Jacob Bethell's long-awaited red-ball innings ends in umpire row

Times

25-06-2025

Edgbaston (third day of four): Somerset, with seven second-innings wickets in hand, are 263 runs ahead of Warwickshire
Jacob Bethell's long-awaited first red-ball innings since eight days before Christmas, when his 76 was comfortably England's best match score in a Test defeat by New Zealand, ended with a little ire as, with what became the last ball before lunch, he fell for 20, hooking at Craig Overton and offering a faint bottom edge to the wicketkeeper.
Bethell plainly did not think so. Whether the umpire, Michael Gough, who has stood in 42 Tests and was on the ICC Elite Umpires panel until last March, deems his response sufficient — 'dissent by word or action' — to merit Level One disciplinary points remains to be decided. But, after 37 innings, the 21-year old still seeks his first century.
His wicket left Warwickshire four down, 120 away from avoiding a follow-on that was only saved after tea with eight gone at which point the last two succumbed in a dozen balls. Somerset, with 27 overs to build on a lead of 147, could reflect on five squandered chances, albeit none easy, through the innings.
It was ten months ago that the elegant Bethell last graced a championship crease and he took 25 balls of impeccable calm to post the two runs needed to complete his opening 1,000 at first-class level. On three he savagely drove a full toss back through bowler Jack Leach's hands for his only four, rubbing salt in later with a six.
In a gripping resumption, Warwickshire had earlier taken 18 overs to add just 29 to their overnight 158 for one, losing incumbents Tom Latham, without addition to his 65, and Alex Davies for 78, superbly held at slip as the excellent Overton claimed the first of four consecutive wickets.
Removing Bethell, the acting skipper did for Ed Barnard and Kai Smith too, before Leach at last dislodged Sam Hain for 78 from 51 overs of staunch occupation. It brought tea at 317 for seven, the follow-on figure 32 runs distant, but Corey Rocchiccioli's bravura 28 from 31 balls left only ten more to get.
On a slow pitch, Somerset will need as many overs as possible to dismiss the home side again. Their openers were gone within 30 minutes before Tom Lammonby fell for 33. James Rew's unbeaten 45 helped plunder 73 from the last dozen overs, the climax now set up.
Blackpool (third day of four): Lancashire, with one first-innings wicket in hand, are 261 runs ahead of Kent
For the first time this season Lancashire's cricketers completely dominated three sessions of a championship match but they face a stiffer challenge if they are to take ten Kent wickets on a flat Blackpool pitch to secure their first red-ball victory of the season (Paul Edwards writes).
Led by Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon and Ashton Turner, the latter on his red-ball debut for the county, meant Lancashire ended on 639 for nine, giving them a lead of 261, with the power to smack a few more on the final morning before declaring.
But while James Anderson's batsmen had proved it was possible to score quickly on this slow wicket — the day yielded 519 runs in 104 overs — taking ten wickets in 96 overs could prove far harder. So far 19 batsmen have been dismissed in three days, five of them swiping.
However, Lancashire's interim captain has risen to challenges throughout his career and Anderson now has the task of inspiring his bowlers in the hope that Daniel Bell-Drummond's side collapse in a spectacular heap.
It will be a heck of a task but the skipper will be able to call on the pace of Mitchell Stanley in addition to Wells's underestimated leg-spin and his own craft as he attempts to revive a County Championship season in which Lancashire have lost two and drawn five of their previous First Division games.
Regardless of the result, home supporters were able to take pleasure from their side's domination on the third day. Following his 150 at Canterbury almost exactly a year ago, Wells made 152 and was plainly dejected when he holed out to the leg spin of Matt Parkinson at long off when attempting to thrash a fourth six.
Bohannon made 205 in that game at the St Lawrence Ground and he contributed 124 here, putting on 174 with Turner, and reaching his own century off 191 balls with a square cut off his fellow Boltonian, Parkinson, before being caught at long off by Agar off Jack Leaning for 124.
Turner was much quicker, reaching three figures off 117 balls and had made 154 off 148 balls when Parkinson had him caught at long-off.