Somerset out in the cold – County Championship 2023 – 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th April – Third Day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Warwickshire. 6th,7th, 8th and 9th April. Taunton.

The author was unable to attend the final day of this match due to travelling to London for a non-cricket-related event which takes place only once every five years over the Easter weekend. The first two days on which play was possible (there was no play on the first day) were attended normally. The final day was followed online and watched subsequently on a replay of the Somerset CCC live stream.

Tom Abell had not fully recovered from a winter injury, but played for the second team whilst this match was in progress.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, C.T. Bancroft, T.Kohler-Cadmore, G.A. Bartlett, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory (c), C. Overton, J.H. Davey,  M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Warwickshire. W.M.H. Rhodes (c), E.G. Barnard, M.G.K. Burgess (c), S.R. Hain, A.L. Davies, J.G. Bethell, D.R. Mousley, R.M. Yates, O.J. Hannon-Dalby, Hasan Ali, C. Rushworth.

Overnight. Somerset 269 for 8.

Third day 7th April – Somerset out in the cold

This was a day in which Warwickshire’s moved ahead but perhaps lost their way a little at the end as the bitter April cold engulfed the day. But first, the unfinished business of Somerset’s first innings. As so often with a batter not out with a good score overnight, Gregory, main architect of the Somerset second-evening revival was on his way back to the Caddick Pavilion, caught at slip by Robert Yates off Chris Rushworth for 65. Peter Siddle briefly lit up Somerset’s morning with a cover and an on drive off Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s naggingly persistent pace but was soon struck on the pad and Somerset were all out for 284. Siddle 10. Jack Leach 27 not out. “Not necessarily a bad thing, those two wickets,” someone along from me in the top of the Trescothick Pavilion said, “It probably means the ball is moving.”

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Carpe Diem – Gregory and Davey sieze the day. Somerset v Warwickshire. County Championship 2023. 6th, 7th,8th and 9th April. Taunton

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Warwickshire. 6th,7th, 8th and 9th April. Taunton.

The author was unable to attend the final day of this match due to travelling to London for a non-cricket-related event which takes place once every five years over the Easter weekend. The first two days on which play was possible were attended normally. The final day was followed online as the day unfolded and with subsequent access to the Somerset CCC live stream.

Tom Abell had not fully recovered from a winter injury but played for the second team as part of his recovery whilst this match was in progress.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, C.T. Bancroft, T.Kohler-Cadmore, G.A. Bartlett, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory (c), C. Overton, J.H. Davey,  M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Warwickshire. W.M.H. Rhodes (c), E.G. Barnard, M.G.K. Burgess (c), S.R. Hain, A.L. Davies, J.G. Bethell, D.R. Mousley, R.M. Yates, O.J. Hannon-Dalby, Hasan Ali, C. Rushworth.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

Second day 6th April – Carpe Diem – Gregory and Davey seize the day

Easter was early this year, and the cricket season began before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, if only just. At least it did in most of the country. At Taunton, it was delayed a day, until Good Friday. The outfield had had more than its fill of rain and the areas in front of the Trescothick and Colin Atkinson Pavilions were too wet to accommodate the scurrying feet of cricketers. There had been work on the outfield in the winter, March rainfall was more than one and a half times its normal allocation and it had taken its toll. Black sheeting covered the area in front of the Colin Atkinson Pavilion and the boundary rope had been brought in 15 metres or so to accommodate it. Sand too had been distributed over much of the outfield, was clearly visible in front of the Trescothick Pavilion and in many parts of the ground erupted in explosive puffs when a ball hit through the air touched ground. Just enough space and dryness remained to squeeze in a first-class cricket match and a pair of can-do umpires called a start with only eight overs lost from the second day.

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Umeed’s Match – Derbyshire v Somerset – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Derby – 22nd August

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Derbyshire v Somerset. Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Derby. 22nd August.

Umeed’s Match

Toss. Derbyshire. Elected to field.

I watched this match through the Derbyshire CCC live stream, having decided this year not to travel to away matches in this competition. I relented for Bristol and suffered an acute reaction while I was there to the extensive dental work undertaken while the Northamptonshire match was on. For Durham and Derbyshire, sticking with the original decision seemed wise. They are both a long way from home if a dentist is needed urgently. As far as could be told from the live stream, the Derby crowd seemed sparse compared to a Taunton one in this competition but seemed fully engaged and to be enjoying their cricket. The stands were all well-populated, but far from full, and there are swathes of the ground, including one entire side of which, as far as I could see, with virtually no seating at all.

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A Run Out, A Surprise and the Team Fights On – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Somerset v Glamorgan – Taunton – 20th August

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Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Somerset v Glamorgan. Taunton. 20th August.

A Run Out, a Surprise and the Team Fights On

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

There was another excellent atmosphere at Taunton, this time for Family Day as this match was themed. The ground was abuzz when I arrived just in time to be hurried past the end of Gimblett’s Hill by a steward as Timm van der Gugten walked to the top of his run to bowl the first ball. There was a loud appeal as I emerged from the other end of the walkway behind the Trescothick Pavilion, but Somerset survived, and I was soon in my seat on the upper level. The crowd, despite the Women’s Football World Cup Final taking place with England as participants, was not far short of earlier ones in this competition. The football was present on the screen in The Stragglers with enough people watching for a cheer to permeate the atmosphere at the top of the Trescothick Pavilion when England’s goalkeeper, Mary Earps, saved a penalty. It wasn’t enough. In the end, England lost 1-0.

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Phoenix Rising – Durham v Somerset – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Gosforth – 17th August

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Durham v Somerset. Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Gosforth. 17th August.

Phoenix Rising

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

The festival atmosphere of outground cricket can be relaxing whatever the state of the game. It does though have its drawbacks if you are trying to follow the game from home. Not least outground livestreams can be unreliable or shaky. Southport last year was apparently an exception to that rule. At Gosforth, the steam shrivelled and died entirely before the fifth over was out. So, it was back to the old days of sitting or working in the garden, or being on holiday, and listening to the radio commentary. Days of radio memory, some as vividly recalled as days at the cricket.

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Untimely ripped – Gloucestershire v Somerset – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Bristol – 13th August

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Gloucestershire v Somerset. Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Bristol. 13th August.

Untimely ripped

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

“I’m not sure what you are going to write about that,” said a Somerset supporter as we crossed paths during the Somerset innings. Somerset’s prospects of winning the match had long been consigned to oblivion and Gloucestershire had been unmercifully rampant. There was no hint of disdain at Somerset’s inadequate efforts. The comment was though laced with concern about the impact on Somerset’s young players, for they had been, as Shakespeare’s MacDuff might have had it, untimely ripped from their cricketing development to face a ferocious onslaught from experienced players. One of Somerset’s young players was aged 20, five were teenagers. The match took place on the field at Bristol and was thoroughly enjoyed by the Gloucestershire crowd, but the eye of the Somerset supporter, at least most of those to whom I spoke, was cast on a wider perspective.

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A Day to Relax – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Somerset v Sussex – Taunton – 11th August.

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Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Somerset v Sussex. Taunton. 11th August.

A day to relax

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

There was a wonderful, joyous atmosphere with smiling faces wherever you looked. Faces of all ages too. Literally from four to twice forty and probably every age in between. Groups, couples and families. From people with the greyest of grey hair to a four or five-year-old trying to stand on his head. People came and went to the bar, or to buy a cup of coffee or an ice cream, but most of the time most of the people were focused on the matter in hand. The Wurzels that is. They played for an hour in the St James Street car park after the match and at its peak, the audience must have been nearer a thousand than five hundred. Almost devoid of cars, the car park looked bigger than it normally does and it was a perfect end to the day.

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Escape to the Dentist – Northamptonshire v Somerset – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2o23 – 9th August – Northampton

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Northamptonshire v Somerset. Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Northampton. 9th August 2023.

Escape to the Dentist.

Toss. Northamptonshire. Elected to bat.

I don’t know what was more unwelcome. Two hours in the dentist’s chair or Somerset’s result at Northampton. The one relief of the dentist’s chair was that I missed the most destructive part of Prithvi Shaw’s innings. Needless to say, my dentist is not in Northampton, so I am indebted to Northamptonshire for their live stream for the torment I did suffer. And I think I suffered it in quadruplicate, for that is how many times they seemed to replay each of Somerset’s woes. At least at the dentist you only have to suffer each woe once, although that is quite a few when you are undergoing two complicated procedures and a couple of extractions on the one visit. After two hours in the dentist’s chair you leave with a sense of having been pummeled unmercifully and the fearful headache that a couple of hours with your mouth stretched wide open leaves you with, at least it left me with one.

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Dancing to the Rhythm of Duckworth Lewis – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Somerset v Worcestershire – Taunton – 6th August

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Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Somerset v Worcestershire. Taunton. 6th August.

Dancing to the Rhythm of Duckworth Lewis

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

Sunday afternoon was different from Friday evening. Both had atmosphere, both had tension, and both had large crowds which spoke of an attachment to this competition even though it is denuded of its stars. The Hundred seemed a million miles away and never got a mention within my hearing. The crowd was slightly down on the one on Friday night, but not by much and it had an atmosphere all of its own. Relaxed, chatty, engaged with the cricket and more prone to applaud than to cheer, and applaud they did, for good cricket by either side and whenever Somerset made headway in the game. Not that cheers were entirely absent. They couldn’t be resisted whenever a Worcestershire wicket fell or when James Rew produced a switch hit to land the ball in the Ondaatje Stand.

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An Excellent Day at the Cricket – Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023 – Somerset v Warwickshire – 4th August – Taunton

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An Excellent Day at the Cricket

Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2023. Somerset v Warwickshire. 4th August. Taunton.

Not the result Somerset supporters would have wanted, but it was an excellent day at the cricket. Tremendous atmosphere. Large crowd, probably four thousand plus, maybe even a few more. And it didn’t rain. We even had a couple of spitfires fly over. It is always wise to have air cover when there is a battle going on below. The retail area (if you are over 50) or fan zone (if you are under 50) was alive with smiling people each time I looked with no adverse consequences that I saw from the amount of alcohol on sale. There were a lot of younger people in the crowd and a goodly number of families.

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Captain’s Innings – Ian Botham – NatWest Trophy Semi-Final 1983 – Middlesex v Somerset – Lord’s – 17 August 1983

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This is a short snippet about the 1983 National Westminster Bank Trophy semi-final between Middleex and Somerset at Lord’s. Ian Botham captained the Somerset side throughout the 1983 Nat West Trophy, including the Final at Lord’s, due to a long period of injury to Brian Rose, although Rose was still Club Captain.

Ian Botham played one of the all-time great Somerset ‘captain’s innings’ in the semi-final at Lord’s against Middlesex. Chasing 223 to win (not an unreasonable target to set in those days) Botham came to the wicket with Somerset on 43 for 4 with Viv Richards already out and soon lost Phil Slocombe to make it 52 for 5. With the five wickets having fallen to Norman Cowans and Neil Williams and Middlesex also having Wayne Daniel, John Embury and Phil Edmonds the outlook looked bleak indeed.

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A Sorry Tale – Somerset v Surrey – County Championship 2023 – 25th, 26th and 27th July – First Day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Surrey. 25th, 26th and 27th July. Taunton.

Jack Leach, (back), Roelof van der Merwe (hand), Josh Davey 9rib) and Sonny Baker (back) were all unavailable.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), K.L. Aldridge, B.G.F. Green, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, S. Bashir.

Surrey. R.J. Burns (c), D.P. Sibley, T.W.M. Latham, J.L. Smith, B.T. Foakes (w), W.G. Jacks, J. Clark, J. Overton, T. E. Lawes, A.A.P. Atkinson, D.J. Worral.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

First day 25th July – A sorry tale

I arrived at the Brian Rose Gates a quarter of an hour before the start and joined an ever-lengthening queue. Out to the road by The Brewhouse when I arrived. Along the road some way by the time my bag had been searched and I was in the ground. It is the first day of the school summer holidays and Surrey are the visitors. The weather was nicely inviting too after a poor forecast. High tufts of cotton wool cloud drifted across the sky accompanied by large patches of azure blue. The sun was warm, the breeze cool. In short: perfect cricket weather. There did not appear to be a significant number of spectators in the ground, but by midday it was clear this was the largest County Championship crowd since before the pandemic. A County Championship match in the school holidays against Surrey, with whom Somerset have had some memorable recent tussles, is still a major draw.

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A Crowd in Motion – Vitality Blast 2023 – Somerset v Gloucestershire – 23rd July – Taunton

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Somerset v Gloucestershire. 23rd July. Vitality Blast 2023. Taunton.

This was a match which swung both ways and built an exceptional atmosphere. Batting first, Gloucestershire were reduced to 9 for 3 before recovering to 186 for 8. In pursuit of 187 Somerset found themselves 112 for 5, needing a further 75 to win in less than eight overs. From there Ben Green and Kasey Aldridge took them closer but when Green was out for 37 from 25 balls they still needed 27 from 17 balls. They briefly fell further behind before Craig Overton struck 17 from eight balls to get them into a winning position and Aldridge (32 from 20 balls) calmly saw them through the final three balls to an unlikely victory. There is no report on the match, but the atmosphere and crowd scenes were exceptional and reflected the closeness and drama of the match. The paragraph below tries to capture those scenes.

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On the Way

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Middlesex v Somerset. 18th,19th and 20th May. Lord’s.

Middlesex. M.D. Stoneman, S.D. Robson, S.S. Eskinazi, M.D.E. Holden, R.G. White, J.A. Simpson (w), R.F. Higgins, L.B.K. Hollman, T.S. Roland-Jones (c), E.R. Bamber, T.J. Murtagh.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.M. Davies, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach.

Overnight. Somerset 404. Middlesex 175 and 81 for 1. Middlesex trail by 148 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Final day 20th May – On the way

Middlesex began the third day in a rather different vein to that in which they had finished the second. The positive seeking of runs of the night before was replaced by grim defence on the morning after. In the first 11 overs of the day, Mark Stoneman and Stevie Eskanazi scored 14 runs, on one occasion batting out four successive maidens during a seven-over period when three runs were scored. Bats were beaten more than once but neither Craig Overton nor Matt Henry broke through. It was a frustrating three-quarters of an hour for Somerset supporters, still present in large numbers among a Saturday crowd that to my eye was the largest of the match.

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A Consummate Performance – County Championship 2023 – Middlesex v Somerset 18th, 19th and 20th May – Lord’s – Second day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Middlesex v Somerset. 18th,19th and 20th May. Lord’s.

Middlesex. M.D. Stoneman, S.D. Robson, S.S. Eskinazi, M.D.E. Holden, R.G. White, J.A. Simpson (w), R.F. Higgins, L.B.K. Hollman, T.S. Roland-Jones (c), E.R. Bamber, T.J. Murtagh.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.M. Davies, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach.

Overnight. Somerset 325 for 6.

Second day 19th May – A consummate performance

This was the day on which everything finally came together for Somerset. Northamptonshire had been outplayed at Taunton, but they had produced a sterling defensive performance to bat through the final day and escaped with a draw. At Old Trafford, Somerset had edged Lancashire, but in the end, the teams fought each other to a standstill, and the game petered out into the tamest of draws. Here, with still two full days to play and a settled forecast, by the end of the day, Somerset found themselves poised to win for the first time this season. It was a consummate performance.

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Old Father Time Has Good Measure – County Championship 2023 – Middlesex v Somerset – 18th, 19th and 20th May – Lord’s – First Day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Middlesex v Somerset. 18th,19th and 20thMay. Lord’s.

Middlesex. M.D. Stoneman, S.D. Robson, S.S. Eskinazi, M.D.E. Holden, R.G. White, J.A. Simpson (w), R.F. Higgins, L.B.K. Hollman, T.S. Roland-Jones (c), E.R. Bamber, T.J. Murtagh.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.M. Davies, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach.

Toss. Middlesex. Elected to field.

First day 18th May – Old Father Time has good measure

Sitting in the lower level of the Compton Stand among a, for a Championship match, larger than average crowd, the atmosphere was vibrant, the crowd buzzing and the cricket captivating. From the Edrich to the Allen Stands the Tavern side of the ground was closed. That concentrated the crowd from the Pavilion to the Compton Stand on the Grandstand side of the ground, the pitch being set over that way. It worked. Everyone faced, or nearly faced, Old Father Time as he ticked away the minutes of a pulsating first day which Somerset edged, although Middlesex clawed back some of Somerset’s advantage as the evening drew in, and the crowd buzzed the day long.

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A day of Vesuvian roars – Somerset v Essex – County Championship 2022 – 14th, 15th and 16th April – Taunton – Second day

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Essex. 14th, 15th and 16th April 2022. Taunton.

The following were unavailable for selection by Somerset through injury. Tom Banton, George Bartlett, Josh Davey and Sonny Baker, the last of whom will be unavailable for the immediate future. Matthew Renshaw has joined the squad, Craig Overton and Jack Leach have been approved to play by the ECB and Lewis Gregory and Jack Brooks have recovered from illness.

Somerset. B.G.F. Green, T.A. Lammonby, M.T. Renshaw, J.C. Hildreth, T.B. Abell (c), L.P. Goldsworthy, S.M. Davies (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, P.M. Siddle, J. Leach.

Essex. N.L.J. Browne, Sir A.N. Cook, T. Westley, D.W. Lawrence, A.M. Rossington, M.J.J. Critchley, A.J.A. Wheater, S.R. Harmer, S. Snater, M.T. Steketee, S.J. Cook.

Overnight. Somerset 109. Essex 109 for 2. Essex have eight first innings wickets standing with the scores level.

Second day 15th April – A day of Vesuvian roars

The relocated Gimblett’s Hill benches next to the Colin Atkinson Pavilion again proved popular on the second day. When I meandered over to them during the tea interval, they were once more full. On the basis of number of spectators per seat they were the most popular part of the ground. Possibly also the warmest, for they and their occupants were bathed in warm sunshine. A far cry from the chill climate which still rules the upper section of the Trescothick Pavilion from where I have watched the first two days of this match. I wondered about the view, given the occupants must look full into the sun for a good part of the day.

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Somerset Take Control – Somerset v Warwickshire – County Championship 2022 – 28th, 29th and 30th April – Taunton

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Warwickshire. 28th, 29th and 30th April 2022. Taunton.

Sonny Baker and Peter Siddle were unavailable for selection by Somerset due to being injured.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, M.T. Renshaw, T.B. Abell (c), T. Banton, J.C. Hildreth, S.M. Davies (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, J.H. Davey, J. Leach, J.A. Brooks.

Warwickshire. R.M. Yates, D.M. Sibley, W.M.H. Rhodes (c), A.L. Davies, S.R. Hain, M.J. Lamb, M.G.K. Burgess (w), N.J. McAndrew. C.N. Miles, D.R. Briggs, O.J. Hannon-Dalby,

Overnight. Somerset 351 for 4.

Second day 29th April – Somerset take control

Seen in isolation the cricket played on the second day suggested an even contest between the two sides. Somerset scored 107 for the loss of their last six wickets. Warwickshire 197 for 9. But by dint of their near faultless performance with the bat on the first day, Somerset will enter the third day in complete control of this match. Warwickshire fought back hard with the ball on the second morning, but in the final two sessions Somerset’s bowlers drove home the advantage fashioned by the batters on the first day.

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An Outstanding Game of Cricket – Surrey v Somerset – County Championship 2022 – 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th April – The Oval

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Surrey v Somerset. 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th April 2022. The Oval.

Lewis Gregory was unavailable for selection by Somerset through injury.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, M.T. Renshaw, T.B. Abell (c), T. Banton, J.C. Hildreth, S.M. Davies (w), C. Overton, J.H. Davey, J. Leach, P.M. Siddle, J.A. Brooks.

Surrey. R.J. Burns (c), R.S. Patel, H.M. Amla, O.J.D. Pope, B.T. Foakes (w), S.M. Curran, W.G. Jacks, J. Overton, J. Clark, J.P.A. Taylor, R.J.W. Topley.

Overnight. Somerset 337 and 196 for 9. Surrey 308. Somerset lead by 225 runs with one second innings wicket standing.

Fourth day 24th April – An outstanding game of cricket

It is still relatively early days in this Championship season. Only three rounds of matches have been played in a 14-match competition and some counties have only played two. However, the early-season table has a stark symmetry about it. The top five teams are all based at Test match grounds. The bottom five at non-Test grounds. The Test ground counties have between them won eight matches and lost one. The non-Test ground counties have won one and lost eight. The Test ground counties have 210 points between them. The non-Test ground counties have 105, precisely half. With the future of red-ball domestic cricket about to become the subject of a major review and with talk of moving to a structure where the ‘best play the best’, the current situation will be of concern to supporters of the smaller counties.

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“Why are they all wearing white?” – Surrey v Somerset – County Championship 2022 – 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th April – The Oval – Third Day

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Surrey v Somerset. 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th April 2022. The Oval.

Lewis Gregory was unavailable for selection by Somerset through injury.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, M.T. Renshaw, T.B. Abell (c), T. Banton, J.C. Hildreth, S.M. Davies (w), C. Overton, J.H. Davey, J. Leach, P.M. Siddle, J.A. Brooks.

Surrey. R.J. Burns (c), R.S. Patel, H.M. Amla, O.J.D. Pope, B.T. Foakes (w), S.M. Curran, W.G. Jacks, J. Overton, J. Clark, J.P.A. Taylor, R.J.W. Topley.

Overnight. Somerset 337. Surrey 204 for 5. Surrey trail by 133 runs with five first innings wickets standing.

Third day 23rd April – “Why are they all wearing white?”

“Why are they all wearing white?” It was a curious question to overhear at a Championship match as I sat square of the wicket with the gasometer over my right shoulder. A father was being quizzed by his young son about what was happening in front of them. It transpired it was the son’s first cricket match. He was curious because in his digital cricket game the players wore coloured clothing. The modern route into cricket perhaps. No longer the first sight coming on a visit to a county ground after school, or on a television broadcast, but in a game on a tablet, a smartphone, a laptop or relayed from any of those to a television screen. The world really is moving on. At the other extreme, as I walked behind the Galadari Stand before the start of play, a longstanding Somerset supporter without internet access asked, “Did we drop any catches yesterday?” Cue an explanation of Tom Banton’s two experiences with the flying ball.

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