Metro 50 Game 7 - Spitting Fire in Canterbury
By Grockles
August 24 2025
After the heroics in Hove last Thursday we ring the changes for the very important game against Kent today. Alfie Ogborne (who looked like he was carrying an injury in the game) sits this one out along with Kian Roberts , JT Langridge and Kasey Aldridge. In come Ben Green, Jack Leach, Jake Ball and James Theedom. The weather looks set fair and we start at 11am.
Metro 50 Game 7 v Kent @Canterbury Sunday 24 August 2025
Somerset will bowl first today as Kent have won the toss and chosen to face first.
The Somerset line-up is;
Vaughan, Lammonby, Goldsworthy, Rew J (c and wk), Rew T, Thomas, Hill, Green, Leach, Theedom, Ball
Resting the players from Hove, Ogborne (who looked to be struggling with a bakc injury for the majority of the second half of the game despite bowling 8 overs), Roberts after being named in dispatches with bat and ball, JT who took two important wickets and looked agressively pacey and Kasey who seems to be rota'ing with Ben at the moment as the batting allrounder. Jack is back as the spin option after we used none in the Sussex game. If we play him we expect to use him and along with Jake there is another match for James Theedom to show us what he has hopefully going into the sharp end of this competition.
With a 4:2 record presently in this tournament, we are chasing one of the qualifying places BUT the competition is stiff and another win would be very important for us. We must hold Kent's batting in check in the first half of the game to give us a total to chase down.
Denly and Dawkins face Jake Ball in the first over and Dawkins is off the mark with a boundary from his first ball. This opening partnership were on great form at Beckenham for Kent's last game with Dawkins in particular cashing in with 3 figures while Denly got his highest List A score against Lancashire in that game.
Tom Lammonby the 5 wicket hero of the Hove game opens from the other end for Somerset depite the Kent commentary mistaking him for Jake last over and the scorecard saying this is Lewis bowling seam. The Kent livestream doesn't seem to have improved for the £5 quid a session version of last year. Other news, Joey Evison is being rested for this game after a niggle made him doubtful. The tight start that he had in Sussex has not come with him to Canterbury and Tom goes for 11 from his first to move Kent to 17 for 1.
Ball does justify his return though with a lifting delivery that leaves Dawkins and thuds into the hands of the Somerset skipper to send the Kent man on his way. 17 for 2 and we have the Denlys (uncle and nephew) together - not the first time and we hope not too long a partnership. Dawkins leave with 5 from the 4 balls he faced. JL Denly (Joe) facing JK (Jaydn) Denly at the non striker's end. Ball finishes with a wicket maiden from the Knackington Road end. Good start from the man.
Tom is back and tighter with a second consecutive maiden. A good reply to his first as Kent remain on 17 for 1. Unfortunately, Tom's third is not as good as 'Denly' takes consecutive fours from his first two balls and he has 20 against his name as he finishes the 6th with Kent on 28 for 1. Meanwhile Jake has only gone for 6 from his first 3.His 4th goes for 9 and Lammonby's first 3 bring Ben Green on for the 8th to tighten up the attack. He is frugal until his last ball which is a scoring shot and he starts with 4 against his name.
As Ben finishes the 'Powerplay' with the 10th, Kent look to move to 50 at 46 for 1. Jayden, the younger Denly, moves up the wicket and takes the Somerset man for six to move Kent to 53 for 1 towards the end of the 10th. Jake thinks he has a 'Denly' in the middle of his over as the bat misses the ball but the umpire thinks it was going down the legside and he was probably right. Only 2 off the 6th from the opening bowler.
Greener continues and is again tight until the end of the over when Joe, this time, hits the bowler straight back over his head for a second six to take the score to 62 for 1 at the end of the 12th. At the other end, Tom comes back on to replace Jake.
The 50 partnership arrives from 51 balls at 68 for 1 and they've moved to 72 for 1 after 13 as Lammonby continues to leak runs today unfortunately with 30 from his 4. This prompts the introduction of Jack Leach to bowl the 14th to try and hold the Kent pair in check. His first couple may decide if Archie or Lewis will get a look in with the ball today. His first results in 5 runs after which Rew continues with Lammonby. A better 15th goes for only 4 and Somerset have got to look to 'press' these two as they are in and looking to push the score along. Jaydn Denly goesd to 4 with a slightly underplayed sweep that dribbles for 4 to take him to 51 from 55 at 85 for 1 after 16.
The attempt to close these two down is continued with the introduction of Archie for his first with the 16th, so we will use the spin option today. However, an error in the outfield means he goes for four - not something we usually expect from a Somerset fielding side though lack of outfield cameras at Canterbury does not allow us to see if this is a bobble of a personal mistake. We have not been as tight as one would expect in the field in these games. Have to keep the concentration up guys!! It means Vaughan goes for 7 instead of 4 - important little details.
Dual spin is now the choice as Jack continues to wheel in from the Pavilion end. The pair are looking to score whenever possible using their feet to the spinner in order to move the score past the 3 figure mark. Jaydn misses a sweep but the ball is too high, however the experience of the Somerset spinner ties the pair down to only 4 moving them to 96 for 1.
Up comes the 100 at the end of the 19th with Joe on 33 and Jaydn on 57. Someone has mentioned that the two Denlys are like reflections of each other, same technique only one is right and the other is left handed. Either way they are becoming a thorn in the side of the visitors as they push towards a 100 partnership moving to 89 in the 20th.
Jack gets the breakthrough with the first ball of the 22nd as Joe Denly swings at one and simply provides a catch to Tom Lammonby to leave for 39 from 52 at 114 for 2. It was a loose in/out shot that he didn't direct properly. In comes Leaning as an experienced next bat though the local commentators are surprised he is this far up the order. This is probably because Evison and Benjamin are not in this side perhaps.
Jack does not stop though and he keeps on at Denly who looks to drive but doesn't get there and sends the ball straight back to Leachy to go for 65 from 72 caught and bowled by the spinner. 115 for 3 as Denly looks up to the sky and the Kent Skipper Finch replaces him. Jack ends with 2 for 21 with 1 run and 2 wickets from his 5th.
We go back to pace for the 23rd as Ben Green returns to the crease as the game moves towards the halfway point. Ben will continue in order to get us there and we arrive with Kent at 123 for 3.
James Theedom comes on for his first over with the 27th with the need to get his line and length right straight away to keep the pressure on. Leaning has not yet got into his game while Finch is looking to push on. The young Somerset man goes for 6 from his first and Kent move to 132 for 3. Jack moves into his 8th next and they struggle to get him off the cut strip until the 4th ball only getting a single from the 28th in total.
James is working hard to keep the ball one side of the wicket but strays and goes for four to 'Cow Corner' - that is what happens in the first team game and it's good experience to find that out in competitive cricket. How good you are is determined by how you react and respond. He's a little wide outside off, not sure if he is getting movement or whether it is coming out of his hand not completely straight. However he goes for 13 from the over so he has something to work on. The Spitfires move to 146 for 3 as we reach the 30th over.
It looks like the plan is to bowl Jack out as he continues with his 9th. He is doing a job for his captain and his county having only gone for 32 with one to go. The spin is going well so they continue with a replacement as Lewis comes on to bowl the 31st at 147 for 3. The 150 arrives with a four from Finch taking the score to 152. Goldsworthy goes for 6 followed by Leach bowling out with 2 for 37 from his 10... a good performance from the man. 159 for 3 at the start of the 33rd when they go back to Green from the Knackington Road. Probably to switch Lewis to the Pavilion?
The 50 partnership arrives, mostly from Finch (34) at 166 during the over and Lewis does ccome on for Leach at the other end as predicted. James is probably hoping to get more runs out of his slow men as both Tom and James have been expensive with the ball so he is trying to eke out overs so he doesn't have to use Jake and Ben until the 40s.
Leaning looks to go over the top but Thomas Rew takes the catch as the Kent man puts the ball too close to him and goes for 19 from 30 at 169 for 4. Leaning was not impressed by his shot but we'll take the wicket. Singh replaces him and is immediately off the mark with 2.
Ben will bowl another one (probably his last until the end?) to take us to 15 to go. It is becoming a point that these are the last performances for Somerset from Ben Green as it has been confirmed that he will be going to his new county Leicestershire for the end of the Championship season. So if Somerset do not qualify for the end of the Metrobank and don't get past the Quarters in the Blast, this would be his 3rd from last game for the club.
At 35 overs Kent have got to 175 for 4 and after a decent over from Goldsworthy, the skipper has to turn to his seamers and Tom Lammonby is returned to the Knackington.. It's s tight over until the last ball is driven back past him for four to move the score to 189 for 4.
Lewis is asked to hold the line at the other end but Finch moves to 48 and takes his side into the 190s with a four from his second ball. He is however asking questions of the bats and that uncertainty has Finch looking to get a singlewhich isn't there and Green fires the ball into the keeper before he gets back and he is run out for 48 from 57 at 193 for 5.
In comes local Ollie Curtiss for his first team debut in his home town at 18. They aren't sure but it may be that this guy is the FIRST Canterbury resident to ever represent Kent (that can't be true surely! One commentator suggests that early cricketers would put their homes a villages rather than towns). Anyway good luck to the lad... just not too much today. He is off the mark straight away but does not get past his 4th ball to Leach at long on for 1 and leaves at 194 for 6.
Corey Flintoff then also makes his home debut, brother of Rocky and son of Andrew. A bit late to probably face son of Michael(his dad's ex England skipper) though. He is also straight off the mark from Tom L. Lewis is doing well tying them down below 200 by the end of the 40th as Jake returns for his 7th at 198 for 6 to start the last 10. Singh takes them over 200 to 203 with a nicely driven four.. Kent would like to see this score finish closer to 300 than 250. Somerset would like the opposite. Ball goes for 7 and we keep using Lewis to achieve our target rather than theirs and he does the job going for only 2. This means they continue with Ball at the other end in the hope they only need 4 more pace overs. Maybe Archie will get the call for one?
214 for 6 with 7 left as Goldsworthy continues and the Kent men may go after him this over because they need to move the score on. Anything under 10 is good and Lewis goes for 7. Ben Green is on for the 45th as they must start to hit out to move this towards the 250 and beyond. They try to but they only get a six from the 5th as it is a decent competition between bat and ball 231 for 6 with 5 overs left and 69 runs from a 300 total. Ball replaces Lewis from the pavilion for his 9th and Flintoff smokes his 3rd ball for a massive six. He comes back well and has Corey out to a leading edge down to Leach at short third for a run a ball 28 at 241 for 7 to complete the 46th.
No Archie as we return to Lammers for the 47th while Rizvi comes in to partner Singh, hopefully until the end of the innings. They've moved to 245 at the end of the over with 18 balls to go. Greener takes his 9th (and will bowl the last one) while Jake will take the penultimate one and that is how Somerset will end. How Kent end is another thing entirely.
Singh will not see the end as he goes long and straight but is caught by Theedom inside the boundary for a run a ball 31. 246 for 8 brings Klaassen to the crease (it seems that Gilchrist is not in this squad and has been loaned to Middlesex for this tournament as he is leaving the county at the end of the summer) Anyway back to the game where Ben is being his usual 'hard to get away' self in the last few overs. They only make it to 247 at the end of the 48th.
Ball bowls out as Kent pass 250 with a Klaassen pulled single. They have reached 253 for 8 and Ball finishes with 2 for 51
Klaassen gets 2 sixes in the last over and they run Rizvi out going for second off the last ball. Green ends on 1 for 59. Kent have 269 for 9. Klassen finishes with 16 from 10 and Rizvi is run out for 8.
Somerset need 270 to win. Not definite, quite possible but they need to work for it one would imagine and get a decent base to work from at the front end.
The Reply
Vaughan and Lammonby face Cohen at the start of their response. He looks a bit quick! We finish with 4 without loss. Looking up from Hove :-) Klaassen takes the second over and though the Somerset pair need to be cautious there is nothing in the first few overs that suggests this is a difficult wicket. With Cohen and Klaassen taking the first few, Somerset move to 36 after 5 with Archie on 19 from 14 and Tom with 17 from 16. Both have found the boundary more than once, mostly off Klaassen but the run rate needs to be over 5 and they are presently moving at over 6.
A pulled four from Tom Lammonby takes Somerset to 51 with Vaughan on 27 from 22 and Lammonby on 24 from 26. It's interesting that both teams have skippers who are keeping as well on an aside though James comes in one place before Harry Finch. One person has pointed out that our top six has not changed at all in this competition and we have not lost chasing as of yet and most of our wins have been away from home.
Flintoff takes the 9th to end the Cohen/Klaassen opening attack. By 10 overs we have 62 without loss with a Vaughan 28 and a Lammonby 32. Kent then turn to spin with Rizvi who has Archie worried off the first and he then bowls the young bat for 28 at 62 for 1 - middle stump. In comes Lewis Goldsworthy. Rivzi bowls well though going for only 3 in his first 2 while Flintoff starts his third with on 5 from HIS first 2. The Kent 'press' seems to be on early.
Leaning comes on for Corey Flintoff for the 18th as Somerset move on. One wonders if this will become a dual spin approach as the score has shioifted on to 87 for 1. The run rate has been pulled back down to just over 5 by the Kent attack in line with what is required rather than above it but Lewis has come in and started to establish a partnership with Tom which is worrying the home side.
It is in fact a dual spin option as Mo Rizvi continues from the Pavilion. Lammonby moves himself to 49 from 54 and Somerset to 100. He then moves to 50 at 102 for 1 from 58 balls with 5 fours and a six. Kent turn to Curtiss to replace Rizvi with pace again as the innings goes past 20 overs. 7 off an over is more than Somerset need. He is going to work with Leaning at the other end as the 50 partnership arrives between Tom and Lewis from 67 balls with 23 and 26 respectively to the bats at 112 for 1.
The fixed camera aspect of Kent's livestream does not give a full impression of how well the bats are disecting the field. Anything off the strip is lost in the visual. However, as we move to the over before the halfway piont, Somerset have reached 131 for 1 with Lewis on 33 from 43 with Tom on 67 from 72. These two are pushing the ball into gaps and taking ones and twos with loose balls going to the rope. They are keeping up with the RRR of 5.4 and will be around the halfway point to the runs required AT the halfway point. Exactly! 135 for 1 with 25 overs left to get the other 135 runs. The DLS is presently 97 so we are moving on with this one and Somerset have to look at this and think they should get this win.
Jaydn Denly is back for the 27th as Somerset move towards 150 at 144 for 1. Rizvi also returns to double up the spin at the Knackington Road end and Lewis is straight into the slog sweep for 4. After a single Tom reverse sweeps for four to move to 153 for 1 as these two look to move past the 100 run partnership though they seem to be trying to get all their runs off Rizvi with reverse sweeps. The 100 partnership arrrives off 109 balls with Lewis adding 43 and Tom with 56.
However, that is it at 163 as Lewis gets a leading edge and Denly takes the return catch and he goes for 43 from 52. James Rew replaces him in the middle though Lammonby will face Cohen first up in the 30th as Kent roll the dice and try to get the new man with pace looking to turn turn one wicket down into two quickly. With 30 done, Somerset have cut the required runs to less than 100 at 170 for 2. Denly is getting turn but James is dealing with it as he takes him for two slog swept fours in a row during his next over, he adds more pain with a reverse swept boundary off the next ball. Now he needs to calm down though because he is nearly done with the next one. 183 from 31 with the skipper on 16 from 8 so far.
Cohen does the job he has been asked to do as he has James flashing and he is caught behind at 185 for 3 for 16 from 10. As one of the commentators said; James was out there for a good time NOT a long time today. A bit too much bravado to be honest and it did for him. His brother replaces him and hopefully will be more patient as there is no rush for this one. He takes a single to steal the strike. Somerset need 84 from 18 overs. Kent have to take wickets.
Rizvi returns and goes for 3. Cohen continues and Rew flashes for four, he also drives for four, digs one out and takes a single to take the score to 199 for 3. He also steals the strike again. Rizvi bowls and the 200 arrives from the young man's six to move it to 205. Lammonby is presently on 95, he then takes a two to go to 97 followed by a swept single to go to 98. He'll face the next over from Cohen needing 2 for his second 100 and 61 for the win from 15 overs.
His first ball is stroked though the covers for an excellent four to take him to 102 from 103 balls with 11 fours. The next ball Cohen pretty much destroys the stumps taking out middle and off to send the centurion on his way at 213 for 4. Tom Lammonby once again is out with 100 from 104 balls - didn't that happen last time?
Out comes Josh Thomas with another job to do. Thomas Rew has 19 from 17 and they need 57 runs still to win from 88 balls, no hurry required. Josh is off the mark with a two.
For the 37th Rizvi is back on to try and keep the wickets falling. He's done it twice but this is his last over and Thomas may be aware of that. However, he takes the single off the 4th ball and he and Josh take the runs required below 50 as they need 47 from 12 overs as 223 for 4. Rizvi finishes with 1 for 59 and then Cohen also finishes with 2 for 59 bowling the 38th
The RRR is now down to 3.5 an over as Denly bowls the 39th. The Somerset bats get them and more as they take 5 to move the runs required to 37. Cohen is bowled out so Klaassen returns for his 5th with 29 off his first 4. Josh puts a six into the crowd to change the RRR and move runs required to 30. The RRR is down to 3. He thicks edges a ramp over the keeper to get another four with another off the last ball. Klaassen goes for 15 off the over and we need 22 from 10 overs. Josh has 21 from 16 and Thomas has a run a ball 29. Denly is taking the 41st.
2700 are at Canterbury today and they see Cohen take a catch to remove Thomas Rew for 29 at 248 for 5. He was up the wicket but didn't get enough of the ball to send it all the way. Fin Hill is the new man and these two guys have been here before now!! They need 22 from 59 but the game isn't won yet.
Fin gets off the mark with a single and Josh does the same to bring up the 250. The pair have the 3 they need but Josh is sweeping looking for more. They need 18 from 9 RRR of 2.
Klaassen bowls the 42nd A fielding error creates mayhem as they take a quick single, Finch hits the stumps but the bat was in and the ball careens over the boundary to take 5 off the ball. The next ball Thomas smacks it out to the boundary but it goes to Corey Fllintoff when if it had gone either side it would have been a four or a six. Josh goes for 24 from 21 and Ben Green arrives needing 12 to win from 50 balls.
Denly takes the 43rd and Hill takes 2. Another single takes them to what is needed. 9 needed.
Klaassen takes the 44th and Hill takes a four from the 4th ball to move it to 5 needed.
Denly takes the 45th and Green steps up the wicket and levels the scores 2 balls later he is dropped going big and they take the single to win by 4 wickets. Ben finsihes with 5 from 6 and Hill is 14 from 15 in ascore of 270.
We must have qualified for the enxt round now with our 5:2 record. Just a question of who plays who where.
A good comprehensive team win with excellent batting from Tom Lammonby and great backup from all the others plus solid bowling from all especially Jack Leach and Jake Ball. BUT a real team win that one.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:25:12:46:44 by Grockle.
Ahhh well, you have to beat the better sides to be the best so it is what it is. At least Kent have stopped that silly charging for the livestream they tried a season ago so we can enjoy the contest if we're not at the game.
Yep yer right Nailsea. I'd blocked it out on Thursday lunchtime and then didn't alter it at the end of the game
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:22:18:25:56 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:22:18:26:40 by Grockle.
Kent will be without injured One-Day co-captain and Italian One-Day international Grant Stewart (hamstring) and pace-bowler Matt Quinn (groin), while all-rounder Joey Evison, who hit 82 and took 3-36 against Northants in mid-week, has a stiff back and will be assessed before play starts tomorrow.
At the moment, he is not included in this 14-man Kent squad: Finch (c), Benjamin, Cohen, Curtiss, Dawkins, Jaydon Denly, Joe Denly, Corey Flintoff, Garrett, Klaassen, Leaning, Parkinson, Rizvi, Singh.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:23:19:17:53 by cricketjerry-mouse.
Vaughan, Lammonby, Goldsworthy, Rew J (c and wk), Rew T, Thomas, Hill, Green, Leach, Theedom, Ball
Roberts, Langridge, Aldridge and Ogborne, who had some kind of injury for the second half of the game depiste bowling 8 overs, are all rested.
Kent have won the toss and will bat first - so we have to sort out the 'chasing' mode today rather than the 'setting a total' one. Good to see James Theedom in a more prominent role today now he has his debut out of the way. Jack playing depiste there being no spin used at Hove and his contribution so far being in a hiolding role rather than a wicket taking one in this format so far. One assumes as he has been included he will bowl.
Three channels one is the Women's franchise and the other TWO are Oz v South Africa... WTF? Important qualifying games in the Metrobank format - but 'important ' to who one wonders. I despair I have to say.
Struggling to hold the Kent men at the moment but we are using a double spon 'press' today.
someone has mentioned that the Denly's are alomost mirror images of each other as one is right and the other is left handed but their techniques are almost the same in reflection.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
270 is a decent score but if we marshall our resources well we ought to get it. The Kent commentators were very sacred of us. They reckoned a score of 400 ish would give us a bit of a job to make. I think they may be over estimating our batting line-up though you really ought to say 300 is very much within Somerset's orbit.
We can now say that a middle order of Rew's ,Thomas, Hill and Green could make a mess of any score in the lower 200s for definite.
Anway, it makes for a fun afternoon. The first with totally un-encumbered vision for the last few weeks
Grizzers
The big question. Can Tom Lammonby get past 100 in a white ball game?
Fingers crossed for a big win against Northants on Tuesday and finish second with another home tie to come
As the southern softies are hosting their local derby v our Welsh wallies at the Ages bowl.....
Home advantage has to be given up I read!
This leaves our Thursday possible venues as Taunton Bristol or Worcester pretty likely.