Spring sunshine spectacular — an Easter #EighteenCounties special
Two matches in the West Country, in which we meet with the very best in the game, and witness some dramatic cricket
This write-up comes to you from the next step on our journey around all eighteen cricket grounds of the English game, at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. It features, a trip to the West Country:
Which follows the previous week’s jaunt to the East Midlands.
Leaving home, we changed our itinerary. We’d intended to watch Gloucestershire take on Yorkshire in Bristol on Good Friday, then head to Taunton for Somerset vs Essex the next day. But looking at the Day One scorecard, with Somerset dismissed for just 109, Krish suggested we switch things around and head to Taunton first — which meant we got a full day’s play in both venues, but missed some extraordinary drama, as our match reports show!
Stadium and match review
Match eleven: Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. 15th April 2022
Fixture: Somerset vs Essex, LV= County Championship Division One
As we walked from Taunton station across the River Tone towards the stadium, we could hear and see straight away that this was going to be a very well-attended match — and too right, with the sun beaming down!
The stadium was lovely, one of the nicest we’ve visited. Comfy seats, great views, good food and drink (although no ice cream even on a hot day!). There was even a really well-stocked cricket shop, where Aarav got a new bat and I got a pair of gloves.
With a low score to defend, Somerset’s pace bowlers had a hard task, but Australian Peter Siddle and England’s Craig Overton steadily broke Essex resistance, Overton finishing with astonishing figures of 7/57. At lunch and tea breaks, we had the most amazing experience meeting the players — Aarav getting autographs and pictures with some of the game’s true greats, beginning with Sir Alastair Cook.
Players from both teams were generous enough to stop for an autograph, photo, and even a chat — as with spinners Jack Leach (England) Simon Harmer (South Africa), who each offered a few words of encouragement for our own left-arm wrist spinner!
Back on the pitch, the wickets kept tumbling — despite middle-order resistance, Somerset were all out for 154, setting Essex “just” 84 to win. We headed to our hotel that night, and to Bristol for our next match, thinking it was a formality, but as we’d seen Essex lose a wicket in the two overs they faced before close, we ought to have known better…
Stadium and match review
Match twelve: Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol. 16th April 2022
Fixture: Gloucestershire vs Yorkshire, LV= County Championship Division One
We took an early train to Bristol, and a bus up to the stadium, arriving in time to watch the players warm up. Dawid Malan, Yorkshire and England batter, was the first of many to chat to young Aarav before play started.
In contrast to Taunton, there were very few people watching. More people arrived as the day progressed, but the crowd remained sparse. There was a nice area behind one of the stands where Aarav and I could bat and bowl but still watch the action, so we spent a lot of the day there! There was a nice pavilion, but most of the seating is temporary, and gets added to for bigger matches. It spoilt the ground a little, but a nicer touch was large pictures of Gloucestershire greats dotted around the stadium.
Gloucestershire’s bowlers quickly wrapped up the Yorkshire innings, and out came their batters to set up a target. We watched James Bracey compile an outstanding hundred, but he lost partners regularly. When we left for the train back to London, Gloucestershire had a slender lead and a great deal depended on Bracey .
Throughout the day, the stadium announcer brought us news of local rivals Somerset, and an astonishing end to the match we’d watched the day before. Needing just 84 to win, Essex collapsed to an alarming 60 for 8, almost losing to Overton’s 13 wickets in the match, until Adam Rossington saw the Eagles home with one wicket to spare. Who said four-day County Championship cricket isn’t exciting?!
Our trip to the West Country was sunny, enjoyable, and very entertaining. On to the next stadium in our tour!