County Championship Division One, Cardiff, Day One – Somerset 337-9 (Abell 86, Thomas 71)
I have to say, about 30 minutes before close of play (in my defence Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory were looking increasingly comfortable and Glamorgan’s attack was tiring significantly) I started thinking ahead to tomorrow morning, specifically that it would be nice if we didn’t – for a change – loose a couple of quick wickets and were able to push on toward 400.
You’d think I’d have learned after over 50 years of supporting Somerset Cricket.
At 328 with Somerset, already over-par on an unpredictable Cardiff wicket, there was a real prospect of reaching a position of dominance and putting Glamorgan under pressure over the weekend. But then, in the blink of an eye 328-6 became 337-9 and the prospect of another batting point, let alone 400 was gone. Some will say that is the beauty of cricket. At any time with one side on top and seemingly in cruise control the game turns on its head. This was a text book example of that.
Having been put in, and despite two wickets falling almost immediately after lunch, Somerset had built a position of some strength. By Tea, having added 128 in the afternoon session Tom Abell 39* of 62 balls and Craig Overton 21* off 29 had, in their contrasting ways hauled the visitors to 232-5. In the hour and a half following the second interval a further 96 was added for the loss of just Overton’s wicket before the deluge.
So the question is, how good is this score? Judging by the unpredictability of the bounce and the at times extravagant seam movement you’d say 50+ over par. To me this looked like a 250/275 surface from the start. But as the truism goes, you never know how good a score is until both sides have batted.
With Jack Leach and Jake Ball restored to the side the bowling looks stronger than last week so you’d hope that Somerset already have a better than defensible first innings, doubly so given that, let’s be honest, Glamorgan’s bowling attack shouldn’t keep a Division One batting line-up awake at night. It is, for Craig, Lewis et al and opportunity to deliver a sizeable first innings lead.
And of course, given the wonderfully contrary nature of this Somerset side, who’d be surprised if Jack and Jake weren’t still there a midday!
Some other notes on an interesting day for the county club.
The much anticipated elevation of James Rew to the top of the order, with Archie Vaughan moving down to 4 happened and then was over before I could even digest it. Like his younger brother last week huge anticipation was trumped by massive disappointment. I’d love to know the reason for making the move now. Was it purely internal, has it been the plan for some time or is it a sign of what will manifest when the England side to face New Zealand is announced? Or perhaps, at long last Tom Abell will get his chance?
I am tending toward an England call up, a view that was reinforced when, during the tea interval Somerset announced, out of left field, the signing of an overseas batter on a short-term agreement starting next week. Welcome young South African Jordan Herman. Somerset’s director of Cricket Andy Hurry said: “We have suffered a number of injuries to key batters in the last month, so we felt that this was the perfect opportunity to strengthen the batting line up, and Jordan will certainly help to strengthen our options in that department.”
I know the injuries to TKC, Lewis Goldsworthy and Tom Banton leave us short of options until Thomas Rew’s exams are done next month. But is there a hint there that we may soon find ourselves without James next month?
And finally, a shout out to my Always Look on the Bright Cider Life compatriot, Anthony Gibson for his ‘Crane and Abell’ reference during commentary just before tea. Fortunately no minders were committed!
