Somerset’s Record Stands: The 10th Wicket
Somerset’s draw against Surrey at the end of the season was a memorable fixture for a number of reasons.
Records tumbled as we saw huge totals, career bests and historic partnerships.
Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby set a new record for the highest ever First Class partnership for the fourth wicket (334), whilst Abell and Migael Pretorius also set a new high for the Club’s ninth wicket stand (195).
That got us thinking about the record partnerships for each of the other eight wickets…
So, we went back through the archives to uncover Somerset’s highest ever stands in First Class cricket.
The first item of note worth mentioning is that there is actually a record for the highest 11th wicket partnership for the Club, which was set by Gerard Hodgkinson and George Barne in a 12-a-side match against Oxford University in 1904. The pair made 32 in the Club’s innings and 45-run defeat to the students at The University Parks.
Moving on from that slight anomaly, we head back to 2003 for Somerset’s record partnership for the 10th wicket.
Derbyshire were the visitors to Taunton in September of that year, and a stand of 163 for the 10th wicket between Ian Blackwell and Nixon McLean helped Somerset to a 27-run victory.
After winning the toss, Somerset Captain, Mike Burns elected to bat first but Dominic Cork claimed four early wickets as the home side slipped to 42 for five when Blackwell arrived at the crease following the dismissal of debutant James Hildreth.
Although Blackwell took the attack to the visiting bowlers to get his side back in the game, wickets continued to fall around him and when Simon Francis was dismissed Somerset were 246 for nine.
Blackwell’s century came from 93 balls and it wasn’t long before he passed his previous best of 189. His double century arrived from 134 deliveries as he bludgeoned the visiting attack to all parts of the ground in a brutal display of batting.
McLean played his part as well, making 39 from just 33 deliveries, 32 of those runs coming from boundaries.
When Mclean finally fell, the 10th wicket pair had taken Somerset to 409.
Blackwell remained unbeaten on 247 from just 156 balls. His monumental innings included 27 fours and 11 sixes and will forever be one of the most memorable knocks in the history of the Club.
Looking back on his innings, Blackwell said: “It was all a bit of a blur to be honest. I started off quite pedestrian if I remember rightly because I didn’t want to get out to Corky because he’d run through the top order quite nicely. We limped to lunch and then after that I managed to find third and fourth gear and every ball that found the middle seemed to go for four or six.
“I’ve still got the scorecard in a frame at home because our scorer Gerry did a scorecard for me and my dad. It’s definitely an innings that I have fond memories of. It was one of those days where everything seemed to hit the middle. It was coming on the bat nicely and it wasn’t a case of trying to hit every ball for four or six.
“It was just one of those freak days that happens once in a career.”
By the close of the opening day, Derbyshire were 32 without loss in reply.
Day two saw Andrew Gait make 110 as the visitors reached 326 for six by the end of the day.
On day three, Derbyshire declared on 400 for nine, and despite half centuries from Matt Wood (72) and Burns (58), Somerset were all out for 214, a lead of 223.
On the final day, Blackwell did the damage with the ball this time, claiming four for 65 as the visitors were dismissed for 196 to ensure a dramatic an memorable victory for the hosts.
