Somerset 2024

So, likely to be finally underway today. What to expect? Tempted to say same old as Renshaw in to shore up the batting deprived of another Abell hamstring injury. Top half have been weak part of team for so long, cant see how that is going to change significantly. Overton not fit enough for championship duty yet though did have a run out earlier in the week. Hoping that Gregory, Davey, Ball all stay fit, Bash can continue his promise. Whither Leach?

With back to 8pts for a draw can see temptation to gather 12 to 15pt haul for many teams, especially with early season conditions and delays. Once again Somerset's main hope will be the T20 and thankfully there are 2 games at Lords to see the west country side perform at HQ in limited over games as Middlesex don't seem to appear in the 4 day fixture list......

They’re waiting for you to join them in the lower reaches in 2025. Think you’ll do well to stay up.

A spectacular collapse against Surrey even by our standards. Going from 196-1 to 220-8. At least Lammonby seems to be in form. Wonder if Rew will be able to maintain the batting form of last season.

Going well now, great recovery - https://somersetcountycc.co.uk/matchcenter/sur-v-som-county-championship-12-15-apr/?l=1 - long odds on the draw.

Did very well  to get out of the Oval with the draw. Another 15 mins of batting would have done without the nervy finish. Great games from Aldridge and Gregory and the team battled well.

Some win that over Essex after 1st innings deficit. Overton and Davey key bowlers. Somerset haven't won a championship game without Craig since 2019. Resilient batting at last v a tricky target. Always good to beat Essex !

Somerset played 5 seamers and each of them contributed 4 wickets!

Luton Roman wrote:Some win that over Essex after 1st innings deficit.  Overton and Davey key bowlers. Somerset haven't won a championship game without Craig since 2019. Resilient batting at last v a tricky target. Always good to beat Essex !

Change a few words for the Kent game, another great win.

Come on TV, a weekly highlights programme similar to rugby union.

The live stream for the home games on YouTube is very good.

Beau Nash wrote:

Luton Roman wrote:Some win that over Essex after 1st innings deficit.  Overton and Davey key bowlers. Somerset haven't won a championship game without Craig since 2019. Resilient batting at last v a tricky target. Always good to beat Essex !

Change a few words for the Kent game, another great win.

Come on TV, a weekly highlights programme similar to rugby union.

How many words will you change for the Durham match?

Halfway through championship with 99 points and 3rd. Take that.  Poor v Durham even with injury and illness. Concussion sub Ball did well.
Our fit 1st XI a match for anyone, but little beyond that. Renshaw leaves now so openers an issue with Dickson out of form and Abell just back. Perhaps the break is timely.
Had a day at Lords watching Middlesex toil away. Fans unhappy they put Sussex in on a decent pitch. Today will tell but feel Sussex batted too long with weather uncertainty.

Well, with respect to Comrade, that was a clueless batting performance from Middlesex. On a pitch of uneven bounce they succumbed to several skiers indicating timing was difficult. Somerset showed the way by knocking 1s and 2s around before getting the win in the 13th over.

Not a great game for the neutral under the leaden Lords clouds, but the great Somerset support didn't mind as we chalked up another win at HQ.

Agreed, it was dire from Middlesex - fortunately Sky only covered about 20 overs as the first 40 minutes were lost to the WC match. I think that this version of the game exposes the dire financial position we are in more than the other two. No overseas players, our best batter missing again and relying on very inexperienced stand ins - I'd play the likes of Robson, Stoneman and Bamber to avoid humiliations like that.

For me our season will be defined by our final position in Division 2.

Can't believe even the Somerset diehards really enjoyed freezing to death in such a short one-sided match. How much did the MCC fleece you for that?

A Win is a win any time/place/weather and as a City and Somerset fan I don't seem to see that many. I'm still a Middlesex member so I can see as much of that dross as I like ! Think I paid £30 plus for Sal. Always a nice venue of course.

We next meet in the 50 over at Lords in August, now that could be a lot different.

Actually Sky had the start of the match on Channel 416 (Sky Mix) - I only found out after the event.

Thought it wd be tighter than the 9 wkt T20 win given we have so many out.....so it was 8 wkts today ! Early breakthrough, tight bowling then build pressure. Middlesex spinners got some control then Rew, after sticky start, went 4446146 and thstcwas that.

My first white ball game for some twenty years and probably my last. You won’t be surprised that I left to do better things at the interval.

Entertaining - https://somersetcountycc.co.uk/news/match-reports/somerset-secure-knock-out-spot-with-victory-at-lords - a must see for comrade.

Finals again.

I have to miss a lot today - https://somersetcountycc.co.uk/match-centre/#match-tab-scroll - but going well so far.

Disappointing to see a lot of empty seats, probably a sign of the times, cost of living crisis.

Blimey…….

Watched a fair amount of the last 2 days. Tom Banton batting on one leg including reverse sweeping a boundary was remarkable.
With only 3 wickets down it seemed both sides were looking to accept the draw and finish at 16.30 . However with the last ball before this time Jack Leach took the wicket of Foakes and the last hour was used to take the remaining 6.

I was down for the 1st 3 days, the game ebbed and flowed, we left 50 plus out there with our 1st innings collapse, then let Surrey bottom order recover, then let Shakib take control  then enter heroes Leach, Craig  and one Tom Banton.

What a game, even before today's finale. Off to Manchester fir 1st 2 days.

Some things don't change, like what a tw@t Tom Curran is !

Highlights of Day 4 - https://somersetcountycc.co.uk/news/match-reports/somerset-v-surrey-day-four - what a final hour, the scorecard is interesting with all the ducks and Archie Vaughan and Jack Leach taking 5 each.

Somerset in the T20 final. A great win.