County Championship 2026. Essex v Somerset. April 10^th, 11^th, 12^th and 13^th. Chelmsford.

Somerset captain Lewis Gregory was not available for selection due to a chest injury. Craig Overton replaced him as captain.

Somerset. J.F. Thomas, T. Kohler-Cadmore/W.C.F. Smeed*, T.A. Lammonby, J.E.K. Rew (w), T.B. Abell, L.P. Goldsworthy/A.M. Vaughan*, C. Overton (c), M.J. Leach, T. Shaw, M. Pretorius, J.T. Ball.

*Will Smeed replaced Tom Kohler-Cadmore as an injury replacement under the ECB’s 2026 replacement player trial regulations after 51 overs of the Essex first innings, and Archie Vaughan replaced Lewis Goldsworthy under the same regulations after 38 overs of the Essex second innings.

Essex. D. Elgar, P.I. Walter, P.W.A. Mulder, C.W.J. Allison, M.J.J. Critchley, L.M. Benkenstein, M.S. Pepper (w), S.R. Harmer, S. Snater, S.J. Cook (c), J.A. Porter.

Overnight. Essex 149 and 131 for 3. Somerset 348. Essex trail by 68 runs with seven second innings wickets standing.

Final day – A different team

There was something different about the Somerset team that turned out in this match. Different to the ones that have turned out for many seasons past. Different to last year’s team, although with two exceptions the personnel were unchanged. The thing that was different was the same thing that was different in the Nottinghamshire match at Taunton the week before. Somerset teams have always had the ability to overcome the opposition, often coming from behind with inspired victory charges which defeat the odds. Durham at Chester-le-Street in 2025 springs to mind as a classic match won in this way. The victory in this match was different. The demolition of Essex did not look inspired and, once the match was underway, it did not come against the odds. It did however look systematic, ruthless and unforgiving. In the face of the pressure which resulted, Essex wilted and succumbed. Systematic ruthlessness may not be the Somerset way, but it was mightily effective.

Somerset had the advantage of winning the toss and the confidence to put Essex in despite the history of matches at Chelmsford suggesting that batting first is the way to go. By inserting Essex, Somerset risked having to face Simon Harmer in a fourth innings run chase, but they never let the match get that far. Against Nottinghamshire at Taunton a week before, they had lost the toss and been asked to bat first against the attack of the County Champions in the worst batting conditions of the match. In the first two sessions, by the account of those sitting behind the arm and those watching the live stream, the Nottinghamshire bowlers made the ball ‘dart about all over the place’. And yet, through sheer determination, discipline and calculated shot selection Somerset bested Nottinghamshire on first innings and never relinquished the upper hand even if they were unable to force victory as the Taunton pitch, true to its history, flattened as the match wore on.

At Chelmsford, the demolition of the Essex first innings, there is no other word, was followed by a crushing Somerset innings which resulted in a near 200-run lead. As Essex fought in their second innings to reverse Somerset’s advantage, they gave themselves a ghost of a chance on the second day which ended with a confident 86-run unbroken fourth wicket partnership from Paul Walter and Mark Critchley which took them to within 68 runs of Somerset’s total with Walter and Critchley looking as if they had power to add. 

Somerset opened on the third morning with Craig Overton from Chelmsford’s River End under patches of high, white cloud which occasionally covered the sun. The crowd, by my eye, numbered about five hundred. Overton’s pace is perhaps not quite what it was, but he still looked the part as he powered in with that smooth energy giving run which seems to consume every ounce of his determination and focus and every bit of the attention of the watcher. It always seems to come as a surprise when the ball is simply played back down the pitch. But then, the same energy and focus drives Overton in for the next ball. In addition to the energy emanating from that searing run, and his figures bear this out, he gives the batter nothing, except when he occasionally overpitches searching for movement. In the Essex second innings he conceded two thirds of the runs per over of any of the other Somerset pace bowlers and only half the runs per over of the two Essex opening bowlers. He lets the opposition know Somerset are there.

In Overton’s second over of the day, bowled from the River End, that powering run and forensic accuracy paid early dividends as he found the edge of Critchley’s bat. The ball flew low to Archie Vaughan’s left at second slip, Vaughan an injury replacement for Lewis Goldsworthy. I was sat in the lower level of the Tom Pearce Stand, directly behind the line of the ball as it flew away from me towards Vaughan. There never seemed a doubt that he would hold it. There is a quiet confidence in the body language of this Somerset team and Essex were 141 for 4, still 58 behind. Critchley 59. In Overton’s fourth over, the pressure he applies paid off again. Walter played across the line, the ball flew off a leading edge and Overton took the catch himself. Essex 150 for 5. Walter 70. Essex still 49 in arrears, the sharp end of their remaining resistance broken.

Two overs later, Overton took a rest. It reminded me of Somerset’s penultimate match of the season in 2007. That was at Chelmsford too in the last Championship match that Somerset won there before this one. A win in that match would secure Somerset’s promotion from the Second Division. Somerset, batting second, led by 168 on first innings. In their second innings, Essex had reached around 230 for 5 – a lead of about 60. James Foster and Ryan ten Doeschate had added around 70 for the fifth wicket and were in full flow. There was a tinge of anxiety that Essex might yet score enough to put Somerset under pressure in their second innings. Justin Langer, in his first year as Somerset captain, walked up to Andy Caddick who was between spells and spoke to him. Caddick bowled two overs. Ten Doeschate lbw Caddick – Essex 235 for 5. James Middlebrook bowled Caddick 0 – Essex 235 for 6. Foster lbw Michael Munday – Essex 239 for 7. Langer took Caddick off. Job done. Overton’s performance in removing Critchley and Walter had the same feel about it. An exceptional bowler, when needed, making an incisive contribution to nip a potential threat in the bud.

And then Jake Ball, opening the bowling from the Hayes Close End opposite Overton. He had looked a different bowler in 2026. He still conceded runs when he pitched the ball up as he sought movement, but the wickets were coming. Michael Pepper, no mean operator with the bat, joined Wiaan Mulder who had replaced Critchley. Ball had already beaten Mulder and caused him to edge short of second slip. Pepper was given no second chance. Almost immediately, he attempted to defend against Ball but only managed to connect with the edge and Overton at second slip took the catch at ankle height. Essex 151 for 6. Pepper 0. Deficit 48.

There was a flutter of resistance from Essex before Somerset administered the coup de grace. Mulder and Harmer first resisted, eight runs coming from five overs before they launched into Josh Shaw, taking 19 runs from two overs. There were successive fours from Mulder, a pull through straight midwicket which crossed the boundary in front of the Somerset dressing room marquee and a cover drive. They took Essex to within seven runs of Somerset, but Shaw changed Ends, Mulder tried to hook him, Rew jumped high, claimed the catch and the umpire raised his finger. Mulder seemed genuinely surprised to be given out, although when he came out of the stroke and realised, he walked off without demure. Essex 192 for 7. Mulder 31.

Again, Essex began to edge forward, Shane Snater driving Pretorius through extra cover for four. Like so many others in this innings, the driven four flew off the middle of the bat. But, in a match when so many balls had passed the bat or flown off the edge, four balls later, Migael Pretorius found the edge of Snater’s bat. This time, the ball fell short of Overton diving from second slip but it added to the sense of the end in sight. Then, a ball played to midwicket for a single by Harmer brought a ripple of applause as the scores drew level. Two balls later, a leg before wicket appeal against Snater from Overton resulted in a leg bye which took Essex into the lead. Now, Overton, keeping the pressure on, beat Snater with successive balls before, in the next over, Shaw, having changed to the Hayes Close End, struck Harmer on the pad. The appeal from Shaw, Rew and the two slips left no doubt about their view and the raising of the finger followed in short order. “I have never seen a leg before wicket so out,” commented a Somerset supporter who was sat behind the arm at lunch time. He was not so sure about the caught behind decision against Mulder but, as they say, it was in the book. Essex 203 for 8. Harmer 20. Lead 4.

And then, either side of lunch, the final resistance from Essex. A partnership of 38 from Sam Cook and Snater. Cook began off his second ball, from Shaw, with a sharp drive through point for four. Snater found the boundary too with a hook of Overton to long leg, but between the two, Snater edged Shaw over the stumps and into the ground. In the same over, Cook edged Shaw chest high through fourth slip when there were two. There had been two throughout the day. The period of resistance between small clutches of wickets was typical of a topsy turvy Essex innings which, apart from the half-hour session on the second evening, never broke free from the iron grip of the Somerset bowling. Eventually, and inevitably, Cook was caught behind off the ever-challenging Ball, and Snater succumbed to Pretorius, who had taken such wickets almost invisibly ever since he first came to Taunton. Snater pulled the ball towards long on where Archie Vaughan set off at pace towards the incoming ball as it began to fall short. After a perfectly judged run, he dived full-length forward and down the line of the ball before catching it inches above the ground. It was a spectacular catch and a perfect precursor to what was to follow. Essex 245 all out. Snater 27. Porter 0 not out. Lead 46.

It had been a consummate Somerset bowling performance in both innings supported by consistent high-quality fielding. One catch had gone down late in the second innings, making no impact on the outcome, but some catches, in both innings, had been of the highest quality, and the ground fielding had been immaculate throughout. The Essex ground fielding too, but they had dropped three catches which might normally have been taken, not least Will Smeed in the slips before he had scored. Catches win matches.

And then, in the Somerset second innings, Archie Vaughan. He was not selected for the first two Championship matches of the season but he was in the squad which travelled to Chelmsford. When Tom Kohler-Cadmore had to withdraw early in the game with that the serious thumb injury incurred while taking a slip catch, Vaughan found Will Smeed, scoring runs for the second eleven 200 miles away in Abergavenny, preferred to him. Now, with Goldsworthy sidelined too, he found himself opening the second innings with Josh Thomas. After quietly playing out Cook’s first over, and after Thomas had taken a pair of fours off Harmer, bowling from the River End, Vaughan took charge.

He edged the second ball of Cook’s second over past third slip for four and then, the next three balls he turned to fine leg, pulled to deep midwicket and drove through point, all for four. Chasing 47, there was no pressure on Somerset, but trying to win back a place in the team, there was every pressure on Vaughan. He faced it head on. The last ball of the over he drove past mid-off for three and found himself facing the next over from Harmer. The first two balls he played out, but the third he drove high over wide mid-on and onto the roof of the Somerset team marquee. There are less spectacular ways to remind the coach of your presence. A single took him to the Hayes Close End from where he faced the next over, now from Critchley’s leg spin, Critchley having quickly replaced Cook. The third ball he lofted over mid-on and into the upper level of the Tom Pearce Stand to my right, the force of the impact being clearly heard by those of us in the seats below. And finally, he drove the next ball through the covers for four and Somerset had won a match they had dominated from first to last.

That stroke ended a 19-season long wait for a Championship victory at Chelmsford, although for most of the middle decade of that period, Essex had languished in the Second Division. Even so, it was a talking point among Somerset supporters. As to Essex supporters, one approached me as I was packing my bag to leave. “Well done,” she said. “You have played very well. Perhaps this is your year.” I refused to be drawn on that. The fear of tempting fortune is ingrained into the very soul of any hardened cricket supporter. “How on earth we beat Hampshire away by an innings in the first match I don’t know,” she said, “because in this match we didn’t even turn up.” I wasn’t drawn on that either, but it did occur to me it was not so much a case of Essex not turning up as of Somerset not allowing them to turn up.

Result. Essex 149 (C.W.J. Allison 49, D. Elgar 41, J. Shaw 3-30) and 245 (P.I. Walter 70, M.J.J. Critchley 59, M. Pretorius 3-64, J.T. Ball 3-67). Somerset 348 (C. Overton 141, J.E.K. Rew 48, L.P. Goldsworthy 42, S. Snater 3-56, J.A. Porter 3-84, S.J. Cook 3-93) and 49-0. Somerset won by ten wickets. Somerset 21 points. Essex 3 points.