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Century for TKC on Day One
Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck his 12th First Class century as Somerset laid the platform for an imposing total against Warwickshire in the Rothesay County Championship at Edgbaston.
Somerset chose to bat on a pitch offering bowlers no help and closed the opening day on 327 for three. Opening pair Kohler-Cadmore, 104 from 138 balls, and Josh Davey, 64 from 121, added 186 and Tom Lammonby followed them with an unbeaten 75 (129).
It was a gruelling day in the field for a Warwickshire side without Chris Rushworth due to a tweaked hamstring, and including Australian spinner Cory Rocchiccioli, on his debut at the start of a short-term contract.
Somerset’s decision to bat proved fruitful and their decision to promote Davey to open was also emphatically vindicated as he and Kohler-Cadmore eased to 100 in the 24th over. Davey offered Jacob Bethell a bracing reintroduction to county cricket when he lifted the spinner’s third ball straight for six. Bethell, brought on early and ahead of overseas specialist Rocchiccioli, went for 23 in his first two overs.
Kohler-Cadmore exploited the benign pitch to reach 50 from 67 balls and advance to 100 in 128, reaching three figures with his 16th four, pulled off Che Simmons. The young seamer soon gained his revenge, however, when he removed both openers in six balls.
Davey, a sixth First Class half-century banked and a career-best (75) beckoning, hoisted a short leg-side delivery to long leg. Kohler-Cadmore gloved a pull to wicketkeeper Kai Smith. Somerset’s record opening stand against Warwickshire, in peril while the batters chugged comfortably along, remains the 223 by Jimmy Cook and Peter Roebuck at Taunton in 1990.
Warwickshire had a glimmer of opportunity with two new batters at the crease, but Lammonby and James Rew played responsibly to reassert their side’s control with a stand of 68 in 26 overs. Rew (38, 81) departed livid at himself for lifting a wide, slower ball from Olly Hannon-Dalby to point but Lammonby pulled Simmons for four to post a 93-ball half-century and, with Tom Abell, prevented further damage.
At the close of play, Kohler-Cadmore said: “I felt the partnership with JD today was really special and he was outstanding. He calmed me down quite a lot and kept me focused, which was nice. JD’s defence is so strong, so he is well-equipped to open. Our middle order is so strong, we feel that is our biggest strength, so we want to give them as much protection as possible from the new ball.
“It is difficult to adjust from white ball to red but I still try and hit the ball hard in red ball cricket so I find it a bit easier because my hands still flow quite nicely. I am always going to be aggressive and there will be some loose shots, including today, but I just try to see the ball and hit the ball which takes out the head noise and me worrying about my technique.
“I know sometimes opening it might not be the prettiest but if it gets us off to a start and puts the bowlers under pressure a little bit it might make the guys’ jobs a little bit down the order easier. It’s just nice to be playing cricket and with such a great group of lads.”
