“Somerset will always have a special place in my heart” Jamie Overton...

“Somerset will always have a special place in my heart” Jamie Overton speaks to DEC after victory over Glamorgan

Jamie Overton has no loan move yet confirmed and remains committed to the Somerset cause, as his 5-48 seals Somerset’s 289-run win over Glamorgan.

Jamie Overton
Somerset's Jamie Overton. Pic courtesy of Somerset Cricket on Youtube, with thanks

5-48 from Jamie Overton including 6 maidens, on what fans fear could be his last match for the club, saw Somerset trounce Glamorgan by 289 runs.

Glamorgan take just the 3 bowling points back over the Severn Bridge, while Somerset take 21 to clinch a great start to the Bob Willis Trophy.

In his post-match interview Overton reiterated his commitment to the Somerset cause for the rest of the season, but neither he nor Head Coach Jason Kerr could rule out what may happen with Somerset’s speedster in a situation they both described as “fluid.” 

The North Devon twin was very honest saying “I would love to have the new ball but know I’m not going to get it here (although I still might not at Surrey), but feel I have always been a little down the pecking order here, hence being sent out on loan etc.

“I spoke to Darren Gough and he said four great games could see me in the test side, so as an ambitious chap I am doing all I can to do that.

“It has been very tricky to leave the club that I love. Somerset will always have a special place in my heart, but I would hate to look back on my career with regret.” 

With Lewis Gregory and Tom Banton likely back for the Northampton game at Wantage Road this weekend, there are fears it would be seen as pointless Jamie playing for the rest of the season. Kerr, however, assured the press he would play his strongest XI – which he said included Jamie – for the remainder of the season. 

Overton received further plaudits from former Somerset Director of Cricket, now Glamorgan Head Coach, Matt Maynard: “The way Jamie used the crease was superb,” he said.

“He created an extra, wider angle and bowled a beauty to get [Chris] Cooke and a great yorker for [Dan] Douthwaite, fully deserving his five-fer.” 

Jamie himself admitted: “That’s probably the best we [brother Craig and himself] have bowled together for Somerset, since minor counties when we two took almost all the wickets for Devon.” 

The first breakthrough for Somerset of the final day came at 11.17am. A short and wide away swinger from Overton and Graham Wagg wafted at it unnecessarily, caught behind for 1. Cooke remained on 76* but at 140-6 Glamorgan were still 315 runs behind.

Jamie Overton and Craig Overton, needing three more for 10 in the match, bowled a hostile opening spell that Cooke did well to weather. Jamie perhaps had an extra point to prove in a weird week for the man who has just had to face his teammates, now all knowing he would be donning a rival shirt against them come next season.

Most of the Glamorgan runs of the morning session appeared to come down to fine leg, with Craig and Jamie Overton often swinging it into the pads or up at the left armpit of both right-handed batsmen, when it was not outside off to simply be left alone.

Any faint, distant hope of a Glamorgan miracle rear-guard ended when wicketkeeper & captain Cooke departed. He had play stoically for his 82 with very little help from the other end yesterday or today, but Jamie Overton got him with a cracking delivery, caught by James Hildreth at first slip.

153-7 saw former Scotland international RuaidhriSmith come to the middle with a runner, for the second time in the match.

Smith had limped off on Day 1 with a hamstring injury, after managing 3-41 off 14 overs. Runner Kiran Carlson ran well, very socially distanced from batter Smith, shadow batting every shot from square leg, forcing square leg umpires to point and three-man batting chats between overs.

Oh, do not we all love the quirks of the beautiful game with oddities such as runners adding extra spice, and often mayhem, to a limp batting performance?

If the car had not already been started, then Josh Davey pushed it into second gear to ready Glamorgan for their drive back over the Severn Bridge. Smith induced to chip one up to Roelof van der Merwe at mid-wicket, and both Smith and his runner Carlson had to walk off.

An absolute beauty from Jamie Overton earned him his five-wicket bag, Kieran Bull’s off peg knocked out of the ground with a sublime away-swinging yorker for 9. Glamorgan 158-9 and Marchant De Lange was joined by Michael Hogan to make the last wicket pair.

De Lange drove Josh Davey for 6 over long off, into the Gimblett’s Hill benches, and spooned an edge over the slips for two to finish unbeaten on 8.

Hogan was caught well by Jamie Overton at slip off Jack Brooks’ second ball of the day to seal the win. 

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