Seconds lose in Trophy semi-final
Sat 20 Aug 2016
REPORT | By Pete Johnson
Leicestershire took on Somerset in the semi final of the Second XI Trophy (SET) at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton on Friday.
Somerset won the Southern Section and earned the right of a home tie in the 50-over competition, Leicestershire finishing as runners-up in the Northern Section.
Heavy rain greeted us upon arrival at the Cooper Associates County Ground. Within less than half an hour of us being at the ground the rain had thankfully relented, and the groundstaff commenced a mopping up operation as much rain had fallen overnight.
However, rain began falling before any sheeting could be removed. The Cooper Associates County Ground has some stands named after legends of Somerset cricket. The Sir Ian Botham Stand, for example, is opposite to the Scorers ‘retreat’.
The Sir Ian Botham Stand is sandwiched between the Marcus Trescothick Stand, and the Colin Atkinson Stand. The three aforementioned stands are at the River End, and have a backdrop of the Quantocks. The Scorers ‘retreat’ being at the Somerset Pavilion End, above the Stragglers Bar. The players are housed in the Andy Caddick Pavilion. You can also gain access to this West Country Wonderland through the Brian Rose Gates, and the Sir Vivian Richards Gates.
The Umpires carried out an Inspection at 11.30am, and decided an early lunch be taken at 12 noon. A further Inspection was carried out at 1.15pm, following which the Umpires decided that the match would start at 2.15pm, being reduced to 34 overs a side.
County had two solid partnerships in their innings between Aadil Ali and Harry Dearden, and subsequently between Dearden and Tom Wells, but were unable to build on the platform created. Sam Evans also tried his best, batting down the order, to attempt to ensure posting a challenging total. Somerset, however, somewhat cantered home by seven wickets.
Wells was skippering County, called correctly, and elected to bat. Ali and Dearden opened up for County and gave the innings a solid start. Their 50 partnership came from just 42 balls. Ali was particularly brutal in his short innings in racking up 35 from 21 balls.
Ali’s demise came when he chased a wide one from seamer Ben Green, and was caught at the wicket by Alex Barrow. (Some older readers of my ramblings may recall a certain Alex Barrow who was a fearsome heavyweight Boxer in the late 50s/early 60s, who fought at Granby Halls, Leicester on many occasions).
Ali and Dearden having put on 60 for the first wicket from 7.4 overs. Dearden was joined by Lewis Hill, but Hill (4) soon departed lbw when attempting a sweep off of Somerset skipper Max Waller. Although Hill was not able to play his sweep successfully, Waller’s namesake ‘Fats’ could certainly play the piano. (Yet another one for the old ’uns on here). County now on 69-2 from 10.1 overs.
Wells joined Dearden, and the pair laid a platform for the later batsmen to build on. Wells’ first ten scoring shots were all singles, he was accumulating more singles than you may see at a speed dating evening.
These singles were then followed by two huge maximums from Wells when he deposited paceman Paul van Meekeren, one straight, and the other behind square. I will not mention meerkats in the same breath as van Meekeren as he has no doubt been linked with those furry ferrets on previous occasions.
All the time Dearden was keeping the scoreboard ticking over, the ‘Bury Bulldog’ having to endure several overs from spinner Dom Bess. Dearden flirted once outside his off stump with Bess, a name that he could certainly empathise with. We saw 4 overs of ‘canine capers’ with Bess bowling the majority of his deliveries to Dearden.
Dearden did however get off the lead, and when at the other end launched Waller for a towering maximum between mid-wicket and long0on. The 50 partnership between Dearden and Wells came up from 65 deliveries.
Opener Dearden (46 from 68 balls) finally went caught behind square by George Bartlett off the bowling of Scotland international Michael Leask. County on 131-3 from 22.4 overs. Wells went to his 50 (3x4/3x6) from 49 balls. That was about as good as it got for County however, as the innings fell away afterwards.
Wells (53) went bowled by Green, the skipper no doubt feeling quite at home in Somerset with his surname. The score being 148-4 from 25.6 when Wells departed the scene with 8 overs remaining of the allotted 34.
Number five Michael Burgess (11) from 12 balls went lbw attempting a reverse sweep, leaving County on 157-5 from 28 overs. Evans had come to the wicket in an unfamiliar place in the order to him of number 7. Evans played a delightful innings, tailored to the occasion, making an undefeated 22 from 24 balls. His innings included one improvised scoop for four of pacemen Josh Davey, who was ‘lamping in’ from the Somerset Pavilion End.
Ollie Freckingham (1) was adjudged lbw to Bess, and James Sykes (4) was bowled when appearing to try to ‘pad up’ to Davey, another Scottish international in the Somerset ranks. Harry Swindells joined Evans, and the 2 of them, both being of a slight diminutive frame, could easily have been in the saddle of the winner of the 4.05pm at nearby Taunton Racecourse.
Swindells (1) went caught behind by Barrow off Green. Will Fazakerley (2) was caught by van Meekeren off Green, giving Green a 5-for for the innings, having picked up 2 wickets in the final over. Evans took a boundary from the last ball of the innings off Green finishing on 22 not out.
It was an innings of great maturity from Evans, who also ran busily between the wickets. The top half of his body leans forward somewhat when he runs, and I could visualise him ‘dipping’ on the line in a 100 metres sprint. You have to have a vivid imagination writing these reports you know! Dieter Klein, 0*, did not have to face a ball. County closing on 186-9 from their 34 overs.
The Somerset batsmen chased down the total in a measured and composed manner. There was an early success for County though when Eddie Byrom (2) was caught at mid-off by Wells, snaffling a skier off the bowling of Dieter Klein. Somerset being 31-1 off 5.3 overs.
Klein was working up a very brisk pace from the Somerset Pavilion End. That was as good as it got for County however. Opener Adam Hose was spraying the ball to all parts, and posted a 50 partnership with George Bartlett from 60 balls.
Hose went to his 50 (7x4) from 55 balls with the score on 85-1 from 16.2 overs. The tap was finally turned off on Hose’s innings when he was caught at mid-off by Freckingham off Fazackerley, Hose making 66 from 69 balls. Somerset being 127-2 from 21 overs.
Bartlett went to his 50 (4x4/1x6) from 51 balls, his maximum being an enormous straight hit that clattered into a hospitality box window of the Sir Ian Botham Stand. The unfortunate bowler doing a delightful double teapot, I won’t mention his name, but the shot was a cut above.
When Bartlett (65 from 63 balls) went lbw to Ali, the score was 169-3 from 26.2 overs. Tom Abell (39*) assisted in seeing Somerset home without any further alarms. Abell was supported at the end by Barrow, who wheeled away to the Pavilion undefeated on 7.
Somerset finishing on 190-3, reaching the target from 30.3 overs, winning by 7 wickets. At the end of the game there were long shadows, from the evening sunlight, in evidence at the Cooper (Cabana) Associates County Ground. The nearest I will get to the Olympics is a breakfast or a feast (yet again any people of a certain age may remember them from the days of the Little Chef).
Although Somerset had a comfortable victory it has been a good SET campaign by Leicestershire. In reaching the semi-final stage they achieved something that 14 other counties failed to do.
