Maynard calls on Glam to raise their standards
SURREY-BOUND Jamie Overton marked what could prove his farewell appearance for Somerset with 5-48 to complete a 289-run Bob Willis Trophy victory over Glamorgan at the Cooper Associates County Ground Taunton.
Brother Craig finished with 2-31 and match figures of 7-69 as the visitors’ five remaining wickets fell for 40 runs in 70 minutes on the final morning yesterday after they had resumed on 126-5, 329 runs behind.
Chris Cooke’s battling innings took him from 67 not out overnight to 82 before Jamie Overton had the Glamorgan captain caught at first slip by James Hildreth, having faced 138 balls and hit 10 fours.
But it was too little too late to save his side from a comprehensive defeat in a game the hosts had bossed for the first two sessions.
Somerset took 21 points to Glamorgan’s three.
Overcast conditions and a pitch that was still responsive to quality pace bowling conspired against the visitors as the Overton twins set about finishing their opponents off.
The first wicket fell after 15 minutes when Graham Wagg chased a short, wide ball from Jamie Overton and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Steve Davies.
What little hope Glamorgan had left disappeared when the same bowler, operating from the River End, produced a fine delivery to end Cooke’s stubborn resistance.
At 153-7, Ruaidhri Smith walked out with a runner for the second time in the game, determined to contribute despite the hamstring injury he suffered while bowling in Somerset’s first innings.
But he could make only three before getting a leading edge to Josh Davey, who had replaced Craig Overton, and lobbing a simple catch to Roelof van der Merwe at midwicket.
Jamie Overton, whose decision to reject a new Somerset contract and sign for Surrey was announced before the game, produced some jaffas in a hugely impressive spell of 7.2 overs, which yielded 3-16.
He claimed his fifth wicket of the innings with a perfect swinging yorker, which defeated Kieran Bull’s attempt to clamp down on the ball and sent his off stump flying.
Overton’s celebrations suggested he had been determined to sign off his Somerset career in style before moving to the Kia Oval, and it was job done in that respect.
He even had a hand, literally, is finishing the match, diving to his left to hold a slip chance offered by Michael Hogan off Jack Brooks.
Glamorgan head coach Matthew Maynard said: “We gave away a couple of soft wickets on Monday, which was disappointing because the players are better than that. Chris Cooke led by example and called for a big effort from the lads today.
“Jamie Overton used the crease well and produced some really good deliveries. When we reflect on the game we may conclude that our bowling erred on the short side. We were in the game for a spell, but in the end we were outplayed.
“It is all about learning and raising our standards when taking on top sides. Now we face Worcestershire (at New Road on Saturday) and we have to do better than we did here.” Result: Somerset 296 & 290-8 dec beat Glamorgan 131 & 166 by 289 runs.