Surrey v Somerset, County Championship Division One, Kia Oval 12th – 15th April 2024
Match Drawn, Somerset 285 and 351, Surrey 428 and 123-5
Kasey Aldridge has for some time thought to be a future star of Somerset cricket, someone who would be the bridge between the Abell, Gregory, Overton generation and their successors. In 2023 however, James Rew was the one who carried the brightest torch for Somerset’s future, with, later in the year, Shoaib Bashir coming up fast.
All the while Aldridge was developing into a very fine cricketer, albeit in the shadows of Rew and Bash. But many took notice of his significant improvement with the bat, regularly making important contributions in the lower middle order.
I for one had seen Kasey as following in Craig Overton’s footsteps in the years to come. A big, strong aggressive fast bowler who could make valuable runs and catch pretty much everything that came close to him.
Then, last season the feeling began to grow that he was more of a Lewis Gregory replacement, less a leader of the attack, more an important piece of the batting middle order.
The 2024 version of Kasey seems to be the best of both – it appears that he has spent his winter very well. The batting is if anything even better than last year, the fielding just as good (it could hardly have been better) but the bowling! What a difference that extra yard of pace makes.
Last year he was always likely to take a wicket but at least one ball an over was of the type that Division One batsmen happily feast on. As a result his economy rate often stood out for the wrong reason in turn limiting when Tom Abell coud use him as game situations did not allow that level of profligacy.
After an inauspicious contribution in Somerset’s first innings – he was a first ball part of that 20-7 decline, Aldridge was superb.
In Surrey’s first innings his 5-64 included the key wickets of Pope and Lawrence as well as the most prized of all in the visitors dressing room, Jamie Overton. And he did all this off 24 overs at an economy rate of 2.67.
When on Sunday afternoon he joined his captain Somerset’s second innings was at a pivotal stage, only 19 ahead with just four wickets in hand and four sessions left in the game. Alongside his captain he saw Somerset to the close and, after a delayed resumption, extended the seventh wicket partnership to 96, crucially occupying 10 balls short of 30 overs in the process.
But perhaps most impressive of all was his 3-14 in the final session. After Somerset’s last three wickets had fallen in rapid succession when the game was almost safe, Surrey were charging. Needing 209 in 20 overs the home side were into three figures with less than half the overs used.
Cue Kasey. After the skipper had made the important first breakthrough he bowled Pope for 11 in his first over, caught and bowled Jamie early in his second and got rid of the Surrey captain four balls later. From 102-1 to 112-4 Surrey’s momentum stopped right. If the captain was looking for someone to back up his contribution wit the ball he found it in abundance in Aldridge When you look at the “economy rates” of his three far more experienced battery mates in the Somerset attack Aldridge’s 4.67 is hugely impressive.
Now many will argue that Somerset didn’t deserve to get anything out of this game after their woeful first innings slump. and many will add that the time lost to weather on the final day also made a huge difference to the outcome. But that is, with respect, missing the point. With captain Lewis Gregory to the fore this Somerset side fought back impressively from a position on Saturday afternoon where their opponents were over half way to taking a first innings lead before the opening pair were separated.
To come back from one such adversity is impressive, but from two……
After marshalling the tail to add a very important 74 in the first innings with a gutsy 50 Gregory’s 80 in the second innings showed how much pride he takes in leading his county. That 80 was as important for crease occupation as the runs themselves. A few years ago you would have seen a scorecard with Lewis contributing 80 and anticipated a breezy run a ball effort full of aggression and highlight-reel shots.
Such a contribution would not have been sufficient here.
Gregory knew it and delivered, 188 balls spanning 64 overs alongside first Aldridge and then an equally restrained and mature Craig Overton (52 off 120) as they added 89 in 36 overs.
As ever with Somerset cricket of this vintage they found a way to put us through the ringer. when it looked for all the world that the eight-wicket partnership we see us to a draw we go and lose 3-6 in 4 overs. The possibility of defeat being snatched from the jaws of a draw loomed large.
But Kasey Aldridge had other ideas, and no one, certainly not the reigning champions were going to change that.
When you read, watch or listen to the better “non-Somerset” commentators and correspondents you regularly hear effusive praise to the point of jealousy at our up and coming young talent. But as we all know getting close is one thing, getting there in the first team another.
But now, in early 2024 we have a Somerset side that has fought back from a terrible session on the first day to earn a draw at the home of the title holders and that Somerset side contains four members who will, we all hope, be with the county for many years to come.
With plenty more following the same path Lewis Goldsworthy, James Rew, Kasey Aldridge and Shoaib Bashir have blazed even the most cantankerous Somerset supporter must be grinning a little grin this evening.
Bring on bottom of the table Notts on Friday!
One final observation. Tom Banton ….. For me he has shown enough in these first two games to be given the extended run I have been advocating. If Andy Umeed is fit on Friday surely he should open in place of the horribly out of form Sean Dickson, allowing Banton to continue at 4?
