By Grockle
August 2 2026

Back to Leicester for the first time in a long time and for the first of two visitst this summer (CC1 game in September).  Somerset look to get back to winning ways today going with the extra bowler and resting James Theedom and Theo Lamey to do so.  Somerset have won the toss and will bowl first at Grace Road.

Metrobank Game 5 - v Leicestershire @ Grace Road Sunday 2 August 2026

Somerset arrive in the Midlands off the back of a loss in Canterbury on Friday and seem to have re-assessed the situation with a change to their emphasis in the side for today;

Vaughan, Perera, Lammonby, Goldsworthy (c), Thomas, Connell, Church (wk), Pretorius, Shaw, Langridge, Ball

Today they rest their young all rounder Theo Lamey and their young bowler James Theedom and return to a bigger seam attack with both Jake Ball and JT Langridge being called back into the elven after the assessment that they were a seam bowler short at Kent.

Lewis won the toss and has decided to chase today.  This is semi unfamiliar terrain for the WQest country lads as the Foxes have not been regular opposition for a while.  We did win here in a QF in 2024 but they have beaten us at Taunton last time they were there and it willnot be easy to get the win here today.

Steve Ezkinazi and Rishi Patel will open against Josh Shaw who produces a good first one going for only 1.  Migael will take the other new ball opening spot and he gets the Leicestershire skipper as the ball goes away from Ezkanazi who edges to Church.  The Foxes are 1 for 1 after 7 balls.  In comes Ben Mike very early who scored 71 against Northants in the home side's last outing. Miggy seems to have got his line right straight up as he delivers two peaches to the new bat which both go past his outside edge.  The second over is a very promising wicket maiden from the South African 1 for 1 after 2.

Patel finally faces a ball in the third and he is finding the job no easier than his team mates as Josh gets steepling bounce.  He finally comes down the track and sends the ball through the infield for 3 as Sav catches it near the rope on the very big outfield.  The commentators say it is the biggest playing area in the counties now.

Miggy is on fire though as he gets Patel with a back pad LBW to the fifth ball of his second at 6 for 2.  He goes for 4 and it brings Hamza Shaikh to the crease against a bowler who has 2 for 2 from 11 balls.  After 4 overs the home side are 6 for 2.  The commentators think the decision was a bit doubtful on the quetion of height but it is still 'in the book'.

Shaw has a decent delivery that veers massively after the stumps and Church only gets a glove to one that goes for 4 byes - no one's fault but real movement.  Grace Road has a decent crowd for this Sunday fixture.  It is partly based on the Leicestershire initiative of letting kids in for free with paying adults - great idea from a club that seems to get their crowd economics right most of the time.

After 5 overs the bowlers have lots to feel satisfied by and Leicester have 11 for 2.  We need to remember that a certain Ben Green will be batting in this game against his former club.  Mike finally gets the runs going with a drive to the boundary in the 7th off Shaw who then gets the final word as he nips one back to take out Mike's middle stump for 9 off 15.  The is Josh's first wicket in this competition it seems - surprised me I have to say as he has bowled quite extensively in these (yep - incorrect by the Foxes commentators - he definitely got wickets against his last club I believe - 2 in 2 balls in fact).

18 for 3 in the 7th brings Nick Kelly to the crease and he takes a single off his first ball and that's it for the over at 19 for 3.  Kelly gets a bit more of a sight in the Pretorius fourth as he hits him for 2 fours and gets a free hit as well so the Somerset bowler's 2 for 3 becomes 2 for 14 as the Foxes move to 30 for 3

Josh is doing well with 12 for 1 off his first five overs - another maiden over as we hold the home side in a decent 'vice'.  Pretorius finishes the 'Powerplay' and he has Kelly struggling to get bat on another absolute 'jaffa'.  He is bowling gold presently as the pressure continues.  Kelly comes back with a sumptuous drive for four but he is fighting to stay there.

After 10 overs Leicestershire have 34 for 3 and we wonder if there will be bowling changes after this first 10 onslaught?  Shaw will continue with a 6th and Shaikh finally gets off the mark after 20 balls with a single through the covers but the Somerset man is not letting up.  We also keep Miggy on to try and remove Kelly who seems to be the only bat capable presently of driving the opening bowling attack.  40 for 3 after 12.

The bowling change comes with the 13th as JT starts his work for the morning with a tight 2 runs off his first.  He is joined by Jake Ball as a double change in the 14th.  Kelly takes a liking to his second and sends a short wide one for four.  Other than that its a tight start for 5 as the Foxes are struggling to get past 50.

They finally move past 50 with a straight drive for four from Kelly off the 3rd ball of the 15th.  57 for 3 as he hooks the next to register back to back boundaries despite outfield heroics from Jake as they take 11 off Langridge's second.

Jake only goes for 2 in his next but the Shaikh finally takes on the bowling as he sends the first six over Fine Leg in the next one to move himself to 11 from 35 and take the score to 66 for 3.  JT comes back well but Shaikh still gets another straight boundary off the last ball to take 10 off the over and move them to 70.  He takes a liking to the young left armer as he hits another 10 at the start of the 19th with two boundary shots in the first 3 balls to improve his scoring rate at the expense of the Somerset man.  JT comes back well but has still gone for 34 from his 4 with 20 to Shaikh from 4 balls!!

Archie introduces spin for the 20th at 83 for 3.  Kelly takes him for a straight six off his third to move the score into the 90s as Kelly himself moves into the 40s.  After 20 it is 92 for 3 with Kelly on 44 from 43 and Shaikh on 28 from 47 as Ball changes ends with 0 for 9 from his three to this point.

Shaikh looks to go big but toe ends one to Vaughan for 29 from 51 at 94 for 4 in the 21st.  Out comes Ben Cox the keeper.  He has 3 by the end of the 22nd and a single at the start of Ball's 23rd moves the Foxes to 99.  Kelly takes the quick one to move to 3 figures while taking him a run closer to a 50.  Ball has gone for 14 off his 5 with a wicket as well an excellent front half for him today along with at least two of his team mates with the ball.

A misfield in the inner ring gives the New Zealander a 50.  51 from 54 for Nick Kelly. He has been the rock of this Leicastershire innings today with 7 fours and a six in his half ton.  The drinks break comes at the end of the 25th with the home side having reset at 114 for 4.

The skipper opens his account with the 27th as Lewis comes on at 117 for 4 to partner Archie who took the 26th.  He goes for 2 and they keep the pressure on.  Leicestershire are going to have to put the foot down sometime soon.

Vaughan and Kelly have a bit of a tussle which the spinner wins as he has the Kiwi caught and bowled for 60 off 66 at the end of the 28th at 124 for 5.  In comes Ian Holland, the US international to face the Somerset skipper.

At 30 overs it is 132 for 5 with Cox on 23 from 31 and Holland (Dutchy) yet to get off the mark.  Double it up and the home side have to be aiming for 250 (par here is suggested to be around 260/270) while Somerset have to pressure them to be under the 250 mark.  They only scored 18 off the last five soi Somerset are in the driving seat at the moment.

Cox takes over the lead bat role in the 30s.  They need to keep wickets intact until they move into the 40s if they have any chance of a decent score.  The spin duo are working hard to keep them in check as the 150 arrives in the 33rd from a Cox four from Goldsworthy.

At 159 in the 35th Cox miscues over the head of Josh Thomas who can't get back to catch it.  It's classed as a drop but it would have been a great over the shoulder catch if he'd taken it.  162 for 5 with 15 overs to go.

JT is back for the 37th at 171 for 5 and the push will probably be on.  He keeps them to 5.  Archie will bowl out with the next one.  Presently he has 40 from 9 to his name for his 1 wicket and he goes to 1 for 47 from his 10 - excellent bowling from the young man.

Cox goes to 50 in the next one from 55 balls with 6 fours including the confident one that takes him there.  He gets another fortunate one just past Church's outstretched hand to take him to 55. Pretorius comes back for the 40th with 2 for 23 from his first 6 and he holds them to 5 from his 7th.  10 overs to go at 198 for 5 - you'd expect the Foxes to get past 250 at this point.

The 200 arrives in the 41st as JT runs conceded goes past 50 - by far the highest concession today so far.  It's 209 after the over and the balance seems to be moving to the batting side as the run rate is starting to climb.  The run rate has moved over 5 for the first time as Shaw comes on for the 43rd at 219 for 5.  The score is looking to be getting up to the 280s one would suggest and Leicestershire would have taken that at 12 for 3 earlier on.  They take 10 off the 43rd.

Jake takes the 44th as the Cox and Holland partnership becomes a worry to the visitors in the closing part of this game.   234 for 5 with 6 to go.  And Holland goes to 50 with a straight back shot from Shaw at the start of the 45th.  51 from 51 at 238 for 5.  This pair have put on about 112 so far - certainly what the home side needed as a base to make a game of this.  

246 for 5 with 5 overs to go and they take 48 off the last 5 overs.  This will be a big ask for the visitors and we will need the front five to go some to keep us in this game now.  Jake takes his 8th with the 46th.  The 250 arrives with a four from Cox in the middle of the over.

We fail to break the Cox/ Holland partnership until the 49th over when the excellent Ball finall gets Cox LBW for 89 from 80 with the damage already done at 279 for 6  In comes Ben Green with 8 balls to face and out goes Ben Green caught Pretorius bowled Ball with 7 balls left at 279 for 7.  In comes Scriven to survive the hat-trick ball as Ball finishes with excellent figures of 3 for 40 from his 9.  

Pretorius takes the last at 280 for 7.  He goes for 9 mostly coming ftom Scrivens but he gets Holland with the last ball of the innings caught in the deep by Ball going for six at 77 from 67.  The Foxes finish with 289 for 7 and you have to say that they got away from Somerset who had them on the ropes at 12 for 3.  Excellent partnership in the middle overs from Cox and Holland despite some hard work put in by the bowlers.  Migael Pretorius finishes with 2 for 57 from his 10.  Josh Shaw ended with 1 for 47 from his 9.  Goldsworthy went for 29 from his 5 while Langridge went for 60 from his 7.  We need 290 to win this game and it is most definitely Game ON!

Metrobank Game 5 - Chasing Foxes again

Discussion started by Grockles.com , 02/08/2026 10:53

Grockles.com
02/08/2026 10:53

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Grockle
01/08/2026 18:17

Another away game after the loss in Canterbury on Friday;

Sunday Preview


The squad for tomorrow holds few surprises;
Vaughan, Perera, Lammonby, Goldsworthy, Thomas, Connell, Church, Lamey, Pretorius, Shaw, Theedom, Langridge, Ball

The only questions are 1) Where is Jack Leach? 2) Which seam bowlers will play and which will be rested? The bats will all play if possible one would assume.

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GuildfordWyvern
01/08/2026 18:46

1) Playing for Taunton Deane

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Grockle
01/08/2026 21:39

Wonder why that is? As Dan Kingdom pointed out, he played all 10 games in the Metrobank last season and then was very ver y important to us in the CC1 run in. He's hardly been featured at any level of consistency this season. Yet he seems fit to play

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Grockle
02/08/2026 10:40

Seems we go with the extra bowler today.
Vaughan, Perera, Lammonby, Goldsworthy, Thomas, Connell, Church, Pretorius, Shaw, Langridge, Ball

We win the toss and will bowl first





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:08:02:11:01:12 by Grockle.

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Grockle
02/08/2026 13:04

Good first 5 spell sessions from most of the seamers. Even JT who has gone for 34 lost 20 of them from 4 balls. But Shaw, miggy and Ball all have done very well

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GuildfordWyvern
02/08/2026 13:21

I'd like to see Leach play but you wouldn't want to lengthen the tail so it would have to be in place of the fourth seamer and that would either mean leaving out Langridge/Theedom or going with just two of the experienced steamers, which left us in trouble against Kent.

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Grockle
02/08/2026 13:43

He seems to have moved back to League cricket for this series. He's not had the bext season so far to be hinest.

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Grockle
02/08/2026 14:24

We've unfortunattely let Cox and Holland get away in the last part of this innings and will now have to bat very well to keep in this game ourselves. It looked very promising in the first 10 overs but this is the thing that differentiates 50 over from 20 over. You aren't dead if a phase of the game goes wrong and you have to be on your game for a lot longer than in a quick T20.

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Devonboy70
02/08/2026 14:38

Miss calculated not bowling out our most economical bowler today Jake . One or 2 overs too many for JT .

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