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George and Kasey star as Somerset overcome Lancashire
George Thomas scored his maiden century and Kasey Aldridge claimed career best figures as Somerset claimed a comprehensive victory over Lancashire in this Metro Bank One Day Cup clash at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
Kasey took six for 33 from 7.1 overs whilst George finished on 106 not out as Somerset triumphed by eight wickets to make it three wins out of four in the competition.
James Rew also caught the eye, making 60 not out in a century stand with Thomas, as the home side swept their opponents aside in impressive fashion.
The visitors made a solid start after being asked to bat first, with openers George Bell and Harry Singh sharing an opening stand of 46 before the latter was bowled by Jack Leach off the fourth ball of the 13th over. The England spinner getting one to nip back and bamboozling the Lancashire batter who departed for 14.
George Thomas was thrown the ball for the first time in the competition and struck with the opening ball of his second over. Josh Bohannon (18) had joined Bell and their 33-run partnership was terminated when the Lancashire skipper’s off stump was uprooted by a good delivery from the Somerset all rounder.
At the half way stage, the visitors had reached 95 for two with Bell still accruing his runs watchfully. The Lancashire 100 arrived in the 26th over and the opener eventually reached his half century from 72 balls when he claimed a single off the penultimate ball of the 28th over, which was sent down by Lewis Goldsworthy as Somerset employed spin from both ends.
George Balderson and Bell had taken their third wicket stand to 42 when Balderson hit the ball straight back to Goldsworthy who took a simple catch off his own bowling at 121 for three in the 30th over.
Kasey Aldridge was brought into the attack at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End and struck with his fourth ball when Venkatesh Iyer (4) picked out a diving Sean Dickson at short extra cover.
126 for four soon became 129 for five when Bell finally fell for 56 in Aldridge’s next over when he chipped straight to Andy Umeed at mid-on, and when Rocky Flintoff provided Goldsworthy with another simple catch off his own bowling the visitors were 147 for six in the 36th over.
Aldridge then claimed two wickets in two balls in the 39th over.
Jack Blatherwick skied the Somerset seamer miles into the Taunton sky allowing Jack Leach to run around and take the catch and then Tom Aspinwall picked out Umeed at mid-on. Mitchell Stanley survived the hat trick ball but Lancashire were struggling on 162 for eight after 39 overs.
The 23-year-old then claimed his fifth courtesy of a superb catch from Leach, who took the ball diving at full length on the run after Stanley miscued.
Chris Green showed typical fight and grit, going to 50 from 47 balls and sharing a half century 10th wicket stand with Charlie Barnard.
When Green eventually fell to Aldridge for 65 (from 54 balls), the partnership was worth 51, but Lancashire were all out for what looked like a below par 218 from 49.1 overs.
The Somerset reply got off to a poor start when Umeed (5) advanced down the wicket to Blatherwick and edged through to Bell at 10 for one in the second over.
However, George Thomas and Goldsworthy brought up the Somerset 50 in the seventh over. The 50 partnership arrived from 38 balls and was eventually worth 63 by the time Goldsworthy was bowled by Barnard for 38 at 73 for two in the 14th over.
The Somerset 100 arrived in the 20th over courtesy of a glorious reverse sweep from James Rew. Thomas then secured his half century from 79 balls and in doing so brought up the 50 partnership with Rew from 61 deliveries.
Lancashire’s day was summed up when the host’s 150 arrived in the 29th over thanks to a wide delivery from Stanley, whose mood was not improved when the umpires remained unmoved despite his enthusiastic lbw appeal against Thomas later in the over.
If Lancashire supporters were irked by that decision, they will have felt aggrieved when Rew survived a similar appeal and they will have been furious when Stanley shelled a very takeable chance on the boundary which would have spelled the end for Thomas.
However, the Somerset batters continued undaunted and the 100 partnership arrived from 116 balls.
Thomas reached his maiden Somerset 100 from 134 balls to beat his previous best of 75, made on debut against Leicestershire in 2021, whilst Rew reached his half century from 56 balls.
The partnership was eventually worth an unbeaten 147, eclipsing the Club’s previous highest third wicket partnership in List A cricket against Lancashire which was set in 1978 by Ian Botham and Viv Richards at Bath.
It was an impressive all round performance with bat, ball and in the field as Somerset cruised to victory in front of a bumper crowd.
