County Championship 2025. Division 1. Warwickshire v Somerset. 22^nd, 23^rd, 24^th and 24th^th June. Edgbaston.

Lewis Gregory was unavailable for selection due to being on paternity leave.

Warwickshire. A.L. Davies (c), R.M. Yates, T.W.M. Latham, S.R. Hain, J.G. Bethell, E.G. Barnard, K. Smith (w), E.R. Bamber, C.J. Rocchiccioli, C.B. Simmons, O.J.Hannon-Dalby.

Somerset.  A.M. Vaughan, S.R. Dickson, T.A. Lammonby, T.B. Abell, T. Banton, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory (c), K.L. Aldridge, C. Overton, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach.

Overnight. Somerset 498. Warwickshire 158 for 1. Warwickshire trail by 340 with nine first innings wickets standing.

Third day – Imperious Overton

Craig Overton bowled as well as he had thus far in 2025. To take four wickets for 61 runs in 27 overs with a Kookaburra ball on what appeared to be a featherbed of an Edgbaston pitch against risk-averse Warwickshire batters was a Herculean effort. That all four wickets came from Warwickshire’s top seven added to Overton’s achievement. His performance, together with the persistence of the other Somerset bowlers, and the rising pressure that built up wore Warwickshire down. Overton, and Somerset were pushing for victory. Although the pitch remained reluctant to give up its wickets, Overton ran in with all the power and imperious authority of old. His was the performance of the day on a day in which little had been expected of the bowlers.

There were, by my estimate, about 400 spectators in the stands at the start of play as Migael Pretorius, Pavilion End, and Matt Henry, Birmingham End, began for Somerset. Alex Davies began for Warwickshire with little difficulty, twice playing Pretorius confidently through backward point for four, once with a late cut played with the lightest of touches. A long day seemed to beckon for the Somerset bowlers until Tom Latham attempted a drive off Henry and edged the ball straight to James Rew. Warwickshire 172 for 2. Latham 65. Deficit 326. Five overs later, Overton was powering in, arm at the perpendicular, flashing past his ear, testing Latham just outside off stump. Latham attempted to pull the bat inside the line but edged wide of Kohler-Cadmore at an already wide first, almost second, and only slip. Kohler-Cadmore dived and took the catch with barely a shaft of light between knuckles and grass. It was a stunning catch which had the Somerset supporters around the ground cheering and applauding. Warwickshire 178 for 3, Davies 78, deficit 320 and a second slip added.

Half an hour later, Somerset had bowled seven and a half more overs, only nine more runs had been added, four of them from no balls, and the new batters, Sam Hain and Jacob Bethell, were grimly digging in. Or perhaps, getting themselves accustomed to the pitch, for suddenly the tempo of the Warwickshire innings changed. Jack Leach had replaced Overton at the Pavilion End and Hain drove him straight back to the sight screen for four. It was the beginning of a push from Warwickshire, although Hain was hit on the head by Pretorius. He was deemed fit to continue after a concussion test but looked unsettled for a few balls, Bethell having a concerned word.

Any doubt about Hain’s fitness though was soon dispelled, for that boundary was followed by more despite Overton replacing Pretorius at the Birmingham End. There was no let up from Overton, but Hain clipped him square to the Family Stand boundary. In Overton’s next over Hain drove him straight back to the Wyatt Stand boundary and then ducked under the bouncer which followed. Leach suffered too. In an over, Bethell drove him straight back to the Pavilion for four and twice through the covers for two, and in his next over, lofted him back over his head and into the Pavilion End sight screen for six. The approach of lunch did not stay the Warwickshire batters as Hain paddle-swept Leach for two and reverse-swept him for four bringing up the fifty partnership in the process. Then Overton, still streaming in, began the 81^st over of the innings, the last before lunch, with the old ball. Bethell attempted a swirling pull, but Overton managed to coax an inch or two of extra lift out of the ageing ball, Bethell edged it straight to Rew and Warwickshire walked off on 229 for 4. Bethell 20. Deficit 269. Overton now had two wickets and Somerset supporters were applauding with some enthusiasm.

My lunchtime circumnavigation included a walk on the outfield. Weather permitting, there is always a warm welcome onto the outfield at Edgbaston courtesy simply of the gates being flung open. There was no announcement, no protective cones, just an assumption that, unless told otherwise, any spectator who wished to should just walk onto the outfield. There was some low-key stewarding, and an, “Excuse me sir,” if someone wondered too close to the square, although too close was very close, within a couple of yards. While there, I chatted to a Somerset supporter who was sitting behind the arm. He doubted Somerset would take the new ball immediately because Leach was getting some turn, if slow, and Overton was getting a trace of reverse swing. A Warwickshire supporter was worried about the length of the Warwickshire tail. He also brought news that Surrey only needed 49 to beat Worcestershire which would leave both Somerset and Warwickshire needing victory at Edgbaston if they were not to sink even further behind Surrey than they already were. Information about Nottinghamshire was not forthcoming, Surrey being viewed as the main threat.

There was hope for Somerset early in the afternoon session when Overton struck again. Perhaps he used the reverse swing, for he shaded the ball away from Ed Barnard’s attempt at a late cut. Barnard edged it to Rew who shuffled to his right and took his fourth catch of the innings. Warwickshire 235 for 5. Barnard 4. Deficit 263. Overton three. Thoughts began to rumble about Warwickshire, possibly, failing to pass the follow-on total. Overton finished his spell with figures of 23-6-46-3. He had applied persistent pressure and threat throughout. Pretorius, Henry and then Davey were soon bowling, trying to sustain the pressure, but Warwickshire began working something of a recovery, if nothing adventurous. In nine overs there were 29 runs and three boundaries. Hain leaned comfortably into an on drive for four off Pretorius which, from a Somerset perspective, looked ominously controlled. Warwickshire were fighting as Somerset persisted. There were one or two gasps, one from Overton at second slip who dropped to his knees, when the new batter, Kai Smith opened the face when driving Henry and hit or edged at catchable height just fine and out of reach of Lammonby at backward point.

At 263 for 5 at the end of the 93^rd over Warwickshire were 225 in arrears and Somerset finally took the new ball, Davey and Henry continuing to bowl. It made little difference. Hain took successive fours off Davey, one pulled square to the Hollies Stand and one driven off the back foot through the covers to the Family Stand. As the match moved into the second half of the day and the time available for either side to force a victory was shrinking fast there was frustration for Somerset as Rew appeared to drop a catch off Henry. Smith edged a defensive stroke to Rew’s right. Rew dived low but the ball ran free. It was impossible to tell from the Hollies Stand if a catch had gone down or if the ball had failed, by a few short inches, to carry. Henry’s head went back in disappointment and the slip fielders each held a hand to their mouth as if they too were wondering. A replay didn’t help. Watched once it seemed the ball had yorked Rew’s hands. Watched again it seemed as if it had carried by the barest margin. Warwickshire 279 for 5. Deficit 219.

As both sides battled on, the pace of Warwickshire’s progress could be gauged from the fact that when Smith registered the fifty partnership with Hain with a pulled two, it had taken 100 balls. Then, as tea approached, Hain briefly attacked Leach, hitting him twice back over his head to the Pavilion boundary for six, once into the sight screen. The first brought the first shout of, “You bears!” of the match. Meanwhile, Overton had replaced Henry. Nine balls later, he had another wicket, Smith neatly caught by Rew trying to glance a ball tight to his body. The ball might have been misdirected, but the forensic way in which Overton had bowled during this match suggested otherwise. Warwickshire 301 for 6. Smith 19. Deficit 197. Overton four. Warwickshire were edging towards avoiding the follow-on, but Overton had kept the question open. Corey Rocchiccioli joined Hain and was welcomed with a bouncer from Overton. It wasn’t the last received by the Australian. He responded with a pair of fours off successive balls, one driven off the back foot through the covers to the Hollies Stand, the second steered between slip and gully. And then, on the cusp of tea, Leach gained his revenge on Hain, straightening a ball which took the edge of a defensive bat, flew straight to Overton at slip and Overton had had a hand in denting the Warwickshire innings for the fifth time. Warwickshire 317 for 7. Hain 78. Deficit 181. Tea. And a sliver of tension entering proceedings.

A teatime circumnavigation led to some discussion with Somerset supporters. The question on the lips was would Somerset enforce the follow-on if they could take Warwickshire’s final three wickets quickly. The shortage of time left in the match if it was not enforced and the strain on the bowlers after already 122 overs in the field if it was were the two ends of the conversation. Views leaned towards enforcement. Captains, with the responsibility for the outcome on their shoulders, tend to be more cautious. But first, if there were to be a choice, Somerset would have to take the final three wickets quickly.

Ethan Bamber joined Rocchiccioli and Rocchiccioli launched an assault on the bowling. Pretorius was driven straight of mid-on for four, Leach was slog-swept over the Hollies Stand boundary for six, Pretorius was pulled to the long leg boundary, “Come on you bears!” and finally, Leach was pulled to the long leg boundary in front of the West Stand. Then, with ten needed to pass the follow-on target, Rocchiccioli pulled Pretorious towards midwicket in an attempt to reduce the gap further and was caught by Tom Lammonby high above his head running backwards. Warwickshire 339 for 8. Rocchiccioli 28 from 31 balls. Deficit 159.

Taking the final two wickets within ten runs proved to be beyond Somerset. Just. Bamber was joined by Che Simmons who immediately looked vulnerable to the short ball, but the pair slowly took Warwickshire forward and there was a cheer from Warwickshire supporters as Bamber reverse-swept Leach for four to finally take Warwickshire clear. And then, follow-on saved, the Warwickshire innings was over. Simmons came forward to defend against Archie Vaughan’s fourth ball of a new spell and was bowled. Three balls later, Bamber tried to defend against Leach and was leg before wicket. Warwickshire 351. Bamber 13. Oliver Hannon-Dalby 0 not out. Deficit 147.

Somerset took to the crease for their second innings with cloud closing in for the first time in the day. Kohler-Cadmore never really looked settled. He parried his first ball from Bamber past the slips for a single. Before the over was out, he had also played and missed and edged past the slips again. A cover drive to the Hollies Stand off Hannon-Dalby and a pull, perfectly played into the ground with the bat rolling over the ball, to the Wyatt Stand sight screen looked solid enough, but it came as no surprise when an on drive off Bamber looped straight to Barnard at mid-on. Somerset 24 for 1. Kohler-Cadmore 12. Lead 161. Three overs later, Hannon-Dalby pierced Davey’s backward defensive stroke and bowled him. Somerset 26 for 2. Davey 10. Lead 163. The floodlights came on as the cloud thickened and the two wickets brought a hint of tension into the ground as the post-tea crowd, now with 250 visible in the stands, fell quiet.

One or two balls were played at and missed, but Lammonby and Rew soon settled, playing themselves in, then rotating the strike with a series of singles which kept the score moving. Then, with the score past 50 and the lead past 200, Warwickshire turned to Barnard, Birmingham End, and Bethell’s slow left arm spin, Pavilion End. Somerset attacked. Rew swept Bethell for two and then reverse swept him fine to the Barnes Stand boundary for four. The next over, from Barnard, cost ten, Rew pulling him for a one-bounce four between the deep square lag and long leg fielders to the gap between the Hollies Stand and the Pavilion. Then 14 from Bethell’s next over, a single pushed to point by Lammonby, a reverse sweep over the short fine leg fielder to the Barnes Stand for four from Rew, a single turned to square leg, a reverse sweep from Lammonby to the Barnes Stand for the four more which registered the fifty partnership from 67 balls, and finally, a sharp piece footwork from Lammonby and a smooth flow of the bat to steer the ball through fine leg to the Wyatt Stand. Somerset 82 for 2. Lead 229.

Seventeen more runs came from the next two overs taking Somerset to 99 for 2 and the lead to 246. Warwickshire responded by bringing the off spin of Rocchiccioli and Yates into the attack. Rocchiccioli, like many spinners has an idiosyncratic approach to the crease. He runs in, feet kicking high as if he is having to negotiate a series of obstacles strung across his path, then, as he approaches the crease, he clutches the ball in both hands and raises it above his head as if offering a gift to the spinning gods before launching the ball on the batter with an arm flowing through at the perpendicular. The first ball of his second over, to Lammonby, was lifted to the mid-on fielder and Somerset were 107 for 3. Lammonby 33. Lead 254. That had grown to 263 by the close, three overs later, as Rew and Abell saw Somerset through, Abell reaching the boundary with a classic Abell truncated cover drive. The Somerset batters, building on the base built around the efforts of Overton in working through most of the Warwickshire top order, had built a dominant position. But with only one day remaining on a still flat pitch and the Kookaburra ball living up to its docile reputation, time was painfully short if Somerset were to push for victory without risking defeat.

Close. Somerset 498 and 116 for 3. Warwickshire 351 (A.L. Davies 78, S.R. Hain 78, T.W.M. Lathan 65, C. Overton 4-61). Somerset lead by 263 runs with seven second innings wickets standing.