Report: Somerset v Warwickshire, County Championship

Day Four

Warwickshire toiled on a flat batting track, chipping away at Somerset’s batting lineup, but ultimately fell to a fourth-day defeat in an absorbing Vitality County Championship Division One game at Taunton.

Olly Hannon-Dalby was the pick of the bowlers taking two wickets on the day and claiming eight in total in the match.

Tom Abell hit a well-paced century as Somerset chased down 410 to beat Warwickshire by five wickets.

The former club captain finished unbeaten on 152, off 207 balls, with 14 fours and 2 sixes, as his side made light of their mammoth target, winning with 4.2 overs to spare.

Tom Banton contributed 81, James Rew 57 not out and Tom Kohler-Cadmore 49 after Warwickshire had declared on their overnight second innings total of 281 for eight.

It was the second-most successful fourth innings run chase in Somerset’s history. They took 20 points from the game to go second in the Division One table, while Warwickshire had to be content with seven.

Chasing such a big target, Somerset knew a good start was imperative. Andy Umeed played positively from the outset and made 30 of the 44 runs on the board when wafting at a delivery from Oliver Hannon-Dalby and edging through to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.

Kohler-Cadmore demonstrated admirable restraint to ensure a solid start but lost another partner with the total on 77 when Tom Lammonby top-edged an attempted pull shot off Michael Booth and fell for 26, Ed Barnard taking a tumbling catch at fine leg.

Having curbed his natural attacking instincts for much of the morning, Kohler-Cadmore opened his shoulders to hit left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell over long-on for six in the final over before lunch, which was taken at 117 for two, the former Yorkshire player unbeaten on 35.

Abell was 25 not out and the afternoon session saw the pair complete a half-century stand-off 92 balls. But, with the total on 144, Kohler-Cadmore aimed an expansive shot over the leg side off Hannon-Dolby and got a thick edge to third man where Barnard pouched his second catch.

Abell went to fifty off 92 balls with an on-driven boundary off Hannon-Dalby, but he and Banton sensibly took few chances in ensuring Warwickshire did not enjoy any more success before tea. Banton’s half-century occupied 76 deliveries and featured 4 fours and a six.

Somerset went into the final session still needing 188 runs from a minimum of 33 overs. The century partnership between Abell and Banton was brought up off 158 balls and Banton immediately went on the attack, lofting Bethell for six over long-on.

Somerset were starting to look favourites as runs started to flow more quickly. With 25 overs remaining, they needed a further 131 on what is traditionally a fast-scoring ground.

Warwickshire desperately needed a wicket. It came with the total on 281 when Banton, who has made giant strides as a red-ball cricketer this season, attempted to force a short ball from Barnard through the leg-side and picked out Yates at mid-wicket. He had faced 109 balls and hit 7 fours and 2 sixes.

Somerset promoted Migael Pretorius in the bid for quick runs. The South African had managed 14 off ten balls when top-edging a catch to cover off Will Rhodes. At 299 for five, the hosts required 111 off the final 20 overs.

That brought in Rew, who has struggled for runs this summer after a prolific 2023 season. The left-hander produced a classic extra cover drive for four off Rhodes before Abell went to a chanceless 171-ball hundred, which included 9 fours, with a single off Barnard.

The second new ball was about to become due. Rew slog-swept Bethell for four and followed up with a straight six next ball. With 85 needed, the umpires signalled the final hour and minimum of 16 overs left in the game.

Warwickshire delayed taking the new ball, perhaps reasoning a softer one was more difficult to strike for boundaries. Instead, Rhodes turned to Dan Mousley, giving the off-spinner his first bowl of the match.

It was a gamble that didn’t work as Mousley’s two overs went for 12. By the time Oliver Hannon-Dalby was handed the new ball, there were just 11 overs left and 54 runs required, Abell and Rew having completed a half-century stand off 51 deliveries.

From there, the pair cut loose to finish the game with a flurry of boundaries, Rew completing a 51-ball fifty and Abell ending a memorable day with a pulled six off Booth.

Mark Robinson, First team coach said: “We felt that by winning the game and getting 23 points we would be one point off third. We’re trying to look that way all the time, but it hasn’t paid.

“We’ve always tried to be aggressive, look to win games and try to entertain and sometimes you have to take it on the chin when it doesn’t go your way. We knew the dangers here of how a wicket gets better and better against a team with a long batting line-up.

“We were looking for early in roads and we were unlucky this morning. We felt we could have had them four down, but they weathered it and played well as the day went on.”

Day Three

Half-centuries from Rob Yates, Alex Davies and Jacob Bethell strengthened Warwickshire’s grip on the third day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.

The visitors earned a first innings lead of 128 when bowling out Somerset for 284 from an overnight 208 for six. Tom Abell fell for 61 and Craig Overton finished unbeaten on 35, while Oliver Hannon-Dalby added two victims to his second day efforts and ended with six for 56 from 18.2 overs.

Yates (57) and Davies (50) then produced a century opening partnership and, despite a mid-innings stumble, Warwickshire were able to reach stumps on 28 for eight, 409 runs ahead, with Bethell contributing a sparkling 66. Overton claimed four for 57, but his side will have to bat to save the game on the final day.

Somerset’s first task on a morning in which they offered free admission to more than 1,300 children from 41 schools across the South West was to score the 55 runs needed to avoid the prospect of following on.

Abell missed a swinging full toss in Michael Booth’s opening over and departed lbw without adding to his overnight score. And, while Kasey Aldridge struck a couple of delightful boundaries in moving to 14, he undid that good work by chasing a wide delivery from Booth and edging to Yates at second slip.

Somerset needed a captain’s innings from Overton, who survived a confident lbw shout from Booth first ball. From then on, he batted with great assurance, hitting 6 fours, and together with James Rew, took Somerset to a batting point at 250 for eight.

When Rew ran three off a ball from Ed Barnard, Warwickshire knew they would be batting next. The second new ball was taken at 279 for eight and with three runs added Rew, on 18, drove at a wide tempter from Hannon-Dalby, edging to first slip.

Hannon-Dalby then bowled Migael Pretorius with a swinging yorker, the tall seamer somehow gleaning a six-wicket haul from the bland hybrid surface. Overton was left unbeaten, having faced only 36 balls.

By lunch, Yates and Davies had added 25 to Warwickshire’s advantage against the new ball and the pattern continued in the afternoon session as the two openers coped comfortably with Somerset’s attack.

Yates was first to fifty off 90 balls, with 5 fours and a six, soon followed by Davies, who had faced 87 deliveries and hit 6 fours. The stand had reached 106 when the ball after reaching his half-century Davies was bowled by Jack Leach getting into a defensive tangle.

Somerset spirits were raised when Yates pulled a short ball from Overton and picked out Josh Davey at fine leg. Sam Hain joined Will Rhodes and the pair opted for caution in taking the score to 125 for two at tea, Hain having made three off 33 balls.

The final session saw Rhodes explode into action, taking successive boundaries off an Aldridge over, which had already seen Hain hit a four, to bring up 150. But just as the innings was gaining momentum Rhodes, on 36, went to pull another Overton short ball and feathered a catch through to wicketkeeper Rew.

With the lead just past 300, Dan Mousley advanced down the pitch to Overton and only succeeded in miscuing a catch to Tom Banton at mid-on to leave Warwickshire 175 for four.

Worse was to follow for the visitors as Hain played Leach to mid-on for a single and Ed Barnard was run out by Aldridge’s smart pick-up and direct hit at the wicketkeeper’s end. At 177 for five, Somerset could consider themselves back in the game.

But Hain dug in and Bethell was severe on anything short as they put together a half-century stand off 102 balls to steady the Warwickshire ship before Hain, on 43, ran out of patience and holed out to mid-on off Overton.

Bethell reached a 71-ball fifty with his second six, pulled over mid-wicket off Overton and looked in great touch before falling leg-before to Leach with three overs remaining. Leach struck again when Chris Woakes chipped a catch to cover and fell for a duck.

Warwickshire Captain Alex Davies said: “We would have liked to score a bit quicker and have a few overs at them tonight. But the ball became like a sock as they threw it into the dirt at every opportunity to soften it, which was good tactics on their part.

“It made it very difficult to get quick runs. But, having been 40 for four on day one, we will certainly take the position we are in and hope to press for victory tomorrow.

“I am not giving anything away about declaration plans. We will have a talk about it and decide what is best in the morning.

“Jacob Bethell played a brilliant knock, showing what a good player he is becoming. Olly Hannon-Dalby’s wickets were reward for all the hard work he puts it and we love having Michael Booth in the side, not just for his bowling, but because he is such a funny lad.

“He admitted the ball he got Tom Abell with slipped out of his hands.”

Day Two

Olly Hannon-Dalby took three wickets in the final five overs – including two wickets in two balls – as the Bears took complete control on the second day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.

With an old ball and strong LBW shouts dismissed, the Bears would be forgiven for their heads dropping late in the day, after Tom Banton and Tom Abell rescued the hosts, but the senior bowler in the ranks thrusted all the momentum to visitors.

Banton and Abell came together with the home side 57 for three in their first innings, trailing by 355 runs, and produced a patient stand of 139, Banton making 77 and Abell 61 not out, before those three late wickets saw Somerset stumble to stumps on 208 for six, Oliver Hannon-Dalby claiming four for 45.

Earlier, Warwickshire had extended their score from an overnight 373 for eight to 412 all out, Michael Burgess falling for 147. Migael Pretorius added the wicket of Michael Booth to his four first day victims for figures of five for 104 from 27 overs.

Only one over was bowled at the start of play before a heavy shower wiped out play for the session to the consternation of more than 700 schoolchildren granted free admission for the day. An early lunch was taken at 12.30pm, with play resuming at 1.10pm.

Somerset’s frustrations of the previous evening continued and an edged four by Booth off Pretorius took the visitors to a fourth batting point at 402 for eight, having been 40 for four at one stage.

Booth then took two to third man to bring up a half-century stand with Burgess in 74 balls before Pretorius parted them, Booth edging to Abell at first slip to depart for 31.

Burgess had faced 208 balls, hitting 17 fours and 3 sixes when last man out, skying a catch to Jack Leach at mid-on to give Kasey Aldridge his only wicket.

Needing 263 to avoid the prospect of being asked to follow on, Somerset minds might have been on cautiously negotiating the new ball. Instead, Andy Umeed smacked the second delivery of the second over back over Hannon-Dalby’s head for six and then fell to the fourth, edging a low catch to Jacob Bethell at fourth slip.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore also looked to attack at every opportunity and had moved to 22 off 35 balls when caught behind pushing half forward to a good length ball from Booth. At the other end, Chris Woakes completed a seven-over opening spell costing just 15 runs.

When Tom Lammonby, on 23, edged another catch to wicketkeeper Burgess, playing down the wrong line to Ed Barnard, Somerset were 57 for three and under pressure. Banton clubbed Booth over a short extra cover boundary for six as he and Abell saw them to 80 for three at tea.

An extended final session of 43 overs began with Banton playing some delightful shots and bringing up the fifty partnership from 88 balls with a sweetly-timed back-foot shot through the covers for four off Hannon-Dalby.

Abell was largely content to play a supporting role as the stand blossomed. Banton reached a 77-ball half-century with a single of left-arm spinner Bethell, having hit 5 fours and a six, only looking vulnerable when chasing wide deliveries.

The pair settled for accumulating steadily as the ball became softer and Warwickshire’s bowlers shared the frustrations of their Somerset counterparts over a pitch offering negligible seam movement or turn.

Abell survived a scare on 43 when a delivery from Barnard appeared to miss his off stump by a coat of varnish, but by then the partnership with Banton had passed the century mark and early worries in the home dressing room had eased.

A late cut off Barnard for his third four took Abell to fifty off 110 balls. Bethell produced a tidy ten-over spell for 23 runs on the unhelpful surface, but neither Abell nor Banton looked seriously troubled in the early evening sunshine.

That was until Hannon-Dalby found the outside edge of Banton’s bat for the only slip, Rob Yates to pouch a low chance with five overs remaining in the day. The crestfallen Somerset player dragged himself off, having faced 143 balls, knowing a great chance of a third first class century had escaped him.

Hannon-Dalby then struck two more quick blows to remove nightwatchmen Josh Davey lbw and Jack Leach caught behind next ball, as Warwickshire ended the day on an unexpected high.

Warwickshire bowler Oliver Hannon-Dalby said: “I was lucky enough to get the wickets at the end, but Ed Barnard and Jacob Bethell deserved them for the spells they bowled after tea. Both kept things tight and controlled the game for us.

“James Rew left my inswinger on my hat-trick ball and I don’t think it went past the stumps by much. That would have been nice, but we have to be pleased with the way the day ended.

“The hybrid pitch is a strange colour and difficult to evaluate. There is grass on it, but it is rock hard underneath. We hope it might break up a bit on the last two days, while Somerset will be hoping the opposite.”

Day One

Michael Burgess hit his seventh First-Class century to cement a determined Warwickshire fightback on the opening day of the Vitality County Championship Division One match with Somerset at Taunton.

Going in at number eight, the 29-year-old wicketkeeper made an unbeaten 126, off 167 balls, with 14 fours and 3 sixes, to build on the good work of Ed Barnard (92) and Will Rhodes (63) after their side had slumped to 40 for four on losing the toss.

Chris Woakes contributed 39 to an eighth-wicket stand of 110 with Burgess that enabled Warwickshire to close on 373 for eight. Migael Pretorius was the pick of Somerset’s bowling attack with four for 72 from 20 overs.

Josh Davey made the first breakthrough with the Warwickshire total on 19 as Alex Davies edged a defensive push to Tom Abell at first slip in the fifth over.

It was 34 for two when Rob Yates, on 15, nicked a lifter from Pretorius and Kasey Aldridge accepted a sharp chance at second slip. The South African struck again in his next over with an excellent delivery that clipped the top of off stump to send back Sam Hain for a duck.

Warwickshire were in a deep hole at 40 when the inspired Pretorius induced Dan Mousley to edge an attempted leg-side shot to give Aldridge another slip catch at which point the seamer’s figures were three for six.

Rhodes survived a couple of scares before lunch, which was taken at 97 for four, the skipper having made 42 and added 57 with Barnard, who was unbeaten on 25.

The afternoon session saw Rhodes move to fifty off 87 balls, with 7 fours, and the partnership with the unflappable Barnard extended past the century mark before Somerset struck two blows in rapid succession.

Jack Leach, preferred to Shoaib Bashir as the only specialist spinner in the side, tempted Rhodes into an error as an ugly mishit saw him cloth a gentle catch to Andy Umeed at mid-on. The following over saw Craig Overton force a defensive edge from Jacob Bethell through to wicketkeeper James Rew.

Barnard remained a solid presence, having moved to a chanceless half-century off 94 balls, with 8 fours. He was unbeaten on 79 at tea, sensibly picking the right balls to attack, and had helped his side to 214 for six, with the help of Burgess, on 33 not out.

Somerset began the final session with the occasional leg-spin of Umeed, who was quickly dispatched for six by Burgess over a short leg-side boundary. It proved a solitary over as Leach changed ends to good effect.

Burgess moved to an impressive fifty off 87 balls, with 5 fours and a six, but Barnard fell unexpectedly with the stand on 99 as the England left-arm spinner bowled him attempting to cut a slightly quicker delivery.

Barnard had faced 159 balls and struck 12 fours on the ground where he claimed his best Championship bowling figures of six for 37 (11 for 89 in the match) for Worcestershire in 2018.

A Burgess single of Leach took Warwickshire to a first batting point at 250 for seven. As the time for the second new ball approached, Burgess went on the attack, launching Leach for two sixes over long-on.

It was 291 for seven when the new ball was taken, with Burgess and Woakes looking well set. Woakes brought up 300 with a glorious cover-driven four off Overton as Somerset’s bowling lacked the accuracy of the pre-lunch session.

Burgess went to three figures with a straight drive for two off Overton, having faced 146 balls and hit 10 fours and 3 sixes. The pitch was offering precious little seam movement as he and Woakes batted with increasing comfort and aggression.

Woakes suffered a couple of painful blows, one to his right hand, but the England all-rounder battled bravely through until chipping a catch to Umeed at mid-on to give Pretorius his fourth wicket. Michael Booth then survived a caught and bowled chance to Davey to increase Somerset’s frustration.

Warwickshire centurion Michael Burgess said: “It is definitely a new ball pitch. Batting up top this morning was tough, but Will Rhodes and Ed Barnard did a fantastic job after we were 40 for four.

“They set up the day for us. It was easier for the middle order as the ball went softer and I was able to capitalise, hopefully doing an important job for the team.

“Now we have to get to at least 400 tomorrow and then use the new ball really well. That will be important, although it is not easy to score quickly when the ball is softer, so we might be able to build some pressure if we bowl well.”