Somerset
Back to CC1 Durham at Taunton with that ball!!
By Grockle
July 22 2025
A damp morning in Taunton welcomes back 4 day cricket. Durham arrive with three international signings including Neil Wagner and we are setting up on a pretty green but seemingly worn pitch with bowler's marks already on it!! Lewis wins the toss and elects to field first but we don't pack the side with spinners. Tom Banton returns while neither Riley Meredith or Migael Pretorius are named for this game so we probably have seen the last of the Tasmanian at least for this season.
CC1 v Durham @ Taunton Tuesday 22 July 2025
Lewis has won the toss on a game that will start late after a little shower at about 10:30. It's overcast and the skipper has chosen to bowl first with the following team;
TKC, Josh Davey (with strapping on his left leg), Tom Lammonby, James Rew, Tom Abell, Tom Banton (with a strapped left index finger), Archie Vaughan (pulled back from the U19 squad), Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Jack Leach, Jake Ball
The pitch is interesting... it looks a little 'tired' though it is green where the bowler's footmarks aren't! Unfortunately it has started to rain again and they are bringing the covers on at 5 past 11 so we will not be starting at 11:15 as announced. Interesting that neither Pretorius or Meredith are playing which brings up more questions about their long term presence in the summer side. One assumed that Migael will be part of the 50 over side but it does look like the Tasmanian has probably played his last game of this season for us despite some hopes among speculators that he would be some part of our red ball second half (including September). Seems not people.
This game and the one at Trent Bridge next week are the last two of the 'Rob Key Experiment' with the Aussie ball - again, the people who need to experience this ball are all somewhere else taking on India in a game where this rag is not being used - what was the point? The ball obviously is not one for 'English' conditions but we keep sticking it into the domestic season for no seemingly logical reason. We shall see I suppose.
The game starts at 11:30 with Josh Davey opening from the River against Lees and Gay with 'sylph-llike' Ian Blackwell (ex Somerset and Durham) standing as umpire. The boundaries are distinctly different as the Caddyshack side it very long while you could almost throw the ball into the Somerset Stand. 4 for 0 after the first as Craig Overton opens at the Pavilion end and his first is a maiden.
After a couple of variable overs from Davey which were either one thing or the other (3 overs for 21 with the second being especially 'variable') Craig breaks through thanks to a very good low grab by Gregory in the slips to send Gay on his way for 10 at 26 for 1. He then takes Ackerman first ball as Kohler-Cadmore takes the first slip catch. 26 for 2 but we'll have to wait a whole over for the hat-trick ball. Bedingham is the next man in.
It's 30 for 2 as the 8th arrives and Bedingham deals with it, takes a single and gets off the mark in the process. He goes for 2 from his over before the skipper takes over from the River. He gets a bit of movement and gets Bedingham with an outside edge to Rew for the princely score of 1. 33 for 3 and Robinson is in earlier than he would have expected. There is even more surprise when Overton drops him second ball - not something that happens all that often. Then the rain arrives and they come off at 12:10. AN early lunch will be taken at 1:40 so we expect to resume around the 1:30 mark.
The game resumes at 1:20 on time and it could be a long old session if the Tea interval stays at 3:55pm. There are 79 overs left in the day so it could be a long old Day 1 altogether. Craig is back on and after dropping Robinson just before the rain break he has him with his 4th ball caught behind to give the Devon man figures of 3 for 8 off just under 5 and probably justifying Gregory's decision to bowl first. 34 for 4.
Clark arrives, faces 1 ball, the ball zips off the base of his bat, straight into Abell's grateful hands at 3rd slip. He's on another hat-trick with Raine facing. TKC fumbles the ball but he didn't touch it. 34 for 5. Craig Overton 5 overs 1 maiden 4 wickets for 8.
He then completes a 5-fer when Lees puts one into the stratosphere and Craig takes the catch. Lees made 27 of the 43 that Durham have produced in the effective hour or play today. COve has 5 for 16 in his 6 overs as Drissel (remember him) scrambles a four to the Botham.
The 50 arrives in the 14th as Raine moves to 4 as well. Though it arrived off a Lewis Gregory no ball!! Raine continues to make runs and the two bats reach the highest partnership before Drissell drives to Banton to give Overton his 6th at 71 for 7 with Potts on a hiding to nothing coming in to face COve's third possible double wicket delivery. He digs it out and we go on with Overton moving on to 6 for 17 from his 8. We are still in the first opening bowling spell of the game so the question is - "do you take Craig off"? Jake Ball is waiting to take over after the 17th from Gregory which ends at 76 for 7. Overton continues and Jake comes on at the other end. He goes for 5 but they are keeping Craigo on at the MT. Until the 21st when Josh takes over at the MT end at 90 for 7. Craig's first spell was 10/3/23/6 - superb.
Raine has become the highest scorer of this Durham innigs and confimrs that with a six into the Gimblett from Davey he then takes another 2 and the Durham score is close to 3 figures. The 100 arrives with a glanced four to the CA and Josh finishes the over with a caught behind as Raine fishes at the last one and is caught by Rew for a fighting 42 from 38 balls. 102 for 8 and back comes Neil Wagner for a bit of a bat.
Josh continues to bowl and during his 7th over he passes 50 runs as Wagner takes a shine particularly. He finishes with 7 overs no maidens 1 for 56 which is more than 40% of the runs they have scored of which 126 came in the last over from the bat mostly of Neil Wagner.
Jack Leach then enters the game for the first time from the River end at 133 for 8. Jake changes ends and has Wagner smacking it straight into Davey's hands at 137 for 9 for 24 from 23. Bit of a 'toe ender' to be honest. This brings last man Parkinson to the crease but Potts seems to have decided it is time for the long handle as he puts our spinner into the Somerset Stand (short boundary) which takes Jack's 2 over figures to 0 for 10. Another conference takes place before the next Ball over but it is Matty Potts who decides to reverse sweep Jack to the one fielder you would not do that to - Tom Abell and we bowl them out for 145 - so look at it we don't have to get the follow on!!
10 minutes before we face Neil Wagner on this!! Meanwhile just to mention. Sean Dickson is currently unbeaten on 81 against Surrey seconds (including Gus Atkinson) and Will Smeed scored 41 of the first 48 runs against Pakistan for the Select XI. Fun being had everywhere!!
TKC and Josh come out and Raine starts the attack from the River. He bowls a maiden and TKC sees him off. Potts takes the MT end. Josh holds him and takes 2 from his last ball. It isn't until the 14th ball that Tom KC gets 'agricultural' and luckily he misses the ball, though he does send the next to the Botham boundary wih a much more considered shot! Josh then takes Potts for 3 consecutive guided boundaries in the next 3 balls as the England man strays a little and the Somerset allrounder profits from it.
TKC takes Raine for 2 sixes to the short boundary in the next over and we move to 32 with both openers on the same score though Davey has got there from less balls. Funnily enough bothDurham bowlers have also gone for 16 but Potts got there in an over less.
Wagner is introduced for the 7th and TKC hits him for 3 consecutive boundaries as we move towards 50 and below 100 behind as Raine changes ends. The 50 partnership arrives from the first ball of the 8th with the 521 being split 29 to TKC (24 balls) and 22 to Davey (20 balls).
Then TKC loses it with 40 runs from 30 when he decides to swing at one from Wagner and he top edges one so high that the Durham bowler gets to run down and catch the ball and then send the Somerset man on his way. As many say - an good red ball opener would take 100 from there - TKC doesn't and that's why he will be nothing but a 'swinger'. 62 for 1 and the umpires decide to take Tea arbitrarly 10 minutes before the interval.
After Tea there are 46.2 overs left to bowl in the day so this could be a very very long session if it goes the distance. Tom Lammonby is in as the Somerset number three with Wagner and Raine still bowling for the visitors. Parkinson is introduced as the first Durham spin of the game and partnered with Potts from the MT as Somerset look to pass 3 figures. Unfortunately Davey fidgets at one from Potts that moves away and goes at 98 for 2 for 37 from 47 caught by Beddington. James Rew is in during the 16th over of the innings and he doesn't stay long as Potts has him cutting straight to gully without a run to his name. 98 for 3.
Drissell comes on to bowl and Lammonby straight hits him for 4 and takes Somerset over 100 to 102 and himself on to 25 from 18 balls. His new partner is Tom Abell but he doesn't last long either as he misjudges the bounce and is caught by Clark also for 0 - 103 for 4. In comes Banton with a broken index finger and Drissell gets another after he has scored 10 and another bat is caught off an inside edge - Clark gets another 115 for 5.
Archie Vaughan is the next man in and with 30 overs to go Durham move to spin from both ends with Parkinson in tandem with Drissell and Somerset moving to 137 for 5. This is the time when the young players looking top cement places pay their dues and play the waiting game while pushing the score along however they can without putting their wicket in danger. Somerset move into the lead at the end of the 26th with 29 overs to go. Lammonby is in the dangerous waters of the mid 40s with 44 (50 balls) while Archie has 15 from 13). The 150 comes up from the first ball of the next over followed quickly by a Lammonby 50 from 52 balls with 5 fours.
But the fun cannot continue as Archie becomes the first wicket to go down that is not caught. He is LBW to Parkinson at 156 for 6 for 15. In comes Gregory and with 26 overs to go in the day the Park N Ride is calling and the rest of this will have to be done from the livestream when I get home (though the game willprobably still be going on given the speed of the over rate at the moment. With 30 overs done at 161 for 6 with Lammonby on 55 from 65 and the skipper just off the mark with 2 from 10, Day 1 will have to wait a little time.
To summarise the bit I missed watching. Gregory stayed with Tom until 194 when Wagner got one perfectly under the Somerset captain's ribs and had him fending it off to the short fielder (Clark) for 17 from 32 with Lammonby on 71 from 84. Out came Craig Overton as the last bat to expect a decent partnership from before Lammonby might have to reassess how he took the game to Durham.
There were still 17 overs in the day to come at this point and the lead was only 50 so there was a need for the two men at the crease to eke out another 50 at least to give Soemrset a 3 figure lead going into tomorrow. That must have been the plan one would assume. The bonus batting point was also only 56 runs away so that also came into the equation. The indication was from the interaction between Lammonby and Wagner that the Somerset man was going to take it on if it was there to hit.
Ther 200 came up off Parkinson in the 39th as Lammonby still seemed determined to take the game to the visiting bowlers, nearly going to Drissell in the 42nd. Craig was also showing a willingness to move the score along as he went into double figures at just over a run a ball. The score kept moving and the chances kept coming. At the end of the 42nd Somerset were 224 and Tom L had moved into the 80's. Nevertheless, the Durham attack was not makling it easy nd with 10 overs to go the score had only moved on to 231. At which point, with the first ball of the 46th over from Drissell he got one to leave the outside edge of Lammonby's bat to second slip and he was out for 89 from 109 balls caught by Lees. Out came Jack Leach with a different plan on the Somerset table as Drissell nearly had him with the third ball of the over as the ball slide past the bat but without touchiung it. Now Craig was the bat in the driving seat looking to push the score on. Unfortunately that didn't happen either as the young spinner bowled him with one that cut in as the last ball of the 46th for 19 from the 25 balls he faced at 232 for 8. Another ex Siomerset bowler in line for a 5 fer at Taunton as Jake Ball walked out as the last man in. Looking to face 9 overs and bat out the day.
With a bit of nervous defence to start with, by the 49th over Jake started to put bat to ball against Parkinson. Jack was nearly caught as a leading edge skied into the infield but just short of the diving fielder. This was followed by the inevitable cut boundary.. As Drissell starts the 50th over it seemed quite ovbious that the pair were going for the charge to get over the 250 line as Ball came down the wicket to the second and sent it for six over the young bowler's head. 250 up, the only bowling point of the game and Drissell bowled the Somerset man next ball to finish the innings at 250, 105 ahead with Ball out for 13 and George Drissell with his first 5-fer against one of his old counties with 13.3 overs, 1 maiden 5 for 59. Jack finished not out 6 from 12 balls
At home just before the last 3 overs of the day with Durham batting again 105 behind. Archie Vaughan bowls the first for the first time in the day and he has Lees second ball which gets the outside edge and the Durham Skipper goes to s catch to Gregory at first slip. 0 for 1 with Gay having not faced. Callum Parkinson comes out as nightwatchman and pads the first one away. His job is steady defence as the Somerset men call for anything. Archie goes over for the last and it ends as a wicket maiden.
The second is bowled by Jack Leach to Emilio Gay who gets off the strike with ball number 2. The ball turns a lot with the third which is an indication of the problems of tomorrow for the bat. Parkinson plays for the spin on ball 4 and the ball goes straight on catching him plumb in front so it is 1 for 2 with Neil Wagner coming out to bat. As Parkinson went in the penultimate over the second nightwatchman has to face an over.
Ball 6 nearly falls into the hands of Banton but it falls just short. So Gay faces Vaughan who pads up on the first one and it was close. Gay clips the next for four. He defends the third, the fourth, he plays and misses the fifth and defending the last to leave Durham 100 behind. What a day's play!! 22 wickets and two full innings in the day. The ball did some stuff. Some bats got out to incredibly daft shots. Raine held the durham innings together and once TKC daftly threw away a pretty easy high score for us, Tom Lammonby dealt with the mini collapse and reset the innings with the second half of the Somerset line-up. Craig Overton was masterful at the start of the day and George Drissell showed the nature of the wicket by the end of it. Jack will be very happy, especially in the fact that his spinning partner found something at the very end of the day.
Durham start tomorrow 100 runs behind with 8 wickets left of the second innings and without their captain Lees at the crease. We'll be back tomorrow for more fun and frolics.
Day 2
Lewis Gregory opens the bowling from the River (why?) - not a dynamic start to the day to be honest. Why not Leach to get them worried? Craig is on at the other. But our opening bowling is toothless. the first 7 overs probide them with 26 runs before we turn to Archie at the MT and the first ball turns. One could say that we've given Durham a set of 'sighters' for the first part of the morning. Vaughan goes for four fours in the over to add 16 to the score. We now add Jack Leach to the other end while Durham have moved to 47. Not sure about these tactics this morning I'm afraid - we seem to have let them get away with this rather than pressurising Wagner early in the morning to try and make a breakthrough 11 overs down and they have pretty much halved our lead without loss.
The 50 arrives from 57 balls as Jack's first goes for 10 (with a six). The spinners have goen for 26 (25ish% of the lead) in 2 overs while pressure has been given away along with the advantage at the start of Day 2. Wagner has reached 33 from 49 before he misjudges a ball from Archie. He goes for the sweep the bounce misses his bat, hits his backpad and finds him plumb. Out LBW at 76 for 3 and in comes Ackermann. A good confidence boost for the slightly fragile Vaughan.
In the next over, Gay flips a ball out to the midwicket area, where it is 'pouched' by the ever confident bucket hands of the diving Overton. He goes for 42 from 46 with 7 fours and 1 six and suddenly we have Beddigham joning hs partner with both on zero at 76 for 4. Ackermann pops the ball from Leach over the infielder Abell but it is caught by Banton diving behind him and the Durham man goes for 0 having faced 3 balls in the game. Not sure why he did that but it's 77 for 5 whatever as Ollie Robinson arrives at the middle. Leach has 3 and Archie has two but he has gone for 47 from his 7 overs.
Leach gets his eye in and finds the front of Bedingham's pads plumb in front at 92 for 6. He goes for 9 and Jack moves to 4 for 15 from his 7. In the 26th over, Somerset find they have to bat again at 105 for 6 with Robinson on 13 and Clark on 6.
Craig returns for the 29th as Archie has gone for a few. He provides a few bouncers and keeps them honest. He finishes his fifth with 1 maiden and 20 runs to his name. The Clark and Robinson partnership takes a bit more shape as it moves to 37 and Somerset re-introduce the dual spin option as Archie returns to the MT before lunch at 129 for 6. He gets Robinson looking for the BIG shot and Vaughany bowls him with one that comes in around his huge 'Wahoo'. He goes for 18 at 132 for 7. In comes Raine and is nerarly caught and bowled first ball as the return just goes out of Archie's diving reach. In the next over Rew does not hold onto one that seems to come off the bat though it seems doubtful on replay.
Lunch today will be at 1:10 so there is a little more to come this morning. Presently the game has gone into a pre-lunch lul with nothing really happening as Durham have moved to 140 for 7 With neither Raine or Clark looking to push anything n before the interval. The dual spin option continues with close fielders under the bat's noses.. Leachy has passed 50 runs in his 16th over but the visitors are taking no chances at all.
The Durham 150 arrives just before the break in the 40th over of the morning session bowled by Archie with Raine on 10 from 23 and Clark on 23 from 63. Durham lead by 47 art the end of the morning session as Durham go in at 152 for 7. A strange plan for the morning but Somerset have to be in the driving seat going into the next one would imagine and this game could still be over before the end of Day 2.
Jack opens after lunch from the River and Raine continues the 'Peter Bowler' version of batting to spinners - walk up the wicket and pat it back that he tried before lunch. He is partnered by Jake Ball for the first time today and this innings overall. This session is going to be a long one as well as Tea has been pushed back to 4pm today making this session well over 2 hours long. That suggests that our spinners will be putting in some hard yards in this afternoon on present indications.
After a bit of patience, Jack gets a feather off a good defensive shot from Clark and Rew (who has not had the greatest of games standing up to the spinners) holds it at 166 for 8. Clark held this inninngs together and played well but it was going to happen eventually and he goes for 32 well crafted runs. Jack goes to a 5-fer (23?3/63/5). In comes Drissell and on comes Vaughan. Raine and Drissell at the crease :-)
The close field is in for George D while Raine is the only one moving the score on. He drives one to the CA but it is stopped by Jake Ball who rolls over and damages his shoulder in the recovery it seems and he leaves the field while Goldsworthy comes n to field. It may be the last of him bowling in this game.
But the game goes on as Jack adds a 6th wicket and Drissell goes to a leading edge caught by the bowler for 5 off 26 balls 178 for 9. In comes Potts, who is no slouch with the bat, to add to a present lead of 73. Raine is looking to get some now as he long handles Vaughan for six from his last ball to move to 190 for 9. At the other end, Potts just blocks Jack out. This seems to be the plan. Block Leach and look for runs off Vaughan.
Archie hasn't seen the plan though as he fires one in, Raine looks to put it into the stands but it's too high and it goes into the hands of Banton at long on. Vaughan finishes on 4 for 85 with 4 maidens from his 20 overs and 2 balls. Durham end on 190 all out and Somerset need 85 to win before the end of Day 2.
Durham are straight on with Callum Parkinson and TKC is straight into T20 mode slog sweeping him for six second ball into the Somerset. The dual spin option is also taken up as Drissell starts from the MT end. Josh is adjuged LBW as he tries to sweep the ball. Davey wasn't impressed but he has to go and we are 1 down with 13 on the borad. Josh goes for 0 and Tom Lammonby is in as Ian Blackwell decided that hit the pad before the gloves. Parkinson has a wicket and we need 72 runs to win.
He then gets a second as Parkinson gets one to move and it is 16 for 2 as TKC goes caught behind for 10. Rew is in and gets a four from his first ball. He is dropped in the next Drissell over. A sharp low one which would have been a good slip 'catch' and may be a little harsh to be classified as a chance. But he survives. Can he make it pay one wonders as on of our more 'reliable' bats most of the time. We could do with it at 24 for 2 needing 62 more runs for the win.
We reach the halfway point without any more issues... Parkinson continues with Lammonby moving to 22 from 27 and Rew on 7. But the good feelings stop as he then bowls Tom through the gate at 43 for 3. In comes another Tom as Abell takes over. Tom A is on a pair in this game though.
With 48 on the board Rew smacks one off the edge to Less in at midwicket. He goes for 9 and Parkinson has 4 for 21. In comes another Tom as Banton comes out. This may get worse before it gets better at the moment. We need 38 as at the end of his first over, he reverse sweeps Parkinson for four to the Ondaatje to take it over the 50 mark to 52.
We move to a 25 run need at the start of the 26th with Banton on 10 and Abell on 6 and the ball is in the bowling side's court. But Drissell is up to it as Abell goes back to one and is bowled for 6 with 24 needed and we put faith in Archie to get us there as he is next in. Still "Squeeky Bum" time to coin a phrase.
Somerset need 0.1 an over for the 7 sessions that remain in this game and we are still not certain of wining this one with 5 wickets remaining and needing 21 runs!! The joys of watching Somerset!! With 20 to win Durham havew four on the onside boundary to Banton, all he has to do is dob it down and take the single. They haven't got enough to play with to expect the Somerset man to hole out. Anyway he reverse sweeps it the other way to the NT stand. He then does go for it and slog sweeps the ball for six into the Somerset stand. 77 for 5 with Banton moving on to 25. We now need 8.
A swept four from Archie takes us to needing 3 as Parkinson has figures of 4 for 39 from 10 wich is not too shabby. Drissell bowls and Banton sweeps (as he has done most of this innings) and they run 2. Lees then has a major conference about field placings needing 1 run for the win. So Banton hits it for a 1 bounce four and he has 33 not out from 22 balls. We win in two days by 5 wickets. Good stuff. Archie ended 5 not out.
89 for 5 in just less than 20 overs which was still nervy but you have to get there to have nerves so can't complain.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:27:13:18:17 by Grockle.
But the innings was done and dusted in 30 overs and one ball.
Barring the weather, that does suggest there'll be a result one way or the other!
Now let's see how Somerset bat...
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:21:20:57:10 by Grockle.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I am however grateful for the wisdom of you and your little group of friends for not picking the Durham game for our gathering as I do not wish to watch County cricket played with the Kookaburra ball. I hadn’t realised at the stage we were discussing it that it was the four mid season games.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:17:15:13:54 by Bagpuss.
Archie Vaughan batted at no.7, but may well be away with England under 19s. But if the wicket is as dusty as last night it might be an idea to play a different second spinner - Lewis Goldsworthy or Josh Thomas - alongside potential-match-winner Jack Leach. And will the experimental opening partnership of Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey - perhaps more successful than some had anticipated - continue?
With all this, and probably other factors as well, my championship team would be: Gregory, Davey, Kohler-Cadmore, Abell, Dickson, Rew, Vaughan (or Goldsworthy/Thomas if not available), Pretorius, Overton, Meredith, Leach.
He isn't a Somerset player.
He is his own man here this summer to play blast & Hundred.
Hundred for a month worth an awful lot more than a few quid & hard slog 2 red ball games might give him
He was possibly going to play 50 over for us before he was 'drafted'. It's suggested that some parts off this agreement was negotiable.
Looking at the opposite perspective. Why NOT play him in his last T20 if that was it?
Lots of international signings aren't 'Somerset' players except when they've agreed to be for a period of time for a whole buncha money. Some of em quite enjoy it.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:20:13:22:55 by Bagpuss.
Still an issue 3 years on. Ho hum
Squad: Kohler-Cadmore, Davey, Lammonby, Rew, Abell, Banton, Vaughan, Aldridge, Gregory (c), Goldsworthy Overton, Pretorius, Leach and Ball.
Aldridge, Goldsworthy and Ball to miss out for me.
Wagner is one of three overseas players in the party - the others are last season`s leading batsman David Bedingham and fast-bowler Codi Yusuf - but obviously only two will play.
Squad: Ackermann, Bedingham, Clark, de Leede, Drissell, Gay, Lees (captain), McKinney, Parkinson, Potts, Raine, Rhodes, Robinson, Wagner, Yusuf.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:22:00:09:23 by cricketjerry-mouse.
Josh Davey wearing strapping on his left knee (he was on Friday as well) while warming up.
Somerset have won the toss and will field first on a worn pitch with bowler's marks on it before we start - that will be fun!!
The side is
TKC, Davey, Lammonby, Rew, Abell, Banton, Vaughan, Gregory, Overton, Leach, Ball
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:22:10:48:55 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:22:11:26:52 by Grockle.
It's all a little perplexing though given the present rumours about the place concerning movements in the off season.
What. Could. Possibly. Go. Wrong.
He throws the bat when 100 runs is just sitting there waiting for the craftsman to get them. However he goes for less than 50 with the ton just sitting there and the bowler laughing that he has made him look far better than he really should have.
Oh dear.
Oh dear indeed.
And it's a bit of a doozy, too.
Lot of cricket still to come on Day 1 5:20 and 28 overs still to bowl!!
I watched a bit earlier and the wicket didn't seem to be doing too much, just sloppy play from a couple of Somerset's batters.
Is the wicket that bad? Hopefully not-punishable-by-the-ECB bad? They don't seem to need much of an excuse...
Make that 20 wickets...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:22:18:40:21 by sfwithers.
One nightwatchperson gone, one to go...!
Is it only me feeling worried about the pitch inspectors?
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Another bowler we were 'happy to see leave'
He bowled well today to be fair to him and he'll be very happy for this after the way he was massacred a week or so ago.
Good on the boy
Tom Kohler-Cadmore 6 runs
Ollie Robingson ct James Rew bld Craig Overton
Matthew Potts ct Tom Abell bld Jack Leach
Emilio Gay ct Lewis Gregory bld Craig Overton. The ball on it's way to Lewis
David Bedingham ct James Rew bld Lewis Gregory
Ben Raine ct James Rew bld Josh Davey
Ben Raine Craig Overton missed out on a Hat-trick ball,
Alex Lees off Craig Overton wondering what's to come.
More tomorrow like today, please.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:22:21:32:03 by Mike TA1.
Archie is left until 7 overs in and is then attacked and goes for 16 while Jack doesn't see the ball until the 12 over.
Not sure what the thinking was unless it was "Let's give Durham a few sighters"
It's not all that confident at the moment one has to say.
Who has told James Rew to bring out the reverse sweep in his first few overs one wonders?
Done though unless the pitch people want to quibble.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Some superb efforts in that game though, Craig & Tom Lammonby yesterday & Jack today (Archie did well, albeit most definitely not at his best), but in truth far too many batsmen on both sides got themselves out needlessly &/or carelessly.
Can't argue with the result though and well done to Tom Banton for taking the situation by the scruff of the neck to get us over the line.
At least we have two extra days for aching bones and bodies to mend ahead of the vital visit to Notts., (albeit some members & supporters, might not feel quite so sanguine in the meantime, about losing two more precious days cricket at Taunton !).
Grizzers
Tom Banton winning 4 runs
Ollie Robinson bld Archie Vaughan
Neil Wagner lbw Archie Vaughan
George Drissell c&b Jack Leach
Emilio Gay ct Craig Overton bld Jack Leach
David Bedingham lbw Jack Leach
Colin Ackerman ct Tom Banton bld Jack Leach
Ben Raine ct Tom Banton bld Archie Vaughan
What a match!! and win,
[x.com]
Frankly, a lazy, myopic and totally over the top comment, with potentially serious ramifications for us.
Grizzers
Quote:Loyal of Lhasa
Banton reminded us this afternoon that he has a very special talent. I just hope he can play more substantial innings from now on.
I could have sworn I was in Taunton a few months ago to see him score nearly 400...!
More seriously, though, I do know what you mean. And I wish Somerset would give Smeed a chance in the red-ball game.
And I really hope the pitch issue is a non issue; 400 runs in a day doesn't suggest it was unplayable - and the wickets I saw fall were down to bad batting. But this is Somerset and the ECB we're talking about...
Matt Roller at Cricinfo has followed up with article referencing other old friends, such as Angus Fraser.
If he had actually watched the game he would have seen that Lees and Raine for Durham and Lammonby, K-C and Banton for Somerset all showed their quality on that surface in their differing styles. Lammonby’s innings was especially good to watch. Surely a true high quality batsman is able to make runs on challenging pitches.
As has been said by others, many of the other ‘high quality’ batsmen on both sides gave their wickets away with stupid shots.
[www.telegraph.co.uk]
[www.goodareas.co]
This was in the context of a rank turner which India had prepared against England. Kimber's conclusion was basically, well, why not? Cricket is a global game and not played on one uniform pitch which suits the ECB. As he says of that Chennai Test pitch: "If Somerset spun the ball like this on day one the ECB might demote them to minor counties."
That, plus any relevance of the fact that we’re not a Test-match-county, or near London, of course.
Quote:Wiltshire55
“Both Somerset and Durham have high quality batsmen” says Lord Botham, implying that they need a flat, boring pitch to demonstrate their prowess.
Shame tthey didn't pick them to play in the game then Ian huh?
The first 10 Durham bats were caught, mostly easily off very poor shots on this 'flat boring pitch'.
Yawn, old professional with bitterness towards the county that made him and a position with the county they were playing says daft things with no live experience of the situation. Nothing to see here.
And Angus? Nothiing more needs saying tbh
The pitch did look strange but very few of the wickets fell to anything but poor batting. UK bats struggle against spin and get the T20 red mist far too early in 4 day games when they think they are in after scoring 20 odd with a boundary or 2.
Plus the fact we don't have an August franchise but are the grit in ECB's Vaseline and the provincial cricket county who.refuse to stop beating the Elite counties.
Of course that will have no influence on any 'punishment' or (as last time) when that is imposed if at all.
If India are rolled for 150, and England don't make it to 100, the curator will probably look at what he can do better. I doubt the ICC would get involved in a back-to-back Test on the same ground, though. But if India get to 250, and England are rolled for 150, it will be a tough pitch which India thoroughly outplayed England on. If no pitches were tough, Tests would get boring.
To paraphrase: Somerset got to 250, and Durham were rolled out for 145. It was a tough pitch which Somerset thoroughly outplayed Durham on. If no pitches were tough, the County Championship would be boring.
[www.espncricinfo.com]
He has never forgiven Somerset over Richards leaving the club!
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
[resources.ecb.co.uk]
Standard points deduction for a below average pitch is eight (section 7.7), although this can be varied by the disciplinary panel.
Section 7.6 includes the following statement:
"The burden is on the relevant County or Hundred Team to show that,
(a) the Pitch was not a Substandard Pitch, and/or,
(b) that they sought, acting reasonably, to prepare the best quality Pitch that they could for the
Match they were staging."
If you can stay the course of the legalese, the regulations make interesting reading in the context of some of the matches Somerset have played where the ball has seamed, to my eye, excessively. And particularly in relation to some of the pitches which have produced very high scoring, sometimes single innings draws.
I thought the pitch produced an exceptional game of cricket. The difference between the sides was that Somerset had the best batsman in Tom Lammonby and the best spinner in Jack Leach. Looking at the hugely important psychological aspect of cricket, I do wonder if Durham criticising the pitch before the start of the match (similarly Middlesex in 2017) undermined the confidence of their batsmen before they had picked up their bats.
Farmer
Lees in particular, had the air of having made his mind up from the very start, that the pitch wasn't worth grafting on.
Lammonby proved him wrong, but I fear the investigation may not see it that way.
Grizzers
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Glad again that LOL, Bobstan, Wickham and Co decided this was not to be the annual meeting as it would have added to my track record of rarely seeing four days at Taunton with an honourable exception being the Surrey masterpiece last year.
You make a good point, Lammonby's innings was exceptional, and showed how to play a long innings on a pitch like that. I should have mentioned Craig Overton too. His first innings spell, either side of lunch, was also in a class of its own, and, on looking at replays, with minimal help from the pitch, and a class above anything Potts delivered in this match.
Shepton,
As to possible points deductions, eight points is, as a judge would say in passing sentence, the starting point as I understand it, which can then be moved up or down dependent on what would be called in court, aggravating or mitigating factors. To get a proper picture of what the document says it needs to be perused. Reading it suggested to me, I may be wrong, that despite overly seam friendly pitches and overly batter friendly pitches being deemed by the rules to be equally as bad as overly spin friendly pitches, actual investigations seem to focus heavily on spin friendly pitches, assuming of course that other investigations achieve similar publicity to those involving Somerset.
Unfortunately, the issue of the pitch is gaining public traction on the back of his lordship's intervention. For those who cannot access the Telegraph article, this is The Independent's version:
[www.independent.co.uk]
I stand by my view that the pitch produced an excellent, and close, game of cricket, and that Lammonby, Leach and Overton showed how to play on it. If the purpose of using the Kookaburra ball is to enable technique to be developed for playing with it, this game should be viewed as a positive contribution to that.
Farmer
Those not aware think "something must be wrong if HE is saying that" when actually he is no longer anything but a piece of history as far as the club is concerned.
By the sides of other Somerset names who it is believed he 'eclipses' in the general cricket world he is meaningless to the everyday operation of the present club. He's a grainy video great along with others and nothing more when compared with Vic Marks, Roy Kerslake, Brian Rose, Marcus Trescothick and Andy Caddick to name but a few.
He's from a different age and he left Somerset behind long before Somerset realised he had gone. There are other better servants of the county who deserve their name in prominent places before ITB I'm afraid
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Old players should really know when to pack in commentary on the game just as much as they should know when to stop playing.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
A link to my report (Overton and Lammonby - two artists ply their trade) is below. My apologies to the person at the match who asked me if I would be writing a report. I had hoped to complete it before now, but life and six more days of cricket got in the way.
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
This was an especially memorable day for me as I had arranged for seven of my school contemporaries (it would have been nine, but two had contracted covid a few days beforehand) to attend. Even those who aren't cricket followers enjoyed a day at the cricket.
However, now that we have a slight hiatus in the 50-over competiton, here is the second instalment - Day 2 of the Durham CC match - Helter-skelter cricket:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
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