Somerset v Glamorgan: Jack Brooks blast boosts home side
- Published
Jack Brooks has also played for Northants and Yorkshire
Bob Willis Trophy, Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton (day one): |
Somerset: 296 (81 overs): S Davies 81*, Brooks 72; Smith 3-41 |
Glamorgan: 8-0 (7 overs) |
Somerset 3 pts, Glamorgan 3 pts |
Jack Brooks hit 72 off 58 balls while batting at number 11 to turn play in Somerset's favour as they recovered to reach 296 all out on the opening day of the Bob Willis Trophy at Taunton.
Brooks shared a last-wicket stand of 107 with Steve Davies (81 not out), a county record against Glamorgan.
It meant a remarkable turnaround after they had collapsed to 149-8, with Ruaidhri Smith taking three wickets.
Glamorgan finished on 8-0 in the final seven overs.
Smith was Glamorgan's most successful bowler with 3-41, prompting a mid-afternoon collapse, before he fell while bowling and limped off.
Paceman Marchant de Lange looked hostile as he claimed 2-37.
Opener Tom Lammonby made a composed 41 on debut but the rest of the Somerset batting looked rusty after a long lay-off - a result of the coronavirus pandemic causing a lengthy cricket shotudown.
The classy Davies and the brutal Brooks, though, turned things round.
The ground was not completely silent despite the lack of a crowd, with residents in a neighbouring block of retirement flats enjoying the home fightback.
Somerset wicket-keeper batsman Steve Davies told BBC Radio Somerset:
"It was a lot of fun because we spend a lot of time off the field together, so it was nice to bat together and get that record partnership. I was the set batsman and I was giving the strike to Brooksy because he was hitting it so cleanly.
"We did get away from them a little bit; it was a fantastic partnership.
"It was awesome to be back. I felt fresh and ready to go. It was a stressful crazy time [during lockdown] but it felt amazing to be back."
Glamorgan all-rounder Graham Wagg told BBC Sport Wales:
"First off, it's just great to get out there and play. None of us was sure what was going to happen this season, but we're finally out there.
"After all the training with one-way systems, it's almost back to the norm - this is the norm now, and the boys are happy to be out there.
"I think we'd have taken a score of 296 for them at the start, but not when they were eight down. Brooks came out and gave it a whack and Steve Davies played really well."