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Somerset claim stunning last-gasp win on day four
Somerset secured one of the most sensational wins of the Club’s 149 year history at the Cooper Associates County Ground today as top of the table Surrey were blown away on the final day of this Vitality County Championship Division One match.
With timing running out, Jack Leach claimed the final Surrey wicket to see Somerset over the line by 111 runs in what is certainly one of the most dramatic encounters that this wonderful ground has ever witnessed.
With the game seemingly floundering towards a draw and Somerset’s title aspirations looking doomed for another 12 months, a flurry of late wickets saw the hosts secure the win and cut the gap at the top of division one to just eight points. Archie Vaughan once again caught the eye by finishing the match with 11 wickets.
After a night of “will he or won’t he”, Tom Banton answered the question of whether he would bat on this morning by once again hobbling out to bat with Tom Lammonby as a runner.
The Somerset batter had shown incredible spirit and fortitude last night by coming out to bat essentially on one leg after suffering an ankle injury in the morning warm up. Against the odds, he had finished unbeaten on 28.
He was set to face the third ball of the morning when rain began to fall and the players left the field.
After a short delay, play resumed with Banton and Craig Overton pick up from where they had finished the previous evening.
The partnership was eventually worth 71 as they increased the Somerset lead past the 200-mark with a fine array of shots, the pick of which was a one-legged reverse sweep for four by Banton.
The heroics finally came to an end when Banton was bowled by Shakib Al Hasan for a remarkable 46. Overton remained unbeaten on 49 as Somerset were all out for 224, setting the visitors a target of 221 for victory.
Surrey’s defensive gameplan was clear from the outset as Rory Burns (9 from 31) and Dom Sibley (9 from 47) reached lunch with the scoreboard showing 18 without loss from 13 overs.
The visitor’s obdurate lack of aggression was again evident after the interval, as the score slowly advanced to 31.
However, Archie Vaughan, as has so often been the case over the last few days, made the breakthrough, claiming two wickets in an over. First he found Burns’ outside edge. James Rew did the rest and the Surrey skipper was on his way for 15 (from 51 balls). Just three balls later he bowled Ryan Patel for 0.
Ben Geddes was then trapped lbw by an absolute beauty from Jack Leach and the Champions were 46 for three.
With wickets starting to fall around him, Sibley continued to be resolute in defence, picking off the occasional scoring delivery and intelligently taking no risks.
When another shower forced an early tea, the visiting batters showed rather more haste in leaving the field. At this stage the score was 63 for three and Surrey required a further 158.
Sibley reverted to type after the break and went to his 50 from 165 deliveries, but just when the game seemed to be meandering to a stalemate, Leach found Ben Foakes’ outside edge and Lewis Gregory to a good low catch at first slip at 95 for four.
Sibley’s mammoth vigil was then ended in similar fashion for the addition of just one run to the total and he departed for 56 from 183 balls. His stay at the crease occupying 204 minutes.
Gregory’s safe hands at first slip were called into action again as Vaughan found Shakib Al Hasan’s outside edge and all of a sudden Surrey were 96 for six, and when Tom Curran chopped on to give the young Somerset spinner his 10th wicket of the match, the reigning champions were reeling at 101 for seven.
Vaughan struck again to claim his second five-for of the match by trapping Cameron Steel lbw for 0, and Surrey were in disarray.
With less than 10 minutes to go and the Surrey tail looking content to block out for the remainder of the day, Somerset needed a miracle.
Salvation came in the form of Leach.
With under two minutes to go he had Jordan Clark caught behind and just two balls later Dan Worrall fell lbw and Surrey were all out for 109.
This sparked scenes of wild celebrations both on and off the field, capped off by Banton racing out to join in on his crutches.
Surrey remain top of the table but as the sound of “Blackbird” rang out across the Taunton skyline, Somerset followers know that the title race has been blown wide open!
