Tom Lammonby’s masterful unbeaten century propelled Somerset to a commanding seven-wicket victory against Durham in the Rothesay County Championship at the Banks Homes Riverside. This win marks Somerset’s third successive triumph, showcasing their strong form in the competition.
Resuming at 71 for one on the final day with a target of 194 runs, Somerset’s batsmen confidently navigated a challenging pitch that had already seen 31 wickets fall over two days. The visitors lost only two wickets before reaching their target comfortably in the mid-afternoon session.
Lammonby anchored the innings with an impressive 104 not out, sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 139 runs with Tom Abell, who remained unbeaten on 73. Despite an early setback when team captain Lewis Gregory was caught behind off Ben Raine for 38, Lammonby and James Rew quickly steadied the innings, adding 55 runs in 15 overs while capitalizing on some inconsistent bowling from the young Durham seamers.
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A tactical bowling change by Durham saw Colin Ackermann introduce off-spin, which led to Rew’s dismissal for 31, caught by Alex Lees at short extra cover. However, this did not deter Somerset’s momentum. Lammonby reached his fifty off 70 balls, hitting five boundaries, as Somerset steadily edged closer to their target.
Durham’s attempts with Raine and Mitch Killeen returning to the attack failed to impact the steady partnership between Lammonby and Abell. By lunch, Somerset was 174 for three, still needing 91 runs to win.
Early in the afternoon, a dropped catch by James Minto at deep square leg offered Lammonby a vital reprieve on 69. Lammonby seized the opportunity, accelerating the scoring with a series of boundaries, including three fours off a single Minto over. He soon reached his century off 149 balls, having struck twelve fours.
Abell’s contribution was equally vital, reaching his half-century off 122 balls. The victory was sealed when Abell confidently clipped Killeen through midwicket for the winning runs.
Despite the tough day for Durham’s bowlers, Ben Raine (1 for 50), Colin Ackermann (1 for 40), and Mitch Killeen (1 for 67) each took a wicket but were unable to halt Somerset’s march to victory.
Final Scores:
Durham 277 and 159
Somerset 172 and 267-3
Durham earn 4 points, while Somerset collect 19 points for their comprehensive win.