Tag: v Northamptonshire

A clinical finish – Northamptonshire v Somerset – County Championship 2023 – 19th, 20th and 21st July – Northampton – Final day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Northamptonshire v Somerset. 19th, 20th and 21st July. Northampton.

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

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, E.N. Gay, J. Broad, S.M. Whiteman, L.A. Procter (c), R.I. Keogh, S.A Zaib, L.D. McManus (w), T.A.I. Taylor, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

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, L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, S. Bashir.

Overnight. Somerset 351. Northamptonshire 180 and 151 for 6. Northamptonshire trail by 20 runs with four second innings wickets standing.

Final day 21st  July – A clinical finish

There were no surprises, just a continuation of all that had gone before. There was no miraculous Northamptonshire revival, just a clinical finishing of the match by Somerset. Flurries of Northamptonshire runs were interspersed with wickets which cut the flurries off in their prime. As on the second day, one Northamptonshire batter, this time Luke Proctor, battled virtually alone against the Somerset storm. Northamptonshire did avoid an innings defeat, the runs which took them into the lead coming off the edge of Proctor’s bat. As in their first innings though, when Somerset’s turn came, they scored with freedom to bring home the points which would take them, just, into the top half of the table. There was an extended visit too from the heavy cloud which had threatened the second afternoon, and which, if the forecast were to be believed, would wreck the final day. And finally, just as the match was ending, the threatened rain that had hung over the match since the start, began to fall.

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Relentless Henry drives Somerset on – Northamptonshire v Somerset – County Championship 2023 – 19th, 20th and 21st July. Northampton – Second day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Northamptonshire v Somerset. 19th, 20th and 21st July. Northampton.

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

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, E.N. Gay, J. Broad, S.M. Whiteman, L.A. Procter (c), R.I. Keogh, S.A Zaib, L.D. McManus (w), T.A.I. Taylor, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

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, L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, S. Bashir.

Overnight. Somerset 351.

Second day 20th July – Relentless Henry drives Somerset on

“You could hear the snick from here.” It was the fifth ball of the Northamptonshire innings and it set the scene for the rest of the day. Matt Henry had opened the bowling from the Lynn Wilson End and angled the ball across and six inches outside the left-handed Emilio Gay’s off stump. Gay came down on the ball with an angled bat and edged it straight to James Rew. What followed was a succession of Northamptonshire batters going to and from their dressing room as Somerset took a steady stream of wickets through the day. A constant theme of the Somerset bowling was the relentlessness of Henry. His line, length and pace persistently challenged the batters. He bowled full so was likely to be driven, but woe betide any batter who erred in the attempt, or in the attempt to defend. Only Ricardo Vasconcelos, and to a degree Saif Zaib, stood against him and the rest of the Somerset attack in Northamptonshire’s first innings. Vasconcelos played with the same attacking intent that Somerset had demonstrated on the first day with similar results.

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Somerset remorseless – Northamptonshire v Somerset – County Championship 2023 – 19th, 20th and 21st July – Northampton – First day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Northamptonshire v Somerset. 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd July. Northampton.

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

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, E.N. Gay, J. Broad, S.M. Whiteman, L.A. Procter (c), R.I. Keogh, S.A Zaib, L.D. McManus (w), T.A.I. Taylor, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

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, L. Gregory, C. Overton, M.J. Henry, S. Bashir.

Toss. Northamptonshire. Elected to field.

First day 19th July – Somerset remorseless

It is a lesson never learned. At least not by me. The bus that is due to come every ten minutes always waits thirty if there is cricket at the other end of the journey. And so it was here. Northampton Bus Station was awash with buses but the stand for the buses to the cricket remained defiantly empty. “This is unusual,” said the Northamptonshire supporter waiting with me. It isn’t when I am in the queue I felt impelled to inform him. Eventually, two buses for the ground turned up, one due to leave in two minutes, one in five. It was then that we experienced another effect I seem to have on buses. The way in which drivers make their way to their bus and fiddle with the door, the seat, the controls, the mirrors and any other fitting that they can lay their hands on, and all at a pace which suggests they are in a neck and neck race with the hour hand of a clock. The modern world rushes on apace, but buses waiting to depart seem to be a throwback to an age when time stood still, especially if prospective passengers are in a hurry.

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A tremendous day of cricket – Somerset v Northamptonshire – County Championship 2023 – 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May – Taunton – Final day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May. 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, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, Hasan Azad, S.M. Whiteman (c), Z.A. Zaib, R.I. Keogh, J.J.G. Sales, H.O.M. Gouldstone (w), T.A.I. Taylor, J.S.D. Buckingham, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Northamptonshire 255 and 66 for 1. Somerset 412. Northamptonshire trail by 91 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Final day 7th May – A tremendous day of cricket

This was a day of tension in the stands, effort from the bowlers, encouragement from the fielders and concentration from the batters. Cricket at its best. After three days of difficult weather, the Quantocks were visible all day as if they had booked their place with confidence, the bright yellow of the oilseed in pride of place. Craig Overton bowled the second over to the nightwatch, Jordan Buckingham. It set the tone for the day. Twice he beat Buckingham to gasps and once forced an edge which fell just short of the short leg fielder, but Buckingham survived the over. There was applause for the balls which beat the bat and for the over, a maiden, but Buckingham was still at the crease. More applause for Overton’s next over too, another maiden during which there was a vociferous leg before wicket appeal against Sam Whiteman.

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Coronation for a King – Somerset v Northamptonshire – County Championship 2023 – 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May – Taunton.

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May. 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, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, Hasan Azad, S.M. Whiteman (c), Z.A. Zaib, R.I. Keogh, J.J.G. Sales, H.O.M. Gouldstone (w), T.A.I. Taylor, J.S.D. Buckingham, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Northamptonshire 255. Somerset 199 for 4. Somerset trail by 56 runs with six first innings wickets standing.

Third day 6th May – Coronation for a King

The cricketing moment of the day came in its penultimate over. Somerset had headed Northamptonshire by 157 runs on first innings. Northamptonshire had reduced that to 94 runs without losing a wicket when Jack Leach bowled to the left-handed Ricardo Vasconcelos. Vasconcelos shaped to turn the ball to leg, Craig Overton, at a wide leg slip, almost backward short leg, anticipating, began to move to his right to intercept the expected stroke. The ball took the inside edge and flew fast and low to Overton’s left. Overton responded instantly, dived hard to his left and took the catch low down with his left hand. It was an astonishing catch. Vasconcelos looked stunned as he stared back down the pitch in disbelief. It was a crucial catch too, for until then, despite some testing bowling from Somerset’s pace bowlers, Lewis Gregory and Peter Siddle in particular, Northamptonshire had looked like they were having the better of the final hour of the day. It was only one wicket, but it felt like it changed the nature of the innings. If Leach could take wickets on the final day, Northamptonshire would struggle.

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Punch and counterpunch – County Championship 2023 – Somerset v Northamptonshire – 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May – Taunton – Second day

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May. 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, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, Hasan Azad, S.M. Whiteman (c), Z.A. Zaib, R.I. Keogh, J.J.G. Sales, H.O.M. Gouldstone (w), T.A.I. Taylor, J.S.D. Buckingham, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Northamptonshire 137 for 4.

Second day 5th May – Punch and counterpunch

The trials Tantalus was put through by the ancient gods can have been nothing compared to the tribulations, real and imagined, cricket supporters are put through by the British weather. On the first day of this match, in the face of a poor forecast, the cloud had hung over the ground all morning threatening to send the players scuttling to the Pavilion but, for the most part, kept them on the field. Then, having teased with hope, it doused it when it ended play for the day shortly after lunch. On the second day, the cloud constantly skirted the ground, often too close for comfort, constantly reminding of its power to disrupt, but in the end barely did. Heavy cloud over and close to the ground in the morning retreated a couple of miles to the west in the afternoon while the Quantocks were shrouded in rain to the south. Only in the early evening did the sun finally convince that play might continue to the scheduled close. To achieve that the weather defied the second day forecast. The start was delayed by half an hour and a couple of times the rain brushed the ground sending players and umpires from the field, but the loss of overs amounted to just four. Such is early-season cricket watching.

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“The luck will change” – County Championship 2023 – Somerset v Northamptonshire – 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May – Taunton – First day.

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County Championship 2023. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 4th,5th, 6th and 7th May. 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, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Northamptonshire. R.S. Vasconcelos, Hasan Azad, S.M. Whiteman (c), Z.A. Zaib, R.I. Keogh, J.J.G. Sales, H.O.M. Gouldstone (w), T.A.I. Taylor, J.S.D. Buckingham, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

First day 4th May – “The luck will change”

Somerset’s bottom place in the First Division, one point behind Northamptonshire, was not far from anyone’s mind as play got underway. A good start was essential. Eyes were therefore on a green pitch, an overcast sky and a forecast which threatened rain over the first three days. It was not a surprise when Tom Abell asked Northamptonshire to bat. The crowd was lacking in numbers to my eye for the first day of a Championship match, perhaps in response to the breath of winter still on the air and the forecast. The pitch was set near the centre of the square, reflecting the fact that the full playing area was now available after the depredations of winter had left the area in front of the Colin Atkinson Pavilion unfit for the season’s first two matches.

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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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Somerset’s Most Important Victory – Somerset v Northamptonshire – County Championship 2022 – 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September – Taunton – Final Day

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September 2022. Taunton.

Jack Leach was unavailable for selection for this match.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, Iman-ul-Haq, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, L. P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, J.H. Davey, Sajid Khan.

Northamptonshire. W.A. Young (c), E.N. Gay, L.A. Proctor, J.J. Cobb, R.I. Keogh, R.S. Vasconcelos (w), S.A. Zaib, T.A.I. Taylor, L.B. Williams, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Somerset 389 and 277 for 1. Northamptonshire 265. Somerset lead by 401 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Final day 23rd September – Somerset’s most important victory

Sometimes a single incident shapes the day. The final day of this match was shaped by just such an incident. Northamptonshire had been set, what was effectively, a nominal 462 to beat Somerset. More realistically they had been left five and a half hours to bat if they were to draw the match. After five overs Northamptonshire were 14 for 0 with little evidence of trouble for the opening batters. There was every reason to expect a draw. The pitch appeared to hold few demons and Northamptonshire had constructed the success of their season on their ability to draw one match after another. The animated buzz in the crowd with which the Northamptonshire innings had begun was settling into the customary quiet chat of a Championship crowd enjoying the company of other spectators as much as the cricket.

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A Perfect Afternoon – Somerset v Northamptonshire – County Championship 2022 – 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September – Third Day

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September 2022. Taunton.

Jack Leach was unavailable for selection for this match.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, Iman-ul-Haq, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, L. P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, J.H. Davey, Sajid Khan.

Northamptonshire. W.A. Young (c), E.N. Gay, L.A. Proctor, J.J. Cobb, R.I. Keogh, R.S. Vasconcelos (w), S.A. Zaib, T.A.I. Taylor, L.B. Williams, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Somerset 389. Northamptonshire 184 for 6. Northamptonshire trail by 205 runs.

Third day. 22nd September – A perfect afternoon

“Yes!” the cry from the Hildreth Stand among an explosion of cheers for the fall of Saif Zaib’s wicket. It was the first ball of the day, and those still finding their seats had missed it. I had watched the field take its place, a meandering, undirected exercise which nevertheless ends up with the fielders where they should be. It says something of the concentration of first-class cricketers that they can amble onto the outfield at the start of play at not much above my circumnavigation speed while chatting amiably to one another and within a minute take a blinding catch.

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Matches on the Move – Somerset v Northamptonshire – County Championship 2022 – 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September – Second Day

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September 2022. Taunton.

Jack Leach was unavailable for selection for this match.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, Iman-ul-Haq, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, L. P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, J.H. Davey, Sajid Khan.

Northamptonshire. W.A. Young (c), E.N. Gay, L.A. Proctor, J.J. Cobb, R.I. Keogh, R.S. Vasconcelos (w), S.A. Zaib, T.A.I. Taylor, L.B. Williams, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Overnight. Somerset 271 for 4.

Second day. 21st September – Matches on the move

This was a day in which the eye was on the smartphone, or the ear on the conversations of those with their eyes on smartphones, as well as on the cricket, for the tensions of the relegation zone bubbled through the day. All three matches were on the move. Kent gained the upper hand against Hampshire, Warwickshire’s match with Gloucestershire edged towards the other West Country side, but not decisively, and Somerset pulled ahead of Northamptonshire. By the end of the day Somerset had built on the position they had worked so hard to establish the day before. There was no attempt to accelerate towards a fourth batting point, just steady accumulation towards as large a total as could be mustered, presumably prioritising the drive towards a winning position over the extra bonus point. Some wanted an assault on the extra bonus point, but someone said, “Better 380 all out with three bonus points than 340 all out trying for four.”

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Abell Shapes the Day – County Championship 2022 – Somerset v Northamptonshire – 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September – Taunton

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County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Northamptonshire. 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd September 2022. Taunton.

Jack Leach was unavailable for selection for this match.

Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, Iman-ul-Haq, T.B. Abell (c), G.A. Bartlett, L. P. Goldsworthy, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, J.H. Davey, Sajid Khan.

Northamptonshire. W.A. Young (c), E.N. Gay, L.A. Proctor, J.J. Cobb, R.I. Keogh, R.S. Vasconcelos (w), S.A. Zaib, T.A.I. Taylor, L.B. Williams, B.W. Sanderson, C. White.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

First day 20th September – Abell shapes the day

Somerset entered this match, the penultimate of the season, locked in a relegation tussle with Kent, who they play at Canterbury in the final match, and Warwickshire, both eight points beneath them in the table. Yorkshire are nine points above Somerset and 17 above Kent and Warwickshire, and probably safe since all three of those counties would have to pass them for them to be relegated. Gloucestershire, 41 points below Kent and Warwickshire, are already effectively relegated. But, with eight points for a draw and 16 for a win, the situation around the second relegation spot is devilishly tight.

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Vitality Blast 2020 ~ Northamptonshire v Somerset ~ Northampton ~ 30th August ~ Not enough firepower

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All Vitality Blast T20 matches are being played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus restrictions in place. This report was therefore written through watching the match on Northamptonshire CCC’s live stream without access to which this report would not have been possible. The stream was watched throughout with the commentary muted and with notes being taken to enable the author to replicate as far as possible his experience of watching matches live; and to enable him to form his own view of the play.

Vitality Blast T20. Central Group. Northamptonshire v Somerset. 30th August 2020. Northampton.

Northamptonshire. R.E. Levi, P.R. Stirling, J.J. Cobb (c), A.M. Rossington (w), A.G. Wakely, Z.A. Zaib, G.K. Berg, G.G. White, N.L. Buck, B.W. Sanderson, B.D. Glover.

Somerset. G.A. Bartlett, S.M.Davies (w), J.C. Hildreth, T.B. Abell (c), E.J. Byrom, B.G.F. Green, C. Overton, R.E. van der Merwe, J. Overton, O.R.T Sale, M.T.C. Waller.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

Not enough fire power

“It is difficult to win T20 matches without hitting sixes,” said the incoming text as the Somerset batsmen left the field at the end of the match still nine runs short of Northamptonshire’s 171 for 6. In this match Northamptonshire hit five sixes to Ollie Sale’s one for Somerset. The Somerset batsmen made a spirited assault on the Northamptonshire total, particularly at the beginning and the end of their innings. Northamptonshire kept their nerve under the pressure of the Somerset batsmen’s initial assault, applied pressure when Somerset needed to regroup in the middle of their innings, and resisted Roelof van der Merwe’s charge at the end. As the text implied, Somerset missed the firepower of Banton and Gregory and the commanding hand of Babar Azam’s batting.Read More »

Bob Willis Trophy 2020 ~ Northamptonshire v Somerset ~ Final day ~ Making a difference – Craig and Jamie Overton

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All Willis Trophy matches are being played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus restrictions in place. This report was therefore written following a day watching Northamptonshire CCC’s live stream of the match. The stream was watched with the commentary muted and with notes being taken to enable the author to replicate as far as possible his experience of watching matches live.

Bob Willis Trophy. Central Group. Northamptonshire v Somerset. 8th and 9th August 2020. Northampton.

Northamptonshire. E.N. Gay, B.J. Curran, R. Vasconcelos, R.I Keogh, C.O. Thurston, L.A Procter, A.M. Rossington (c) (w), G.K. Berg, Blessing Muzarabani, B.D. Glover, B.W. Sanderson.

Somerset. E.J. Byrom, T.A. Lammonby, T.B. Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, T. Banton, S.M. Davies (w), C. Overton, R.E. van der Merwe, J.Overton, J.H. Davey, J.A. Brooks.

Overnight. Somerset 166 and 15 for 1. Northamptonshire 67. Somerset lead by 114 runs with nine second innings wickets standing.

Final day. 9th August – Making a difference – Craig and Jamie Overton

One of the things that is supposed to give most satisfaction in life is to make a difference. There is no doubt about who made the difference in this match. I am sure there would be only one answer from a bruised Northamptonshire. Somerset won by 167 runs. Together Craig and Jamie Overton scored a total of 148 runs over the two innings. Nineteen short to be sure. But perhaps the nine wickets and five catches they took between them might make up for that. Batting and bowling, it was an outstanding performance by all the Somerset bowlers, but the Overton brothers were, as they say, up front and central to it.

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Willis Tropy 2020. Northamptonshire v Somerset. First day. A madcap day at the cricket.

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All Willis Trophy matches are being played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus restrictions in place. This report was therefore written following a day watching Northamptonshire CCC’s live stream of the match. The stream was watched with the commentary muted and with notes being taken to enable the author to replicate as far as possible his experience of watching matches live.

Bob Willis Trophy. Central Group. Northamptonshire v Somerset. 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th August 2020. Northampton.

Northamptonshire. E.N. Gay, B.J. Curran, R. Vasconcelos, R.I Keogh, C.O. Thurston, L.A Procter, A.M. Rossington (c) (w), G.K. Berg, Blessing Muzarabani, B.D. Glover, B.W. Sanderson.

Somerset. E.J. Byrom, T.A. Lammonby, T.B. Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, T. Banton, S.M. Davies (w), C. Overton, R.E. van der Merwe, J.Overton, J.H. Davey, J.A. Brooks.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

First day. 8th August – A madcap day at the cricket

The journey to my armchair is somewhat shorter than the one from home or a hotel to the cricket used to be, but the anticipation builds up just the same as the early part of the morning wears on. There is nothing quite like the first morning of a first-class cricket match. I was once asked if I would be travelling to a particular match. “Yes,” I answered, “but I can only get the time to go to one day. I will probably gauge which day to go to from the score.” The questioner looked at me in horror. “First day!” he said, almost ordering me to comply. He had a point. By the start of the subsequent days the match is part shaped. On the first morning the anticipation is boundless. After that, it is bounded by what has gone before. The only time I have had a feeling quite like the one I have on the morning of a four-day Championship match was on the mornings of those great set-piece battles that were the acutely anticipated quarter and semi-finals of the Gillette Cup in its heyday. The prospect of glory or elimination, so near the prize, concentrated the mind wonderfully.

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