And Off We go - CC1 v Worcestershire
By Grockle et al
April 3 2025
Here we are in April with weather suggesting the end of Spring rather than its beginning. The sun is hot in the shade but the wind is brutal if you are out in it. The forecast for the weekend is fairly decent as we welcome Worcestershire back to the First division and to a 4 day game at Taunton for the first time in a while.
150 years in the making and the Championship is back!!
All kinds of other things are going on but red ball 4 day starts in Taunton on Friday so somethings are all right with the World.
Somerset have previews of all the counties in the First Division on their website via a link HERE but we are going straight to our first game
Somerset v Worcestershire CC1 @ Taunton Friday 4 April 2025
The following players will not feature in our first phase of the CC1. TKC has re-negotiaited his contract to increase his earning power with the IPL and that means he is only of use to us in the CC1 games in the Blast period or at the end of the season. Ben Green is on loan to Leicestershire until the white ball starts and Shoaib Bashir is out of our red ball piicture until at least the end of April as he is on loan with Glamorgan. It also looks lke Will Smeed is not yet fit enough to be looked at as part of the squad after his changeof heart about his future in the game. Matt Henry is not available until at least the end of the week if he arrives on time - speculation is that he may be later than that and may not yet be ready to turn out. We are all hoping that speculation is off the mark.
So, the preview on the club site lists the following as the squad for tomorrow;
Archie Vaughan, Sean Dickson, Tom Lammonby, Tom Abell, Tom Banton, James Rew, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Jack Leach Looking at how things developed over the last couple of weeks one would expect those players to be in the side in pretty much that order with Kasey Aldridge, Migael Pretorius, Josh Davey, Jake Ball, Alfie Ogborne.
With Sean Dickson passing 3 figures in a red ball game for the first time for the county last weekend (albeit in a friendly on a very slow and vary 'bat accommodating' wicket) he has probably cemented his number 2 spot for at least the first few games. Lewis Goldsworthy and Andy Umeed don't seem to be on the batting radar presently though they did perform in the UAE. Not sure where they stand in all this after not being included in the Gloucestershire friendly setup either.
With that opening spot pretty much being tied down the only other question is which two bowlers will take the spots between Craig at 8 and Jack at 10 or 11? I hope one of them with be Migael P but he may be rusty as of yet and not ready to go as he was not here by last Sunday and people seem to be unsure how much cricket he has played recently and for who.
Josh took some wickets in the second innings and may step in and personally the left hand option of Alfie would be my choice but they will probably go conservative once again and bank on the batting allrounder with Kasey though his bowling penetration did not look like it had moved on much in the winter from the games seen in the warm up.
Jake is an outside option though he bowled perfectly well in the friendly. Will they go for a bit of youth or will they go with what they know. They haven't surprised us much in the past year. I'm sure they gave a sigh of relief when their 'goto opener' made runs and offering youth the opportuity in the bowling aspect of the 4 day has never been their first choice. It'll be conservative and we all hope Archie will settle in quickly and be supported by the rest of the front end.
Somerset need to hit the ground running and do well in their first two games against the new boys of the CC. With 3 away games in the first 5 and Surrey at the end of the trips away from home they have to get this unit into top gear before the trip to the Oval at the end of April. Morale has to be high by then so a good start at home and a successful fortnight on the South coast at Hove and Southampton is vital if the outside hopes of a memorable 150th Championship year are to start to blossom into something more than hope.
See you all there tomorrow. I'm not sure whether there will be a 'Farmer' version of games this year so I will keep an overview of the game tomorrow here. I hope to go to Southampton though my plans for Hove may have to go on the back burner. We'll suck it and see. A win first of all will sort out a lot of things. Let's all put our positive vibes into that first of all.
For those who need it or are interested, below is the link to the club info on the game;
Day 1
We've won the toss and will bowl first with a side that sees no Pretorius, Ogborne or Ball. Overton opening the bowling from the MT and Davey from the River. Roderick and Libby open for Worcester. Not sure the decision to bowl will be a good one.
7 for 0 after the first one and we are motoring on a morning when I would have predicted no cricket in the morning from the rain at Bicknoller Towers at 8 am.
Gregory is on first change in the 8th over from the MT as the visitors move to 30 without loss. A couple of close run out chances at the River end from quick singles is the only real excitement but both Lammonby and Banton miss the stumps from close range.
The Pears 50 arrives halfway through the 10th with Lewis going for 19 from his first 2. Jack is warming up... will he be on before lunchtime? He's on from the River end for the 12th. Maybe bowling first wasn't the correct option? Well spin gets the first as Roderick goes caught behind by Lewis at 70 for 1 to Jack Leach. Kashif Ali replaces him.
There will are a couple of the commerative aspects for the start of the season. There will be a small special ceremony at 1pm today remembering Mary Elworthy in the Long Room at her usual table - they are going to put up a plaque to her which is a nice gesture. The Worcestershire players are also wearing black armbands to remember a long term and stalwart member of their Press Box John Curtis who died yesterday at the age of 69. It's that time of year in the cricket community I suppose. But it is part of the social aspect of the game that may soon disappear from parts of the country as the game 'changes'.
Craig doesn't get a decision that the Press Box universally believes is plumb and Roderick survives at 47 with his side on 91 for 1. Kasey is introduced at the River before lunch and the bat goes to 50 from 76 (7 fours) halfway through the 24th. To be fair his first over asked questions.
The 100 arrives from 26 overs before lunch.
Kasey bowls Ali for 6 and follows that with Brookes with a third ball duck caught low down by Craig. In comes Hosey with Worcs on 105 for 3 just before lunch Aldridge 4/2/9/2 - not a bad start all in all. Which is improved even more as Adam is bowled by Kasey and Somerset go into lunch with a surprise 4 for 110
We return after lunch and Kasey continues with Roderick's wicket on 58 caught by Overton 111 for 5. 19 for 4 after 6 overs. If this is his form, let's hope they don't drop him immediately like they did last season after his 6 fer early on. He turns this one into a 5 fer with D'Oliveira for 5 - another bowled bat. 7/2/28/5 Well played sir - good to see the promise returning to his game. Worcestershire are 130 for 6
Thge 150 arrives in the 42nd over as Worcestershire look to rebuild the innings through Waite and Taylor taking on the task. Craig and Lewis are into the attack and Cove strikes removing Taylor LBW for 5 at 151 for 7. Not bad from 101 for 2. Taylor's replacement Allison is castled by a beauty from Craig for 1 at 153 to take the wickets to. So the decision to bowl first people? How do we think that has gone? Well as Hinley goes first ball snicking it to second slip and Kasey Aldridges big hands. Finch comes out at 153 as the last man standing.
Lewis finishes it off with a plumb LBW and Worcs are done at 154 and Finch leaves without bothering the scorers.
Umpires Paul Pollard and Martin Saggers return to the middle with Someret openers Sean Dickson and Archie Vaughan as Taylor starts with the new ball from the MT. His opening colleague from the River is Allison and his first is way down the leg side.
At 21, Archie is caught behind by Roderick off Taylor for 12. A less than stellar start but it's early in the season yet. In comes Tom Lammonby but he doesn't stay all that long and despite a couple of good shots, he slogs at one and is caught by Brookes off Taylor for 8 at 33 for 2. This brings Tom Abell out in the April sunshine to start his 2025 season with Dickson playing cagely with 10 from his 34 balls faced. It's all a little 'scratchy' and 'early season'ish at the moment.
Finch has replaced Allison at the River end and Abell confidently strokes him to the Hildreth for an early boundary. However, Dickson's concentration wavers and he is bowled by Mr Finch for 11 after 39 balls. The score is 39 for 3 when Tom Banton arrives. The game isn't put in true perspective until both sides bat I am told.
Tea arrives at 53 for 3 with Abell on 6 and Banton on 13. It could have been better but we have to hope for a partnership in the third session to move this game on towards where we would like it to be.
After Tea we have a period of calm as we move towards the last hour. The score moves along sedately with the two Toms pushing forwards. Tom Banton moves to 33 at a run a ball while his more sedate partner Mr Abell takes 17 from 36. Waite and Taylor are the men tasked with changing this steadily growing partnership before the end of play. It moves to 50 off 62 balls with 9 fours at 93 and then continues past 100 as the two scores move together Banton 37 and Abell 30.
Worcestershire introduce Brookes into the attack and bring Finch back to try and stop this pair going through to the end of play with 16 overs to go. The first to move past 50 is Tom Banton to 53 from 64 balls with 11 fours but with Tom Abell closer behind than he was on 42 from his 65 balls with the score at 129.
TAbell joins his partner with 50 off 73 with 7 fours at 140 and then gives catching practice to the fielders the next ball to leave with a 100 partnership off 132 balls. Disappointing when all the legwork has been done and not the usual thing expected from our number 4.
In comes James Rew with 13 overs in the day's play to negotiate and 15 runs needed to move us into a first innings lead. The rest of the session goes our way and Somerset finish on 187 for 4 with Banton on 84 Rew on 17, a lead of 33 and a decent base for a good second day (he says with fingers firmly crossed).
A too and fro day with the 'will they won't they' kind of performance from the home side. The depresion in the Press Box was palpable within 30 minutes and then incredulous just before lunch. Craig's initial spell was nothing to write about and then Kasey did what few were expecting from his pre season performances. Again when the openers went out after dispatching the Pears there were questions that weren't really answered definitively (will they ever be?) Archie looked solid, Sean was 'scratchy' but held his own fora period. Tom Lammonby was looking very good until he flapped at one and Tom Abell was looking wonderful and then was disappointingly out when he seemed to have doen the hard work. Bants? He has vonfidence he was working towards last season. A century on Day 2 would do him a power of good and James could consolidate that into a real chance to win the first game of the season. We'll see how it goes at 11 am.
Day 2
Taylor opens the bowling from the MT as the scoreboard takes a while to get up to speed. We move to 192 as Banton hits the 18th bounday of his innings and moves to 88 with Somerset mocing in sight of 200. There are have 61 overs to get a bonus point total and the 50 partnership arrives in the first over off 77 balls while Waite opens from the River.
The 200 arrives courtesy of a Rew boundary to the CA rope and he pushes on with another to finish the over. The Banton 100 arrives from a legside glance from 124 balls and 20 fours at 216 for 4 in the 55th over. That will have done him a world of good, the day after the media was all over Jordan Cox making runs. That is his 4th ton in his 47th first class match - hope it bodes well for a memorable season. His next target will be his best of 133 (against Kent at Taunton in 2024). Meanwhile James Rew moves to 30. Allison is introduced and his tighter line from the MT starts to frustrate the batting pair. It finally gets to Rew who tries to put him into the Somerset with a top edge pull, which is short of the mark but is also put down by Tom Hindley on the boundary to give the young keeper a life at 220 for 4.
The 100 partnership arrives off 165 balls at 242 with Banton on 113 and Rew on 43. The 250 arrives not long after. Rew goes to 50 at 259 with 51 off 102 balls with 8 fours. He then hits his 9th off the next ball and the Worcestershire bolwers must be hoping for a breakthrough as these two are looking to go to town with a bonus point, a lead over 100 and 45 overs left before the points stop coming. The spin of Hinley is introduced as the young man looks to make up for his drop earlier.
At the end of the 68th Banton equals his previous highest score with a single and takes the strike for the next over when he puts Finch away for a single and goes to 134 at 278 for 4. The 150 stand arrives off 210 balls with Bants at 144 looking to move past another caeer high point and Rew on 60 looking to convert another first class 50 (well we can but hope). Tom B's last highest score was also with James when they partnered each other to a 200 partnership.... just saying.
Up comes the 300 before the lunchbreak followed by Rew depositing the first six of the match into the CA seats to move Somerset towards the next bonus point score. But before that Tom B takes a single off the Worcestershire captain D'Oliveira to move to 153 off 178 balls at 314 for 4. A partnership of 174 and a lead of 160.
At 317 this becomes the highest 5th wicket partnership score against Worcestershire passing McCool and Alley at New Road in 1959. The stats just keep n coming but not until after lunch as the batting pair march off at 318 for 4 with Banton on 154 and Rew on 77. A good session with 131 runs arriving and no wicket losses in session 1 of Day 2.
After lunch Ben Allison starts from the River and then Brookes takes the new ball to open from the MT. The 200 partnership comes up off 298 balls with 28 fours and 1 six as we move towards another bonus point with 344 on the board. That comes in the 87th with 4 byes after a drive and a miss from Tom Banton off Taylor which also fools the keeper and rolls into the Botham boundary. Banton is lucky to move on to 177 and his partner is on 88.
Taylor changes ends in the hope of doing something different at the River end as Rew moves into the 90s and then takes a single to be clapped to his hundred before they move him back to 98 as there was a leg bye in there somewhere so we have to wait a little longer. The scoreboard then goes back to 99 - still one short. He finally hits a four to the Somerset and takes the ovation for the 186 ball ton with 11 fours and 1 six. What fun we are having!! 370 for 4 with his partner on 182 and Worcestershire trying to work out what they can do to stop this onslaught.
The 150 partnership arrives at 390 off 355 balls with 1 six and a whole bunch of fours. The board has Bants on 199 after it has moved about a bit as we stand at a total of 399 with D'Oliviera bowling. He moves us to 400 and goes to 200 off 241 with 33 fours. He celebrates a real milestone in his career though he is looking really tired and has lost focus a couple of times.
Someret now have just over 10 overs to move the score past 450 if they can in order to gain another batting bonus point after gaining maximum bowling points. Bants does seem to have been given licence to throw the bat a bit as he moves his side towards 450 though the keeper is still keeping up his part of the scoring as they move to a 300 partnership (413 balls 39 fours and 3 sixes) with a solid boundary from Rew. 443 for 4 with 5 overs left before the 110 bonus point cutoff. The 450 arrives with the 4th ball of the 106th. That is probably the end of the points but who can be sure presently?
Somerset's highest 5th wicket partnership in CC is by John Francis and Ian Blackwell against Durham UCCE in 2005 of 320. They pass it at 463 with a cut four off Taylor to move the partnership to 323 and create a new record. Banton then moves on to 250 from 282 at 471. You could say that the 500 is still on!! They need 29 from 12 as Brookes comes back on at the MT. Not suprisingly Somerset do not reach 500 before the cutoff though they do restrict Worcestershire to 1 bonus bowling point.
And we have TEA at 482 for 4 Banton has 257 and Rew is on 136. Worcestershire are wicketless for the second consecutive session. After the break we have the less good news about the delayed arrival of Matt Henry (thread on the forum) but we continue to move forward as the 350 run partnership arrives followed by the county passing 500 in the 118th bowled by Hinley. This is followed by James Rew moving to 150 with a beautiful flip through the covers that the fielder doesn't even see. His 260 ball milestone includes 14 fours and 2 sixes. But on we go....
Finally the breakthrough comes with a brilliant catch from Brookes who snaffles a ball hit straight back at him and James Rew is out for 152 at 511 for 5. What an innings. You score 150 odd and your score is secondary in a stand of 371 in 86.3 overs. Nothing to take away from James though. It was another stupendous knock. In comes Kasey Aldridge.
So the question now becomes will Tom Banton pass 300 and then how far will he go before the end of the day? At 284 he passes Marcus Trescothick and he moves on into the top 10 Somerset scorers of all time. He does look tired but he keeps it going and single by single he reaches and passes the triple century just after the club pass 550 with a boundary off D'Oliviera. He comes down the wicket at 299 and puts it through the field to a great crowd reaction. He is the 7th player to do this at 553 for 5. He then passes James Hildreth at 303.
Kasey loses his wicket at 560 caught behind trying to work it into the onfiled. and a wicket to the hard working D'Oliviera. He goes for 13 which brings out the skipper Lewis Gregory he joins his team mate at 307. with 9 overs to go in the day. After a full day at the wicket Tom loses focus again towards the end and is dropped by Waite with his score on 314. It was a pretty loose shot and a pretty easy chance but it's been a long day for the players on both sides and Banton survived.
With just over 6 overs to go with 580 up he goes past Justin Langer's 3rd highest score of 316. Then he moves up to Viv Richard's 2nd score from 1985 of 322 and he goes past that with a four to the Gimblett to draw level followed by another boundary to go to 326 at 592 just 16 runs short of being the highest scorer of all time.
The score goes to 600 with a Banton single taking him to 327 with Gregory on 18 with just over 5 overs to go in the day's play.
With an over to go on 335 with Kashif bowling the top score is on. With 4 balls to go he swats a boundary to take him within 3 of Langer's best. The 3rd ball goes for 3 but they were leg byes. So 2 balls to go and 3 short of the all time best he sends it over the boundary to be the best we have ever had. with a six 345 out of 638 for 6
382 balls and he takes a single off the last to finish on 344. Absolutely bloody brilliant.
Day 3
"It's got 'draw' written all over it"
Was the first phrase I heard on arrival this morning. We'll probably know whether that is true sometime mid Sunday afternoon. The general expectation is that Somerset will bat on and make a decision around the lunch period with 700-ish on the board or all wickets expended. Banton carries on with 344 and the skipper has 30 from 31 as part of a score of 637 for 6. Finch starts proceedings and nearly has Banton miscueing one to mid off first ball - what an anti-climax that would have been. Our new highest scorer of all time gets into the feel of the game with an attempted hook to his fifth ball though it goes nowhere.
The visitors introduce spin from Hinley for over number 2 and Banton goes to 350 from something around 392 balls with 54 fours and a six!!! Somerset, not to be outdone, go to 650 as the scoreboard dies 3 days into the season. Gregory looks to get in on the act and is dropped by fielder in front of the CA Pavilion. The one hundred partnership comes off 79 balls with a vicious four from the captain to the corner of the Hildreth and Somerset stand. 665 for 6 after 148 overs.
Hinley finally makes up for his drop of Rew by getting Banton for 371 off 403 balls and Gregory declares immediately with 670 on the board some 516 runs ahead at the halfway mark. NOW will this pitch give us any hope of getting 10 wickets in the two days we have to get them? It may be a Vaughan/Leach rematch as Banton said it was breaking up n one side of the wicket.
Craig starts at the MT as Roderick and Libby begin the Worcestershire reply. After a bit of testing and fiddling, Craig gets Roderick LBW with the score on 16... it was a bit legside but Umpire Saggers decides it was not going down. Worcestershire 16 for 1 and Jack Leach is introduced at the River end in the 8th over which pretty much outlines the plan for the day.
With 20 minutes before the lunch break we get the indication we wanted as Jake Libby goes for 16 to Jack Leach plumb in front. It's 43 for 2 and the spinners are getting something from the conditions it seems.
Archie is then introduced from the MT and the Worcester 50 arrives in his first over.
Lunch arrives with the visitors on 58 for 2 with Kashif on 19 from 50 and Brookes 14 from 28. A long way from saving this one with 5 sessions to go.
After lunch Lewis opens from the MT with Jack continuing from the River... That will probably be the setup for most of the rest of today with 'seamer' and 'spinner' roles being rotated. Ali and Brooke move to a 50 partnership at 90 for 2 and it is going to be a long old day before a long old Monday looking at the position at the moment. There's very little in this for the bowling attack.
The niggling consistency of Jack causes Brooke to look for a scoring shot. He top edges a sweep to Sean Dickson at the scoreboard and it's 95 for 3. Kaship goes to an 85 ball 50 with 8 fours as the Pears pass three figures to 110 for 3. Adam Hose is in but is not yet off the mark. He hasn't done particularly well when he has returned to the West Country... maybe this is his time? However, it is Kashif who comes dancing up the wicket to a Leachy long hop to pop the ball straight to Overton and depart for 51 at 116.
The 150 arrives just after 3pm without further loss with captain D'Oliviera helping Hose keep their county in this game. It looks like Somerset will need to go into Monday to take the points here. With Jack having bowled 19 overs in this innings so far, the introduction of Archie at the other end to double up the spin attack was inevitable and that is where we now are Jack has taken 3 for 53 in his spell and Vaughan has now contributed 5 overs for 24 in his. As we move towards the Tea break. Just before the session ends, Adam Hose moves to a decent half century from 68 balls wth 8 fours and a six at 186 for 4 in the 57th over of their reply.
Tea arrives at 191 for 4 with Somerset leading by 325 runs.
After the break and with 27 overs of the day to go and 61 overs completed, Worcestershire pass the 200 mark against the attack of Gregory and Davey But the 'teeth' seems to have gone out of any attack at the moment. The 100 partnership comes at 216 with the Pear's skipper on 43 and the ex Somerset man on 60. At 223 D'Oliviera goes to 50 off 53 balls with 6 fours.
A variation is introduced as we look to the left arm of Tom Lammonby from the River end to make something change. It's worth a go though the funniest thing about it is that Tom L seems to be sponsored by a spinal surgery firm!! There doesn't seem to be any real change in the momentum of the game overall as the 250 arrives in the 79th over with 10 left in the days' play and a probably 6pm finish. It's all a bit inevitable today I am afraid.
At 80 overs and 257 for 4 Craig Overton takes the new ball from the MT end. At least they should get two bites of it, one this evening (8 overs to go) and another spell tomorrow morning. The 150 partnership arrives with 5 overs of the day remaining at 266 and this session remains wicketless with little prospect of a change tonight. That sets up quite an important first hour tomorrow morning for the home side looking to use whatever moisture there is to try and stop this game meandering to a disappointing draw. It has a kind of 'Nottinghamshire' last season feel to it at the moment and hopes are not all that high for anything other than an Adam Hose hundred (his highest career score is 111 and indications are that may also change tomorrow). D'Oliviera is also applying himself to the task as he has moved into the 70s and looks more and more comfortable himslef.
And just as I type that!! We get the breakthrough as Kasey gets Hose LBW for 82 at 274 for 5 with 3 overs left. In comes Finch and nearly goes to a yorker first ball and Kasey is asking him a lot in the whole over. Excellent fighting 6 balls from the young man to put a bit of 'lead' back in Somerset's 'pencil'.
A bit of excitement in the last little part of the dayto give tomorrow a little more spice. Worcestershire finish on 280 with 5 wickts left. Somerset lead by 236 with a day to go... it will be a decisive first session tomorrow one would expect. Can Somerset put this one away or can the visitors eke out a draw?
Day 4
Starting with Craig Overton from the Pavilion end and Kasey Aldridge from the River we move into the last day with an important morning ahead. Getting rid of D'Oliviera early would be our first target as his 71 needs to stay around that score for Worcestershire NOT to consolidate around their skipper. The weather is set fair though the crowd is sparse to say the least. The club struggled to cater for a very decent Sunday crowd yesterday with concessions being either closed (the Fish and Chip Bar for example) or running out of supplies quite early in the day. Teething problems that need sorting before we are here again at the end of the month.
Kasey strikes and bowls Adam Finch at 288 for 9 off 24 balls. One down and 4 to go.
Jack takes over at the River early with 294 on the Board replacing Kasey Waite is on 6 and the Pear's skipper has moved on to 75.
Worcestershire go to 300 in the 13th over of the day as Gregory takes over from the MT end. at 316 for 6 in the 20th of the day Somerset introduce Archie from the MT. Many will be hoping he bowls better than yesterday when he seemed out of sorts with that part of his game a little. He bowls a much tighter spell as we move up to the Lunch break with Waite making errors as he tries to break the shackles. Kasey has looked the most likely this morning but Lewis is moving his bowlers about to get variation (Craig has presently changed ends to the River). The one bowler who has not had a spell this morning is Josh Davey who went through a warm up just before play but has not bowled a ball in anger on Day 4 yet. He must be carrying some kind of niggle one would imagine.
D'Oliviera would like to go to a well crafted and hard won 100 just before the lunchbreak but both Vaughan and Leach keep him waiting as the break comes with Worcestershire on 337 for 6 with the skipper on 99 and Waite on 22.
After the break we move into a very important session for Somerset's whole long-format season. A draw from here would be perceived as a loss by the home support to be honest and beings with it worries about the wickets at Taunton and the bwoling attack available to the county. This is not the best of opposition bowling attacks and it most certainly isn't the strongest batting force we will oppose here in 2025. We want the points as we go on the road for the rest of April culminating in a trip to the Oval to face our most likely rivals in a 2025 CC1 campaign. It may all be over by then if this result goes against us and knocks the side's confidence going into a fortnight on the South coast.
Back to the game and the bowlers come out determined to make the Worcestershire captain fight for his one run to bring up his century. The 50 partnership does arrive but all the runs required are from Waite as D'Oliviera still waits for the chance to get up the other end from a scoring shot. Josh went through some warm up bowling in the break so we may see him this afternoon - one wonders why they were going through those exercises if there is no chance of him bowling asnd why he is n the pitch should the problem keep him from doing that... how much more use will he be in the field one wonders.
Brett finally gets there with a boundary drive to bring up his side's 350 as well as an individual 103 from 258 balls. It was a long slog for that last single!!
Josh Davey finally gets the pill for the 135th over. It is looking more and more like a draw after every over, neither bat looks in any real problem and there is very little bite from anyone in the attack this afternoon. Waite is moving towards the 50 mark as Worcesetershire move the deficit down to less than 150. Very little changes however and you start to wonder what else they can try when Tom Banton comes on to bowl from the MT to try and give them the option of hitting out. They are not going to do that though because they know what is required and Bants puts in a decent spell of slow stuff with 4 overs 1 maiden 0 for 8. It is hoped that this move is to give the frone end bowlers a rest before the Teat interval and with 10 over until they get their last hope, a second new ball but it may very well be another middle spell without any wickets (as was the case on Day 3). Jack is twirling in at the other end as Worcestershire move towards the 400 mark.
An excellent supporting 50 comes from Matthew Waite who has faced 195 balls and hit 6 fours. Then!! Archie gets the captain LBW a considerable way down the wicket. There are some here questioning the decision but he is gone and this game is back on as D'Oliviera leaves at 398 for 7. It seems it hit his back pad as it turned past his front leg which was way outside the line. It's on the scorecard though and he goes for 121 off 340 balls.
We now have 5 around the bat as Leach comes in to bowl to Allison and there is a new sense of urgency in the Somerset field. As Archie comes in for the next from the MT the crowd around the bat rises to SIX.
Tea comes at 415 for 7. 101 runs behind and 3 wickets away from a win with the new ball available straight after the break. No shaking hands in a few overs for this one I would imagine.
Craig takes the new ball at the start of the last session after much Tea discussion on the LBW decision which most people now say did NOT hit his back leg... If it didn't hit there is was high and well down the strip. But it is in the past and we now have this to look at. i A surprise to see Lewis partnering his big opening bowler with the new ball from the River.
While we are not sure why Kasey has not opened up at the River, Allison looks to fend off Craig and instead directs the ball straight into the waiting hands of Tom Lammonby at mid off and he goes for 22 at 436 for 8.
In comes Taylor and on comes Jack at the River to try and winkle out the last couple. As we move towards 5pm the excitement has once more dwindled. It looks like the umpires have shut up shop on LBW decisions and the ball is still not doing enough to give us snicks off the bat. We have gone back to a two spin attack but the Worcester bats are taking absolutely no chances and with Waite there as the estabklished bat it seems tobe working. The new ball has not had the desired effect and we are starting to ask where Kasey is as we have not seen him yet. That is until the 175th over at 452 for 8 when he comes on at the River with the last hour 10 minutes away and 9 of the day's allocation left to bowl (though that will change at 5 o'clock).
And so we reach the last hour and the last 16 overs of this game with the result still there for the taking or for the saving. Jack comes on at the River to bowl in tandem with Archie. Taylor has 6 and Waite is holding this innings together with 71. There are many "ooo's" and "aaaah's" but no wickets as yet. But there are now SEVEN around the bat!! The batting pair are solid and look in very little trouble so this could still whimper into a draw which would be seen as a "victory" for the visitors and a relative "defeat" for us and a dent in the hopes of those thinking this might be the 'destiny' season.
Just when we need it, Jack gets his 500th first class wicket as Taylor after 68 balls goes for 12 caught by Craig Overton as he flips it to him. In comes Hinley as the last man with 9 overs to face. 470 for 9. Hinley is left handed so Archie is turning the ball away from him as well but he survives the over to leave 7 to be faced. They survive the next to move the balls left to 36.
This really is a 'cat and mouse' finish to the game as Waite looks to manage the game in order to still be there in 34 balls time. Runs are no longer important except at the end of each over when Waite will look to get to the other end and protect his number 11 in his second CC game. They are still there with 30 to go and the position is stil the same with 24 to go.
With 18 left one has to say the Worcestershire pair look in little trouble at 475 for 9 but the appeals keep coming and the bats keep calm and the end moves closer and closer. The draw is on the horizon and heading our way as we move to EIGHT men around the bat. But we are still in here with 12 to go and the draw looks like to most likely end because neither man has looked in any bother against the spinners.
So the game ends at the 200 over mark with Worcestershire surviving on 485 for 9 and securing the draw.
Good and bad from this game, the pitch flattening out may be an issue later in the season . Our inability to bowl out a fairly weak side at home in 200 overs suggests the late arrival of Matt Henry might be a significant issue. Craig Overton was not incisive, Josh Davey was under used in the second innings which suggests his fragility might not have been overcome yet. That gives us an opening bowling issue. Lewis Gregory partnered COve insteaad and was no more effective to be hoinest. Jack and Archie worked in tandem for quite a lot of the fourth day and again, were not as penetrative as we would hiope. It isn't usually a period of the year for major spin hauls but we have to remember that Archie is a bat who bowls a bit, not an out and out spinner.#
We have Sussex in Hove next weekend and we will need Migael Pretorius, Jake Ball and Alfie Ogborne all on top form in order to give Somerset the best seam options they have. Lewis Goldsworthy was not in this match equation and neither was Andy Umeed but they may be part of the longer plan. We are away for 3 game now and must be on top form by the time we arrive at the Oval. The plan we had is not the plan we now have to deal with and it will be intereating to see how the selectors and the players react to this game.
The good news is the middle order seems to be in good form with Tom Banton and James Rew starting very well indeed.. Expectations are now high but it would be the height of irony is just when the batting starts to fire we struggle to stay in games with our bowling.
It's never dull is it?
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:11:11:56:44 by Grockle.
Thanks
They are likely to include new domestic recruit Ben Allison, late of Glo`shire and Essex, as veteran pace bowler Joe Leach has retired.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:03:21:08:15 by Grockle.
Squad: Vaughan, Dickson,, Lammonby, Abell, Banton, Rew, Gregory, Aldridge, Overton, Pretorius, Davey, Leach, Ball, Ogborne.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:03:18:19:40 by cricketjerry-mouse.
No Alfie Ogborne
No Jake Ball
Miggy is here it seems but....
So
Vaughan, Dickson, Lammonby, Abell, Banton, Rew, Gregory, Overton, Aldridge, Davey, Leach
Somerset won the toss and will field
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
We fielded first, because?
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:04:12:59:05 by Grockle.
I thought that Aldridge bowled better than I have ever seen him, keeping mainly to a full length, with very few loose deliveries, and beating the bat on several occasions. Gregory pulled off a master stroke by taking Cove off after three somewhat lacklustre overs at the start of play: when he was brought back, he bowled as if he had a point to prove.
Abell and Banton batted beautifully. Abell will be kicking himself over the manner of his dismissal.
I hope for great things tomorrow from Banton and the rest of the batting.
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
1st days photos.
Tom Hinley ct Kasey Aldridge bld Craig Overton, the ball is on it's way to the fielder.
Gareth Roderick ct Craig Overton bld Kasey Aldridge
Ethan Brookes ct Craig Overton bld Kasey Aldridge
Adam Hose bld Kasey Aldridge, the bails are somewhere, they can be seen against the white fence.
Adam Finch lbw Lewis Gregory
Tom Taylor lbw Craig Overton
The way the day started who would have thought Somerset would be in the lead at the end of the day!
Worcs. were going along so smoothly, it was a surprise when they managed to yield four wickets by lunchtime. Aided by a superb spell from Kasey, who surely bowled better today than for most (all ?) of last season. Very encouraging !
Craig must have had a dodgy breakfast as he struggled first up with figures of 3-0-17-0, but his lunch obviously met with his approval as his subsequent efforts totaled 9-4-7-3.
Our top order struggled to find their feet, with Sean Dickson extremely fortunate to be adjudged not out from what looked like a plumb LBW, before being bowled, but Messrs Abell & Banton calmed things down nicely and played with great maturity.
Add in a good sized crowd, a convivial atmosphere and increasing amounts of sun and there's not much not to like.
(Well, apart from those four blocks of the Somerset stand needlessly remaining closed. Still I guess we can't have it all !).
Grizzers
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:04:21:42:02 by Grizzers.
Grizzers
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Needs to do something different ..
Somerset cruising along...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:05:20:32:03 by Grockle.
History being made today
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:05:17:29:57 by Somerset LaLaLa.
Just possibly of course.
Grizzers
Tom Barton reaches Somerset`s highest-ever score with just one ball left for the day. He has been magnificent all day. So has James Rew.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:05:18:08:00 by cricketjerry-mouse.
I saw Langer's triple century at Guildford a few years ago and am delighted that his record was broken today.
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Can only imagine how proud Tom Banton must feel tonight, after a day he’ll surely remember for the rest of his life.
Astonishing to think that only a couple of seasons ago, his ability to become a regular member of our Championship team was under severe scrutiny, albeit many of us queried whether he was being given enough opportunities to show what he was capable of.
Well he’s most definitely shown everyone now. With bells and whistles on.
Huge congratulations to him.
Hopefully we can take ten wickets across the next two days, albeit it’s unlikely to be easy.
And all that is without mentioning another superb innings by James Rew.
Mustn’t get carried away, but what a great couple of days.
Grizzers
Day two photos.
No apologise for only posting runs being scored.
One of the most pleasing of scoreboards today.
Twice we could see two total scores one 444/4 second 555/5
Tom Banton 100 + 4 runs
Tom Banton 4 runs
James Rew 150 + 4runs
James Rew 100 + 4 runs
James Rew 50 runs.
Tom Banton 300 runs
Tom Banton 200 runs
I didn't get a photo of Tom Banton highest score at the end.
Banton batted beautifully, from his first ball yesterday which he stroked to the boundary. He barely played a false shot and much of his stroke play was majestic. Rew also played very effectively.
Only another 157 runs to beat Lara’s record! (I’d be astonished if we don’t declare at the overnight score.)
They do need to try this wicket out and see what it gives them tomorrow as they may need the time to winkle bats out.
Watching Banton's interview this evening it may suggest that there will be a distinct role for Jack and Archie and a spinning attack.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:06:10:27:10 by Grockle.
Am I being greedy? (1000 runs before the end of April...)
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
There were quite a few Worcs shirts where I was sitting, and you had to feel for the travelling support on a day like today. To their credit they did appreciate Banton's innings, and rewarded his shots with the applause they deserved.
It's still only his third-greatest innings though - numbers one and two will always be his first-innings 132 and second-innings, one-legged 46 at number 11 against Surrey last September. Plus his mad dash on crutches to celebrate in the middle when the last Surrey wicket went down. In the end Leach and Vaughan grabbed the headlines and made it the Greatest Game of Cricket Ever, but they were only able to do so thanks to Banton.
And I'm back for more tomorrow.
Fantastic!
Top work, Tom and team, in my absence.
Number of wickets before the lunch break?
Edit: but now I note that Notts are in danger of defeating Durham and thus could also end with maximum points.
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:06:18:21:15 by Loyal of Lhasa.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:06:20:42:26 by Keith's Sweater.
3rd day photos
End of Somerset's Innings scoreboared
Tom Banton leaving the ground after heroic innings
James Rew taking a leg-side ball, batsman not out.
Craig Overton had Adam Hose struggling twice in one over with balls like this.
Adam Hose 50 runs
Kashif Ali ct Craig Overton bld Jack Leach
Jake Libby lbw Jack Leach
Gareth Roderick lbw Craig Overton
That last wicket was so much needed for the start of the last day.
My impression was that, this morning, Branton’s heart wasn’t really in to the possibility of racking up more milestones. Credit to him for prioritising the needs of the team.
Hose spent the entirety of his slow trudge back to the pavilion, following the LBW decision, looking at his bat and shaking his head.
Important first hour!!
First blood to Kasey Aldridge Finch bowled for 8 at 288 for 6
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:07:11:09:03 by Grockle.
But D'Oliviera is out and this game is back in the melting pot after Tea with the second new ball due.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:07:15:52:40 by Grockle.
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
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Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Maybe we batted a little too long, maybe we should have given Craig or Kasey an over against their number eleven.
But maybe, just maybe, if we are ever to win the Championship, we simply have to produce surfaces that are more responsive than a dead mattress.
Huge credit to Tom Banton, James Rew with the bat (his keeping a bit untidy at times tbh) and also to Kasey. Also to Worcs for gritting it out & not indulging in time wasting tactics, like a few other Counties we know would certainly have done.
Our bowling lacked a bit of edge at times, notwithstanding the pitch.
Grizzers
4th days photos.
A disappointing end to the day, but credit must go to Worcestershire for digging in like that,
Tom Taylor ct Craig Overton bld Jack Leach - Jack Leach 500 first-class wickets
Matthew Waite off Tom Banton
Matthew Waite fielders around the bat
Brett D'oliveira
Brett D'oliveira lbw Archie Vaughan
THE END
Just hope this isn’t the game we look back on as an “if only” at the end of the season.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:07:22:41:47 by Des Platt.
Josh had some issue on Monday and barely bowled. Jake Ball and Miggy P were going through their motions at lunchtime on Sunday and Monday. Alfie did do 12th man stuff but no lunch sessions that I saw.
Alfie is bowling v Essex today in a 2nd XI game.
So no Matt Henry v Sussex. A possibly crocked Josh Davey. Decent spell from Kasey. Meh from Craig. Little bits from Lewis. Spinners twirled for a long time but didn't get us over the line.
Who will be at 8 and 10 for Hove?
[lm.facebook.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:08:19:10:29 by Grockle.
[www.thetimes.com]
Also highlights his own decision to declare in the Sydney Ashes Test in 1995 with Hick on 98 n.o. (he says he messed up & that it went down like a bucket of sick).
A bit harsh in his verdict perhaps, but it does highlight our need to be absolutely ruthless if we are ever to achieve our ultimate goal.
Grizzers
Having put up with years of over negative declarations from Lancashire captains, I think it was very relevant that in the 2011 season when Lancashire won the championship that we didn’t have a good enough batting team to bat on for too long. We were always bowled out and the only chance Chapple got to declare that season, he very nearly messed it up by declaring too late in the penultimate match. Lancashire won in the last over after a similar last hour to the Somerset v Surrey game last season. The margin was around 200 runs.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:04:11:09:48:48 by Des Platt.
And as Anthony mentioned - if they couldn't get them out in 200, would they have got them out in 212?
Here is the link for Worcestershire Day 4:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
And now Worcestershire Day 1:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
Edit 100625 to add Day 1 report
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:06:10:19:10:07 by Farmer White.