
Second XI Championship Somerset Second XI v Nottinghamshire Second XI, April 25th – 28th 2022, Taunton Cricket Club Day 2 – Somerset 2nd XI 342 (Roelof van der Merwe 115, Kasey Aldridge 80). Nottinghamshire 2nd XI 299 all out (Zak Chappell 77, Matt Carter 62, Marchant de Lange 5/68) trail Somerset 2nd XI by 43 runs
Close your eyes, imagine a lovely cricket ground, almost unbroken sunshine, a very relaxing atmosphere and two evenly matched teams and you could be watching the Somerset Second XI v Nottinghamshire Second XI at the Taunton CC ground. There is also something particularly neat and pleasing about a game where halfway through the game both first two innings are completed.

At the start of the day Somerset’s last two wickets added only 16 runs to their overnight score, Ollie Sale first to go, bowled by Harrison for 27, followed shortly afterwards by Adam Small (caught by Montgomery off the bowling of Pittman for 12) leaving a very restrained and correct Marchant de Lange (by his standards) on 3 not out. Both teams gaining 3 bonus points.
Without reciting the whole of the Nottinghamshire first innings scorecard, which closed in the last over of the day on 299, leaving the visitors 43 runs adrift of the Somerset total, it is nevertheless worth calling out several key performances.
Budinger made a neat 43, before falling to a catch behind off Ned Leonard, Zak Chappell scored 77 before being pinned LBW by Roleof van der Merwe, and Matt Carter 62, caught Will Smeed bowled Marchant de Lange.
The key to the Notts total was a sixth wicket stand of 130 between Carter and Chappell transforming 105-5 to 235-6. Notts extended that to 298-7 before a burst of 3 wickets in 9 balls from Marchant wrapped things up neatly at the close.
For Somerset, the young Devon wicket keeper, Adam Small took 3 catches, de Lange finished with figures of 5/68 off 20.4 overs.
After a first day where the recognised batsmen missed the opportunity to state a case for inclusion against Warwickshire it’s ironic that the bowler who contributed most today is not eligible for selection unless either Matt Renshaw or Peter Siddle is injured or left out.
Kasey Aldridge finished with 0-57 off 17 overs, Ollie Sale 1-31 off 14 and Ned Leonard 1-39. Hardly knocking Jason Kerr’s door down.
So attention shifts back to the batsmen first thing tomorrow ……. you can follow the action via the LV Play website