Seconds Watch – 2nd XI Championship v Glamorgan Days 1 & 2

Full credit to Somerset 2nd XI coach Greg Kennis for actually getting a side out for the resumption of the 2nd XI championship despite injury, academic absence and last minute first-tem call ups

Mike Unwin

Mike moved to Montacute (4.5 miles from Yeovil) in 1952, he started watching Somerset in 1956 and has been a supporter ever since. In retirement, when not at the County Ground or Taunton Vale watching the Somerset Second XI, he can be found, volunteering at the Ilminster Arts supporting the Stock and Sales system or in the Somerset Cricket Museum cataloguing the collection items and putting them online, on the museum’s website www.somersetcricketmuseum.co.uk

Second XI Championship Somerset Second XI v Glamorgan Second XI, June 13th – 16th 2022, Abergavenny Cricket Club, Days 1 & 2 Somerset Second XI 324 all out (Andrew Umeed 125, Will Smale 74), Glamorgan 428/6 (Bevan 122 Taylor 73, Douthwaite 73, Jack Harding 3/100). Glamorgan lead Somerset by 114 runs with 4 first-innings wickets remaining.

Imagine the chaos that was Greg Kennis’ life on Sunday evening and Monday morning. Already dealt a hand that disrupted his side for the return of the second XI championship by academic calls he saw Kasey Aldridge and Marchant de Lange called up as concussion subs for the first team in place of the stricken Craig Overton and Josh Davey.

Kennis must have delved deep into the darkest corners of his list of contacts before he named the following squad: Ollie Sale (captain), Will Smale (wicket-keeper), Dylan Church, Ned Leonard, Andrew Umeed, Xavi Clarke, Jay Terry, Jack Harding, George Bartlett, Max Horton, Harry Startin, George Barlow.

Five 2XI (red ball) debutants in the Somerset side – Umeed (Scotland and Warwickshire 2nd XI), Xavi Clarke (Worcestershire), Jay Terry (Somerset Pathway), Will Smale (Cardiff UCCE) and Harry Startin (Gloucestershire 2nd XI).

Somerset having won the toss and chosen to bat first got off to a poor start losing Dylan Church for a third ball duck and the out-of-form George Bartlett for 1 (2/2), but Andrew Umeed and Xavi Clarke shared a third-wicket stand of 72 to put the Somerset back on track before Clarke was out for 36 (caught Bevan bowled Lewis). Somerset, despite the setbacks, moved quickly in the first session to reach lunch on 117/3. 

Umeed and Smale (whose sister recently made her debut for Western Storm) continued to build their alliance in the afternoon session. Still together they had taken their fourth-wicket partnership to 152 at the tea interval where Somerset were in a much more prosperous position of 226 for three.

After tea, the Glamorgan bowlers hit back, having Will Smale caught by Cooke from the bowling of Lewis for 74 (244-4) and Andrew Umeed bowled by a Taylor in the next over for a superb 125, 244-5.

Jay Terry (19) and George Barlow (10) were both caught by Lewis from the bowling of Harris and McIlroy respectively, Ollie Sale made a brisk 23 from 17 deliveries before being caught and bowled by Dan Douthwaite as Somerset passed 300 in the 88th over. Somerset were eventually all out for 314. Both teams taking 3 bonus points apiece.

In reply Glamorgan reached 7 for 0 before stumps.

Day 2

Glamorgan had moved on to 24 when Friend was caught by George Bartlett off the bowling of Ned Leonard for 13. And Jack Harding pinned Alex Horton lbw for 21 to bring Glamorgan to 60-2, but thereafter Somerset struggled to keep Glamorgan’s batters in check. The home side reached 125-2 by lunch and although Ned Leonard picked up his second wicket when Joe Cooke was caught by Harry Startin for 61, Callum Taylor and Thomas Bevan added 128 for the fourth wicket, taking their side to 283 for four.

Eventually Bevan was trapped lbw by Jack Harding for 122 but Dan Douthwaite carried on the momentum reaching 72 as Glamorgan reached 428-6, a lead of 114 at the close.