Somerset were fortunate to escape with a draw against Nottinghamshire in a thrilling finish that developed at the County Ground. Opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore was key, crafting a stunning ton and rescuing his side from the jaws of defeat by guiding Somerset to safety. The game ended with the scoreboard reading 112-3 before lunch. Nottinghamshire looked in deep trouble at that stage, holding a precarious lead of just 18 runs.
Left-arm Liam Patterson-White feasted on frail batting to lead the Notts bowling attack with a brilliant and efficient 4-104 from 33 overs. He bowled 29 straight overs from the River End, toiling with remarkable energy and aggression on a docile day’s surface. The pitch offered sporadic turn and limited assistance for seamers, which hampered Nottinghamshire’s efforts to make significant inroads into Somerset’s batting lineup.
Patterson-White played a praiseworthy role in the scheduling, even he could muster little backup from most of his fellow bowlers. The Kookaburra ball was tough on both sides. Cloudless skies didn’t do their performance any favors. It was no place for the fast bowlers. The longer the day went, the more it became obvious that Somerset’s position was only getting stronger.
All throughout the game, Tom Abell looked in terrific touch and his partnership with Kohler-Cadmore was well composed and fruitful. Abell contributed 21 runs, helping to establish a century stand with his teammate as they navigated through tricky overs bowled by Nottinghamshire. From there, Kohler-Cadmore stepped up and showcased his aggressive batting display, scoring a hundred off just 138 balls. He did it in style too with a huge six over wide long-on off Patterson-White. Then, he top-edged a perfectly timed four through the leg side off Ahmed.
Patterson-White bowled tiresomely, but the scoreboard never budged. By lunchtime Nottinghamshire’s lead was down to only 18 runs. Notts were up against it again when Sean Dickson was rolled by Patterson-White’s lbw after making only six. This dismissal further rattled their team’s stability.
In the closing stages of the close contest, Ishan Kishan was brought into bowling the last over. It was the historic day’s conclusion of a thrilling round of Test cricket. Kohler-Cadmore’s resistance was a lesson in incredible strength, and Abell’s support was made of sturdy stuff. Collectively they guided Somerset to a draw, escaping the advances of Nottinghamshire’s quicks.
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