Nottinghamshire v Somerset County Championship Div 1 July 29-August 1st

Neil Whitaker reports

Day 1

JAMES Rew hit his second Rothesay County Championship 150 of the season as  he  was unbeaten on 162 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge when play was called off two  overs early because of bad light.

His previous 150 was152 against Worcestershire. With former captain Tom Abell,they hit  a Somerset  record breaking 313  for the fourth wicket beating the 310 made by Lord Botham and Peter Denning against Gloucestershire in 1980 at Taunton. It  was also the highest partnership between Rew and Abell, beating the 244 they made against Lancashire in 2023 for the fifth wicket at Taunton.

Abell said: “Rew is a class act and he keeps the score moving.  I think that he dosen’t get the credit that he deserves.  He keeps delivering when we need it.  I think it’s a good batting surface and to win a  game you have to take 20 wickets.  Tomorrow we’ve got to build partnerships and we’ve got good quality spinners.  First innings runs are going to be  crucial and if we can get a lead we can build pressure.”

Rew said: “I felt under pressure. I thought it would get easier if we  got through the first hour but it was about building a partnership and taking the shine of the ball as it gets softer.  It was nice to have Abell at the other end.  He played a classic knock as he does.  He is one of the best players we’ve got.  Our plan was to rotate the strike if we couldn’t get the boundaries.”

The 21-year-old talented  Rew showed the first signs of Somerset aggression when he hit Muhammad Abbas for a couple of boundaries in his sixth over. The first was a drive to the cover boundary and the next was a pull to the square leg boundary.

He clipped Dillion Pennington off his toes to the shorter  square leg boundary. He  danced down the pitch to Liam Patterson-White and lofted him straight for a six to bring up his 50 from 75 balls with seven fours.  Rew hit Calvin Harrison over mid-wicket boundary for another six.

Nottinghamshire induced a mistake from Rew, on 92, when he went back to Patterson-White and late  cut him  between stumper Joe Clarke and Harrison at first slip and he got three.

He drove Brett Hutton through extra for a couple to bring up his third Championship century of the season from 138 balls with three sixes and eight fours.  His 11th First class century in all.

Former Somerset captain Abell hit his First Rothesay County Championship century of the season and his highest Championship score.  Abell  came to the crease in the third over when Somerset had lost two wickets without a run on the board. He hit consecutive fours off Pennington to the square leg boundary. Abel  glanced Harrison off his legs to the fine leg boundary to bring up his 50 off 78 balls with eight fours.  

He  whipped Harrison through the onside for three to bring up his first Championship century of the season off 165 balls with 15 fours also brought up the 200 partnership with Rew.  Abell guided Hutton to the third man boundary to not only bring up his 150 but also the 300 partnership with Rew.The partnership was broken two overs before the close when Abell pulled Pennington to Lyndon James on the fine leg boundary. His 156 is his highest score beating the 152 he made against Warwickshire last season.

After winning the toss and putting Somerset in on a brownish pitch Nottinghamshire had a dream start. Muhammad Abbas  got a wicket with the second ball when Somerset captain  Lewis Gregory  didn’t offer a shot to a ball that kept low and was plumb leg before.

Muhammad Abbas  got his second wicket   in his next over  when Tom  Lammonby pushed at him and edged it and  Harrison at second slip took a comfortable low catch.  He  got his third wicket of the morning and his 800th First class wicket when Josh Davey followed one and stumper Clarke took a low catch between his legs. In his first spell Muhammad Abbas took three for 15 in nine overs.

Day 2

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE captain Haseeb Hameed reached 1,000 First class runs for the season when he drove Archie Vaughan straight along the ground to the boundary to bring up his 12th century for Nottinghamshire.

His third century of the season came from 172 and included 14 fours and two sixes. It was his second century of the season and it’s his first century against Somerset and at the close was unbeaten on 103.

Nottinghamshire’s Dillon Pennington said: “Haseeb Hameed is outstanding and great to watch, to go out there and put us in a position to win is amazing.”

Somerset brought Jack Leach into the attack after six overs and Freddie McCann found the boundary twice in his first over. Leach floated one up to Haseeb Hameed who drove it over long-on for a six. He reached his 50 when he turned Leach to mid-wicket and raced through for a quick single.  It was his   third 50 for Nottinghamshire against  Somerset and it came from 87 balls with seven fours and that six.

Haseeb Hameed  squeezed Lewis Gregory out to the point boundary to take him into the 70’s and he  late cut Jake Ball to the third man boundary to take him into the 90’s. He gave a hard return chance to Migael Pretorius when he smashed the ball straight back to the bowler who couldn’t get his hand out of the way.

Joe Clarke steered Pretorius to the third man boundary to bring up the 50 partnership with Haseeb Hameed in 14 overs.  A couple of balls later Pretorius induced an inside edge from Haseeb Hameed which narrowly missed his stumps.

Somerset’s innings on the second day didn’t get going until the last wicket partnership between Craig Overton and Ball added 40 in 11 overs,  Overton was unbeaten 31.

Former  Nottinghamshire pace bowler Ball not known for his batting ended up being Somerset’s fourth highest scorer in their 438. He hit three fours in his first 16 runs and  was last out when he  gave a return catch to Liam Patterson-White.  On  21 he went back to Paterson-White and top edged a cut to Calvin Harrison at slip who couldn’t hold on to it. What’s remarkable in Somerset’s total is, 322 runs came from two players James Rew and Tom Abell.

In the morning session Somerset crawled along as they added 58 for  the loss of four wickets in 26 overs.  Night watchman Leach drove the first ball of the day to Lyndon James at backward who dove to his right.

 Rew’s  393 minute innings ended when he gloved a hook off Pennington and stumper Clarke took the catch diving to his right.  Rew hit three sixes and 14 14 balls. The left hander seemed subdued as he only added four to his overnight score.

Tom Banton batting  with a broken finger on his  left hand drove Muhammad Abbas to the square cover boundary.   Six runs after the fall of Rew’s wicket  he underedged a big swing at Brett Hutton to give Clarke another catch.

Overton top edged a pull with no control  off James to the fine leg boundary. On 13 he  played Hutton to mid-wicket set off for a single but hesitated but carried on.  Pretorius responded to his call and beat McCann’s direct hit. But they made it to lunch  but in the second over after lunch Pretorius got a leading edge and chipped the ball back to Harrison.

Somerset batting coach Shane Burger said: “We wern’t able to get another partnership but full credit to Nottinghamshire for the way they bowled today.  Ball and Overton showed what could happen when you get a partnership, you’ve got to play to your strengths.  We didn’t show enough intent in going for the batting bonus points and that brought Nottinghamshire into the game but by doing that all results are now possible.

The exciting thing for me was the adventurous approach of Gregory to get wickets.  But we are going to have to bowl extremely well and hope that Leach comes more into the game.  But there are still two days and two days can be a long time in cricket.”

Somerset hit an early breakthrough in the second over when Ben Slater left one from Overton that clipped the off stump.

Ball took his first wicket against his old club  when McCann played a loose shot at him, got a faint edge and Rew took the catch.

Pennington added: “Today we did the right things over a period of time and that was the disappointing thing about yesterday. We needed to build pressure at both ends and pressure leads to mistakes. It was  tough yesterday because they batted amazingly. All we can do tomorrow is to take it session by session.” 

Before play started Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores said: “For that first hour yesterday we bowled really well. Mohammad Abbas had a good day all round but that first nine-over spell, he bowled beautifully. Three for 15 was him at his absolute best on a pitch that didn’t do a great deal.

He's passed 800 wickets this game, and that’s testament to what we've always known all along. If you can bowl the ball on the top of off stump, you're effective and he does that more than most. He's got a great wrist and he's clever, so he makes the ball move a little bit either way.

He bowled a couple of great balls to Rew but he got through them, and after that I give a lot of credit to the way that both of their lads played, to Abell and Rew. They batted beautifully, really.

I don't think it was our best day as a collective, bowling-wise. I don't think we managed to get pressure on from both ends at the same time. That hurt us.”

Day 3

HASEEB Hameed hit his third double century for Nottinghamshire, his second this season as  Nottinghamshire ended the third day 73 ahead of Somerset with four first innings wickets left. 

He said: “I was pleased to have helped get us in the position that we're in and I think the partnerships that we were able to have, starting off with Freddie McCann and  then Joe Clarke, Jack  Haynes and Lyndon James were all big contributions to us getting to where we are right now.We’re in a good position. We've got an opportunity to try to build on that in the morning and at some point try to put some pressure on them with the ball.

It’s going to be a day four wicket, so we're not quite sure how it will play. Hopefully, there'll be a few demons in there that will keep us interested and give ourselves an opportunity to try and win the game.”

Starting the day on 103 he  reached his double century in the third over after tea when he lofted Archie Vaughan over the infield.   He hit two sixes and 18 fours in his 200.  Eventually Somerset saw the back of him when he was run out by Tom Lammonby’s direct hit.   James, who passed 3,000 First-class runs for Nottinghamshire during his knock of 72,hit  Vaughan into the covers and set off for a single then hesitated and set off again.  Despite Haseeb Hameed’s dive he couldn’t beat Lammonby’s throw.   Maybe both batters forgot that Lammonby was left handed as the ball went to his left.

His previous double ton this season was against Durham at Durham in May when he made an unbeaten 206 and last season against his old County, Lancashire at Trent  Bridge he hit an unbeaten 247.

In the first over after lunch Haseeb Hameed was dropped by James  Rew on 137 who got his left glove to it after Haseeb Hameed had tried to pull Overton. Somerset’s bowling coach Steve Kirby said:  “On another day Haseeb Hameed could  have been given out. Taking nothing away from Haseeb Hammed, he’s played superbly well, his powers of concentration and the way he’s gone about his business. I think at one point he’d not been off the pitch at all so you’ve got to take your bat off to him.”

Haseem Hameed turned Josh Davey to the legside for a single to bring up his 150 from 290 balls in 351 minutes with two sixes and 18 fours.  On 152 he tried pulling  Craig Overton,  nearly stood on his stumps and the ball nearly rolled back on to his stumps.

With Clarke, he added 118 in 40 overs.  Clarke pulled  Migael Pretorius for a couple through mid-wicket to bring up the hundred partnership with Haseeb Hameed off 216 balls. He swept Jack Leach to the square leg boundary for his first boundary of the day in the 14th over of the day.  But sadly there was to be no more.  He pushed Lewis Gregory on the legside and Tom Abell at short mid-wicket  took the catch diving low  to his left.  

In the morning session Nottinghamshire only added 82 in 33 overs for the loss of Clarke.

Clarke was followed by Haynes who thumped Gregory straight for a boundary. Haynes pulled Overton to the mid-wicket boundary to bring up the 50 partnership with Haseeb Hameed in 21 overs.  He cut Leach to take Nottinghamshire to 300 and a second batting point. 

On 171 Haseem Hameed edged a bodied drive of Pretorius and the ball flew between stumper Rew and Overton at a wide first slip to the boundary.  Haseem Hameed flat batted Overton to the cover boundary to save the follow-on.  He carved Gregory out to covers for a single to give Nottinghamshire their third batting point. 

Haynes reached his fourth 50 of the season from 90 balls with fours and they say at Trent Bridge if Haynes gets 50 he converts it into a ton but that didn’t happen today.

Frustrated at not being able to get wickets Somerset resorted to a bit of leg theory with most of their fielders on the leg side.  When that didn’t work Overton threw the stumps down  after the ball was dead and the umpires spoke to Somerset  captain Gregory.

Kirby added: “It’s just the way that Overton goes about his business, he’s trier in everything he does. He’s done everything today. He’s done everything to get a wicket.”

Somerset got their second wicket of the day when Haynes punched Gregory to Abel at short mid-wicket.  As he walked off Haynes was furious with himself and punched his bat.  His 70 came from 127 balls with six fours.

Liam Patterson-White cut  Vaughan for a single to take  Nottinghamshire into the lead. James reached his fourth 50 for Nottinghamshire from 76 balls with five fours.  With runs easy to come James and Patterson-White added 88 in 23 overs.  The partnership was broken when James had a big swing at Pretorius but found Abell on the mid-wicket boundary.

Kirby said: “I am pleased with how the lads stuck at their game today but that’s our character. We know that it’s not a great advert for county cricket but you have to take your hat off to Haseeb Hameed, the way he played.

I am a little bit disappointed with how Nottinghamshire played, I thought they could have pulled the trigger a little bit earlier than they did to try and make a game out of the situation but I thought the way we bowled and stuck to our task was superb.

It’s very difficult to take wickets on that surface and we tried everything, the guys have put their heart and soul into everything today.  They've bowled  short,  straight they couldn’t have done anymore.  I think it’s going to be a difficult day tomorrow.”

Explaining why Somerset didn’t take the new ball he said: “If we had taken the new ball it would have been easier to score on that surface. We wanted to try and slow the game down and not give them any more of an advantage.

But who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow, there’s still 96 overs left and funnier things have happened in cricket.”

Haseeb Hameed added: “The Kookaburra ball tends to go soft at the best of times so facing one that was a hundred and odd overs old was definitely challenging. The task today was to try to grind out partnerships and take it as deep as we could.

The character that we showed on that second morning was outstanding from the boys on a wicket that wasn't offering too much. It speaks volumes of the boys that they were able to do that and hopefully, they'll have a role to play tomorrow as well.”

Day 4

THE  final day had some excitement when  Nottinghamshire, leading by 106 runs  on first innings, took two wickets for three runs in four overs with Somerset still behind but both teams decided at 4.52 to shake hands after  Nottinghamshire could only take one more wicket.

Somerset’s Head coach Jason Kerr said: “It was inevitable  that the draw was the only outcome to this match, it had a feel  about it since the match started and I guess the way the unfolded was no surprise to anyone

I do think that the problem is the ball is more to do with the surfaces.  Where the Kookuburra  ball is used in the  rest of the world the surfaces are harder, if you get some bounce and pace into the surfaces you can get wickets but on this surface there was no bounce so when the ball gets 12 overs old batting becomes easier.

Groundsmen are under a lot of pressure to get pitches ready and we are coming into a busy period for them but on day one we were saying how are you going to get 20  wickets on this surface.”

It  took Somerset 39 minutes to take the remaining four Nottinghamshire  wickets. First to go was  Liam Patterson-White who added one to his overnight score and chipped Jake Ball to Jack Leach at short mid-wicket in the second over.   Brett Hutton faced one ball  giving Josh Davey a low return catch.

Dillon Pennington backed away from Ball, had a big swing and lost his middle stump.  Calvin Harrison chipped Davey to Leach at short cover.  Nottinghamshire added 34 runs in 8.2 overs to take their lead to 106.  Somerset bowled 159.2 overs with the one ball.

Nottinghamshire set attacking fields from the start and the Somerset openers Lewis Gregory and Davey  took full advantage racing 32 in eight overs before Davey glanced Pennington to Harrison at second slip who took a comfortable catch.

In the next over without adding to the score wafted at Muhammad Abbas got an inside edge to stumper Joe Clarke. Tom Lammonby got a leading edge to Pennington that flew between gully and point.

Somerset came out after lunch in an aggressive mood as James  Rew launched Patterson-White over long-on for a six while Nottinghamshire went on the defensive.   Nottinghamshire broke the partnership between Lammonby and Rew after they had added 68 in 12 overs when Lammonby pushed at  Harrison and was bowled in the gap between pad and bat.

Somerset  lost their fourth wicket when leg spinner  Harrison got one to bounce at Rew and he simply turned it to Haynes at short leg. During Rew’s innings he passed 3,000 Championship runs.

Recalled to the attack Mohammed Abbas got one to rise at Tom  Banton who turned it just wide off Jack Haynes at short leg.  Tom Abell glanced Muhammad Abbas off his legs to the fine leg boundary to bring up the 50 partnership with Banton in 15 overs.

On 16 Banton cut Harrison and hit James on his knee, the ball went up in the air and as it was about to hit the turf Lyndon James scooped it  back into the air but towards Banton and not near the fielders.   

Harrison got one to turn at Banton,  took his edge and the ball hit stumpers Clarke's arm and rebounded and Banton took a single.

Two balls later Harrison found the edge of Abell’s bat who feathered it to Clarke. Abell walked straight away. With Banton, Abell added 87  in 36 overs for the fifth wicket.

Abell pulled Pennington over the fine-leg boundary for a six.  He turned Harrison off leg through mid-wicket for three  to bring up his 50 from 110 balls and included that six and five fours.

Kerr added: “Rew is having an outstanding summer again and Abell has shown his quality in this game he came in early against the new ball and had a partnership which we didn’t capitalise on, we should have batted for two days and put Nottinghamshire under pressure coming into the last day jet we didn’t do that but both Rew and Abell were phenomenal.”

The result means that Somerset are now 26 points behind leaders Surrey and the pitch they used against Durham is under investigation but Kerr insists that the title race is not over. He said: “We feel massively that we are still in the hunt. Surrey are unbeaten at the KIA Oval in the last couple of years. There’s three games left for everybody to play  Nottinghamshire have to play at Surrey so hopefully there’ll be a result there one way or the other. But  we have to concentrate on winning our last three games.

The pitch against Durham was marked below average so it’s under investigation at this stage but when you look at the contrast over the last two weeks I know which kind of  cricket   l’d like to watch. It’s  a waiting game to find out the result of the process that they’ve gone through. Hopefully  that will be put to bed  sooner rather than later. We want it to get to a conclusion as quickly as possible so we know where we stand, we’ve still got home matches to play and we’ll be looking to play on similar surfaces. So if it doesn't go our way we will have to re-evaluate that. It’s not about how a pitch looks, it's about the way it plays and hopefully common sense will prevail.”

Nottinghamshire Head coach Peter  Moores said: “It was a really good response by us because probably day one was one of our  worst days of the season in some ways. Somerset played well but it was not an easy pitch to bowl on, and I didn't think we got it right as a team how we went about it.

We had a good chat about it that night and we've come back with a response. I think from that moment on, we won every session. Haseeb Hameed spoke well on that second morning about fighting back and his double-hundred kind of led that fightback.

The partnerships all the way down the innings put us in a really strong position. I think they went down the route of not changing the ball to try to make it hard to score, although it makes it harder for them to get a wicket so it gets to a bit of a stalemate.

It’s been a frustrating period with the Kookaburra balls because we've dominated probably all four games and come out with four draws. But the lads should take a lot from it because a lot of batters batted well and to watch Harrison bowl like that and the two spinners bowling on the last day was great. 

I think the leg spinner on there was the only spinner that really got something out of the pitch. Harrison with a slightly different trajectory, more loop on it and a few more variations, bowled beautifully. I think the match situation meant he could really look to take pace off and attack. He got three wickets, but he could have easily got five or six and put us in a winning position.

We’ve got an exciting run-in to come now. We've got three really good fixtures and the middle game against Surrey away is a fantastic game. We're right in it, there's no doubt about that. We're playing good cricket, so I think we'll go into that section confident.”

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