By Grockle
August 8 2024
Off we go to Northamptonshire to practice that Quarter Final feeling. Riley Meredith and Josh Davey return for this one as we meet a pretty full sidewho have lost few to the franchises. Hard game that we need to win.
Metrobank Cup Game 7 v Northants @Northampton Wednesday 7 August 2024
We will be back here at the start of next month for a white ball QF but today a different team plays a pretty strong Northants side for a place in this knockout stage. Our team for today is:
Umeed, Thomas G, Goldsworthy, Rew, Dickson, Vaughan, Thomas J, Davey, Leach Meredith, Ogborne
Riley Meredith returns to the fight after his llittle vacation to the franchise as a 'clone' Root and after a slight toe injury. Archie Vaughan also comes in to support the batting and take a possible role with the ball as Bashir steps aside for this one.
Northants won the toss and chose to bat first at home. Pritvi Shaw had aload of fun at out expense and expecially that of JT Langridge last year on his way to an individual score well past 250. Alfie and Josh open the bowling against him and Vasconcelos but it is different this time as Shaw flicks an absolute peach from Ogborne to Rew with only 10 on the board and he goes for 9. This brings George Bartlett to face his old teammates but he is not long for this game either as he is bowled masterfully by Davey for the same score of 9 at 25 for 2. Sales fares no better as Josh gets him with another belter for 6 at 33. This is a very good start.
Zaib comes to the crease and Somerset move on to Archie Vaughan to introduce spin early. The 50 arrives from him during the 12th over with the pair looking to set up a partnership to get the home side back into this game. However Vasconcelos misreads an Archie delivery in the 14th after we introduce Meredith to start his account with the 13th. He is LBW for 29 the delivery after sweeping to the boundary for four.
Northants have slumped to 60 for 4 as Ziab sets to work with captain McManus to salvage this innings. They have passed 81 by the 20th and we introduce Leach in the 21st followed byGeorge Thomas in the 22nd. The 100 arrives in the next over and they have reached 115 when George gets in on the act by bowling McManus and that is how the game moves into the secong half of the first innings.
Jack gets in on the act, bowling the new man Miller without scoring with only 1 added to the score. Meanwhile Ziab, the only Northants bat that has really got into this game passes 50 from 62 balls with 2 fours and 2 isxes at a score of 139 as we move past 30 overs (there was a small rain break between the first and second wicket which reduced the total overs by 1). Lewis Goldsworthy is intoduced in the 35th and shines immediately as he has Zaib caight by George Thomas for 57, 2 runs short of the Northants 150 at 148 for 7. It is not going well.
Meredith returns for the 36th with Finan and Broad taking their side past 150 but the Tasmanian is too much for Finan at 153 as he is clean bowled. Lewis bowls a full toss at the start of the next which Snaderson gets a leading edge to and the bowler picks up the C&B at 154. Alfie takes the 38th and finishes the innings at 155 as Heldreich snicks behind.
A superb bowling effort by all the men given overs. All of them got in the wickets and all of them kept the score in check. This game is pretty much over at the turn around as long as the batting side can keep their heads as well.
The Reply
Umeed and Thomas open against Sanderson, who is unlucky as he has one dropped second delivery, and Finan at the other end. It is not a great start from Sanderson as he goes for 43 for his first 3 and Somerset pass 50 in the 5th. Broad replaces him in the 7th and he immediately gets Thomas flipping it to Vasconcelos for 28 from 21 balls at 58.
Lewis is next in and he quickly moves to 20 at about a run a ball before he is LBW also to Broad in the 13th over at 88. This brings James Rew to the crease and these two bring up the 100 in the 15th. The Mighty Umeed goes to 50 from 51 with 5 fours and 1 six at 116 for 2 from the last ball of Heldreich's 18th over. Sales is introduced for the 19th and he is the next bowler to get success as at 135 for 3 Andy snicks one behind and goes for 63 - the average remains high for the Somerset opener.
150 arrives in Sales next over with Rew on 19 and skipper Dickson on 6 and it is he who finishes the game with a four in the next over tsaking his side to 156 and a 7 wicket demolition of the Northants.
This was a decisive bowling performance followed by confident batting to simply get the job done. Meredith looked good but everyone did their job and everyone deserves the praise.
Back to Taunton on Friday and Worcestershire with an eye on the prize.



