(Harry Everett writes from the perspective of a club commentator/PA announcer/Receptionist/Player/Coach/Mascot)
Where to start with Somerset reviewing their 2024 season?
Having got married myself the first Saturday without cricket since March I have been even more on the receiving end of bridesmaid puns and jokes the past few weeks…
September was sadly painful and stressful and tiring for me and all others involved with Somerset even after that incredible, and I mean incredible, Thursday afternoon at home to Surrey. Thursday the 12th Somerset beat Surrey, Thursday the 5th Somerset won at Wantage Road, I was on commentary duty for both and they were both superb entertainment with the usual ups and downs of Somerset matches.
But every other game in September Somerset lost. I do not need to check notes or scorecards, they are all-too-familiar in my memory. After the biggest high of calling that Jack Leach wicket of Dan Worrall for Somerset to win with three minutes to spare, the last few weeks were incredibly taxing.
Thereafter I travelled up to Edgbaston, Old Trafford, Trent Bridge and we lost all three, I am not going to do the maths of miles travelled. As Miles Hammond’s superb PCA video showed the Blast-Championship mental frantic scheduling earlier in the summer, the travelling had taken its mental and emotional toll on all the Somerset staff and they were completely burnt-out by mid-September.
Jason Kerr could not have put it much better when I spoke to him after the final day loss to Liam Dawson’s Hampshire (and yes Kyle Abbott of course was instrumental again in this one taking Somerset poles for fun):
“I think the reality is it is not a great season, it is a good season.
“Great is when you win trophies.
“But we have had a really good season that I am incredibly proud of.
“Day 1 at Old Trafford hit us hard emotionally, and we have not recovered from that.”
I still feel exactly the same Jase…
I could turn this into a dissertation/EPQ/Wedding Speech blow by blow account of the season, but at the end of the day, second, second and third in the three competitions ain’t half bad.
Leading run-scorers
Vitality CC: Tom Lammonby 941 runs at 39.22
Vitality Blast: Tom Banton 515 runs at 46.81
Metro Bank ODC: Andy Umeed 492 runs at 54.66
Leading wicket-takers
Vitality CC: Jack Leach 45 at 22.77
Vitality Blast: Ben Green 21 at 21.71
Metro Bank ODC: Jack Leach 15 at 22.20
Player of the season
Pretty clear and obvious, from the awards he had to hobble up and collect last Friday night too. Tom Banton. Second in the Championship run-scoring charts for Somerset with 891 runs from 19 innings at 49.5 as well as his aforementioned T20 exploits. It was a coming of age season for Tom Banton 2.0. After his flirt with international cricket, many more senior commentators than myself have said he is more than back to his best, a more complete, more mature, better player now than he has ever been.
And again one game, THAT SURREY GAME, showcases this better than any other.
132 runs against the Champions, the top individual score of the match, with the highest strike-rate of anyone to face 100 balls too would be enough for man of the match in many games, but this was arguably not even his best nor his most match-defining knock of the four days!
Recording our pre-match livestream video before day three we noticed Tom Banton being carried off the football field and instantly feared the worst. His batting on a nearly-broken ankle (ligament damage) at number 11 was genuinely one of the best knocks I have seen, second to James Hildreth’s ton after now Somerset’s Jake Ball broke his ankle. (I was also at Old Trafford in 2018 when Marcus Trescothick also tonned up with a broken metatarsal, but he was on 95 when he did it, so managed just the five more before being caught behind.)
Banton defied all my coaching speak of ‘getting your foot to the ball’ by creaming international bowlers from Tom Curran, Kemar Roach and Shakib Al Hasan all around the ground for 46 from 65 balls in a match-winning 71-run last-wicket partnership with Craig Overton. Reverse sweeping on one leg, cover driving perfectly on one leg, pulling on one leg, it had it all and I ran out of superlatives on commentary for it and have again now.
Breakthrough player:
The finding of Archie Vaughan to be up to standards on the first team stage this summer was a massive plus for the next two decades hopefully at the club, although England may end up having some say in his career if he keeps progressing. After literally the worst possible start in August (run out without facing a ball from a deflected Andy Umeed straight drive if you missed it) to being picked as a spinner for the September run in to then being one of our most assured opening bats in the last five games of the season this was a superb breakthrough season.
Warwickshire away was the first game of the Championship after the pause for the One-Day Cup and Somerset cleverly took young Archie up there with the squad as Steve Kirby arranged him to have a chat with Graeme Swann…the rest is history you could say…a week later taking three wickets on first-class debut and averaging 46 after his first two knocks batting down at seven.
After two noughts in four innings v Warwickshire and Durham, Andy Umeed was dropped allowing for two young openers who could bowl a bit of spin. Vaughan’s 44 set it up nicely for the Toms, particularly Banton to set Surrey too many runs and then 6-102 and 5-38 alongside Jack Leach saw the pair take all 20 of the Champions’ wickets. This week was one where man of the match really had to be shared between Banton, Vaughan and Leach.
Expect Archie to open with Matt Renshaw, if Aussie commitments allow, next season and to bowl as Jack Leach’s more than useful sidekick whenever required in both the longer formats.
Could have done better
Andy Umeed and Tom Kohler-Cadmore both had lean seasons in and out of the team. (Both actually were dropped for the famous Surrey game which saw ten out of Somerset’s eleven as home-grown players plus Brett Randell the Kiwi.)
TKC only notched two half centuries all season since his stint carrying drinks/attempting to replace Jos Buttler in the IPL. Both were 63, one crucially in the Blast quarter-final at Wantage Road, after a slow start playing second fiddle to Banton, and the other Somerset’s top score in their loss to Hampshire in the ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ final week.
He has plenty of winter T10 and franchise action to get back in form and undoubtedly has the talent, but if an overseas opener can compliment Vaughan and the three Toms in the top five before James Rew at six, then TKC will have to wait until the T20 or an injury for meaningful Somerset action next year.
Andy Umeed endured a tumultuous red ball season during which he did not seem to know whether to stick or twist. Run down or stay put. Run down crash for four, then out next ball. Attempt to leave the first ball but caught in the slips as it hit the bat anyway. Alongside TKC, another of the nicest humans around, but just looked brain-scrambled, mentally fried as he was in and out of the team (with Lewis Goldsworthy having been harshly dropped after two decent 38s v Durham and a rare failure v Surrey).
Umeed’s last four first innings first-class knocks saw four ducks with him barely facing 10 balls altogether, the man who used to be known as the owner of one of our game’s slowest hundreds has shaken that shackle but now struggles to get the tempo right versus the swinging red ball, seemingly not trusting his defensive game. But be assured he will be working hard with Shane Burger on that over the winter, he is still the man who they reckon hits the most balls in practice in this squad.
Need to work on
Keeping hold of young talent we have spent years developing.
George Thomas is the hardest departure for me to come to grips with in recent years. He has had his breakthrough season, done what has been asked of him and more. Stepping up after Will Smeed’s injury opening the batting in the T20 Blast, even having looked clueless against Dan Worrall’s first over of swing (he is not the first and will not be the last to be made look silly by the ready-made, surely soon to be James Anderson’s ‘English’ replacement). He hit 40 off 25 balls v Surrey and 16 off 10 at Glamorgan when only two of Somerset’s other 10 men scored more. Alongside his club (Taunton St Andrews) and fellow right-handed dashing opener Tom Banton he looked almost as good as Smeed once he got going, plus he provides a decent bowling option – do not forget his 2-fer in the ODC 20 over final.
He scored 106* alongside his other great TSA mate James Rew to win the ODC game v Lancs. He scored 71, 69 and 72 in his last three 2s appearances of the season v the red ball, which he also panned for 180 v one of the best club sides in Bridgwater (albeit on a hybrid wicket at a small ground).
It is said his fielding, and previously his attitude, have let him down, but other than one real dolly drop this season he has otherwise fielded solidly and matured into his career as a professional cricketer. I have not yet found anyone of a Somerset persuasion who is not disappointed at his dismissal, and there is certainly no ounce of it that he wanted to leave the club and town with all his mates, and his brother do not forget.
Finances are oft the reason given for departure, and to keep Tom Banton away from prying wealthier clubs again would not have been financially easy, but I fear this one may bite Somerset in the bum in future. Yes his opportunities may have been relatively limited if Smeed cements his T20 opening spot and the Rews and Vaughan keep developing to push for top seven berths in all three-formats, but I think he was a very handy spare to have in two formats and would do so dutifully fitting in and delightedly taking any chances given.
Sonny Baker attempting to further international opportunities, seemingly white-ball based at an international and franchise ground at the Hampshire Bowl is understandable even though he came through Devon then Somerset ranks alongside his younger brother. In recent years. Injuries hampered him but his talent is clear to see, and I feel he, Eddie Jack, Dom Kelly and John Turner could be the best Championship attack some time in the next decade as Keith Barker, Mo Abbas, Kyle Abbott and Liam Dawson phase into retirement.
Ned Leonard is another hugely popular polite human being who has had multiple unfortunate injuries, but sadly just did not manage to take his chances. Many overs would have four decent deliveries ruined by a slight over-pitch or more often shorter ball or two pulled for four. I feel he could fare fairly well in Division Two at Glamorgan alongside Eddie Byrom, much as we hope George Bartlett will improve to do at Northants and Adam Hose has done OK across both divisions for the Bears and Pears.
What’s next?
No signings need be made in my opinion, though I would not be surprised if one seamer was found somewhere to replace the two leaving and the ageing quartet of Gregory, Overton, Davey and Ball. JT Langridge will likely join with his injury ravaged season hopefully put behind him but he will rightfully be well behind the ever-impressive Alfie Ogborne and Kasey Aldridge, and Joe Heywood may too be given more of a chance soon (do not judge him just on being thrown into the cauldron of that one over for 20 Hampshire One-Day Cup loss). Blaise Baker and James Theedom will likely stay mostly in the 2s next year but could potentially make the odd appearance with Finn Hill, Thomas Rew and Archie Vaughan in an exciting 50-over squad next year.
Season Rating
From Thursday 12th September until midway through finals day I would have had this at more than a nine with three trophies still up for grabs, but falling at the final hurdle in all three was such a shame and a disappointing way to finish what was otherwise a really good season.
Mark: 8.5/10
