County Championship 2023. Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 13^th,14^th, 15^th and 16^th April. Trent Bridge.

Nottinghamshire. H. Hameed, B.M. Duckett, B.T. Slater, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c),T.J. Moores (w), L.A. Patterson-White, B.A. Hutton, S.C.J. Broad, D. Paterson.

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, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Overnight. Nottinghamshire 256 and 187 for 6. Somerset 173. Nottinghamshire lead by 270 runs with four second innings wickets standing.Final day 16^th April – A comprehensive defeat

“Come on, skittle ‘em out so we can all go home and watch the football,” was the comment, said only half in jest from one of the Nottinghamshire supporters sitting behind me in the lower level of the Radcliffe Road Stand. The football referred to was the match due to start at half past four ‘just across the road’ at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground where Manchester United were the visitors. At Trent Bridge, Tom Lammonby had just been dismissed by Brett Hutton in the fourth over of Somerset’s second innings as a police siren wailed past the ground. “Already,” the voice from behind said, “and it’s still five hours to kick off.” In fact, it was the only police siren I heard all day. Lammonby was hit on the front foot, but there was no question. “It just did enough to beat the inside edge,” said the text from the online watcher. A fair cop it seems, but it was a dismissal indicative of Somerset’s day, and of their match. Not quite at the races might have been an appropriate summary, this being Grand National weekend.

County Championship 2023. Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 13^th,14^th, 15^th and 16^th April. Trent Bridge.

Nottinghamshire. H. Hameed, B.M. Duckett, B.T. Slater, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c),T.J. Moores (w), L.A. Patterson-White, B.A. Hutton, S.C.J. Broad, D. Paterson.

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, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Overnight. Nottinghamshire 256. Somerset 28 for 2. Somerset trail by 228 runs with eight first innings wickets standing.

Third day 15^th April – Déjà vu

On the third day, Somerset slipped further behind Nottinghamshire. The old fragilities in the top order batting re-emerged with several batters out missing or edging drives. At 87 for 8, still 179 runs in arrears, they were in the deepest of trouble even with the loss of the second day to rain. Early season déjà vu for Somerset supporters. The conditions were ideal for bowling, as they had been on the first day, and the iron discipline of Brett Hutton and Dane Paterson reaped its rewards against Somerset’s swishing bats. Only Josh Davey, batting at nine, with support from Jack Leach and Peter Siddle, kept them in the match. His innings was an object lesson in disciplined selective hitting, if against a softening ball.

County Championship 2023. Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 13^th,14^th, 15^th and 16^th April. Trent Bridge.

Nottinghamshire. H. Hameed, B.M. Duckett, B.T. Slater, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c),T.J. Moores (w), L.A. Patterson-White, B.A. Hutton, S.C.J. Broad, D. Paterson.

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, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach, P.M. Siddle.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

First day 13^th April – A tough examination

In mid-afternoon, At 171 for 2, having been put in by Somerset, Nottinghamshire were cruising towards a commanding, perhaps match-winning, total on a pitch that looked to be offering more to bowlers than to batters. Gregory had just dismissed Haseeb Hameed, the second of Nottinghamshire’s openers, after he and Ben Duckett had put on a century opening partnership. Now, Ben Slater pulled Gregory towards the Fox Road boundary. The ball took the top edge and flew high, too high to carry the boundary, over Tom Abell at midwicket. Abell back-pedalled, feet taking short, fast steps, adjusting and re-adjusting to the flight of the ball. Abell’s eyes were locked on the ascending projectile as assuredly as any air defence radar would an incoming missile. His brain must have calculated, re-calculated, and calculated again – distance, velocity, height, rate of climb, shape of trajectory, then rate of fall. As the ball hurtled earthwards, Abell, feet making their final adjustments, leaned back, hands above head, took the ball, fell backwards in a controlled roll, emerged triumphant and was engulfed by smiling Somerset players. It was a spectacularly well-judged catch and Nottinghamshire were 171 for 3.

County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 30^th, 31^st August, and 1^st September 2021. Taunton.

Somerset. S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, T.B Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, T. Banton, R.E. van der Merwe, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach, M de Lange, J. A. Brooks.

Nottinghamshire. B.T. Slater, B.M. Duckett, S.A. Northeast, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c), T. J. Moores (w), L.A. Patterson-White, B.A Hutton, L.J. Fletcher, D. Paterson.

Overnight. Nottinghamshire 448. Somerset 87 for 7. Somerset trail by 361 runs with three first innings wickets standing.

Final day 1^st September – Sinking feeling

It was a gloomy start to the day, both in the sky and in the stands. Looking up, the cloud seemed higher than at the start of the second day, but the light looked no better. Looking out, the light had dressed the Quantocks in drab maroon, dull green and misty grey. They caught the mood. Looking around, there was a resigned air as Somerset faced a 361-run first innings deficit with just three first innings wickets standing.

For the first time this season I was sitting in the top of the Trescothick Pavilion, back to my old haunt after nearly two years watching on a screen from beyond the closed doors, or from a seat allocated elsewhere. It was a curious, unexpected sensation, as if the coronavirus interregnum had never happened. Familiar faces, not seen in all that time, in familiar seats with familiar waves of recognition, as if I and they had last seen each other only yesterday. It gave the spirit a lift.

The Lights go out for Somerset – County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 30^th, 31^st August, and 1^st September 2021. Taunton.

Somerset. S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, T.B Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, T. Banton, R.E. van der Merwe, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach, M de Lange, J. A. Brooks.

Nottinghamshire. B.T. Slater, B.M. Duckett, S.A. Northeast, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c), T. J. Moores (w), L.A. Patterson-White, B.A Hutton, L.J. Fletcher, D. Paterson.

Overnight. Nottinghamshire 282 for 6.

Second day 30^th August – The lights go out for Somerset

The second day, particularly the second part of it, had the feeling of Horsham 2013. The pattern of the two matches is different, but the abyss between the performances of the two sides is of a similar order. The Horsham rout left a scar on the psyche of Somerset supporters who were there, including the author, which is yet to fully heal. The second day of this match re-opened the wound for some, including the two who mentioned it to me as we were preparing to leave the ground at the end of the day. Whilst for much of the Nottinghamshire innings there was a feel of balls being bowled against an impenetrable brick wall, Somerset’s first innings had the feel of an ill-formed wall being systematically demolished. Even the sky mimicked the dull cloud of Horsham.

County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 30^th, 31^st August, and 1^st September 2021. Taunton.

Somerset. S.M. Davies (w), T.A. Lammonby, T.B Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, T. Banton, R.E. van der Merwe, J.H. Davey, M.J. Leach, M de Lange, J. A. Brooks.

Nottinghamshire. B.T. Slater, B.M. Duckett, S.A. Northeast, J.M. Clarke, L.W. James, S.J. Mullaney (c), T. J. Moores (w), L.A. Patterson-White, B.A Hutton, L.J. Fletcher, D. Paterson.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.

First day 30^th August – Pummelled

In the days of uncovered pitches batting first on winning the toss was virtually de rigueur. Captains ignored W.G. Grace’s dictum on the toss at their peril. The decision is not always so clear-cut in these days of covered, well-prepared pitches, but inserting the opposition can still be a hazardous business. Imagine Tom Abell having to explain himself before W.G. after the disastrous insertions at Guildford in 2018 and Headingley in 2019. Interestingly, given the weight of history on the subject, in Somerset’s ten group stage Championship matches this season, the side winning the toss inserted the opposition eight times. When that news reaches the cemetery at Beckenham in which W.G now resides, the bearer may expect to be approached by a remonstrating apparition of the great man demanding an explanation. It might help pacify him if it is explained that on four of those eight occasions the side inserted lost the match, although in three cases leading on first innings. The other four matches were drawn, although two were so heavily impacted by the weather there was never a prospect of a result.

County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 7^th, 8^th and 9^th July 2019. Taunton. 

Overnight. Somerset 326 and 7 for 1. Nottinghamshire 241. Somerset lead by 92 runs with eight second innings standing.

Final day. 9^th July – The view from the ‘popular’ seats

For the second and third days of this match I sat in what, in childhood days spent watching Test match cricket on the BBC, would probably have been referred to as the ‘popular’ seats. Usually the largest bank of seats in the ground sold at the cheapest prices. At Taunton that is the Somerset Stand, at least by measure of size for at Championship matches it will cost you as much to sit there as anywhere else. Often, especially in the biting chill of April, it is a sparsely populated part of the ground. Now, in the warmth of the old Championship summer month of July and the glow of Somerset’s longest ever occupation of the top of the table the Somerset Stand is drawing people in ever larger numbers. Truly popular seats.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and 10^th July 2019. Taunton. 

Overnight. Somerset 326.

Second day. 8^th July – Vive la différence

“How are you going to make that sound interesting?” I was asked. Asked at lunchtime. It wasn’t an unreasonable question. At the time. The most exciting adjective anyone could offer me about the morning’s play was ‘turgid’. 91 for 1 Nottinghamshire had scored in the morning session but it felt as if the grass, if that was what you had been watching, was growing ever more slowly as the morning went on. There was, I suspect, method in Nottinghamshire’s approach. With Ashwin in their side, on a pitch which was expected to take spin later in the game, time spent occupying the crease might serve their purpose. A first innings lead of any proportion could prove critical.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Somerset v Nottinghamshire. 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and 10^th July 2019. Taunton. 

Somerset. T.B. Abell (c), Azhar Ali, J.C. Hildreth, T. Banton, G.A. Bartlett, S.M. Davies (w), L. Gregory, D.M. Bess, J. Overton, T.D. Groenewald, M.J. Leach.

Nottinghamshire. J.D. Libby, B.T. Slater, C.D. Nash, B.M. Duckett, S.J. Mullaney (c), R. Ashwin, T.J. Moores (w), L. Wood, L. Fletcher, L. A. Patterson-White, J.T. Ball.

Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.

First day. 7^th July – Somerset battle back

Backs to the wall, hold the line and then battle back into contention. That has more than once been the story of Somerset’s 2019 season. It was the story again on the first day of this match. Nottinghamshire, stiffened by the 65 Test matches worth of experience of Ravichandran Ashwin and their attack sharpened by the apparently infinite variations in his off spin bowling, tested Somerset in the first half of the day only for Steven Davies to lead a fightback more than ably supported by Dom Bess and Jamie Overton in the second half.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th and13^th April 2019. Trent Bridge.

Final day. 13^th April – Leach unleashed

Overnight. Nottinghamshire 263 and 25 for 2. Somerset 403. Nottinghamshire trail by 115 runs with eight second innings wickets standing.

It was just after noon when I sent the text about the pitch based on the first hour of play. No wickets had fallen and the expectation of wickets felt on the evening before was no longer there. The only bowler who looked like he might take a wicket was Overton. The batsmen did not look in any real trouble although their scoring had been severely restrained by the accuracy and intensity of Somerset’s hard-running pace attack. My text suggested a long day in the field, the long Abell-Bartlett partnership still strong in the memory. It also suggested Broad might find something in the pitch with the unwritten thought that he might test Somerset if a target were too great. Such were the thoughts of an incessant Somerset worrier. The response to my text was instantaneous. “Leach”. Abell’s response was just as instantaneous. He put Leach on at the Pavilion End.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th April 2019. Trent Bridge.

Overnight. Nottinghamshire 263. Somerset 74 for 3. Somerset trail by 189 runs.

Second day. 12^th April – Days don’t come much better than this

“Days don’t come much better than this,” said the text. And they don’t. Somerset entered the second day of this match barely clinging on to parity. They ended it in a position of dominance. The change was almost entirely due to the quiet determination, skill and patience of Somerset’s captain, the 25-year-old Tom Abell, and 21-year-old George Bartlett. They carried on with the bat where they had left off the previous evening; with quiet, controlled, purposeful accumulation.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 11^th, 12^th, 13^th and 14^th April 2019. Trent Bridge.

First day. 11^th April – Momentum to Nottinghamshire

“Notts are in the ascendancy,” was the comment made by a fellow Somerset supporter as I made to leave the ground. And that is how it felt. Not just from the score but from the manner of its making. Nottinghamshire had made their 268 all out at all but four an over. Somerset’s 74 for 3 in response had been made at well under three. The Nottinghamshire batsmen attacked the bowling throughout their innings irrespective of the fall of wickets. It was rather reminiscent of Somerset’s approach in the first innings against Kent. In this match Somerset made a much more circumspect start. Nottinghamshire’s third wicket fell at 51 in the 11^th over. Somerset’s at 36 in the 15^th. Momentum is said to be important in shaping cricket matches. At the end of the first day Nottinghamshire have it in this one.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 24th, 25th and 26th September 2018. Trent Bridge. Third Day.

Somerset entered what would almost certainly be the final day of this match and of their season with second place in the Championship guaranteed and needing seven wickets to conclude with a victory. With the now customary overrun completing my post for the previous day I was a little tardy in arriving at the ground…

Overnight: Somerset 463. Nottinghamshire 133 and 115 for 3 (f/o). Nottinghamshire trail by 215 runs with 7 second innings wickets standing.

The thought that has most often occurred to me over the years when I know I am going to be late for the cricket is, “I hope I don’t miss a hat trick…”Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 24th, 25th and 26th September 2018. Trent Bridge. Second Day.

Somerset started the second day 47 short of a fifth batting point with three wickets standing and needing two more points to secure second place in the County Championship if Essex took maximum points against Surrey. Nottinghamshire were still not safe from relegation as Lancashire, on 123 for 4 after a shortened first day, needed to reach 300 to overtake them and take sixth place. Essex had bowled Surrey out for 67 at the Oval and ended their first day on 197 for 2.

Overnight: Somerset 353 for 7.Read More »

County Championship Division 1. Nottinghamshire v Somerset. 24th, 25th and 26th September 2018. Trent Bridge. First Day.

Somerset travelled to Trent Bridge for what had looked, in the early weeks of the season, like it could have been a County Championship decider. When Nottinghamshire came to Taunton in June they were top of the table. Somerset won that match and replaced Nottinghamshire as leaders. 

Later that month Somerset travelled to Guildford where they lost to Surrey who replaced them at the top of the table. Now Somerset, with the Championship already won by Surrey, needed six points to ensure second place and Nottinghamshire needed six points to ensure safety from relegation.Read More »