Latest Match Report – Somerset vs Middlesex 2023

Somerset 325 for 6 (Bartlett 121, Abell 77) vs Middlesex

Bartlett, whose first four innings of the summer had yielded just 45 runs, cashed in after falling for 25 to share a third-wicket partnership of 183 with captain Tom Abell to turn the visitors’ fortunes around.

Somerset lost both openers inside the first five overs but Bartlett – who was eventually dismissed for 121 – and Abell oversaw their recovery to reach 325 for 6 as Tom Kohler-Cadmore made a brisk 68 off 60 balls.

Tim Murtagh and Ryan Higgins pick up two places for Middlesex, with Ethan Bamber and skipper Toby Roland-Jones sharing the others.

Having won the toss and put the visitors on top, Roland-Jones initially justified the decision with his opening delivery, persuading Steve Davies to steer it into the hands of Stephen Eskinaz.

Eskinazi picked up his second catch of the morning just three overs later, taking out Tom Lammonby in another effort from Murtagh to leave Somerset in trouble at 10 for two.

With the experienced Middlesex pair finding movement early on, Abell and Bartlett had to withstand some pressure before gradually gaining control – the skipper timing his shots sweetly to either side.

Initially, Bartlett looked less assured in the crease as he struggled to get on top of Roland-Jones in particular and was lucky to survive when Bamber’s loose edge was brought down by Eskinazi.

The post-lunch period developed into a race to reach the half-century mark, with Abell first to reach that milestone as he clipped Bamber’s point to the boundary with his partner not too far behind.

The knock that took Bartlett to his 50 wasn’t as eye-catching – Roland-Jones’s unwitting lead that flew between the wicketkeeper and first four slips – but the 25-year-old’s confidence has clearly grown since then.

Bartlett hit Luke Hollman for two fours in his first over as Middlesex moved away from an all-seam attack and another crisp boundary near leg-spin took him to his century off 174 balls.

Abell looked on course to trail his team-mate in triple figures until he drove at Higgins on 77 and speared into the dugout where Eskinazi held on to secure a much-needed breakthrough for the hosts.

However, Kohler-Cadmore kept his side on pace, hitting Sam Robson back to the pavilion to get off the mark for a six and then hitting Murtagh for back-to-back boundaries.

Bartlett’s innings, which lasted almost four-and-a-half hours, finally came to an end when he lifted Higgins towards mid-off and Roland-Jones judged the catch well as he raced to his left.

But Kohler-Cadmore continued to make rapid progress, flicking Bamber’s perfect toss over the fence to bring up his half-century on the run ball – and earning Murtagh further punishment as he hit back-to-back sixes over the short boundary.

Murtagh had the last word, bowling Kohler-Cadmore round the legs with the next ball, but Somerset had already done enough to bag their second extra-wicket point by the time Bamber caught James Rew in the penultimate over of the day.