Latest news with #SomersetCountyCricketClub
News18
6 days ago
- Sport
- News18
'Reduces The Game To Farce': England Legend Fumes Over County Pitch
The former England and Somerset stalwart hammered the club for preparing a bizarre surface for what turned out to be a two-day contest against Durham. A shocking surface used for an English County Championship match by hosts Somerset against Durham attracted the wrath of England's former skipper and legendary all-rounder, Ian Botham. Botham took the Somerset County Cricket Club to task for preparing an 'appalling' pitch that played all sorts of tricks in an extraordinary two-day match up at Taunton. The great was left fuming over his old club after 35 wickets fell over just five sessions of play held at the Cooper Associates Ground, 22 of which went to the spinners, as Somerset wrapped up their victory by five wickets. Amidst talks of selectors and team management ignoring form and performances in the County Championship, the former Somerset stalwart cited the strange scenes in Taunton to back the decisions made by England's cricket director, Rob Key, and Test skipper Ben Stokes in recent times. 'As an ex-Somerset player, I find this appalling," Botham tweeted with the pictures of a surface that looked underprepared and doctored to suit Somerset's attack, with a few brown patches and loads of grass elsewhere. 'At a time when county cricket is under pressure for relevance as a breeding ground for international players and Somerset members have apparently voted for the status quo, the club produces this pitch. These are not first-class cricket conditions in mid-summer." Before a ball is bowled… As an ex Somerset player I find this appalling… at a time when County Cricket is under pressure for relevance as a breeding ground for InternationalPlayers and Somerset members have apparently voted for the status quo, the club produces this pitch.… — BeefyBotham (@BeefyBotham) July 23, 2025 'I am not surprised that Rob and Ben unfortunately, have to disregard county performances in assessing players for Test-quality appearances. Durham raised serious concerns the day before the game started. Change is needed. Both Somerset and Durham have high-quality batsmen. Somerset do not need to do this… reduces the game to a farce, added Botham, who represented Somerset in 176 first-class matches between 1974 and 1986. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Somerset unleashed their international seamer Craig Overton on the green carpet rolled out for Durham. Overton went on to take 6 for 23 to help dismiss the opposition for only 145. Tom Lammonby's critical 89 then became the only half-century of the first-class game, allowing Somerset to post 250 in response. The hosts later used their spin twins Jack Leach (6/63) and Archie Vaughan (4/85) to cut through Durham's batting line-up again for 190. While Callum Parkinson's four-fer gave them a scare, Somerset eventually eased to the target of 86 in the final innings at five wickets down. A Telegraph report suggests the surface in Taunton has been rated 'below average' by the match referee, Simon Hinks. Somerset could now be handed a penalty, with points deducted from their championship tally. view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 23:13 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Sun
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Our leafy town is being overrun by fleet of caravan nomads who leave tyre streaks across cricket pitch & REFUSE to go
LOCALS have been left fuming after a fleet of caravan nomads forced the closure of a sports centre used by a top cricket club. The large group of travellers have pitched up at Taunton Vale Sports Group, a training facility for Somerset County Cricket Club. 6 6 6 6 It has announced it will be closed for the foreseeable future after the unwelcome arrival overnight on Sunday. The venue is where Somerset County Cricket Club's Second XI and County Age Group teams play. It is also the official outground for Somerset County Cricket Club. Taunton Vale Sports Group said all cricket related activities have been cancelled "until further notice" with all fixtures needing to be either re-arranged or a new venue found. Images also show vehicles have driven over the wicket itself - causing damaging tyre marks to the crease. The sports club also provides a 3G football pitch, tennis courts, and a sports hall. A spokesperson for Taunton Vale Sports Group said: "Overnight we have had a large group of travellers set up base at the Sports Club. "All cricket related activities have been cancelled until further notice. The clubhouse will also remain closed." TVSC General Manager, Steve Archer revealed that all facilities will be closed, with the earliest reopening date expected to be Thursday, July 10. War erupts in UK's 'caravan city' as van-dwellers armed with axes torch rival homes and greedy landlords cash on 'slum letting' Steve said: "The whole site will remain closed due to the Group of Travellers that are pitched up on our main cricket ground. "This now includes our 3G Football Pitch, Tennis Courts and Sports Hall. "We are in the process of gaining a court order to serve an eviction notice to the group. "The earliest we look to have our facilities back operational will be on Thursday, 10th July 2025 if the eviction process runs smoothly. "We will keep all of our members and venue hirers up to date." The centre closure is only only a few days after travellers had pitched up at Leslie Avenue and Greenway in Taunton - but this group has since moved on. Local sports teams also use the 3G football pitch with an official Soccer Sixes Football League hosting teams at the site every Sunday and Tuesday. Somerset County Cricket Club and Taunton Town Council have been approached for comment. 6
Hans India
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
India's mixed disability team suffers 65-run defeat in 1st T20I against England
England's Mixed Disability team defeated India by 65 runs in the opening day/night match of the Vitality IT20 Mixed Disability Series here at Taunton, the home of the Somerset County Cricket Club on Saturday (local time). Before the match and the series began, both the teams and officials at the ground kept a one-minute silence as a mark of respect to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 14. Both the teams' players wore black armbands to mourn the tragedy too. After they were asked to bat first, England's Mixed Disability team put up a formidable total of 182 for five in 20 overs, with C Flynn (70, 47b, 7x4, 1x6) and L O'Brien (64, 34b, 8x4, 2x6) smashing superb half-centuries and putting up a mammoth 122-run partnership for the third wicket in just 70 balls. The duo joined forces when England's Mixed Disability team had slipped to 32 for two in the sixth over. Pacer Vivek Kumar (1-13 in three overs) and skipper and left-arm spinner Ravindra Sante (one for 26 in three overs) were the best bowlers for India. Chasing under lights, India's Mixed Disability team was bowled out for just 117 in 17.1 overs. A Pyle took three for 23. The second match of the historic series will be played on June 23 (Monday) at the Wormsley Cricket Ground, before the teams play, for the first time ever, at the Lords's Cricket Ground on June 25 in the third match. Brief scores: England Mixed Disability 182/5 in 20 overs (C Flynn 70, L O'Brien 64) beat India Mixed Disability team 117/10 in 17.1 overs (Rajesh Kannur 30, Abhishek Singh 28, Ravindra Sante 24; A Pyle 3-23) by 65 runs.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What's on in Taunton this week: May 29-June 4, 2025
From a T20 cricket double-header to a big band performance of an Amy Winehouse album, there's plenty to enjoy in Taunton over the next week. A party with Stitch and a science show are also on the agenda. Somerset County Cricket Club is set for a historic double-header featuring both men's and women's teams. The matches, against Surrey, will take place on Friday, May 30, at the Cooper Associates County Ground. The newly professional Somerset women's team will make their debut in the T20 Women's Vitality Blast, beginning at 2.30pm. Following this, the men's team, who have faced Surrey on several past Finals Days, will play at 6.30pm. In a bid to draw younger audiences, the club is offering family tickets starting at £77. Group discounts are also available for purchases of over 10 tickets, applicable only for Category C seating. More details and ticket information are available at A full horn section and backing vocalists will recreate Amy Winehouse's Back to Black in Taunton this weekend. The Belgrave House Band will perform the album in its entirety at the Taunton Brewhouse on Friday, May 30. The band, which features musicians from Leeds' jazz scene, aims to honour the style of Winehouse's 2007 live band. Choreography for the show has been developed by Ruby Portus, who has studied Winehouse's stage presence and the 1960s girl groups that influenced the album. Vocalist Lydia Kotsirea, who previously performed on the Frank tour in 2019, will lead the performance. Tickets are available at Children can meet Stitch at a themed event in Taunton this week. The 90-minute party will take place at Premier Princess Parties on Friday, May 30, from 4pm. It includes a blue Stitch drink, disco, games, prizes, and photos with the character. Each child will receive a Hawaiian flower necklace and can take part in craft activities to make their own flower garland headdress. Temporary Lilo & Stitch tattoos will also be available. The event is limited to 16 tickets per session, priced at £15 per child, with adults attending for free. Tickets can be purchased at A high-voltage science adventure is coming to Taunton. Top Secret – The Magic of Science will be performed at Taunton Brewhouse on Saturday, May 31. The family-friendly show blends magic and science, promising a fast-paced and colourful experience. It features interactive experiments, magic tricks, and plenty of mess. Tickets are priced between £14 and £17, and can be purchased at Audiences can expect a mix of mystery and suspense throughout the 100-minute performance. The show is suitable for all ages and is described as "non-stop action-packed". The performance begins at 2.30pm.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tom Lammonby commits his cricketing future to Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset allrounder, Tom Lammonby has pledged his future to Somerset County Cricket Club. The 24-year-old, whose existing deal was due to expire this year, has signed a contract extension that will see him remain at the Cooper Associates County Ground until at least the end of the 2028 season. Tom, whose journey began at Exeter CC, joined the Somerset Academy in the autumn of 2015 after working his way through the Devon age group system, and is one of only a handful of Devon CCC players to score a century in each innings of a National Counties Championship match. After working his way through the Somerset Pathway, the former England Under 19 Captain signed his first professional contract in 2018. Recommended reading: Tom Banton called up for England white ball squad Somerset bowler Shoaib Bashir called up to England test side The left-handed top order batter, who also bowls left-arm medium pace, made his First Class debut for Somerset in the opening Bob Willis Trophy fixture of the 2020 season against Glamorgan and went on to make three hundreds in the competition, scoring in excess of 450 runs at an average of 51. Since making his debut for the county, Tom has become a First XI regular, scoring more than 4000 runs across the formats. He was a part of the successful squad that lifted the Vitality Blast title in 2023, the same year that he made his debut for England Lions. After committing his future to the Club, Tom said: 'It was an easy decision for me and I'm really happy to have put pen to paper. Hopefully, I can make some more memories and help Somerset to win more trophies. 'The club feels like home, and we've always been competing for silverware. We want to continue in that direction because we want to be a team that's remembered for years to come. That's the goal and that's what we're aiming for. 'I'm enjoying my cricket, and I just want to help the team to win matches.' Somerset CCC director of cricket, Andy Hurry, added: "In addition to being a stylish left-handed top-order batter, renowned for his fluent stroke play and natural timing, Tom also has the ability to impact the game with the ball and in the field. 'Having established himself within our senior playing group, we very much look forward to supporting his continued progression, and witnessing the role he plays in contributing to Somerset's success now and in the future.'
