By Grockle
September 24 2026

The last game of the season, the only thing in our hands is whether we win the gsame or not.  The points combinations after that are wide and varied.  Us Warks or Notts take yer pick.  All we can do is wortk with what we have and see how the chips fall.  Surrey have won the toss and TKC comes in for Jake Ball and other than that it is the Leeds line-up.  Off we go on the rollercoaster of the CC1!!

CC1 v Surrey @ Taunton Thursday 24 September 2026

Somerset, once again in this decade, go into the last match of the season looking for aplace at the top of the table but probably having to take a runner's up or runner's up runner's up spot.  Going into how this might pan out is irrelevant at the start of this game because we have to get ourselves into a position of winning it otherwise the top spot is not in our vision.  A win will then be related to the position of Warwickshire v Leicestershire and in some circumstances Nottinghamshire v Yorkshire.

Surrey have won the toss and will bat first against the side;

Thomas, Lammonby, Abell, Nicholls, Rew, TKC, Vaughan, Gregory, Overton, Pretorius, Leach

So Jake Ball loses out for the bat of TKC and Archie keeps his place for his bowling one would imagine (he can't buy a run).  Migael receives his county cap before the game - suggests he may be returning perhaps?  The weather is bright and the sky is clear, just a smattering of people around the ground early on but the press box is heaving with bookings from the press who are nowhere to be seen during the normal CC1 season.

The pitch is pretty central for this game with a rope bounmdary on both sides of the ground. Lewis Gregory will open the bowling to Burns and Sibley from the MT Pavilion.  They are 8 after one with Craig coming in from the River and his over ends with the visitors on 12 - 6 apiece.

The nature of the game is pretty much set out when Jack Leach comes on at the River in the 8th over - the odds are now being worked out for how many overs he is going to bowl today.  The first slog swept six off him from Burns comes in the 10th.  Meanwhile Craig changes ends to relieve the skipper. 

With 47 on the board, Burns goes to sweep, gets a top edge off the spinner and is caught by Abell for 31.  In comes Patel.  The 50 arrives in the 17th though Patel is still not off the mark while Sibley has moved to 19 from 44. 

New Cap Migael comes on to bowl the 19th over at 52 for 1.   Archie also spells Leach at the River and in the 30th he takes another scalp as Patel is caught by Craig in the slips at 78 for 2 for 16.  This brings Pope to the middle.  He is immediately off the mark with a single.  

Jack returns at the MT end.  Lunch arrives at 86 for 2 with Sibley on a 102 ball 35 and Pope on 3 from 8.  Archie has 14 for 1 from his 4 and Jack has 20 for 1 from his 10 (with 4 maidens towards the end of his spell).  the next over will be the 34th with 63 to go in the day.  Surrey will be happy with this start.  Meanwhile Leicestershire are 78 for 5 at the interval but Ben Green has yet to march to the crease.

Craig starts proceedings again after the break from the MT.  Archie partners him at the start. Against these two, Surrey move past the 100 in the 38th over.

Sibley take the single to move him to his 50 at 51 from 138 balls with the score on 122 for 2 off the bowling of Gregory in the 45th. In the 47th Gregory gets Pope with a mediocre (to try to be fair) attempt at a shot that he misses.  He is LBW to the skipper for 24 art 131 for 3.

In comes Lawrence and together this pair take the score past 150 as there seems to be few worries with this pitch.  But Migael sets up Sibley and at 72 from 188 at 174 for 4 he is strangled down the legside edging to Abell who gratefully takes the catch.  Pretorius is bowling a sharp spell with 16 for 1 in his 8 overs with 3 maidens.  Foakes is the next man in and they have moved to 183 for 4 with Lawrence on 34 (64) and Foakes has 1(7) whern the Tea break arrives.