Somerset Stroll To Victory

Yorkshire were due a below par performance and Somerset were long overdue a decent one-day showing, and alas both came to pass on the same day on the east coast at Scarborough.

The hosts enjoyed both home advantage and the added extra of winning the toss, but proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot, as they slumped terribly to twenty-two for four and then 108 for nine. Will Rhodes did assist Jack Leaning in a minor repair job to the early avalanche of wickets. However, Rhodes's party trick of getting to about 25 or thirty and failing to convert such a start into an innings well in excess of fifty runs is really start to irk me. I'd much sooner that young Ryan Gibson was given some opportunities to see if he can improve upon wayward Will. Then, when the Tykes collapsed for a second time, and seemed to be down and out, along comes a most unusual partnership for the last wicket between the young cubs, Carver and Fisher. This unlikely batting duo provided 67 precious runs for the final wicket. In the process they certainly succeeded in prolonging the match and transforming it into something of a contest when Somerset came to bat.

Now the momentum was with the home team and if they could emulate the visitors by taking early wickets and making regular inroads, then an unlikely victory would be on the cards. Alas, Somerset batted a lot more sensibly, and assisted by a solid knock from young Tom Abell, they sailed to the chequered flag, with six wickets and almost twelve overs to spare. Ultimately, much credit must be allocated to the Somerset bowlers who made surprisingly light work of Yorkshire's batsmen. Unfortunately for the latter, on the one day when the top order completely misfired, the middle order failed to make amends. The twin failures of Bresnan and Pyrah, who mustered one paltry run between them, was the nail in the home county's coffin.

Nevertheless, although the Vikings seem once more resolved to do things the hard way, their own fate is still in their hands. If they win their final fixture against Northamptonshire, then they qualify for the last eight. If they lose, they may still sneak into the quarter finals, if other results go their way. Well, it's all going down to the wire. The white rose regrettably do themselves few favours when they produce such an abject batting display on occasions like this, when the situation was crying out for a good batting performance, paving the way for a likely victory. However, Somerset proved to be very successful party poopers. 

YORKSHIRE versus Somerset; at Scarborough; Wednesday the fifth of August 2015. YORKSHIRE won the toss.

YORKSHIRE: 175 (off 49.5 overs)

Hodd lbw Davey 0 (0-1)

Lees c Barrow b Davey 1 (7-3)

Maxwell c Leach b C.Overton 4 (7-2)

Ballance b C.Overton 6 (22-4)

Leaning c Abell b Trego 40 (94-7)

Rhodes b Leach 37 (92-5)

Bresnan c Allenby b Trego 0 (93-6) 

Pyrah c Barrow b Trego 1 (97-8)

Carver not out 35

Brooks c Hildreth b Leach 6 (108-9)

Fisher b Trego 34 (175)

extras: eleven

Trego 8-2-29-4

Somerset: 178 for four (off 38.1 overs)

Hose c Hodd b Bresnan 19 (29-1)

Abell c Hodd b Rhodes 80 (162-4)

Trego c Hodd b Fisher 19 (61-2)

Cooper c Ballance b Fisher 13 (91-3)

Hildreth not out 23

Allenby not out 11

extras: thirteen

Somerset won by six wickets. YORKSHIRE no points, Somerset two points.