News

Gloucestershire's pre-season trip to Somerset ends in draw

30 March 2025

By Somerset CCC

Both sides gained valuable time on the field as this three-day pre-season match between Somerset and Gloucestershire ended in a draw at the Cooper Associates County Ground.

Archie Vaughan and Sean Dickson walked out on a bright and breezy Taunton morning to resume on their overnight total of 17 without loss. The Somerset pair saw off the opening burst of Marchant de Lange and Josh Shaw and brought up their 50 partnership when Vaughan flicked off-spinner Ollie Price off his pads in the 16th over of the innings.

Four runs later and at the conclusion of the 16th over Sean Dickson retired not out on 28 which brought James Rew to the crease. Vaughan continued to accumulate his runs in impressive fashion and reached 50 from 75 balls at which point he too retired not out.

The Somerset 100 arrived at the end of the 24th over as Rew and Tom Abell played in positive fashion. Their partnership was worth 48 when Abell (26) swept Ed Middleton to the square leg boundary only for Ben Charlesworth to take a good tumbling catch at 143 for one.

Rew, who had reached 46 from 44 balls, was then bowled around his legs by Ollie Price with the score on 155, but by the time the lunch interval arrived, Somerset were 171 for two and had stretched the lead to 390.

After the break, Craig Overton and Tom Lammonby had taken the hosts to 193 when the former was trapped lbw by Middleton looking to hit out.
Lammonby made 29 before picking out Josh Shaw off the bowling of Alfie Johnson at 225 for four, and when Kasey Aldridge was trapped lbw by Middleton (three for 70) the declaration came.

Somerset called time on their innings with the scoreboard showing 229 for five, setting the visitors a target of 449.

The home side made an early breakthrough when Chris Dent was bowled by Alfie Orgborne via an inside edge for eight with just 13 on the scoreboard. Ogborne then accounted for Price (4), with an unplayable delivery that nipped away from the right-hander and clipped off stump.

By the time the tea interval arrived, the score had advanced to 48 without further loss.

After the interval, Ben Charlesworth and Miles Hammond took their stand to 50 before the former retried not out when he reached his personal half century, kicking on from his excellent first innings century.

The visitors' 100 arrived in the 31st over and when Hammond deposited Jack Leach for an enormous maximum into the Taunton car park to move his score to 40 not out and losing the ball in the process, the captains shook hands on a draw shortly after 5pm.

Gloucestershire's match with Leeds/Bradford UCCE continues in Bristol, with Shire reaching 31/0 at the close following the visitors' first innings score of 327/9 declared.

Luke Charlesworth will take the plaudits on day one after a fine spell of 4/36 from his 14 overs.

• Previous
• Next