Aussie Renshaw shows his class as Somerset score runs at last
MATT Renshaw eased Somerset’s batting worries with a fluent century on the opening day of the LV=County Championship match with Warwickshire at Taunton
The Australian Test player’s superb 129, featuring 19 fours and 2 sixes, paved the way for an imposing score of 351 for four. It was his fourth hundred in six home Championship appearances for Somerset – four of those games back in 2018.
Tom Lammonby contributed 56 to an opening stand of 137, while skipper Tom Abell made 70 as his side set about ending a run of seven successive Championship defeats, stretching back to last summer.
Oliver Hannon-Dalby was the pick of the Warwickshire attack, taking three for 62, but it was a largely outof-sorts bowling display by the visitors after winning the toss.
With a short boundary on the town side of the County Ground and a pitch showing only a tinge of green, Somerset appeared to have given their under-pressure batting unit every opportunity to find some form. Renshaw and Lammonby played positively from the start, only Hannon-Dalby showing the necessary accuracy to contain them.
The two left-handers brought up a half-century stand in the 15th over and began to accelerate, Lammonby surviving a tough chance to gully on 28 off Craig Miles.
Renshaw looked an even more complete player than in his first successful spell with Somerset and moved to fifty off 80 balls, with 8 fours and a pulled six off Miles.
He took the score past 100 with a sweet cover-drive of Danny Briggs. The slow left-armer was introduced from the River End to try and stem the flow of runs, but there was nothing in the pitch for him and by lunch Somerset were 130 without loss.
Lammonby had gone to his halfcentury off 76 balls, with a crisp ondriven four off Aussie seamer Nathan McAndrew, who was proving expensive on his Warwickshire debut.
But Hannon-Dalby had given little away and the tall seamer made the breakthrough in the fifth over after lunch as Lammonby edged a defensive shot to Sam Hain at second slip.
Abell and Renshaw confidently built on what had gone before, the latter reaching a chanceless hundred off 158 balls.
The shot that brought up Renshaw’s ton was among his best, a flowing back-foot forcing stroke through the off-side for a boundary off McAndrew.
Another six followed when Renshaw effortlessly lifted Briggs straight back over his head. Abell looked equally comfortable, with the ball rarely beating the bat.
The pair brought up the second century stand of the innings before tea, which was taken at 249 for two when Renshaw edged a seaming Hannon-Dalby delivery through to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.
Abell had moved to a composed 92-ball fifty. The final session saw him joined by Tom Banton, who helped take the total to 277 before Abell was caught behind down the leg side pushing forward to occasional off-spinner Rob Yates.
It was 282 for three when the second new ball was taken. Banton greeted it with a glorious straightdriven four off Hannon-Dalby and looked in good touch, moving to 47 not out by the close.
James Hildreth was caught at point for 23, cutting a wide ball from Hannon-Dalby. But Somerset, without Peter Siddle because of a stomach strain, could still reflect on four hugely welcome batting points.
Menwhile, en Stokes says he is “honoured” to be handed England’s Test captaincy and has already made it clear that fast bowling greats James Anderson and Stuart Broad are part of his plans.
Stokes inherits the role from Joe Root, who quit earlier this month after five years and a record 64 games in the job, and has been charged with reinvigorating the fortunes of a red-ball side that has managed just one victory in its last 17 attempts.
The 30-year-old all-rounder served as Root’s deputy, leading the side once before in 2020 to become England’s 81st Test skipper, and was the overwhelming favourite to take charge as soon as the vacancy appeared.
Stokes, who became one of the country’s most celebrated athletes with his stunning performances in the 2019 World Cup and Ashes, has been a loyal lieutenant to Root and made a point of praising his friend and predecessor in a short statement.
“I am honoured to be given the chance to lead the England Test team. This is a real privilege and I’m excited about getting started this summer,” he said.
“I want to thank Joe for everything he has done for English cricket and for always being a great ambassador for the sport all across the world. He has been a massive part of my development as a leader in the dressing room and he will continue to be a key ally for me in this role.”