DAY 2: SOMERSET v NORTHAMPTONSHIRE WEDNESDAY 21st SEPTEMBER 2022.
There isn’t a cloud in the sky as I enter the county ground in Taunton. Only the jet stream of a plane flying high above St James’ church interrupts the clear blue skies. The early morning chill which greeted me when I woke has already gone but the 10.30 start reminds me that this is now September and we are nearing the end of the cricket season.
Outside the world rages on. There is war in Eastern Europe, a worldwide economic downturn and a crises in the provision of public services that is seemingly only going to get worse. All these things are, of course, important but, for a few hours at least, they could perhaps, along with one’s own personal concerns, be forgotten, as a game of cricket plays out, progressing in whatever way it will.
This is only the fourth day of live cricket I’ve been able to attend this year – life too often gets in the way. And that is why days like today are important, a chance to relax and get away from all that crowds in on our lives. We need these opportunities to slow down and stop. No wonder then that so many are concerned by all the talk of how such opportunities to detox at county cricket grounds up and down the country may reduce in years to come.
I continue to hope that it won’t be allowed to happen as, I’m sure, do the many others who are sitting here with me, enjoying a days play.
*****
Here then, at close of play, were the highlights of my day, one that was all I hoped the day watching a county championship game would be! Long may they continue.
The clear blue skies and warm sunshine that lasted throughout the day that made it easy to justify my having an ice cream during the tea interval.
Successive boundaries from James Rew to bring up the 300 and Somerset’s third batting point. The first a glorious pull shot through midwicket the second, I like to think, steered through the slips.
Lewis Gregory’s straight six.
Seeing Craig Overton striding out to bat – even if it wasn’t all that long before he strode back to the pavilion again.
A crowded James Hildreth Stand – one which hardly had room left to squeeze in another man…let alone his dog.
The golden retriever sat behind me before lunch and the black labrador sat next to me after tea. Just two of the many dogs in the crowd yesterday.
Making new acquaintances and spending time with them chatting about the game.
A visit to The Somerset Cricket Museum – who wouldn’t want to see the bat used by Harold Gimblett in 1952?
Checking individual player’s career averages in the Playfair Cricket Annual – so much more satisfying that looking to the internet for such information, even if the information there is now several months out of date.
Following scores from games elsewhere in the country. OK, the internet is handy for this!
Filling out the totally unnecessary scorecard simply because that’s what you do. And noticing for the first time space being made available to record ‘pr’ extras.
The PA announcement of a Mr Roy Curtis’s 90th birthday – a Somerset supporter who has attended all home county championships for many years. And the warm applause that followed, not only from the home crowd but also from the Northamptonshire fielders.
Watching Northamptonshire’s Lizaard Williams crawling over the discarded covers to recovery the ball from the boundary.
Taking a stroll on the outfield during the lunchtime interval.
A fine boundary catch by Jack White to dismiss Sajid Khan and the batting of Will Young. One should be magnanimous in one’s praise!
Four slips in place for Josh Davey’s, Lewis Gregory’s, Craig Overton’s and Casey Aldridge’s opening overs.
The crowd’s cheer in response to what I took to be Tractor’s encouraging cry of ‘Come on JD’. It seemed to do the trick with Josh Davey taking two wickets in two balls. And then, after Craig Overton snapped up a third soon after, it seemed that wickets were falling so fast that the aforementioned legendary supporter couldn’t keep up! His shouted request for a third wicket was corrected with the words ‘or even a fourth’, and Craig O almost immediately obliged giving him figures at the time of 2 for 1 of 2.1 overs.
Enjoying the view from Gimblett Hill whilst patiently waiting for the fifth wicket.
Enjoying the inevitable fifth wicket from the viewpoint of Gimblett Hill.
Fine wicket keeping by James Rew and an excellent all round performance in the field. Surely that superb run out attempt by Tom Lammonby must have been close.
Sajid Khan’s perhaps optimistic shouts of ‘catch it’. Surely it’s only a matter of time.
Tom Abel giving himself a bowl.
The late afternoon shadows stretching across the ground
It was a very enjoyable day. Thank you to all concerned.
Other cricket related posts
To read ‘Scooby Doo and the Mystery of the Deseted Cricket Ground’, click here
To read ‘Brian and Stumpy visit The Repair Shop’, click here
To read ‘A Tale of Two Tons’, click here
To read ‘A Somerset Cricket Players Emporium’, click here
To read ‘The Great Cricket Sell Off?‘, click here
To read ‘A Cricket Taunt’, click here
To read ‘A Song for Brian’, click here
To read ‘How Covid-19 stole the the cricket season’, click here
To read ‘Frodo and the Format of Power’, click here
To read ‘A Cricket Tea Kind of a Day’, click here
To read ‘How the Grinch Stole from County Cricket – or at least tried to’, click here
To read ‘Life in the slow lane’, click here
To read ‘If Only’, click here
To read ‘I’ve got a little CRICKET list’, click here
To read ‘Eve of the RLODC limericks’ click here
To read ‘It’s coming home…’, click here
To read ‘A Song for Ben Green’, click here
To read ‘Enough Said…’, the last section of which is cricket related, click here
A Jack Leach Trilogy:
To read ‘For when we can’t see why’, click here
To read ‘WWJD – What would Jack Do?’, click here
To read ‘On Playing a Blinder’, click here
To read ‘Coping with Disappointment’, click here
And to finish – a couple with a theological flavour
To read ‘Somerset CCC – Good for the soul’, click here
To read ‘Longing for the pavilion whilst enjoying a good innings’, click here
Some musings 
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