County Championship 2025. Division 1. Somerset v Worcestershire. 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th April. Taunton.

Will Smeed was unavailable for selection due to injury.

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.

Worcestershire. G.H. Roderick (w), J.D. Libby, Kashif Ali, E.A. Brookes, A.J. Hose, B.L. D’Oliveira (c), M.J. Waite, T.A.I. Taylor, B.M.J. Allison, T.I. Hinley, A.W. Finch.

Overnight. Worcestershire 154. Somerset 187 for 4. Somerset lead by 33 runs with six first innings wickets standing.

Second day – Banton’s day

Kashif Ali, the eighth bowler Worcestershire had used, bowled the final over of the day. Leg breaks from the River End. Tom Banton pushed the first ball of the over quietly to mid-on. A typical end-of-day shot. Silence from the crowd. A tense silence. Not the typical end to a day. Banton attempted to reverse sweep Kashif’s second ball. Not a typical end-of-day stroke. It ran fine to the boundary. It was not the first time in the day that Banton had reached the boundary with a reverse sweep. Except this time, he hadn’t. The umpire was signalling byes. “No!” someone shouted in protest. “Oh, come on!” someone else said shaking his head in disbelief. “I heard a noise,” someone added as if providing evidence in support of the other two. Silence again. The third ball left no doubt. Banton drove sharply through the on side to the Garner Gates. Four. Now there were cheers, until again the ground fell silent. The fourth ball, Banton swept. It ran towards fine leg, and the batters ran two. Leg byes the umpire signalled. “Oh, come on!” someone said, the protests becoming ever more exasperated. Silence again. Kashif bowled again. Banton pulled through midwicket again. The deep midwicket fielder reached for the ball, but it bounced past him and over the rope.

This time the umpire had no choice. Four runs. There were no protests, no shaking of heads, no silence, for the stands had erupted into an ocean of standing, cheering supporters roaring their throats dry. In the middle, Banton had raised his arms and bat to the heavens. Lewis Gregory had run down the pitch and delivered the customary congratulatory hug. The entire Somerset team and support staff were on the team balcony applauding. The public address announcer was at the microphone trying to penetrate the noise, “That is the highest ever Somerset first-class score.” The announcement was unnecessary, virtually everyone in the ground knew. Justin Langer had set the previous record of 342 for Somerset against Surrey at Guildford in 2006. In those days the smartphone was in its infancy. In 2025 few in the ground would not have been able to discover the Somerset record as Banton’s score grew ever more mountainous in front of their eyes.

Throughout the day, Banton’s pursuit of runs had been remorseless. When he passed the record, he had faced 380 balls, been at the crease eight and a quarter hours and hit one six and 53 fours. It took a while for the announcement of 53 fours to sink in. It seemed an impossibly high number, but it would, as they say, be in the book. Along the way, Banton had reached 300 with a lofted on drive for one to one of five deep fielders without giving a chance. He and James Rew had passed Somerset’s highest ever fifth wicket partnership, beating the 320 by John Francis and Ian Blackwell against Durham UCCE at Taunton in 2005. With Banton past 300, the close and Langer’s record approaching, captain Lewis Gregory at the wicket with him, and perhaps an overnight declaration in the offing, batting took on a frenetic air.

It had been a doleful day in the field for Worcestershire, and a glorious one at the crease for Somerset. Banton’s placement had been outstanding as evidenced by his 53 fours which often left the Worcestershire players flailing in their wake. A few misfields on the boundary didn’t help the overall impression, although there were some spectacularly good stops too. But what really let Worcestershire’s fielding down was their catching, although most of it was too late in the day when fielders must have been tiring to much affect the shape of the match.

The day might have been different if a catch offered by Rew halfway into the morning session had been taken. Rew was on 30, and Waite and Ben Allison had just bowled five overs for two runs after a spate of early scoring from Banton and Rew, the overnight batters. Rew had played and missed several times before trying to break Worcestershire’s grip with a hook off Allison. He miscued, and the ball looped to midwicket, halfway to the Somerset Stand. There was no one at midwicket, but the deep midwicket fielder ran in, got both hands to the ball and dropped it. A momentary silence followed, before applause broke out as Rew and Banton rubbed salt into Worcestershire’s wounds by running two. Somerset were 219 for 4 when the catch went down. In the light of the day that followed, it was a desperate miss for Worcestershire who were already 65 runs behind. When such a drop happens, the players always carry on as if nothing has happened but, from beyond the boundary, one can only wonder what impact such drops occurring at crucial times have on them.

As for the rest, there was no question it was Banton’s day, although Rew played a determined innings in support, and 152 is not a bad supporting innings. He did not quite demonstrate the mastery of Banton, but his limpet-like qualities and ability to find a gap in the field when a suitable ball presented itself were the cornerstone around which Banton built his edifice. Rew’s 152 contained only 14 fours, but there were two sixes, a steady accumulation of lesser fare and repeated rotation of the strike. For the most part he supported Banton’s assault on the bowling, but periodically he launched attacks of his own while Banton took a back seat. It was a perfect batting combination.

First, they broke free from the early pressure built up by Waite and Allison. Within five and a half overs of the dropped catch, they had added 51 runs with nine fours. Rew struck four of those, including two perfectly driven off Allison, one each side of the wicket. Banton’s contribution was five fours, including two immaculate cover drives in an over from D’Oliveira. When Tom Hinley, orthodox slow left arm, replaced D’Oliveira’s leg spin, Banton, maintaining the pressure, swept him fine to the Trescothick Pavilion and played a delicate late cut wide of slip to the covers store. With Somerset now 270 for 4, 116 ahead and, since the drop of Rew, looking untouchable, the new ball was still 15 overs away. Fourteen of those 15 overs came before lunch with Rew and Banton easing back to scored 47 runs, although the scoreboard still moved on at almost three and a half an over. They arrived at lunch on 318 for 4, a lead of 164 with seemingly little immediate prospect, the new ball apart, of Worcestershire breaking the partnership.

In that session, Rew and Banton had added 131 runs in 31 overs, galloping past a series of Somerset milestones along the way. In the first over, Banton drove Tom Taylor through extra cover for four to register the fifty partnership from 77 balls. Six overs later, he clipped Taylor through deep midwicket to the Ondaatje Stand to bring up his century from 124 balls. Two overs after that, he drove D’Oliveira through the covers for a single to register the century partnership from 165 balls. In the next over, when Rew pulled Allison to the Somerset Stand he registered his fifty from 102 balls. And finally, four overs before lunch, Banton drove D’Oliveira majestically through mid-off to the Colin Atkinson Pavilion to bring up his 150 from 173 balls. It had been a busy morning for the public address announcer as he fought to penetrate the cheers of the Somerset crowd.

Lunchtime was quieter. It was spent on the outfield, the first time spectators had been permitted through the boundary gates so early in the season for some time. What walking on the outfield means to Somerset supporters could be seen in their faces as they ambled, if that is not too energetic a word, and savoured every step. The wicket was inspected, although I am not sure how many, myself included, knew what they were looking for, or, for that matter, understood what they saw. There was talk of Banton’s innings, one person saying, “Banton played some sumptuous strokes.” Indeed, it had been a lunchtime, a morning, and an innings to savour. Quite a start to the season.

That was as true after lunch as before. The new ball, taken in the second over of the afternoon, made no difference, except that it seemed to travel even faster to the boundary. If anything, Banton’s strokes, drives and late cuts in particular, were even more sumptuous than before, “Shot!” rang out again and again. In two overs, he drove Taylor, Trescothick Pavilion End, and Allison, River End, through the off side to the boundary three times. Two overs after that, Rew, playing the perfect foil, registered another milestone with a straight drive for three off Allison. It brought up the two hundred partnership from 298 balls. His century followed six overs later, coming from 186 balls, with a cover drive to the Somerset Stand off Taylor. A spectacular off drive for four to Gimblett’s Hill from Banton off Adam Finch was followed in Finch’s next over by the neatest of steers past the slips. It ran towards the Hildreth Stand for a single and brought up the 250 partnership from 355 balls, the announcer sticking steadfastly to his task.

Seventy-two runs had been added in the 16 overs since lunch and Somerset were 390 for 4, a lead of 237. It was breathless stuff to watch from a Somerset perspective. Less so from a Worcestershire one, for despite periodic edges, one or two of which ran for four, and the occasional ball played at and missed, Worcestershire were unable to stem the flow of runs. And all the while, the air was filled with Somerset chatter, applause and evermore enthusiastic cheers as the total, and the individual scores of Banton and Rew, rose, rose and rose again.

In the second half of the afternoon, 92 runs came in 17 overs. In just over an hour of more delicate late cuts, scintillating pulls and classic drives, Banton was merciless. The only brake on his scoring seemed to be the fielder placed to keep the late cuts to a single. The drives and pulls were so well placed that fielders seemed superfluous. A rocket-like straight drive off the back foot off Waite set the afternoon in motion, but it was a simple turn to leg for a single which registered his double century from 241 balls and brought a cheering ground to its feet. A six driven straight into the Lord Ian Botham Stand off Brookes passed as if it were just part of the proceedings, although a drive through extra cover to the Brian Rose Gates off D’Oliveira perfectly fitted that lunchtime description of sumptuous. This was batting above the common run and in Brookes’ next over, a sharply clipped pull to the Somerset Stand brought another cry of, “Shot,” although such strokes and shouts had been so commonplace it sounded as if it were describing the inevitable. A lofted on drive to the Hildreth Stand and a pull behind square to the Brian Rose Gates, both for four, left Worcestershire flailing and Somerset on 438 for 4, a lead of 284, with tea on the second day still half an hour away.

Somerset added another 44 runs in that half hour, and still no wicket fell. Taylor tried bowling wide of off stump to Banton. Banton reached and dismissively cut the ball fine of backward point for four. When he pulled Finch in front of square to the Ondaatje Stand, ‘dismissive’ was barely sufficient to describe the stroke. A cover drive for four off Taylor was little more than a perfectly timed push and took the partnership to 323, three runs beyond the Somerset record for the fifth wicket of 320 made by John Francis and Ian Blackwell against Durham UCCE nearly twenty years before, although the announcement, trying to keep up, was not made for another two overs. Two more boundaries took Banton past 250 in 282 balls before he and Rew eased Somerset to tea on 482 for 4, a lead of 328. In addition to the boundaries, Banton had kept the fielders on their toes with a series of well-placed singles as he and Rew missed no opportunity to score or rotate the strike. It was an afternoon of total Somerset dominance, 164 runs coming from 33 overs. Banton, apparently unnoticed, achieved the rare distinction of adding a hundred runs, actually 103, between lunch and tea.

While Banton was sending the ball to all parts, Rew had not been inactive. Between lunch and tea, he added 59 runs of his own in an innings which was crucial in allowing Banton to score with such freedom. Neither was it lacking in enterprise. A reverse sweep off D’Oliveira flew over the Priory Bridge Road boundary for six. An on drive for four, also off D’Oliveira, took the partnership past 300. An on drive for two off Taylor towards the Priory Bridge Road boundary brought loud and long applause when it took Somerset past 450 and registered their fifth batting point in the 106^th over, before Banton ended the scoring for the afternoon session with another late cut, this time past the slips for two.

The evening session was no less painful for Worcestershire than the afternoon as Somerset ratcheted up another 155 runs in the final 32 overs, and that after a slow start, 29 being added in the first dozen overs with Worcestershire now regularly placing four or five fielders on the boundary. Rew though reached his 150 from 260 balls with an on drive off Brookes through midwicket to the Somerset Stand just after Somerset had passed 500. They had reached 511 for 4, when, startling most, Rew was brilliantly caught and bowled by Brookes off a mishit drive. The ball was powerfully struck, and Brookes had to dive from his follow-through and back across the line to take the catch. Rew departed on 152 and was applauded all the way to the Caddick Pavilion with a mainly standing ovation. He and Banton had added 371 runs in 86 overs and had put the match beyond Worcestershire’s reach.

People began calculating. When might a declaration come? No one seemed to think Worcestershire would bowl Somerset out. There had been no chances since Rew had been dropped four hours before he was out. The ball had barely passed the bat all day and the pitch was demonstrably flat. There was perhaps the smallest hint of turn for Hinley’s leg spin but nothing that was likely to trouble a batter of any consequence. The consensus seemed to fall on a declaration a few overs before the close, or overnight at the latest.

When Kasey Aldridge came to the wicket, Banton was on 270 and Somerset were 357 runs ahead. When he left, exactly 12 overs later, having been dropped off Hinley, Somerset had added another 40 runs. Aldridge had scored 13 of those. Banton had not held back. Shortly after Rew was out he had reverse swept Hinley fine to the Trescothick Pavilion for four. Reverse sweep it may have been, but as an immediate rejoinder to the departure of Rew it felt like a heavenly stroke. “Oh! Brilliant!” someone said as others just emitted awestruck sighs. Banton was batting on a different plane to everyone else. “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” he shouted as he and Aldridge kept up the momentum with a two that might have been one. “Well run!” the affirmation from the Trescothick Pavilion. Then came the tension as Banton approached 300. A single held the tension when it was the only addition in an over from D’Oliveira who has a tendency to take responsibility with the ball at key moments. In the next over, a straight driven four from Aldridge off Hinley and a pair of singles took Somerset to 550 for 5, a lead of 396 and left Banton hovering on 298.

Finally, against D’Oliveira, he and Aldridge pushed three singles, and Banton, off the third, reached his triple century from 349 balls. With the crowd on its feet, applauding at length, Somerset were on 553 for 5, a lead of 399. Eyes looked to the Caddick Pavilion, but there was no declaration. Two overs later, Aldridge was caught behind by Gareth Roderick off D’Oliveira. Somerset 561 for 6. Eyes back on the Caddick Pavilion, but instead of a declaration, Lewis Gregory, Somerset’s captain, walked to the wicket.

By the close, nine overs later, he and Banton had added a further 76 runs at nearly eight and a half an over. It meant taking chances, but fortune they say favours the brave. Twice in that period, Banton had pressed fortune hard, and twice fortune had come to his aid. On 314, he had attempted to clear the long on boundary below me as I sat in the top of the Trescothick Pavilion. He miscued badly, and the ball looped towards Matthew Waite at a deepish mid-on. Waite dived hard towards the ball and got both hands to it. But before the heart could sink too far, a voice behind me said, “He’s dropped it!” and Banton had added a single to his score. On 329, he reached to reverse sweep D’Oliveira, and top-edged to cover where stood no fielder. D’Oliveira ran hard from his follow through, reached the ball, took it with both hands, and dropped it. “Oh dear,” said a doleful voice in the top of the Trescothick Pavilion. Worcestershire had no time to bemoan their ill fortune for Gregory lofted D’Oliveira over long on and into the covers store for six and then back over his head for four and Somerset led by 450.

And finally, Kashif Ali bowled that tension filled final over of the day during which Banton passed Justin Langer’s two decades old record of 342. By coincidence, Somerset had scored 450 runs in the day, precisely the same number I had seen them score against Kent in the second match I ever attended at the County Ground, 67 years before. Then, Somerset had been all out for that figure with Peter Wight having carried his bat for 222, which was to be his highest first-class score. Now, Banton was 344 not out, Somerset’s highest first-class score. As when Wight had run up the Old Pavilion steps drenched in sweat and cradling his bat at the end of that first day in 1958, there were now two days remaining for Somerset to win the match.

Close. Worcestershire 154. Somerset 637 for 6. Somerset lead by 483 runs with four first innings wickets standing.