Somerset
The Friendly Glamorgan 3 dayer
By Grockle
March 27 2026
A home friendly against the guys across the Channel to give us an idea what is what amongst our squad with a week to go. It's going to be a 12 v 12 game with the bowlers and bats not necessarily being the same and bats may bat twice. The live scorecards are gonna love that.
Friendly v Glamorgan @Taunton Friday 27 March 2026
There's a load of rain in the air but the wind has dropped from the gales of Monday. Somerset wn the toss and choose to bat first and we start on time;
The Somerset 12 is;
TKC, Josh Thomas, Tom Lammonby, James Rew, Tom Abell, Lewis Goldsworthy, Lewis Gregory, Josh Shaw, Alfie Ogborne, Craig Overton, Jack Leach, Jake Ball
Archie Vaughan is 'rested' for this one after opening with Josh T in Spain - probably to give the other possible opening partnership of TKC and JT. No sign of Miggy P as of yet.
The game starts on time with umpires Burns and Hollingshead officiating and we open with Thomas and Kohler- Cadmore.
Timm van der Guten opens for the Glammies from the River end with McIlroy bowling from the other end. It's a very short boundary on the Somerset Stand so TKC must be looking at that with anticipation.
Unfortunately - he doesn't stay in long enough as van der Gugten gets him with only 8 to his name and only 13 on the board. He plays an 'expansive shot' and is skittled when he gets no bat on the ball. Tom Lammonby strides out in the number 3 spot suggesting that James Rew will be in the fourth spot. He actually arrives a little earlier than he would have liked as well because just after Josh starts to look like he is getting into his stride, he doesn't stride far enough while trying to cut Jamie McIlroy and chops on for 16 at 30 for 2. Out comes Rew the Elder but not for long because 11 runs later he gets a leading edge to a ball which should have shot into the stands. It doesn't, it only goes as far as Kellaway at square cover who takes the catch and send the keeper back for 6 at 41. Tom Abell comes out to face the first deliveries from Gorvin and looks to steady a creaking ship a little. The 50 arrives in the 113th over and by the 17th the twobats have only added another 9. There is rain in the air but as of yet it has skirted the ground. It may not stay that way.
It's worth mentioning that Eddie Byrom AND Sean Dickson are out there today but no sign of Ned Leonard in this side.
After being on 45 for most of the hour since 12, the partnership between the two Tom's is broken by Diouthwaite who bowls Lammonby for 29 at 87 for 4. It finished on 46 and Spencer gets the first commentary curse award of the season for mentioning the 50 partnership (albeit some 15 to 20 minutes before it didn't make it) it's been a little 'slow' moving up towards lunch. Lewis Goldsworthy arrives at the middle in a season where he has the opportunity to break into this side and establish himself as a 'must pick' option before others return to the squad. Banton will not be considered for red ball games until the middle of the summer at the earliest and Thomas Rew will be taking a backseat until after his A level examinations one would so will not be under consideration until mid June one would imagine.
93 for 4 at lunch with Abell on 22 and Goldsworthy on 3 after 27 overs.
Tom Norton starts the afternoon's proceedings from the River end before van der Gugten returns from the MT. In the 31st over, before the 100 arrives, Tom Abell top edges a ball from Norton and the bowler takes the return catch to send the Somerset man on his way for 26 at 97 for 5. Lewis Sr joins Lewis Jr and sends the ball to the boundary four four to finally bring up the home side's 100 at the end of the 32nd over.
At 125 Lewis Gregory provides a full drive to a ball from Gorvin. Unfortunately Norton is at deep mid wicklet and he catches the ball before it gets past him. The skipper leaves for 9 and we move to 125 for 6. Out comes Jack Leach further up the order than usual. But before he is into his game the other Lewis is out caught behind by Cook off the bowling of Ul Hassan and it is 125 for 7. Lots of the frontend men have got going but none have pushed on and we now have two bats on zero as Craig Overton joins the game.
The rain comes in and is going across the car park in waves. The umpires look to take the players off but the rain stops and they are called back onto the before the groundstaff have the sheets ready to go on and we continue.
The 150 arrives with the first ball of the 42nd over with Leach on 13 and Overton on 12. Rain is floating about the ground but not coming across the playing area at the moment. There is most definitely rain in the area but we have been lucky until now that it has not caused play to be suspended.
The two batting all rounders take the score past 175 and rack up a 50 partnership with Jack on 27 and Craigo on 21.
Mason Crane gets the ball and we see the first spin of the season in the 52nd over with Somerset at 188 for 7 just before the Tea interval.
The interval arrives at 195 for 7 with our bowling allrounders going in at 35 in the case of Leach and 33 in the case of COve. They are having fun out there with a partnershiop of 70 betwen them.
Glamorgan turn to the spin of Ben Kellaway at the MT end to start the last phase of Day 1. For a minute it looks like they might double up with Crane from the River but Norton comes on instead as Somerset take the score past 200.
Kellaway spoils the celebrations for Jack as he is bowled on 47 just short of a first season 50 at 218 for 8. Good ball with our spinner not getting forward and chopping on to his stumps instead. Shame but well batted Mr Leach. He looked in good form and he has the strokes to make himself a problem for any bowling attack once he gets in. The wicket finished with a partnership of 93 - not too shabby after all.
In comes Alfie Ogborne to start his most important season to date. His first job is to help his bowling mate get to a half century if that is possible and then go on from there. That first job is not to be as Craig is bowled by an absolute jaffa from Norton for 46 at 222. In comes Josh Shaw. He leaves a balll an is out for 1 LBWand that's the lot all out for 223.
Glamorgan's opening pair of Eddie Byrom and Asa Tribe (a name for the future) come out to face Lewis Gregory with an hour and a bit to see off tonight. The second Somerset opening bowler is Alfie Ogborne from the River end and he nearly has a caught behind in his first over.
20 for 0 after 5 with most of the runs from the bat of Tribe. Alfie is steaming in and gets a lot of credit for enthusiasm. It's good to see. From the practice sessions around the ground there are a couple of other things to mention. Firstly, TKC has far too much hair!! Secondly, JT Langridge has shot up in height. He's in the mid 6 foot range now one would suggest. Thirdly, the question about who will keep when our 3 present keepers are not avialble all at the same time seems to have been answered. Fin Hill has has the gloves on all day today, either doing coached glove work or acting as the keeper in bowling sessions etc. It looks like he will be first choce keeper for the seconds while Thomas Rew is doing exams and that suggests he will be the Metrobank keeper when all 3 of our main guys are away in August.
Jake Ball takes over from the skipper at the MT end for the 7th but it is Alfie who gets first blood as he skittles Tribe for 13 with a rocket that destroys his stumps at 30 for 1. In comes Sean Dickson to face men he knows well and to partner the other ex Somerset bat with something to prove at Taunton.
The Glamorgan 50 arrives in Josh Shaw's first over (number 12). Byrom flips him to the MT boundary for 4 from his second ball and he moves to 25 as his side go past 50 to 53 for 1. The lights are on but the day has dried out completely now and we will finish a full day's play in about 30 minutes time - well ahead of anyone's expectations about 9am this morning. We have been very lucky.
Sean is looking to get into his work tonight and set a base for more of an onslaught tomorrow. He is particularly looking at home against Jake as he looks to move up to Eddie's score (presently 29 from 46) He has 23 from 29 at the moent with about 15 minutews of the day to go. This game does seem to be set up for these two players to try an give their former county 'what for' - starting with a possible 50 run partnership this evening. They do look to be trying to 'climb' into the Shaw/Ball bwoling partnership as they move into the 40s with Josh going for 14 from his 3 and Jake giving away 22 from his 5. It should be noted that Craig Overton has yet to bowl a ball and probably won't be doing so today it seems. Being aware of this, Jake bends his back a bit more and produces the first maiden of the innings with his 6th to warn the Glamorgan pair. Josh also finishes with an over that only gives away a single and we finish the day with 18 overs done 72 for 1 for the visitors with Eddie on 36 from 53 and Sean on 23 from 40. Jake finishes with 6/2/22/0 and Josh 4/0/15/0. Alfie took the only wicket of the first day and Glamorgan will start tomorrow 151 runs behind on first innings.
The finishing time is a little because of the overlap with the Darts event that is taking palce at the ground tonight with one crowd leaving(not all that big) swapping the venue with another crowd (of a much bigger size) arriving.
We'll be back at 11 am tomorrow if the weather lets us.
Day 2
For those panicking yesterday evening! Craig Overton is opening the bowling this morning and bowls a maiden to start the day. Lewis opens from the River end, Lovely March morning - people complaining today about the lack of 'Bobblehat' watch this year (if you are unaware, have a look at the picture from this fixture last year at the top or this report) though the wind is 'brisk' if you catch it in the right direction. Other than that nice high cloud and loads of blue sky.
Another comment from this morning is that Sean Dickson seems to have done some work on his reb ball 'leaving' over the winter as he was judging the ball quite well last night and this morning. One ought to point out that he has spent the last few years watching the guys bowling at him a lot so he probably has a pretty good idea what they do with the ball. After 3 overs Craig is yet to give away a run as Glamorgan move to 82 after 5 which moves them past a 50 partnership by 2. Craig finally gives away 4 runs with his 4th over and the two Glam bats both move to 37 with Byrom getting there off 78 balls and Dickson off 61.
Josh Shaw comes on to bowl as Glamorgan pass the 3 figure mark in the 30th over of the innings. It will be interesting to compare the stats. Craig went for 5 from his first 5 overs. Josh went for 15 from last night's 4. These will be the comparisons being made by the supporters in the wake of expectations of the new boy. TKC nearly got him his first this morning but instead it results in the fielder having to leave the field with a hand injury - not easy but maybe should have been pouched. Also, to be equally fair, Overton's sixth over took him from 5 for 5 to 6 for 17 so the runs are there.
It is Josh Shaw who gets first 'Day 2' blood as he bowls Dickson for 48 at 110 in the 32nd over. Out comes Kieran Carlson in 4th spot. So Josh's first home wicket is an ex Somerset player bowled - onwards and upwards from here!!
Jake Ball comes on for his first spell of the day from the MT after getting his line right at the end of his spell yesterday evening and giving away 22 for his 6 but with 2 late maidens. He bowls his third to start his Saturday work.
Eddie goes to 50 from 108 at 129 for 2 in the 36th over off Josh
Just after the 150 arrives in the 38th over we see Jack Leach introduced into the attack for the 40th. Neither Byrom or Carlson have looked particularly worried by our second level bowling attack (which might create questions about the possibility of a second overseas bowler at Monday's Media Day perhaps?). He goes for 11 of his first - showing how useful spin is going to be in April in the Chgampionshitp. It is a double change as Alfie takes over at the MT in the 41st.
Carlson has been quietly accumulating at quite a pace but after taking 42 from 31 balls (the 50 partnership with EAddie came from only 49 balls) he flaps one from Jack to Craig at mid off and goes caught for the 41 at 182 for 3. The next man in is Kellaway as we move towards lunch. TKC returned to the field and has then left again and I think we have the now VERY tall JT Langridge (who has reached 6'7") on as sub fielder. He was bowling in the interval yesterday and does look as if he has developed his bowling style into someting more akin to his new height - not bending his back as much as he was. This hopefully will be good from an injury point of view because the action now looks much more comfortable than last season. A good bit of news in a worrying set of bowling aspects I would suggest.
Lunch arrives at 196 for 3 with Eddie on 81 from 148 and Kellaway on 11 from 14 at the end of the 47th over of the day. Glamorgan take the first part of the day going in just 27 behind with 7 wickets in hand. Suggests a big lead is in the cards by the end of today unless something changes. There is going to be no weather influence except for the quite loud wind, which does't seem to have helped the bowling attack much this morning so the Welsh should be looking positively at going into the last day with a win in the air.
The third 50 partnership of this innings arrives at
Skipper Lewis starts the afternoon session with a maiden fro the River while Jack unusually changes ends to bowl from the MT (not something he does all that often). Up comes the 200 in the 49th.
In the 55th over Glamorgan take the lead as Byrom moves into the 90's with Kellaway adding 30 and another 50 partnership (the third of this innings) arrives at 232 with Byrom looking directly at a century and in little trouble against Jack and Craig, who has taken over from his captain at the River end.
Kellaway gets to 50 before his partner scores the 5 runs to take him to a hundred. In the time Eddie has scored 2 Ben has added 20! One expects fans to question our bowling strength on this performance against one of the CC2 sides coming up this season. It begs questions about our ability to dismiss sides and if not that then the depth should our front four seamers be injured at any time - the Media Q&A is going to be fun on Monday. (Facebook tonight might be 'interesting' as well). Eddie finally goes to 100 with a four to the Somerset Stand to move the score to 264 and his personal score of 103 from 189. That is not his first ton at Taunton because he scored 115 against Cardiff Uni in 2018 but some would argue that should not have been a first class match. However it was so this is his second at the ground as far as the stats are concerned. His other one for Somerset was in the Bob Willis Final at Lord's in 2020.
With that at 104 Eddie retires and Zain Ul Hassan takes over at 275 for 4. He then faces Tom Lammonby who comes on for a bowl at the River end. At the other end for the 67th we see Josh Thomas giving it a twirl and he bowls Ul Hassan with his third ball for 1. 284 for 5 as he gets the ball to turn considerably. Jos Thomas 0 for 1.
Ben Kellaway continues to move towards the second 100 as the 300 arrives with his new partner Cooke on 2. Tom has gone for 26 off 4 so he may not be the saviour here.
Kellaway goes past 100 in the 77th over as the score moves on Lewis Goldsworthy replaces Lammonby at the River to move to a double spin option though it does seem to be a move to cut the scoring rather than end this innings. Glamorgan seem to be happy to take the singles etc. Kellaway has not retired so they don't seem to have a need to blood anybody else and so it is just moving this score to one they will be happy with before declaring and putting Somerset in again. At the Tea interval it is 344 for 5 with Cooke on 24 from 43 and Kellaway on 106 from 119.
Apologies - we were helping out the livestream people with the setting up of the sound and so spent the last half hour of the Glamorgan innings "commentating" on it. Effectively, Kellaway retired and Cooke and Douthwaite took the score on until Cooke was caught by Overton off the bowling of Ball for 48 and Glamorgan decalred at 4:30 for 369 - a lead of 146 in the first innings.
At 4:45 TKC and Josh Thomas returned to the middle to start the second Somerset innings and taking 4 off the first over from McIlroy from the River end. The second over is taken by vander Gugten from the MT and we have an hour today for Somerset to consolidate before they spend tomorrow getting to grips with the lead and taking this game into the afternoon sessions of the Third Day.
It doesn't start well as Josh again chops his fourth ball from van der Gugten onto his stumps and leaves without scoring. In comes Lammonby but as as been the case before, he is soon settling in with another partner because after spending some time choosing a new bat, TKC is immediately bowled by van der Gugten for 5 and Somerset are 7 for 2 with James Rew coming in at number 4
They settle into working towards the end of the day but they don't get there because in the 12th over James is comprehensively skittled by Mason Crane for 18 at 43 for 3 (Crane's first over and only his fourth ball).Tom Abell joins Tom Lammonby on 20 and we look to see if these two can see out Day 2 with a possible 20 minutes to go until the end of play.
The 50 arrives in the 14th over with 6 to Tom A and 21 to Tom L. Norton is going around the park a bit at the end of the day as he goes for 34 from his 4 overs however, Somerset are still well behind the 'eight ball' as we near the end of the days play only about halfway to the point where their runs are added and Glamorgan have to bat again but with 3 bats already back in the changing room.
Mason Crane bowls the last of the day and the players leave the field with Somerset on 81 for 3 with Abell on 22 from 27 and Lammonby on 32 from 39 With 18 overs gone and a whole day for play tomorrow Somerset are still 65 away from making Glamorgan bat again and a long long way from winning this game.
Day 3
McIlroy starts proceedings on the last day in overcast conditions on a less blustery Sunday morning. After about 40 minutes we move past 3 figures in the 29th over. Around the hour mark Tom Lammonby moves towards the 50 mark. He passes that point before the hourias reached off the bowling of Ul Hassan from the River while moving to only 20 runs behind the Glamorgan first innings score. The floodlights are on in pretty dull morning conditions - there is a prediction of rain for the afternoon and there has been moisture in the air most of the session though it isn't threatening at the moment. Supporters may be parying for rain before the end of this game one imagines. It is very slow and 'by the book' to a great extent today.
Tom Abell follows his partner to 50 in the 37th over from 83 balls off the bowling of Douthwaite at 167 for 3. Glamorgan also have to now bat again. Tom Lammonby took 50 off 82 balls and is now standing at 99 off 103 balls. He takes the single to bring up a second 50 from 25 balls and a 100 off 107 balls at 184 for 3.
Somerset pass 200 before the lunch break as Asa Tribe bowls (did anyone know he could? Kellaway provides slow bowling at the other end and seems to be to Abell's liking as he come sup the wicket to deposit him straight into the Gimblett. We may see a bit of 'buffet bowling' so give Glmaorgan something to bat against in the afternoon now.. Somerset have a 70 odd run lead at the moment and they'll need to get more if a reasonable and testing Glamorgan taret can be set for the middle afternoon to make it worthwhile.
At lunch Somerset have reached 225 for 3 with a 182 run partnership and a lead of 79. Tom A has 70 from 117 balls and his partner Tom L has 118 from 131 balls. We will have an afternon of cricket it seems.
As we start the second session Lammonby has retired and Goldsworthy has taken his place to face Ul Hassan from the River. He isn't there all that klong though because after scoring 2 he is LBW to Kellaway and returns to the changing rooms at 230. Josh Thomas comes out for another go and will probably be followed by TKC should he be unsuccessful again. The joys of frendly games huh?
After slowing down considerably, Tom Abell reaches 84 eventually before he skies one, trying to push the score on, to McIlroy off the bowling of Crane and he departs after just bringing up the 250 at 256 for 6. In comes Craig Overton to try and help Josh go past his highest score in this game on the third attempt.
Josh reaches 23 this time before he edges to Cooke from Crane at 283 for 7 and leaves the field to usher in Jack Leach. They take the score past 300 before Craig decides to have a go and goes over 50 in 42 balls with 3 consecutive sixes in the 75th over off Asa Tribe. Then for no apparent reason at 331 for 7 Lewis pops out to have a chat with Jack Leach and everyone shakes hands and the friendly is done. Bit of a strange end but there you go. We complete the game at 3pm. It seems that there was a chance to have a bit of a hit and giggle type ending being 190 ahead to finish the game but they must have seen enough and to be fair it is not all that warm out there so they may have decided to make sure there are no injuries.
In retrospect an hour later it was also probably down to the pretty definite weather forcast that suggested there would be little cricket from about 4pm onwards given the oncoming rain. So an early end was probably a good decision in the end.
The Media day and press conference tomorrow will be interesting based on the last three days. There are a number of questions and to be honest not many of them have been moved forward particularly positively by the events of this weekend. But we'll return to that after tomorrow's discussions and before the start of the season v Nottinghamshire next Friday.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:04:01:10:48:52 by Grockle.
As well as a practice game going on the place is a hive of activity and noise. Builders and their ilk everywhere
Strange that all this building work wasn't done earlier .
There might be some test parts perhaps. I'll let people know if they plan to as the Press facilities are open next door
Or are they just trying out other people in the only game they have?
He did open in the one in Spain I believe and I doubt they are going to be taking their spinners through the motions.
Though if the wind is like earlier in the week they probably could get something interseting going if they tossed it up!!
Looking forward to their explanation as to why we havenât signed second overseas player at media day. Unless of course they have something pending announcement on day? Feel we lack strength in depth in the seam bowling department. Massive gamble from club which hopefully doesnât backfire. Hope both Alfie and JT Langridge can step up.
TKC
Josh Thomas
Tom Lammonby
Tom Abell
James Rew
Lewis Goldsworthy
Lewis Gregory
Alfie Ogborne
Craig Overton
Josh Shaw
Jack Leach
with
Jake Ball as 12th man
It could be wrong.
For those on the ground. The Stragglers is open until after the Tea interval but whether there is going to be a day's play is a real question. The wicket is well over to the Somerset Stand side of the ground so a very close boundary on that side.
Other new news? The Fish and Chip shop behind the Botham stand will NOT be open this season presently. There will be fish and chips in a van but that will be based in the Farmer White car park I think. 'Eat the Bird' will come on stream eventually but I have no idea when as of today - more info as I get it. No live stream for this game unfortunately - they will be sorting kit but that is about it. No 1875 today or any viewing above ground level in the MT Pavilion I believe. Tractor is here though!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:03:27:19:49:41 by Grockle.
and length.We bowled so many 4 balls per over.Notts next week will be a real examination even without Duckett and Tongue.I know many supporters are worried about our bowling resources.
If there are stick them here and I'll try to get you answers or report the answers that were given to like minded questions from the floor.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:03:28:11:05:33 by Grockle.
2) Has our inaction in further bolstering our seam bowling resouces been deliberate or simply down to the lack of quality available players willing to come to Taunton (why ?) ?
Grizzers
Though it may depend on whether James gets called up by England with all these discussions about what an England Test keeper should be.
The second is a good more detailed question about the absence (or not) of the second overseas bowler. Not only is he absent but also why.
We were saying yesterday that IF the decision is to give the young guys their heads and see what they can do then PLEASE admit that and give them that confirmation rather than just spin an answer that just keeps all the options open without committing to any of them.
He was 'rested' in order to give the other possible opening partnership the chance to play together because of the lack of friendly work before the season starts. So TKC and Josh Thomas may be an option (because , as with most of our bats, Archie it is suggested is happier further down the order). It mean nothing more than that it seems.
Glamorgan definitely seem more up for this one. The bowling is more disappointing than the batting in that regard because they had the chance to allay our concerns about the pace attack. On todayâs evidence those fears are completely justified.
On the basis of that we identified 3 seasons - 1999, 2003 and 2006. Two of which we held up the entire CC. The basis of all three methods of assesment plumped for the 'weakest' being 1999 when Graham Rose was waining, Neil Mallender was about to retire, Steff was new and Caddy was off with England and we had no significant spin option (though as usual AI talks about someone called Peter Ecclestone being in the first team squad as a 'left arm orthodox' - first I've ever heard of him). As an aside to that, has anyone ever seen Keith Parsons or Marcus Trescothick bowling off spin professionally for the first team? It reckoned they were both available but were never used.
2003 was heavily injury prone and 2006 wasCaddy's last I think or definitely one of the last with a young Charl Willoughby making his way (was Charl ever 'young')
As for AI, I think someone needs to teach it the term 'military medium'. It would be revelationary.
AI is a waste of space as anything but a research starting point to be honest. Early 'legwork' that needs checking is all it's good for at best
Disappointing and not all that impressive given the two players remarks about deffing off the IPL to concentrate ont he domestic games but there ya go. They are still both under England orders I assume.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:03:29:16:28:37 by Grockle.
My mind keep returning to the number of players who have left Somerset since last season.
How many left because Somerset didn't want them to stay? How many left because Somerset didn't try hard enough to keep them? (that include not offering them a good enough contract)
I lived in Essex at the time and saw the 2007 match in which Somerset won promotion by beating Essex at Chelmsford in the penultimate match of the season (they won the second division Championship in the final match at Taunton against Nottinghamshire). Curiously our first two matches of this season.
Story 1 Chelmsford 2007. Somerset, batting second, led by 168 on first innings. In their second innings, Essex had reached 230 odd for 5 - a lead of 60 odd. James Foster (96) and Ryan ten Doeschate (34) had added 70 odd for the fifth wicket and were in full flow. Caddick had done nothing in the match to that point (0-22 in the Essex first innings and nothing that far in their second - Charl Willoughby had taken five in the Essex first innings). Langer walked up to Caddick who was not bowling and spoke to him. Caddick bowled two overs. Ten doeschate lbw Caddick - Essex 235 for 5. Middlebrook bowled Caddick 0 - Essex 235 for 6. Foster lbw Munday - Essex 239 for 7. Caddick off. They were the only two wickets he took in the match but it broke the back of the Essex revival and Somerset won by six wickets. I have no idea what Langer said to Caddick but by all means have a muse about it.
Story 2. Taunton 2008. The final match of the season against Lancashire. Somerset began the match with a chance of winning the Championship. Had they beaten Lancashire and collected four batting points rather than one they would have beaten Durham by one point to win the Championship. Instead of which ...
The prepared pitch was, from recollection, dappled green and yellow, probably designed for an insertion. Somerset lost the toss - and were inserted. All out 202. Lancashire all out 248. In the second innings, Gary Keedy whipped through the Somerset lower order and Lancashire needed 181. By the end of the third day, with the pitch flattening in classic Taunton fashion, Lancashire were 122 for 0. 59 more to win.
The fourth morning started with the position, in the match and in the Championship, hopeless. To win the Championship, Somerset needed to take ten Lancashire wickets for less than 58 runs and for Kent to bat out the day against Durham at Canterbury with five wickets standing at the start. Neither happened of course, but there was a classic Caddick cameo before the end. Somerset also needed Notttinghamshire (them again) to lose or draw against Hampshire. But after Hampshire sprung a late signing of Imran Tahir (eight wickets in the match) on them at the toss they wobbled and lost by 203 runs.
Back to Caddick. Despite the hopelessness of the situation there was a large crowd of several thousand from recollection - even a flicker of a hope of the Championship grips. Despite a strong pace attack of Alfonso Thomas, Steffan Jones and Charl Willoughby in addition to Caddick (while we are on the subject of pace attacks) everyone was expecting the ball to be thrown to Caddick at the start. It wasn't. Caddick was fielding on the boundary in front of me in the Somerset Stand. He began furiously waving his arms at Langer and if it were possible for a human being to spit fire those of us in the Somerset Stand would have been roasted alive every time he walked back to his position after the ball had been played. At one point, someone shouted out as Jones prepared to bowl, "Steffan we need a wicket!" "I know!!!" bellowed Steffan looking straight back at where the voice had come from. And all the while Caddick was waving furiously at Langer.
Eventually, Lancashire still none down, Langer called on Caddick. Horton caught Trescothick bowled Caddick 58. Chilton caught Kieswetter bowled Caddick 97. Now there's a trio of Somerset players to conjure with. But it was too late. Durham won, Somerset lost by eight wickets and, "Next year," was on lips. What was on Caddick's lips when he spoke to Langer at the end is probably best left unmused upon.
See you all Friday
Farmer
The brekkie used to be quite good but that must be well on a 30% price hike at least from the last one I had.
I live in Bath and most of the good breakfast places here (eg Same Same But Different, The Raven charge around ÂŁ12-ÂŁ15 or so - though I'm sure you can pay more. The Salvation Army does a decent one for less than a tenner.
I'm a big fan of the ol' greasy spoon breakfast and next time I'm in Taunton I'm planning to try the cafe on Bridge street, which used to be Biddy's and is now Biddy's by Soph. Loads of change from a tenner, if memory serves.
[www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk]
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Haven't tried the new version of "Wickets" called "Piccollo" yet ( which used to be "Pan et Vin" before that). Much more of a sit down cafe and less of a sandwich pick up than it used to be so "9:15" has taken its place as the walk in breakfast snack on the way to the ground now.
Stragglers do have more than decent selection of bacon and sausage baps in a morning however if the breakfast is out of your (and anyone else's) league. They do tend to go quickly though
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