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THE MATCH
Somerset welcome Warwickshire to the Cooper Associates County Ground this week for the first match of the 2023 LV= Insurance County Championship season.
Day one of this fixture is tomorrow (Thursday April 6th).
SCHEDULED HOURS OF PLAY:
Morning session: 11am to 1pm
Afternoon session: 1:40pm to 3:40pm
Evening session: 4pm to 6pm
Tickets for this match are still available.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Somerset County Cricket Club are doing everything that we can to ensure that this match goes ahead.
We spoke with CEO, Gordon Hollins this afternoon and he outlined the very latest:
Gates will open at 10am.
Ticket buyers can print and download their online tickets via their SCCC account.
All ticket or Membership collections will be from the Jack White Gates (St James Street).
The Club Enquiries Desk will be based in the Reception of the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion and not in the Andrew Caddick Pavilion on matchdays.
Due to the busy nature of a matchday, our telephone lines will closed for the duration of the game and will reopen at 10am on Tuesday April 11th.
Information on everything that you will need for a matchday at SCCC, including how to redeem your guest passes, how to download your e-tickets and how to use the SCCC Ticket App can all be found in our FAQ section at the foot of our Membership page:
Scorecards will be available from Stragglers Coffee House and the SCS Shop.
CATERING
Matchday food and drink will be available from Stragglers Coffee House, Our external Coffee Cart, the concession in the Upper Tier of the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion and the Lord Botham Stand.
Matchday dining is also available in the County Room. We offer breakfast, a carvery lunch and afternoon tea.
Please note that due to an event that was booked before the publication of the 2023 fixtures, dining in the County Room will stop at 4pm on Saturday with the bar closing at 5pm.
HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?
Our live stream will once again be available for fans to watch via this website and at our YouTube channel.
In association with Vertu Motors, Somerset County Cricket Club will be providing radio ear pieces to enable Members and supporters to enjoy our live ball-by-ball match commentary. These will be available to purchase at our next home match.
You can also keep up to date using our dedicated matchday blog via this website’s Match Centre and on our Twitter feed.
In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.
THE OPPOSITION
Captain: Will Rhodes
Head Coach: Mark Robinson
2022 finish: Eighth (Division One)
2022 highest run scorer: Sam Hain (1,137)
2022 highest wicket taker: Olly Hannon-Dalby (53)
Key winter moves: Warwickshire have strengthened their seam bowling after injury-induced struggles last season. Pakistan paceman Hassan Ali will spearhead the attack while veteran Durham seamer Chris Rushworth and Worcestershire all-rounder Ed Barnard have also been signed.
Player to watch: Rob Yates. Form is temporary, class is permanent, they say – expect Yates to prove that in 2023. Dropped down to three last year after arriving in county cricket with big runs as an opener, Yates lost form. Restored to opening for the last match, he scored a crucial century to help keep Warwickshire in Division One. With Dom Sibley gone, the 23-year-old will be back up top again and ready to fly.
TEAM NEWS
New signings Sean Dickson, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Cameron Bancroft could make their First Class debuts for Somerset, whilst Peter Siddle is also available for selection. Lewis Gregory will captain the side in the absence of Tom Abell.
The Somerset squad for this fixture is: Lewis Gregory*, Kasey Aldridge, Cameron Bancroft, George Bartlett, Jack Brooks, Josh Davey, Sean Dickson, Lewis Goldsworthy, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Lammonby, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, James Rew and Peter Siddle.
The Warwickshire squad is: Ed Barnard, Chris Benjamin, Henry Brookes, Ethan Brookes, Jacob Bethell, Michael Burgess, Alex Davies, Sam Hain, Olly Hannon-Dalby, Hassan Ali, Dan Mousley, Will Rhodes, Chris Rushworth and Rob Yates
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Ahead of the match, Somerset Head Coach, Jason Kerr said: “We can’t wait for Thursday. The weather’s improved, we’ve managed to get out on the grass this week and we’ve had an extremely productive few days. The intent is obviously to start the season well and you want to make as strong a start as possible. It’s important that the guys take what we’ve been working on this winter and through pre-season into the summer, but we’re not necessarily defined by one performance. Sometimes you can put too much pressure on yourself as an individual to start well.
“There’s a great deal of confidence around the group at the moment. That’s been built up over the last six to eight months, and I’m confident that we can start well. There’s a great feel around the place and that’s a continuation of a lot of work that’s been done off the field. Peter Siddle and Cameron Bancroft have arrived this week and that’s naturally brought a new energy. The sun finally being out has also brought something different to training this week. There’s a real confidence and calmness around the group with a growing excitement as Thursday gets nearer.
“From a bowling perspective we’ve got unbelievable resources available to us and it’s the same from a batting point of view. There’s real depth to the squad and after an incredibly productive pre-season period there will be some players who will be disappointed. That’s a testament to the quality that we have within the group now.”
CLASSIC MATCH
Ahead of each 2023 fixture we will be looking back through our archives to find a dramatic encounter between the two sides.
Today we head back to 2012 when a nail-biting clash between Somerset and Warwickshire at Taunton saw the hosts come out on top by just one wicket.
After winning the toss, Somerset skipper Alfonso Thomas invited the visitors to bat first.
Centuries from Jim Troughton (132) and Chris Woakes (107) plus 93 from Varun Chopra saw Warwickshire finish on 400 all out in their first innings. However, it was Thomas who claimed the headlines with career best equaling figures of six for 60.
It was the turn of Jeetan Patel to catch the eye as his seven for 75 ensured that the hosts were dismissed for 254 in less than 67 overs. Nick Compton top scored with 73 not out.
By the close of the third day, Warwickshire were 66 for three in their second innings with a healthy lead and seemingly the points in the bag.
However, Somerset had other ideas as 66 for three over night became 124 all out. Gemaal Hussain was the pick of the bowlers, claiming five for 48. Thomas also took three and Somerset were back in the game. The target was 271.
The chase did not start well as Somerset slipped to 15 for three. Compton impressed again and his 52 gave the home supporters hope as his partnership with Craig Kieswetter took their side from 15 for three to 181 for four.
Kieswetter made a sensational 152 but just when Somerset supporters thought that the tide had turned he fell to leave the home side on 259 for six.
Wickets continued to fall and when Max Waller became Keith Barker’s sixth victim, Somerset were staring into the abyss at 269 for nine.
Warwickshire need one wicket. Somerset needed two runs. Everyone at the ground was on the edge of their seats. Which way would this dramatic encounter fall.
Jeetan Patel had the ball in his hand. Peter Trego was on strike.
The man from Weston-super-Mare clipped the ball to the boundary for four and Somerset celebrated the narrowest of victories.
EASTER FUN AND KIDS FOR A QUID
Join us at the Cooper Associates County Ground this Easter bank holiday weekend!
What better way to spend Easter than by watching Somerset in action.
Tickets cost just £1 per day for juniors. There will also be a special Easter scavenger hunt each day with Easter prizes up for grabs. Just head to the Reception in the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion for more information!
MEMBER FORUM
In order to keep Somerset Members up to date with everything that is happening at the Cooper Associates County Ground, we will once again be holding a number of Member Forums throughout the season.
The first of these will take place 20 minutes after the close of play on day two of this fixture (Friday April 7th).
Director of Cricket, Andy Hurry will be the speaker at this event.
NATIONAL COUNTY DAY
To thank everyone from across the region for all the hard work that goes into delivering cricket in the South West, Somerset County Cricket Club have invited all club cricketers from Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset to attend day two of this match as our guests free of charge.
We look forward to welcoming club cricketers from across the South West on Friday.
NEXT MATCH
Somerset’s next match begins on Thursday April 13th when we take on Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
