Cricket Byrom stands strong on rain-hit opening day of final
EDDIE Byrom collected his first half-century of the season as Somerset were forced to recover from early setbacks in the Bob Willis Trophy final against Essex at Lord’s.
Byrom, whose previous best in the competition was 30, had helped Somerset fightback from 52-3 to reach 119-4 at close on day one.
Fast bowler Sam Cook did the early damage with two wickets, including the 100th of his first-class career, as Aaron Beard and Jamie Porter also took a wicket each.
Heavy grey clouds met the South and Central Group winners for the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy final, a day after autumn officially began.
Those conditions persuaded Essex captain Tom Westley to bowl after winning the toss.
Nick Browne was returned to the Essex line-up, in place of Feroze Khushi, while Somerset elected to leave out Dom Bess and Roelof van der Merwe, with Jack Leach their sole spin option.
Without a run on the board, Cook made the early breakthrough with the ninth ball of the morning.
The 23-year-old had Tom Lammonby, who had scored 343 runs in the group stages, lbw as the batsman attempted to whip a full delivery through midwicket.
It handed Cook his century of first-class wickets in only his 34th appearance.
Somerset’s poor start was compounded when Tom Abell and Ben Green fell in quick succession to leave them 52 for three.
Skipper Abell attempted to pull Aaron Beard but could only strike into his hip and loop behind – where Adam Wheater made up good ground before pulling off an impressive diving catch.
Opener Green was equally unlucky as he was on the receiving end of a peach from Cook, although an inside edge helped the ball find the top of off-stump.
Cook eventually ending the day with figures of 2-38.
Somerset rebuilt slight before lunch, mainly through the prelunch free-flowing bat of Byrom – with every run applauded from head coach Jason Kerr and his staff at the bottom of the iconic pavilion.
The Zimbabwean-born batsman stroked three sumptuous boundaries off Beard – through mid-off, midwicket and the covers.
Rain over lunch meant the afternoon’s session was delayed, with 13 overs lost.
Once play resumed at 2.35pm, Byrom and George Bartlett, who put on 42 together, found themselves stuck on 94 – as Cook and Porter sent down 37 dot balls in an accurate spell.
The 28th of those dots accounted for Bartlett, as Porter played on his impatience by dragging him just outside his off stump, where his drive nicked into Sir Alastair Cook’s hands at first slip.
Steven Davies ended the spell in neutral by taking his side off 94 with a leading-edge boundary through gully.
After 45 minutes, the covers were again brought out as showers saw almost two hours wiped out, before both sides returned to the field for 14.1 overs at just after 5pm.
Only 19 of those balls were able to be bowled before the precipitation returned, although there was time for Byrom to reach fifty.
With his ninth four he caressed a straight drive down the ground for his fifth first-class 50 – which came in 82 balls.
He will return in the morning on 51 and with Somerset hopes of a decent total lying on his shoulders.