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SOMERSET DISABLED CC START THE SEASON WITH A WIN
Somerset Disabled CC got their season off to the best possible start recently with a victory over Dorset.
Here is Captain Nick Dean’s match report.
Somerset Disabled Cricket Club kicked off their 2023 Super 9s League campaign against Dorset on Sunday, in a tight low scoring affair.
Dorset won the toss and elected to bat first on a stunning cloudless day in Poole, and started positively. Opening partners Sam Marks and Leon Richer made a positive start, with S.Marks in particular punishing any short bowling. The breakthrough came from Jamie Turner (1-16) bowling Richer (7) and when S.Marks (28) followed thanks to Josh Pritchard (1-21), Somerset looked on top. However a 48 run partnership between captain Steven Whiltshire (34) and Josh Courtney (13) put Dorset back on top.
It was never made it easy for them however, and after a brilliant spell of controlled bowling from Seb Menko (0-19) and James Mayled (0-16), Somerset were able to really stamp their authority. Skipper Nick Dean came into the attack getting Whiltshire caught in the deep, quickly followed by Tom Best, LBW, in the same over. Wickets then began to fall regularly, with Dean (3-0) and Meghan Hughes (3-9) bowling a combined 6 overs for 6 wickets, excellently backed up in the field and behind the stumps. James Redwood (1-2) and Colin Hancock (1-19) wrapped the innings up, with Dorset setting 107 to win.
After being set a low total, Somerset began their reply with openers Dean and Mayled full of confidence. However Dorset at no point made run scoring easy, S.Marks bowling a very tidy opening 8 over spell for just 19 runs and collecting the wicket of Mayled (6) in the process. Big hitter Jack Milter came to the crease and tried to shift momentum but was brilliantly caught and bowled by Whiltshire, leaving Somerset 30-2. Former captain Jon Tucker joined Dean at the crease and together they chipped away at the total being made to work hard for every run through tight bowling a energetic fielding, eventually bringing up their 50 partnership.
The partnership was finally broken by Tom Best, when Tucker (14) was caught in the covers. Two further wickets then followed for no score leaving Somerset 84-5 and Best with figures of 3-4, the unlikely comeback looked on.
Dean (38 no) was then joined at the crease by Redwood (10 no), and together they managed to regroup and knock off the remaining 23 runs without the loss of any further wickets. This concluded a brilliantly close game and finally brought Somerset their first win of the season.
SDCC are back in action in the S9 League on the 18th June, at home to current regional champions Gloucestershire.
