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Disappointment for Somerset against Durham
Durham condemned Somerset to a fifth defeat in this year’s Vitality Blast after securing a four-wicket victory at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Another large crowd was present in Taunton to see the hosts once again come close to that maiden win only to fall agonisingly short for the second time in three days.
Somerset missed out in a nail-biter against Lancashire Thunder on Friday and it was a similar tale today.
After winning the toss, Durham skipper Hollie Armitage elected to field and her side made an early breakthrough when Amelie Munday edged the third ball of the innings, bowled by Grace Thompson, to Lauren Filer at third with just five runs on the board.
Bex Odgers and Niamh Holland recovered from that early setback, and by the end of the six over powerplay the score had advanced to 53, with the 50 partnership arriving shortly thereafter from 35 balls.
The partnership was eventually worth 58 when Holland, who had played well for her 31 (from 20 balls), picked out Thompson at long on at 63 for two in the eighth over.
Odgers had moved to 36 from 33 deliveries with an impressive blend of power and subtlety, but when she looked to dispatch Sophia Turner into the Lord Botham Stand she was beaten by the ball and Mia Rogers removed the bails. At this point the score was 75 for three in the 11th.
When Sophie Luff (9) miscued Mady Villiers to Armitage at short mid wicket, Somerset were 91 for four in the 14th, and when Fran Wilson (9) was caught on the boundary in front of the Somerset Stand without further addition to the total, the home side were in danger of letting their positive start slip through their grasp.
The Somerset 100 arrived in the 16th over, but Charlie Dean (3) was caught at long on off a slower delivery from Katie Levick to leave the hosts on 102 for six in the 17th.
The hosts finished in a similar fashion to how they had started with Alex Griffiths and Amanda Jade Wellington giving the tail end of the innings important impetus by adding 36.
Wellington in particular took the attack to the visiting bowlers, smashing her way to 31 from just 17 deliveries before being run out off the final ball of the innings as Somerset finished on 138 for seven.
The Durham reply saw Suzie Bates and Leah Dobson (11) add 38 for the first wicket before the latter was bowled by Mollie Robbins in the fifth over.
Wellington was brought into the attack to bowl the sixth over and she struck with the final ball when Villiers tried to give herself room and picked out Munday at backward point as the powerplay ended with the visitors on 49 for two.
Bates and Armitage shared a stand of 38 before Alex Griffiths bowled the Durham Captain for 14 off the fourth ball of the 12th over.
Robbins kept Somerset in the game, claiming wickets with the first and final balls of the 13th over, finishing with three for 22.
Former New Zealand skipper Bates, who had dominated the run chase, regularly finding the gaps in the field, fell one run shy of her half century when she miscued the Somerset seamer to Luff at extra cover. Mia Rogers then picked out Griffiths at deep mid wicket as the conclusion of the 13th over saw the scoreboard displaying 93 for five.
With the score on 119 in the 17th over, the Durham batters took on Griffiths’ arm and paid the price. The ball flew back in from the boundary and Odgers whipped off the bails to leave Katherine Fraser high and dry.
However, Bess Heath (38*) and Thompson (2*) held their nerve to see their side over the line and to leave Somerset pondering what might have been.
After the match, Somerset Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “There are clearly things we need to improve on. We bowled pretty well and created chances, but just didn’t back that up in the field. This is probably the first time we haven’t backed the bowlers up. Our handling was untidy and our decision-making under pressure could have been better at times. There are areas we need to tidy up, we know that.
“We were looking for something between 150 and 160 with the bat, but lost a bit of momentum during the middle phase. We were very good in the powerplay and again at the death, but lost it in the middle phase. We had a great powerplay and were again good at the death.
“It’s a matter of finding the right balance. We could push Amanda-Jade Wellington up the order, but that could then leave us short at the death. She is such a powerful player and we have to find where best to use her. Wello and Alex Griffiths went at 10s in the last game and were really good again in this game.”
