James Hildreth guides Somerset to Royal London Cup final win over Hampshire

Perhaps they turned the television off in the Somerset dressing room. Upon the screen at various intervals was a graphic which demonstrated that over the last 10 years Somerset had been runners-up 10 times in the various competitions that have adorned the domestic season – not a particularly helpful reminder.

Yet the burden of all those near-misses did not seem to haunt Tom Abell’s team. It all looked so straightforward for them to win a trophy for Somerset for the first time since 2005 when they won the T20, with a young James Hildreth in the side. This time an older, yet still fleet-footed Hildreth was on hand to guide the side home with a calm, impeccable innings of 69 not out. He was also there at the end of an impressive chase 14 years ago.

There was barely a flicker of apprehension for Somerset players or fans. Hampshire did manage 47 from the last five overs of their innings but their weakened batting line-up had been so easily subdued in the previous 45 that this passage of play was potentially more damaging psychologically than numerically. In this era, on a fair pitch and a glassy outfield, 245 is not an intimidating target and that proved to be the case at Lord’s as Somerset knocked off the runs with six wickets and 39 balls to spare.

Once Tom Banton, a breathtaking strokeplayer on his day, had blasted 69 in an opening partnership of 112 with Azhar Ali, Somerset were always in control of what became a canter rather than a chase. Their ascendancy was established early on but not necessarily from the anticipated quarters. So far this season Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory have been immense contributors whatever the format, but here it was Josh Davey, an old-fashioned medium-pacer, and Jamie Overton, back from a couple of weeks’ loan with Northamptonshire, who made decisive contributions with the ball.

They were assisted by Abell, who has barely bowled a ball in this competition this summer, but he is the captain and this was the last final at Lord’s so he decided to give himself a go and picked up two wickets, including the crucial one of Sam Northeast.

Davey dismissed Aneurin Donald, who pummelled a catch straight to cover, and Tom Alsop inside the first eight overs. It felt like it might be Somerset’s day when Hildreth dropped the talented Alsop at slip only to receive an identical catch next ball when he made no mistake.

After Gregory dispatched Joe Weatherley, bowled off the inside edge, the younger Overton intervened. Rilee Rossouw had timed the ball as sweetly as anyone, racing to 28 from only 16 balls when Jamie Overton bowled him off the inside edge.

The paceman would pick up two more wickets from well-directed short balls, both mis-pulled to George Bartlett on the long leg boundary. Overton may not be the most parsimonious of bowlers but he has the knack of taking wickets, which is what matters in the modern game. Perhaps his restorative sojourn at Northampton will not last that long.

Apart from the Hildreth aberration Somerset buzzed in the field, diving here, there and everywhere, in a manner unfamiliar with the 1979 side that won the club’s first trophy here. Abell set a wonderful example, not that the other 10 needed much prompting.

Northeast, sedately, and James Fuller, belligerently, ensured a total that would have been highly competitive 40 years ago. But if Somerset had been rocked by the late acceleration in the Hampshire innings it did not show when their contrasting openers took to the crease.

Banton capitalised on a wayward opening spell from Fidel Edwards who kept drifting on to leg stump; Banton kept hitting the ball to the square-leg boundary with remarkable power.

Banton has had a superb tournament, intimidating bowlers in the modern manner, standing tall and delivering alongside the obligatory reverse sweep and the odd ramp. He is another precocious Somerset batsman, who is learning how to keep wicket. Keep an eye on him and Bartlett, who are 20 and 21 respectively, neither of whom seemed to be haunted by the near-misses of the recent pass.

There was a tiny wobble when Edwards, in a much better second spell, dismissed both openers, but Hildreth with a little help from the other old-timer, Peter Trego, and the young captain, a natural in the post now, made sure there were no traumas. After all the heartaches, how could it be so easy this time around?

Jamie Overton happily accepted the man-of-the-match award, which could just as easily have gone to Banton or Hildreth but no one in the Somerset dressing room was worried by that.

Their celebrations were something to behold; this victory patently meant so much to them and a good proportion of the 15,746 spectators at Lord’s. And to the club’s president, Brian Rose, who raised the club’s first trophy to the skies 40 years ago.

source: theguardian.com