Yet very much like Somerset’s overall performance on the day, fortunes went horribly wrong quickly in their latest high-scoring encounter with Sussex. After winning the toss, Sussex chose to bat first at their home ground, putting the scene for a nail-biting match. The drama was intensified for each team by the absence of some important players. Somerset’s other overseas signing, Matt Henry is still in New Zealand and Craig Overton is being rested with one eye on big games against Hampshire, Surrey and Essex. Meanwhile for Sussex, they were without Ollie Robinson and Henry Crocombe through the medium of the injury list.
It was opener Daniel Hughes and uncapped Tom Clark, both with 49 runs, who became Sussex’s highest run-getter in the final. The innings imploded soon after as Sussex crumbled to 71 for seven, losing six wickets in 17 overs for only 53 runs. Despite this collapse, John Simpson played a pivotal role in stabilizing the innings and guiding Sussex to a total of 294 runs.
Lewis Gregory was the pick of the Somerset bowlers and despite fading from the attack in the second session finished with 4-90. His performance included some aggressive bowling spells, although he faced challenges when Sean Hunt put pressure on him later in the innings. Gregory took the decisive wicket of Archie Vaughan. James Coles completed a brilliant catch at third slip off Jayden Seales.
Somerset’s misery continued after Sussex’s innings. At one point they were staggering to a concerning 62-5 for the end of play. The team’s slow start came on the heels of the firing of Tom Clark. He had Migael Pretorius caught behind for a duck and then had Tom Alsop earthing one to Kasey Aldridge at second slip.
Fynn Hudson-Prentice played a critical role for Sussex, taking four wickets, including two with his first two deliveries, which further compounded Somerset’s struggles. The Sussex bowling was a revelation and a perfect combination of fearlessness and accuracy saw them take seven wickets in the middle session alone.
Leave a Reply