangling, if a little distantly, in front of Somerset supporters, and relegation dangling somewhat closer for Lancashire ones, the match was balanced on a knife edge.

Luke Wells and George Bell took no chances. Every run counted, and they batted as if they were counting every run. In the 14 overs and three balls remaining to tea, they added 36 runs. “Come on Lanky,” the occasional shout of encouragement. In those 14 overs the ball was struck to the boundary just four times, two of those boundaries coming off successive balls from Randell, Wells driving him either side of the wicket. In the final five overs just 11 runs were scored, and five of those were leg byes. That didn’t stop Wells and Bell taking a quick single if they thought one was there. “Run, run, run,” the shout as they scampered one very quick single, “Yes, yes, yes,” for another. Perhaps the automatic pilot triggers itself sometimes, and every run added to the weight of Somerset’s growing task in the fourth innings.

Tea was reached with Lancashire on 214 for 6, a lead of 208, and Somerset supporters were beginning to look anxiously at one another. The smartphones brought more pressure for Somerset. Surrey had reached 272 for 6, now ten runs ahead of Durham, with one batting point already on the board, with at least one more likely to follow. Meanwhile, Hampshire and Essex were both closing in from below. Hampshire, 462 all out, looked like they would overwhelm Worcestershire, already five down in reply, and Essex had already beaten Warwickshire.

With 26 wickets already gone in the match, it felt like we were entering the evening session of the third rather than the second day. Having ambled around the ground, I did not return to my seat until half a dozen overs into the session. The cricket I saw as I walked, suggested Lancashire were continuing with what would once have been called watchful batting as they tried to squeeze every run out of their four remaining wickets. With me back in my seat, a back foot square drive for four from Bell disrupted their somniferous progress, as did an accompanying cry of, “Shot!”

But then, as if Rip van Winkle had suddenly awoken from his slumbers, Bell unleashed a swingeing attempt at a pull against Gregory and was bowled, his off stump leaning back, the ball having perhaps kept a little low. Relief rather than elation, the Somerset reaction, for Bell and Wells had ground out 83 runs for the seventh wicket and Lancashire were 251 for 7. Bell had hewn 23 of those runs from 77 balls in ten minutes over an hour and a half. But Lancashire’s lead was now 245. On the face of it, that was still within range on a pitch on which Lancashire were now batting with some, if careful, ease. But any target Somerset were required to chase would be weighed down by thoughts of a possible Championship, and, as Lancashire stretched their innings, I wondered how much nervous energy Somerset still had after the gargantuan win against Surrey a week before and T20 Finals Day, four days before. “A pretty important stand, that one,” the Lancastrian view. Indeed.

George Balderson joined Wells and was badly beaten twice in his first half dozen balls, causing some jitters among the Lancashire supporters around me. Then, “It’s slow now, isn’t it?” a Lancashire comment, four runs having come in the five overs either side of Bell’s wicket. As if in response, three fours came in one Randell over, Wells driving two through mid-on and one through mid-off. They were like three gatecrashers bursting into the proverbial dozing vicarage tea party, but immediately Randell’s over was complete, the intrusion ended, and the tea Lancashire innings drifted back to sleep.

From the remaining 17 overs of the day, Lancashire squeezed 29 runs. Wells did find the boundary twice in an over from Aldridge, but there was only one other boundary, Balderson driving Leach wide of mid-off. The key thing though which played on the minds of Somerset supporters, and doubtless gradually eased the minds of Lancashire ones, was that there were no more wickets, and every run that was scored added to Somerset’s task. Jack Leach bowled eight of those 17 overs for ten runs and, adding to Somerset concern, began to get some turn.

There was one incident worthy of report and it might have resulted in a wicket. It left spectators from both sides bemused. Balderson, stepping out of survival mode for an instant, came down the pitch to Leach, bowling from the Statham End, and attempted to drive him back over his head. The ball lifted and went through him. Overton, from slip, ran around behind Rew and took the ball head high. He skipped another couple of steps and appealed. With no response from the umpire, Overton threw Balderson’s stumps down with Balderson floundering. Still no response from the umpire. “What happened there?” the immediate and obvious question. Overton and Rew seemed sure of a catch if their lightning-quick appeals were any indicator. “Balderson looked well out of his crease too when the ball hit the stumps,” the comment from in front of me. “The BBC are not showing a replay,” said someone else, looking at his phone. “That suggests it was out.” The finger though stayed firmly down and Balderson batted on.

By the final six overs of the day, Wells and Bell were solely intent on survival with only one run coming off the bat and two from a no ball, curiously from Archie Vaughan’s off spin as he bowled the final three overs from the Anderson End. Lancashire added just 84 runs in the 32 overs of that final session, but crucially, with two full days remaining, they lost only one wicket and led by 292 runs with still three wickets standing. There were signs that the pitch might be beginning to take spin too. Not much, and Luke Wells was not a spinner in the class of Jack Leach, but with Somerset looking like they would have to chase in excess of 300, it was a troubling thought. The game was moving in Lancashire’s direction. At The Oval too, the match had moved against Somerset. Surrey had ended their first innings 153 runs ahead of Durham, with three batting points, and Durham were 1 for 1 in their second innings. The mind had a lot with which to conjure as it made its way back to the hotel and, with the match and the Championship feeling like they were drifting away, none of it was designed to raise Somerset spirits.

Close. Lancashire 140 and 298 for 7. Somerset 146. Lancashire lead by 292 runs with three second innings wickets standing.