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Essex edge rain-hit first day of Bob Willis Trophy final against Somerset

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The Bob Willis Trophy did not get the opening day the teams Somerset and Essex, their fans, or the ECB would have wanted – or indeed deserved.

Just 44 overs were possible in three chunks – each shorter than the last – due to rain. That, unfortunately, is what happens when you play a weather-dependent sport in late September, but in this year – of all years – we cannot complain, and five days have been scheduled, which should still leave plenty of time for a result.

Essex, twice County Champions in the last two years, had the best of the day, reducing Somerset to 119 for four. Players and the few professional spectators seemed to spend the day getting used to watching first-class cricket at Lord’s – with its unfamiliar lack of fans and building site at the Nursery End – again.

With both sides possessing potent bowling attacks, Essex had won a terrific toss, and Somerset’s young top order battled hard. Particularly given they lost starlet Tom Lammonby in the game’s second over, they will likely reflect that the damage to their top order could have been much more devastating. In a game between these teams at this time of year, on a pitch doing a bit, 250 should be a serviceable first innings effort.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

When the rain returned for the third time at 5.15pm, Somerset’s batsmen, Eddie Byrom and Steve Davies ran from the field as Essex’s fielders stayed out there, desperate to take more wickets. The rain was soon coming down much harder and play was called for the day 15 minutes later.

In that final 10-minute mini-session between showers, Somerset had not lost a wicket, which felt an achievement with the clouds low. Byrom had played one beautiful straight drive to bring up a fine 82-ball half-century, featuring a number of equally attractive shots. With a top score of 30 in 10 innings this season and batting in the injured James Hildreth’s usual No4 spot, this was an important innings from Byrom, a diminutive left-hander.

His unbeaten stand of 25 with Davies, the only Somerset batsman to average more than 33 in first-class cricket (from a minimum of 10 games), shored their team up after Essex had the best of the early exchanges.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Somerset had suffered a disastrous start when Lammonby was trapped in front by Sam Cook’s fourth ball, the seamer claiming his 100th first-class wicket.

Ben Green and captain Tom Abell dug in before playing some lovely strokes, but both were gone by lunch. Abell was caught down the legside by a terrific diving catch down the legside from Adam Wheater off Aaron Beard, then Cook returned to bowl Green through a wide gate.

Byrom was joined by George Bartlett and unfurled some fine drives to take them to lunch on 90 for three. It rained during the interval, delaying the resumption by almost 90 minutes. When they returned, Essex bowled superbly; five successive maidens brought the wicket of Bartlett, caught at slip off the excellent Jamie Porter, leaving Somerset in the mire. Fortunately for them, Byrom and Davies came together to stylishly stem the flow.