Expect Somerset to be title challengers again
CAN Somerset’s brilliant brigade of young batsmen develop the consistency to propel the club to that long-awaited first County Championship title this summer?
That is the key question as Somerset’s quest for what has become known as their ‘Holy Grail’ begins against Middlesex at Lord’s today.
Having finished second five times in the last 11 years and runners-up in the Bob Willis Trophy, the abbreviated replacement for championship cricket, last summer, it is tempting to wonder whether Somerset will ever fly the famous pennant at Taunton.
If it is to be won over the next five months, the hugely-talented quartet of Tom Lammonby, George Bartlett, Eddie Byrom and Tom Banton will need to contribute big runs on a regular basis to support the more experienced James Hildreth, Tom Abell and wicketkeeper Steve Davies. All four are aged 23 or under and each has displayed more than enough ability to persuade head coach Jason Kerr that Somerset did not need to employ an overseas batsman for this season’s tilt at the title.
But only Lammonby of the group averaged more than 35 in the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy. While he made a century in the competition, along with Byrom and Bartlett, they also shared 13 scores of 20 or less over the six games. Banton, already rightly regarded among the most exciting one-day batsmen in the country, could manage a total of only 33 runs from three innings.
On occasions, Somerset’s lower order came to the rescue and the team still made the final against Essex, only to be bridesmaids again when, despite the match being drawn, the reigning county champions lifted the trophy on a higher first-innings score.
This season, Somerset start the County Championship, under its new format, with an eight-point penalty, reduced from the original 12, hanging over them for producing a ‘poor’ pitch for their final game of the 2019 season against Essex.
With only ten games in which to secure the top-two finish in their group necessary to play in Division One of the second stage, Somerset will hope to wipe out that deficit as soon as possible. The first and second teams in each of the three groups will contest Division One in September when the winners over four games will be crowned champions and the top two contest the Bob Willis Trophy final.
If Somerset can score enough runs, there is little doubt they have a bowling attack capable of capitalising to the full.
While the departures of Jamie Overton to Surrey and Dom Bess to Yorkshire at the end of last season were blows, there should be genuine excitement over the signing of Marchant de Lange as overseas player. The 30-year-old South African often impressed me when bowling for Glamorgan and is a fierce competitor with an extra edge of pace when compared with Somerset’s other seamers.
Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory, Josh Davey and Jack Brooks already made up a pace department that was the envy of most counties. While Brooks needs time to fully recover from surgery on both Achilles tendons during the winter, Ben Green and exciting youngster Sonny Baker will both be eager for opportunities.
Jack Leach has the quality to take wickets on what I expect to be good batting pitches at Taunton. And when their number one spinner is summoned by England, Somerset can call on evergreen Roelof van der Merwe or promising 20-year-old Lewis Goldsworthy as deputy.
The pressure is on because, after all the near misses, only a title win will represent progress. But director of cricket Andy Hurry and Kerr exude confidence as ever and another strong bid for red-ball honours can be anticipated.
AN Harvey is rubbing his hands at the prospect of leading Gloucestershire’s first assault on the County Championship title for 16 years. While his side will not be among the favourites, only a fool would write off their chances with the feisty Aussie and his ‘glory days’ team-mate Mark Alleyne at the helm.
Having languished in the second division of the Championship since relegation in 2005, Gloucestershire finally regained top-flight status in 2019. But they were denied the chance to take the momentum of winning promotion into last season’s competition when the Covid19 pandemic resulted in it being replaced by the Bob Willis Trophy.
Now Harvey, appointed interim head coach for the season when Richard Dawson left to join the England coaching set up, is looking to instil the same winning mentality he always displayed as a player.
When I spoke to him this week, he was bubbling with enthusiasm over the task ahead, having been boosted
Inot only by Alleyne’s return to the club he captained to so many trophies, but also that of a major overseas signing in Kraigg Brathwaite.
The West Indies captain is selfisolating after entering the country and is not available for the championship opener against Surrey at Bristol, starting today. But Brathwaite, who boasts 68 Test caps, is expected to play in the second group match against Somerset at Taunton next week and will form a formidable opening batting partnership with skipper Chris Dent.
With new vice-captain and regular wicketkeeper James Bracey looking to enhance England ambitions at number three, Gloucestershire’s top order should be capable of laying the foundation for some sizeable totals.
Ben Charlesworth’s dislocated shoulder, suffered while fielding in a T20 warm-up game against Somerset, is a blow. But even without Gareth Roderick, departed for Worcestershire, Gloucestershire have batsmen capable of meaningful contributions in the likes of Miles Hammond, Tom Lace, George Hankins, Graeme van Buuren, George Scott, Ryan Higgins, Benny Howell, Ian Cockbain and Jack Taylor. Dan Worrall’s return to lead the seam attack is another positive, although he doesn’t arrive until the middle of the month. The 29-yearold Australian seems likely to open the bowling with David Payne in a potentially potent new-ball pairing. Higgins, Matt Taylor and Josh Shaw will also contest the seam bowling places, along with Jared Warner, an exciting pace bowler, signed from Yorkshire last autumn, who is not quite fit to face Surrey.
The reliable Tom Smith will again shoulder major spin bowling responsibility and Harvey, who tells me he will look to improve the team without changing its identity, will be keeping fingers crossed that his key performers with the ball stay fit.
With opening games against Surrey and Somerset, it should soon be apparent whether Gloucestershire can compete with the strongest teams in the country.
Don’t be surprised if they cause a few upsets.