Somerset on top at Edgbaston
Warwickshire welcomed back four day cricket, Somerset and the rain. Both sides had something to play for, in that they are in mid-table but with a bridgeable gap to the top. By the end of the day, Somerset will feel much the happier of the two, having reached an impressive 327-3.
Winning the toss on what was initially a fine but breezy morning, Somerset opted to bat first, and in front of a sparse crowd, Tom Kohler-Cadmore survived a confident first over lbw appeal from Ethan Bamber. Otherwise batting looked straightforward and the Somerset experiment of using career tail-ender Josh Davey as an opener seems to have paid off because he provided good support to Kohler-Cadmore.
The biggest surprise of the morning was that Jacob Bethell, released from the England squad, was brought on as first change with his left arm spin ahead of Australian import Corey Rocchiccioli, despite a first-class bowling average 75. Unlike the Somerset gamble with Davey, this one scarcely paid off as Bethell struggled to find a decent line and length. And then came the rain, not heavy but persistent enough to produce a delay and an early
lunch with Somerset 71-0.
Play resumed at 2.00 pm with ten overs lost. Somerset did not seem perturbed by the
delay and proceeded in untroubled fashion. The 100 came up in the 24th over and Kohler-
Cadmore struck Ethan Bamber for a straight six. When Corey Rocchiccioli and Oliver Hannon-Dalby bowled to Tom Kohler-Cadmore, it was celebration time for any journalists being paid by the key stroke. Rocchiccioli took a while to settle into his rhythm, though he did induce a skied shot from Davey that neatly fell between three fielders.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore reached a well-compiled hundred off just 128 balls, with 16 fours and two sixes. Soon after, the partnership was when Davey hooked Che Simmons straight to Ed Barnard at long leg. He had scored 64 out of the partnership of 186. Kohler Cadmore soon also fell to Simmons, edging an attempted hook to be caught behind by Kai Smith. Simmons, like his teammate Bethell born and brought up in Barbados, was banging the ball into the pitch at a lively pace. He has a lithe and graceful action, and at age 21, should have a good career ahead of him.
It wasn’t until the 51st over that Ed Barnard was given a bowl, and he combined with Rocchiccioli to tie down James Rew and Tom Lammonby, both normally fine stroke players. Nevertheless, they persevered and gradually accelerated as Bears’ captain Alex Davies rotated his bowlers. Rob Yates became the seventh to be used , in the 66th over. It was a surprise when Rew stretched for a wide slower ball from Olly Hannon-Dalby and mis-cued it to Bethell at backward point. He had scored 38 out of a stand of 88 in 26 overs with Lammonby.
As the light began to fade, Lammonby hooked Simmons for four to bring up a fifty that had taken 98 balls and included eight fours. Tom Abell, with an exquisite cover drive for four off the tiring Simmons, brought up the 300 in the 78th over.
The second new ball, taken after 80 overs, flew nicely off the bat, taking Somerset to 327-3 when play ended one over early because of a shower and bad light. They will look to add plenty more tomorrow on a true pitch and with an improved weather forecast.
