Stepping up preparations
Somerset County Cricket Club are stepping up their preparations for the new county season with an 11-day high-performance camp at Abu Dhabi Cricket.
The squad touched down at the multi-sports hub last weekend and are playing Essex in two T20 matches, a 45-over game and a two-day fixture during their stay.
Somerset’s current England international Tom Banton lifted the Abu Dhabi T10 trophy with Deccan Gladiators at the end of last year and the right-handed opener is pleased to be back at the UAE capital’s premier sports hub ahead of a big year ahead.
“I’m back here in Abu Dhabi for the third year in a row,” said Banton. “I’ve been here with several different franchises and every year it seems to get better and better and the boys love it here.
“The last time we were here, for the Abu Dhabi T10, we managed to win the competition with the Deccan Gladiators, which was probably one of my highlights over the last few years so I’m really looking forward to getting going.”
The visit of eight-time County Championship winners Essex and inaugural T20 Blast champions Somerset marks the return of major international hosting at Abu Dhabi Cricket.
Both county teams will not only play four games on matches at the Tolerance Oval and Mohan’s Oval, but also make use of the 20 international nets and state-of-the-art Bodyline gym that sit on the same site.
It comes just two weeks after Abu Dhabi Cricket Council launched its new strategic vision for community cricket in the emirate and the capability to serve both top-tier professional cricket and all aspects of the domestic game highlights the versatility of the facility.
The trip has been organised by Sporta Tours - a subsidiary of Sporta Group - who are long-term partners of Abu Dhabi Cricket and have worked with the two County sides for a number of years.
Sporta Group director Matt Jackson explained that Abu Dhabi
Cricket is the perfect venue for teams’ pre-season preparations, and said: “We’re excited to be bringing two of the top English county cricket clubs back to Abu Dhabi Cricket for their pre-season training camps. The impressive improvements made by Abu Dhabi Cricket to their facilities now make them not only one of the best cricket venues in the UAE, but also the world.”
Somerset won the 45-over match by 17 runs as Banton top-scored with 60 and Jack Brooks claimed 2-12, with Roelof van der Merwe adding 1-14.
Following the match, head coach Jason Kerr said: “I thought the guys were outstanding today. It can be difficult when you play a format that you’re not used to, especially when you’re condensing four-day cricket into 45 overs.
“We were asked to bat first, so there was something there for the new ball, but it was great to see Ben Green and Tom Lammonby spend so much time at the crease. It wasn’t so much about posting a score, it was about implementing what we’ve been doing over the winter.
“Jack Brooks was excellent with the new ball, but the most pleasing thing for me was our attitude. It was very hot out there today, but we showed an incredible work ethic and the usual high level of commitment.”
In the T20s, Somerset won game one by 49 runs as Abell scored with 51 from 30 balls alongside Lewis Gregory’s 34, George Bartlett’s 31 and Steve Davies 31. Brooks claimed 5-13. In the second game, Somerset won by five wickets and seven balls to spare. This time Gregory took 2-19, while Abell notched 57 from 41 balls and Banton 43 from 31.
Off the field, Somerset have confirmed that they will be continuing their long-standing partnership with Rotec Hydraulics Ltd for at least another 12 months. Rotec will continue as the club’s principal Royal London Cup partner and appear on the matchday shirt and pitch covers.