Abes gives Somerset upper hand on day one
Somerset’s batters weathered the early storm to end the opening day of this Rothesay County Championship Division One match against Nottinghamshire with the upper hand.
After months of waiting patiently for the cricket season to return, and with excitement reaching a crescendo this morning, the Somerset faithful were greeted by a damp and breezy setting as the came through the gates at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
However, the prosect of nearly 2000 angry red ball enthusiasts was clearly enough to encourage the elements to clear, and play got underway as scheduled at 11am.
There had already been an element of drama when Craig Overton walked out to the middle for the toss at 10:30 in place of Lewis Gregory. The Somerset Club Captain a late omission from the playing squad with a pectoral injury.
Given the conditions, the visitors were delighted to win the toss and there was little hesitation from Haseeb Hameed when it came to inviting the hosts to have a bat first.
The initial breakthrough came with the final ball of the fifth over when Tom Kohler Cadmore (4) was bowled by one that moved away and clattered into his off stump. Olly Stone was the bowler and scoreboard displayed just seven.
With the Somerset scored doubled, the wicket column also doubled. Tom Lammonby (3) survived a spirited lbw appeal but fell to the very next delivery, feathering Dillon Pennington through to Kyle Verreynne. James Rew then joined Josh Thomas in the middle.
With the score on 33, the fine line between agony and extasy came to the fore when Thomas edged Robert Lord to third slip but the difficult diving chance was spilled. The very next ball saw Thomas drive gloriously to the boundary with the shot of the morning.
The Somerset 50 arrived after 19 overs and shortly thereafter the 50 partnership came from 78 deliveries.
Thomas’ gutsy innings came to an end just before lunch when he edged Liam Patterson-White to Freddie McCann at first slip to depart for 40. The young opener received a warm ovation from the stands as he made his way back to the dressing room. Rew and Tom Abell saw the home side to 78 for three at lunch.
If the visitors had the best of the morning session, the afternoon belonged to the hosts.
After the break, the 50 partnership for the fourth wicket arrived from 94 balls and Rew reached his 12 First Class half century for the Club from 112 balls. The home side’s 150 then arrived in the 53rd over.
In the 55th over, Abell dispatched Patterson-White to the boundary to bring up his 50 from 92 balls and it was a stroke that also saw the arrival of the 100 partnership from 176 deliveries.
The partnership was worth 140 when Rew (64) departed in unfortunate circumstances just before tea. He looked to sweep Patterson-White but bottom edged the ball into his boot. It looped up into the air and Verreynne was able to take a good diving catch.
At tea the scoreboard showed 208 for four.
The score had moved to 245 when Lewis Goldsworthy nibbled at a good one from Lord and was caught behind for 18. This brought Overton to the crease and he smashed the ball back over Patterson-White’s head to bring up Somerset’s 250 and a first bonus point of the season.
Abell continued to bat with aplomb and he reached his 21st First Class century from 173 balls.
Overton received a life when he was dropped at third slip by Jack Haynes off the bowling of Pennington. He was then struck in the ribs by Stone but despite the clear discomfort he continued to bat positively, crashing the ball to the boundary in commanding fashion later in the over.
Abell’s superb innings came to an end at 286 for six when he edged Stone behind and departed for 108, his runs coming from 186 balls. The spectators rose as one to applaud him from the field.
Rain brought an early end to proceedings with Somerset on 292 for six.
