Southern Tour - Somerset

Posted by Tony Hutton

Monday 17th May - Thursday 20th May Somerset v Yorkshire (Taunton)

The weather was back to it's best as we drove down the M4 and M5 from Oxford to Taunton this morning. Gone were the clouds and rain of yesterday and it was sunshine all the way as indeed it was to be for the rest of our two week holiday.

At Taunton Yorkshire had won the toss and were batting with Lyth and Sayers putting on a century opening partnership before Sayers was out for exactly 50. Lyth, whose fluency increased once he had passed the century mark, went on to a career best 142, with 15 fours before he was second man out at 251-2. McGrath then took over the role of sheet anchor and Yorkshire struggled for a while after the cheap dismissals of Rudolph and Ballance.

Gary Ballance, who has scored so prolifically for both the Academy and 2nd XI was having a rare first team outing deputising for captain Andrew Gale, who was leading England Lions against Bangladesh at Derby. However Ballance had made only four when he was disappointingly caught behind off Phillips, who proved to be Somerset's best bowler.

Steve Patterson, whose bowling has come on by leaps and bounds recently, then proved a more than capable night watchman scoring 25 in an hour and 15 minutes, after McGrath had been out for 73 early on the second day. Wainwright then got 39 very quickly at the end and Yorkshire were finally all out for 405. Kartik Somerset's new recruit from India had to bowl a lot of overs before he finally took a wicket. He ended with 3 tailenders for 106 runs in 35.5. overs.

Walking round the Taunton ground, the changes continue. As someone said this ground has more pavilions than Headingley. The players are now installed in a new building the Andy Caddick pavilion sideways on and the previous pavilion is now a members hospitality and eating area. The other major change in recent years is the building of a huge block of retirement flats opposite the players pavilion, with balconies from which you can view the cricket. However when you realise they are in the shade for most of the day the attraction is not so great.

When Somerset batted the match meandered with Suppish top scoring with 99 in just under five hours. Most refreshing was the new young wicketkeeper Buttler, who made a brisk 52. All the tailenders made a few, prolonging the agony for Yorkshire, despite good bowling from Rashid, Wainwright and Hannon-Dolby. Somerset 377 all out and Yorkshire led by only 28 runs.

Second time round and Adam Lyth very unlucky not to get his second century of the match when Kartik had him lbw for 93. Sayers made 12 in over an hour and again you felt the tempo was not right to get a result. However on day four things changed with a vengeance as joke bowling from Somerset enabled the Yorkshire batsmen to help themselves to easy runs. The crowd were mystified - was this a protest by Somerset if Yorkshire had not agreed to set a target, or was it an agreement to again declare as last year when Yorkshire suffered an incredible defeat. Nobody knew until lunchtime.

To the suprise of the large contingent of Yorkshire followers acting captain Rudolph did declare and set a target of 362 in 69 overs. Last season Somerset swept to victory chasing 476 - so what was going on. Very few people thought Yorkshire had a chance of bowling Somerset out, especially when Tino Best, the West Indian pace bowler, limped off after bowling only two overs, never to re-appear. Was this a diplomatic exit? Did he realise what was coming I wonder.

Yorkshire's hopes did rise briefly when Trescothick was out for 53, but after that Compton, De Bruyn and particularly Hildreth who scored tho fastest century of the season so far took Yorkshire to the cleaners. It was exhilarating batting to watch on a batsman's paradise of a wicket and the two Yorkshire spinners just could not cope with the onslaught. The wheels really fell off in the final hour as Somerset raced to a great victory. Young Buttler, who looks full of confidence applied the coup de grace. Yorkshire's eventful season continues.