James Rew leads Somerset rebuild after Kyle Abbott wrecks high order

Jul 11, 2023 at 12:17 AM
James Rew leads Somerset rebuild after Kyle Abbott wrecks high order

Somerset 196 for five (Rew 77*, Aldridge 55*, Abbott 4-20) vs Hampshire

Young weapons James Rew and Kasey Aldridge batted Somerset out of a deep gap created by Hampshire seamer Kyle Abbott on a rain-interrupted opening day of the LV= County Championship match with Hampshire at Taunton.

The skilled Abbott, who boasts a prolific document in opposition to the Cidermen, claimed 4 for 10 from seven overs and a run-out because the hosts slipped to 80 for five after successful the toss on what seemed a superb batting pitch. But sixth-wicket pair Rew and Aldridge, with a mixed age of simply 41, then confirmed spectacular maturity to place collectively an unbroken stand of 116 in 26 overs earlier than the climate had the ultimate say with Somerset 196 for five.

Abbott ended the day with figures of 4 for 20. Altogether, 39 overs have been misplaced, together with 19 on the finish of the day, however what motion there was supplied positives for each groups.

Somerset rested Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory, Matt Henry, Ben Green and Tom Kohler-Cadmore forward of Saturday’s Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston. Dom Bess returned to their crew initially of a short-term mortgage from Yorkshire as one in every of two specialist spinners, the opposite being Shoaib Bashir.

It was no shock when house skipper Tom Abell elected to take first use of a dry wanting pitch. Tom Lammonby and Sean Dickson took the full to 26 within the seventh over earlier than Abbott, who had changed Keith Barker on the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End, made his first affect.

Lammonby, on 15, drove at a great size ball and edged a catch by means of to wicketkeeper Ben Brown. Soon it was 36 for two as Abell bought a forefront to Abbott and was caught and bowled for five.

With 5 runs added, Dickson linked with a candy straight drive, solely to see Abbott deflect the ball onto the stumps on the bowler’s finish with George Bartlett out of his floor backing up. The crestfallen Bartlett departed for a duck to make it 41 for 3 and with out addition Abbott pinned Dickson lbw for 21, taking part in a throughout a full supply.

Andy Umeed, making his first Championship look of the season, took 19 balls to get off the mark earlier than registering a 4 to 3rd man.

Not for the primary time, 19-year-old Rew seemed extra strong than among the gamers larger up the order and the pair progressively set about repairing the early harm. At 50 for 4, Hampshire launched spin within the form of Liam Dawson from the River End and his first supply to Rew turned sharply from outdoors off stump.

Rew and Umeed had added 33 for the fifth wicket when it began raining at 12.55pm and the umpires ordered an early lunch with Somerset 74 for 4. The recreation resumed after the interval, however for under a matter of minutes earlier than a extra persistent bathe noticed the heavy covers placed on. Twenty overs have been misplaced earlier than one other restart at 3.30pm.

Between then and tea, which was taken at 4.50pm, Somerset added 91 for the lack of Umeed, who needed to drag himself off after carelessly pulling a brief ball from Abbott straight to Felix Organ at midwicket and falling for 16.

Rew and 22-year-old Aldridge then batted positively on a innocent floor, the previous wanting significantly robust off his legs in transferring to a 105-ball fifty, that includes seven fours. Already with 4 Championship a whole lot behind him this season, Rew once more demonstrated his big potential in red-ball cricket, whereas Aldridge leant helpful help in a stand value 85 by tea.

The ultimate session noticed Aldridge take the partnership previous 100 with a top-edged pull for his sixth boundary after which transfer to a horny half-century with 4 overthrows, having confronted 73 balls.

Rew continued to build up steadily with few alarms and had confronted 142 balls when the rain returned at 5.45pm. The covers have been eliminated once more shortly afterwards, however with extra drizzle within the air and the floodlights casting shadows, umpires James Middlebrook and Ben Peverell deserted play for the day..