Somerset | First County Championship win of the season

Somerset beat Essex by three wickets

George W was in attendance as James Rew lead Somerset to a stirring first Championship win of the season

Location/Stadium: County Ground Taunton

James Rew’s 10th first-class century anchored a stirring Somerset comeback as they sealed their first County Championship victory of the season, overcoming Essex by three wickets in a tense finish at Taunton.

Chasing 321, the hosts had been tottering at 78 for 5 in their second innings and began the final day on 216 for 6, still 105 runs shy of their target. But Rew, starting on 65, stood firm, crafting a composed 116 from 189 deliveries, including 18 boundaries. His seventh-wicket stand of 133 with Craig Overton (who finished unbeaten on 53) turned the tide in Somerset’s favour.

It was Overton who applied the finishing touch, lofting Simon Harmer straight back for six 25 minutes before lunch, a blow that brought up his half-century and sealed a win that had looked unlikely for long stretches of the match.

Essex, who had enjoyed long spells of control, were made to pay for some loose bowling on the penultimate evening, and on a final-day pitch that had previously offered both seam and spin, they found little assistance as the pressure grew.

The visitors were left to settle for three points, while Somerset (winless until now) walked away with a morale-boosting 19, a result that may breathe life into a faltering campaign.

A closer look at what happened on the last day of the match

The morning had begun with Essex handed a glimmer of hope. They were 12 overs away from the second new ball and the first meaningful cloud cover of the match. Sam Cook resumed from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End, with Harmer operating from the River End.

Overton, four not out overnight, flirted with danger first ball as he played and missed at Cook, but he and Rew soon began to make inroads into the target. Rew was the first to find the boundary, clipping Cook through mid-on before edging a second four down to third man.

Overton, more circumspect, contented himself with ones and twos, using his long frame to smother any spin from Harmer. Rew, looking fluent, picked up where he left off the previous evening, moving confidently through the 90s as the total passed 250.

With the sun breaking through, the pair saw off the first half hour without alarm, though the new ball (taken at 258 for 6) presented a fresh challenge with 63 still required.

Cook returned to the attack, while Jamie Porter found Rew’s inside edge, the ball flying past Michael Pepper for four. Rew’s century arrived soon after, a back-foot stroke through midwicket off Porter bringing him to three figures, a mature innings from a player whose stock continues to rise.

With Somerset now favourites, the pressure shifted firmly onto Essex. Overton brought up the hundred partnership and, having spent much of the morning in watchful defence, finally drove Harmer through mid-off for his first boundary.

Rew, sensing the end was near, began to unfurl some expansive strokes, though his innings ended just short of the finish line, lbw to Harmer, attempting to hit across the line.

It was a brief delay to celebrations. Overton dispatched Harmer for four and then launched him over long-off to complete the chase, punching the air as Somerset’s dressing room erupted.