After the first two days of the final round of Championship matches in 2026 it was clear that Somerset’s prospects of winning the Championship that had effectively been ended by the defeat at Headingley a week before had finally gone. The winning of the Championship may have been deferred for yet another year, but that did not prevent the Somerset batters from producing one of the most remarkable batting performances ever seen at Taunton. The report will have to wait its turn, but in light of what those of us there witnessed, here are my impressions of the day:

“What a day. What a day to have witnessed. What a day to remember.

The man behind me in the top of the Trescothick Pavilion said when I arrived, “I just want to see a lot of runs.” When was a wish so royally granted?

And such runs. Such strokes. Such batting. And to Lammonby, Abell, Pretorius and those who perished trying, much thanks. They gave us drives straight, drives through the covers, drives through midwicket, cuts through point, cuts behind point, late cuts, sweeps, paddle sweeps, pulls – artistic not brutal, an uppercut over the keeper which made no sound as it slid majestically off the bat. This was indeed batting for royalty. Batting for the gods. Batting for and of Somerset. And, as the strokes flowed came a double century partnership, a century for Abell, the 250 partnership, reached with a Lammonby six.

And at lunch, on the outfield in summer-warm temperature. Hundreds. Looking at the pitch. Looking at the grass. Relaxing. Chattering. Meandering. Remembering. Photographing. Smiling. Dreaming. And above all, enjoying. Heaven.

And for the afternoon, back to the top of the Trescothick. Runs below, blue sky above, the Quantocks beyond, and all around, clapping, cheering people. The strokes flowing, the batsmen running, the fielders chasing, the bowlers toiling, the stands bubbling. Gimblett’s Hill full. The Trescothick heaving. The Ondaatje teeming. People standing all the way between the Caddick and the Atkinson. The Atkinson, the Botham and the Hildreth all alive with people and three blocks of the Somerset Stand open and, to use the modern term, busy.

And then, the draw of the centre block of the Somerset Stand and a walk around the ground at the start of the evening session. And what a sight as I walked, what sounds and what an atmosphere. The ground had become an ocean of joy. And from the Somerset Stand, sitting square, old times back, and the utter elation of watching the Abell-Pretorius partnership. Four successive sixes. A six bouncing on and over the Botham Stand. A century partnership. 250 for Abell. Fifty for Pretorius. Five hundred up. Six hundred up. Nearly 700 up. Merciless. Majestic. Magnificent.”

Brief match scores at end of day three: Surrey 422. Somerset 691 for 8 (Tom Abell 281 not out, Tom Lammonby 229, Migael Pretorius 72 not out. Somerset lead by 269 runs with two second innings wickets standing.