Somerset Suffer Tricky Start To Championship Campaign

02/05/2025 09:41 Share

Somerset Suffer Tricky Start To Championship Campaign

A tricky start to the County Championship season for Somerset saw the team still chasing a first win of the campaign after four games, although there was plenty of cause for optimism heading into May.

The Vertu-backed side kicked off the season at home to Worcestershire in a match that will go down in history thanks to the extraordinary batting performance of Tom Banton.

After the visitors collapsed from 101-1 to 154 all out in their first innings, Banton blasted a brilliant 371 to set a new club record, with James Rew adding 152 in an impressive total of 670-7.

Defiant innings from both Brett D’Oliveira and Matthew Waite somehow salvaged a draw for Worcestershire at they were able to keep the Somerset attack at bay, before the team hit the road for the first time to visit Sussex.

After the home team were bowled out for 294, Somerset looked in trouble at the end of the opening day after four wickets from Fynn Hudson-Prentice, but a hard-fought 80 from James Rew saw his side manage to make it to 201 to concede a first innings deficit.

With a lead of 93, Sussex impressed with the bat second time around as John Simpson and Tom Haines hit centuries to set Somerset nearly 600 to win. That target was never likely to be reached as Somerset instead had to try and force the draw, battling hard before ultimately slipping to defeat despite 96 from Tom Abell.

Another away trip followed with a visit to Hampshire, who had Somerset on the ropes after a rain-affected first day saw the away side reduced to 94-6.

Having been bowled out for 184 on the second day, Somerset conceded a first innings lead of 152 despite a five wicket haul from Migael Pretorius but the time lost to the weather and a solid second innings performance with the bat from Sean Dickson saw the game once again end as a draw.

The month drew to a close with another game away from Taunton against Surrey, who took the lead after the first innings despite Tom Lammonby and Lewis Gregory producing half centuries for the visitors.

Starting the second innings 84 behind however, Somerset were dismissed for just 119 as the defending champions wrapped up victory by eight wickets.

Somerset now return to Taunton to kick off May against Essex, with further ties against Sussex and Durham before the Vitality Blast gets underway at the end of the month.

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