In one of the most exciting matches of the summer, James Rew instigated a whitewash of Sussex at Taunton. His extraordinary unbeaten performance left viewers spellbound. The young Adelaide native went on to amass 80 off 83 balls in that match. His half-century came as his first of the tournament. Rew’s innings soon became vital as Somerset found themselves on the back foot, struggling against some hostile bowling.
Rew’s path to fifty, off 61 deliveries, was evidence of his temperament to bat in and construct the inning. He completed this double-ton by slicing Danny Lamb past mid-on for four. And his assurance only deepened as he clipped Jayden Seales off his legs for his eighth four to reinforce Somerset’s authority still further. Rew and Lewis Gregory quickly developed into an electrifying partnership. They made a mammoth 110 runs for the 8th wicket in only 20 overs!
That partnership gave Somerset the confidence to attack Sussex’s bowlers with unrestrained audacity. Rew was unstoppable throughout the innings, including 12 fours and two sixes. Perhaps most importantly, he did this with an aggressive play in mind, as he was set to face exactly 182 balls, symbolizing the grit and class he showed throughout.
In the morning session, Rew really stole the show. Legends say he led a fierce counter-attack on behalf of Somerset, bringing the stormers back from their past defeats. He looked destined to complete a century but sadly came up short, getting caught behind on 91. Before departing, Rew showed just how gifted he is by clubbing a straight Mitch Marsh six off Archie Vaughan to bring up his 99. Then he struck Leach deep over his head, nudging him to a historic three-figure.
Somerset’s head coach, Jason Kerr, said he was optimistic about his team’s new plan going forward.
“Whatever it is we’re set we’ll look at the best opportunity to chase down the runs. The pitch has changed significantly. There was a lot of lateral movement yesterday but it’s become less and less. And we anticipate being even better tomorrow.” – Jason Kerr
And the success of Rew’s performance only further serves to highlight his staggering potential. It further provides Somerset with an excellent platform as they prepare to enter the final stage of the match. Their capacity to forge alliances on the fly has proven an essential element of their shocking run so far.
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