County Championship 2024. Division 1. Lancashire v Somerset 17^th, 18^th, 19^th and 20^th September. Old Trafford.

Tom Banton was unavailable due to an ankle injury.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings (c), H.P.N. Singh, J.J. Bohannon, R. Flintoff, M.F. Hurst (w), L.W.P. Wells, G.J. Bell, G.P. Balderson, T.E. Bailey, A. Phillip, W.S.A. Williams.

Somerset. A.R.I. Umeed, A.M. Vaughan, T.A. Lammonby, T.B. Abell, T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), K.L. Aldridge, L. Gregory (c), C. Overton, B.G. Randell, M.J. Leach. 

Overnight. Lancashire 140 and 398. Somerset 146 and 204 for 6. Somerset need another 189 runs to win with four second innings wickets standing.

Final day 20^th September – Championship challenge over

In the end, it was over quickly. Lewis Gregory was gone almost before he arrived, and certainly before I arrived. It is a two-mile walk from my hotel to the ground and I still had a vicious cold. A few extra minutes in bed and a slightly slower walking pace found me halfway around the ground to where I had been sitting at the Statham End for most of the match when Gregory‘s innings ended. Whilst behind the player and media centre, directly opposite the Pavilion, where the players’ dressing rooms are, I heard what I thought was an appeal. It was in fact a cheer. “Lewis Gregory bowled by Luke Wells,” said the announcement and, with Gregory bowled through the gate, defeated by the googly, any remaining Somerset hopes of winning this match had, realistically, been ended.

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd April. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, C.T. Bancroft, T.B. Abell (c), T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, K.A. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle, J.A. Brooks.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings (c), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas, G.J. Bell (w), C. de Grandhomme, G.P. Balderson, T.W. Hartley, T.E. Bailey, S. Mahmood, J.M. Anderson.

Overnight. Somerset 441. Lancashire 302 for 1. Lancashire trail by 139 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Third day 22^nd April – Gregory and Siddle battle for Somerset

This was a day when two Somerset’s bowlers, 37-year-old Peter Siddle and 30-year-old Lewis Gregory, who has battled through more back injuries than enough, stepped up and put Lancashire to the test on a pitch made in a batter’s dreamland. Lancashire ended on 554 all out, but the last eight wickets fell for 178 runs after the day began with talk among home supporters of 700 being within range. With Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon adding 72 relatively untroubled runs in the first 11 overs of the day that talk seemed painfully all too realistic from the top of the Trescothick Pavilion.

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd April. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, C.T. Bancroft, T.B. Abell (c), T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, K.A. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle, J.A. Brooks.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings (c), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas, G.J. Bell (w), C. de Grandhomme, G.P. Balderson, T.W. Hartley, T.E. Bailey, S. Mahmood, J.M. Anderson.

Overnight. Somerset 311 for 4.

Second day 21^st April – Lancashire re-shape the match

Lancashire were not daunted by Somerset’s apparently dominant position at the end of the first day. Their bowlers responded by taking six wickets on the second morning while Somerset added 130 runs. A total of 441 all out was, on the face of it, a total from which the match might be controlled. By the end of the day that view had been devastatingly dispelled after Lancashire’s top three added 302 runs at a five runs an over. Keaton Jennings, 124 not out, played as if he was extending his triple century at Southport in 2022. The Lancashire batting was a sobering experience for Somerset supporters and put the progress which Tom Abell and James Rew had made on the first day into sharp perspective.

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd and 23^rd April. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, S.R. Dickson, C.T. Bancroft, T.B. Abell (c), T. Kohler-Cadmore, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, K.A. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle, J.A. Brooks.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings (c), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas, G.J. Bell (w), C. de Grandhomme, G.P. Balderson, T.W. Hartley, T.E. Bailey, S. Mahmood, J.M. Anderson.

Toss. Lancashire. Elected to field.

First day 20^th April – Rehabilitation

In the end, this was a day of rehabilitation for Somerset. Having been put in by Lancashire, they were soon suffering from their, now almost traditional, malaise of losing early wickets. By the end of the tenth over they were three wickets down with only 24 runs on the board. Sean Dickson had gone for nought, literally walking into a leg before wicket decision against Jimmy Anderson. Tom Lammonby had tried to respond by attacking, an on drive off Anderson, beautifully leaned into, had brought an admiring cry of, “Good shot!” But on 15, after half an hour at the crease, he played a straight, defensive stroke to Anderson, the ball took the edge and was caught in front of his shins by Keaton Jennings at second slip.

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Lancashire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th July. Southport.

Tom Abell, Tom Banton, Craig Overton and Will Smeed were unavailable for selection due to being on England Lions duty. Jack Leach was unavailable due to being rested following his recent Test match duties.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings, L.W.P. Wells, S.J. Croft, D.J. Vilas (c)(w), J.J. Bohannon, R.P. Jones, G.P. Balderson, L. Wood, T.E. Bailey, W.S.A. Williams, J.P. Morley.

Somerset. M.T. Renshaw, S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, G.A. Bartlett, L.P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew, L. Gregory, R.E. van der Merwe, P.M. Siddle (c), J.A. Brooks, G.S. Virdi.

Overnight. Somerset 446. Lancashire 624 for 9. Lancashire lead by 178 runs with one first innings wickets standing.

Fourth day 14^th July – Pure Goldsworthy

With no prospect of victory Somerset began the final day needing to bat most of it to save the match. It was their eighth Championship match of the season, and they were yet to draw a single game after two victories and five defeats. As a consequence, they began the match sitting in one of the two relegation places. With eight points for a draw this season, the inability to save matches has made a significant contribution to Somerset’s plight. No other team has failed to draw a match and Northamptonshire, five points above Somerset, having played one game less, have no victories but five draws. Draws, where victory is not possible, are particularly crucial this year.

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Lancashire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th July. Southport.

Tom Abell, Tom Banton, Craig Overton and Will Smeed were unavailable for selection due to being on England Lions duty. Jack Leach was unavailable due to being rested following his recent Test match duties.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings, L.W.P. Wells, S.J. Croft, D.J. Vilas (c)(w), J.J. Bohannon, R.P. Jones, G.P. Balderson, L. Wood, T.E. Bailey, W.S.A. Williams, J.P. Morley.

Somerset. M.T. Renshaw, S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, G.A. Bartlett, L.P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew, L. Gregory, R.E. van der Merwe, P.M. Siddle (c), J.A. Brooks, G.S. Virdi.

Overnight. Somerset 446. Lancashire 164 for 0. Lancashire trail by 282 runs with ten first innings wickets standing.

Third day 13^th July – Keaton Jennings 318 – A day of itinerance

Perhaps it was watching cricket in the relaxing ambience of a bygone age that broke my concentration when I emerged from my hotel on the third morning of this match. Whatever it was, it took me longer than it should have done to walk to the ground, and I missed the first four balls of the day. Off the second of those, Luke Wells went to his century, if more by accident than design. A replay tells me he attempted to defend against Peter Siddle’s second ball and edged past the diving Matthew Renshaw at second slip. The ball ran for four and took Wells to 103. A lackadaisical start and missing a century rather set the pattern of my cricket watching for the day. The ambience of cricket at Southport is liable to be like that. Lancashire lost eight more wickets before the close and I contrived to miss three of them, all whilst walking behind the bar at the Grosvenor Road End. For two other wickets, I was not in my seat, but did manage to catch sight of them as I meandered about the ground.

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Lancashire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th July. Southport.

Tom Abell, Tom Banton, Craig Overton and Will Smeed were unavailable for selection due to being on England Lions duty. Jack Leach was unavailable due to being rested following his recent Test match duties. James Rew made his Championship debut in this match. Amar Virdi was on loan from Surrey to Somerset for this match.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings, L.W.P. Wells, S.J. Croft, D.J. Vilas (c)(w), J.J. Bohannon, R.P. Jones, G.P. Balderson, L. Wood, T.E. Bailey, W.S.A. Williams, J.P. Morley.

Somerset. M.T. Renshaw, S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, G.A. Bartlett, L.P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew, L. Gregory, R.E. van der Merwe, P.M. Siddle (c), J.A. Brooks, G.S. Virdi.

Overnight. Somerset 297 for 5.

Second day 12^th July – “This might not be too bad for Lancs.”

There was a high covering of cloud, but lest the sun break through, and forearmed with my experience of the heat of the first day, I made straight for the privet hedge at the Harrod Drive End and re-annexed my spot where shade had reigned for most of the day. I put my bag on my seat and wandered off into the crowd. There were a few familiar faces to say hello to and one with whom I shared my relief about Somerset’s first day score. With another, I acknowledged that Lewis Goldsworthy had demonstrated the skill and application to establish himself in the side.

On returning to my seat, I discovered that two Lancashire supporters had placed chairs either side of mine and were chatting away as if my chair did not exist. It seemed an odd arrangement since my chair had been alone when I left, but I offered to swap seats with one of them so they could sit together. “Oh, we aren’t together,” the reply, “We don’t know each other, we just put our chairs here to catch some shade.” So, I sat between them and spent the rest of the day in the middle of a continuous Lancastrian cricket conversation interspersed with a few Somerset anecdotes. It is the way of things in these parts it seems.

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Lancashire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th July. Southport.

Tom Abell, Tom Banton, Craig Overton and Will Smeed were unavailable for selection due to being on England Lions duty. Jack Leach was unavailable due to being rested following his recent Test match duties. James Rew made his Championship debut in this match. Amar Virdi was on loan from Surrey to Somerset for this match.

Lancashire. K.K. Jennings, L.W.P. Wells, S.J. Croft, D.J. Vilas (c)(w), J.J. Bohannon, R.P. Jones, G.P. Balderson, L. Wood, T.E. Bailey, W.S.A. Williams, J.P. Morley.

Somerset. M.T. Renshaw, S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, G.A. Bartlett, L.P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew, L. Gregory, R.E. van der Merwe, P.M. Siddle (c), J.A. Brooks, G.S. Virdi.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

First day 11^th July – An air of permanence

If you keep your wits about you, watching cricket at Southport is a pleasant, relaxing business. Mobile phones and live stream cameras aside, it could be Clarence Park half a century ago. Southport beach too could be Weston. Looking out to sea with the tide out, it is difficult to differentiate shoreline from skyline. Cars parked on the beach too, although I don’t recall seeing cars doing handbrake turns on Weston beach in the Seventies. It is quite a walk from my hotel to the beach and the best part of two miles from hotel to ground, all of it up hill. That was quite a stride in the searing heat of the first day with a backpack filled with fluids (they would have been called drinks in the Seventies) and food. One lesson was learned very quickly. Walk on the shady side of the street. Fortunately, shade was in plentiful supply courtesy of the high hedges and trees which adorn the garden fronts of the expansive houses which line the walk from Southport to the Trafalgar Road ground of Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club.

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County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 12^th, 13^th and 14^th September 2021. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, B.G.F. Green, Azhar Ali, T.B Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, S.M. Davies (w), R.E. van der Merwe, E.O. Leonard, M. de Lange, J. A. Brooks.  

Lancashire. G.P. Balderson, A.L. Davies (w), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas (c), R.P. Jones, S.J. Croft, D.J. Lamb, T.E. Bailey, J.M. Blatherwick, M.W. Parkinson.

Overnight. Lancashire 373. Somerset 90 and 226 for 4. Somerset trail by 57 runs with six second innings wickets standing.

Final day 14^th September – Cold reality

It was a day which began with resignation written across faces, perhaps tinged with faint hope. Hope that the remaining Somerset batsmen might overcome the outstanding deficit of 57 and set Lancashire a target which would at least ask them a question or two. The resignation came not just from a huge first innings deficit, but also from the two innings defeats which preceded this match. The batting statistics of those two matches had been bleak indeed. Individually, Marchant de Lange had bludgeoned more runs than any other player in the Somerset team. His 36 against Nottinghamshire was the highest individual score. To add to the gloom, Somerset had been dismissed for 90 in the first innings of this match, a deficit of 283, with only Azhar Ali (39) and Lewis Goldsworthy (15) reaching double figures. It was a picture to deaden the beat of even the most optimistic Somerset heart. The faint hope came from Somerset’s second innings 246 for 4 and Tom Lammonby’s coruscating second day century, during which he had made the all-conquering Lancashire bowlers of the first innings look less than ordinary. His partnerships with Ben Green and Azhar Ali, which had brought 194 runs before the fall of the second wicket, had finally lifted the spirits, and roused the cheers, of the Somerset crowd.

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County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 12^th, 13^th and 14^th September 2021. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, B.G.F. Green, Azhar Ali, T.B Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, S.M. Davies (w), R.E. van der Merwe, E.O. Leonard, M. de Lange, J. A. Brooks.  

Lancashire. G.P. Balderson, A.L. Davies (w), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas (c), R.P. Jones, S.J. Croft, D.J. Lamb, T.E. Bailey, J.M. Blatherwick, M.W. Parkinson.

Overnight. Lancashire 364 for 8.

Second day. 13^th September – Lammonby revives as Somerset falter

The second day did not start as I would have hoped. A hospital appointment in the middle of the morning. Not ideal, especially in September. Had it not been for the half-past ten start, to the cricket that is, not the appointment, I might have made the last half hour before lunch. As it was, I relied on texts from the cricketer who had accompanied me on the first day, now watching from home on the live stream. They read, for the most part, like transcripts of morse code dispatches from the front in a bygone age. “Blatherwick caught slips 1,” said the first. “Bailey b de Lange 63. All out 373,” soon followed. A good start to the day, although 373 would present a considerable challenge to Somerset in September, but at least the final two wickets falling so quickly had brought some relief to the Somerset soul.

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County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Lancashire. 12^th, 13^th, and 14^th September 2021. Taunton.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, B.G.F. Green, Azhar Ali, T.B Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, S.M. Davies (w), R.E. van der Merwe, E.O. Leonard, M. de Lange, J. A. Brooks.  

Lancashire. G.P. Balderson, A.L. Davies (w), L.W.P. Wells, J.J. Bohannon, D.J. Vilas (c), R.P. Jones, S.J. Croft, D.J. Lamb, T.E. Bailey, J.M. Blatherwick, M.W. Parkinson.

Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey, Somerset’s three first-choice pace bowlers in 2021 were unavailable for this match. Ned Leonard made his first-class debut.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

First day 12^th September – Lancashire rampant

No matter how far into September the cricket season stretches, the half-past ten start is always liable to catch me out, especially on a sun-filled morning like this one. It shouldn’t. The ten-thirty start happens every year. And yet, every year it comes as a surprise. And so, I and the cricketer watching the match with me, walked through the Brian Rose gates just in time to see Ned Leonard deliver a ball from the River End to Lancashire’s 20-year-old left-hander, George Balderson. The cricketer is only an occasional live-watcher and so has more of an excuse than I for not registering the half past ten start. Balderson is presumably more attuned to cricket at such an hour, for he had already found the boundary four times, once with a neat on drive which had flowed along the ground to the cricket afficionados who inhabit the benches on Gimblett’s Hill. Somerset’s debutant pace bowler, Leonard, the victim of Balderson’s early forays.

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