Somerset v Essex: County Championship title decider – live!

Somerset dine with heavy, but not iron, hearts. Hildreth looked in great touch before he was out; Abell has been tenacious. Simon Harmer is showing just why he is the leading Championship wicket-taker; Sam Cook has also bowled superbly. Time for me to grab a quick lunch and shove a birthday cake in the oven while Somerset make a presentation to Marcus Trescothick for long and wonderful service.

28.5 overs: Somerset 75-4 ( Abell 24, Bartlett 5) There’s a pretty good crowd in, great handfuls sitting in clumps in the various pavilions around the ground. You can still see the Quantocks from the Sky camera, but the groundsmen are leaning on the covers in readiness. Ah, there we go, the brollies are up and maroon covers are pushed on. This could be lunch…

27th over: Somerset 74-4 ( Abell 24, Bartlett 4) OOOOFFF, Bartlett pushes forward and the ball edges to the outstretched paw of Bopara at leg-slip, who can’t clutch on. Tricky but possible. Lucky, lucky Bartlett. A breath.

26th over: Somerset 71-4 ( Abell 24, Bartlett 1 ) After two successive maidens, Somerset garner some runs. Just five off Cook this morning from 8 terrific overs, but here Bartlett gets off the mark with a scurried run that might have been dodgy had Nijjar’s thrown hit. His reward – he’ll have to face Harmer next over.

23rd over: Somerset 69-4 ( Abell 23, Bartlett 0 ) Bartlett faces Harmer, who has such an array of tricks in his drawstring bag. Slower ball, quicker one, ripping turner. Bartlett, understandably, is tentative, a tall, slim young man, slightly hunched over his bat, who has impressed those who have seen him this season.

22nd over: Somerset 69-4 ( Abell 23, Bartlett 0 ) Nijjar is hauled off after leaking runs, and the excellent Cook returns. Abell watches and waits; swishing at one that passes by on the inside edge; then just getting a bat on one that inches away.

21st over: Somerset 69-4 ( Abell 23, Bartlett 0 ) Rare riches for Somerset, as Harmer sends up a dolly, and Abell pings him to the boundary, then clips him for another two.

The average runs per wicket this season at Taunton is 24.37 – I can’t see Somerset getting over 200 here today.

20th over: Somerset 62-4 ( Abell 16, Bartlett 0 ) Bartlett has a slight advantage over Banton in that he gets to face Nijjar, not Harmer, for his first deliveries . Bartlett stretches forward and blocks him away.

Oh dear. Harmer has two in three after switching over the wicket and clopping Banton on the shin very, very, in front of the stumps.

Harmer, round the wicket, the ball kept low, Hildreth crept back on his crease and that was that. Rob Bailey, almost reluctantly, raises the finger.

19th over: Somerset 61-2 ( Abell 15, Hildreth 32) Ah, a bowling change. Aron Nijjar, who inadvertently loosens the tap. Seven off his over as he strays off the line and Hildreth, eager as a tiger, collects a boundary.

18th over: Somerset 54-2 ( Abell 14, Hildreth 26) Someone send Simon Harmer a vest, his shirt seems to be too short, pulling up and showing the bottom of his back with every delivery. It’s September! Your kidneys! Harmer is supremely unbothered, another superb over.

18th over: Somerset 53-2 ( Abell 14, Hildreth 25) The gloom seems to be deepening. Abell decides to leave the final ball of Porter’s over which whips in off the seam, in a mushroom cloud of dust, a toffee-wrapper away from his body and the top of his stumps.

17th over: Somerset 51-2 ( Abell 14, Hildreth 23) Ravi Bopara and Ryan Ten Doeschate crouch under the helmets at forward short leg and short gully, mouths open for a tasty crimson titbit. Somerset live dangerously.

16th over: Somerset 51-2 ( Abell 14, Hildreth 23) Porter’s blond head and beard are shaved to about the same degree – I wonder if it grows in the off-season.. Hildreth drives an over -pitched ball but Porter just gets a finger to it and stops its momentum. In the crowd, a poodle seems to be eating a kit-kat.

15th over: Somerset 50-2 ( Abell 14, Hildreth 22) The fifty comes up as Abell stretches forward to Harmer. A recovery, I think you could call this.

Some stats from Sky – no Somerset batsman has an average of over 33 this year.

14th over: Somerset 46-2 ( Abell 12, Hildreth 21) A little light relief for the Somerset batsmen in the shape of dolly of a half-volley from Jamie Porter which Abell drives for four. The cameras turn side-on and we see how far Hildreth is bowling out of his crease – a full shoe size out – he tips Porter through mid-wicket for a single.

13th over: Somerset 41-2 ( Abell 8, Hildreth 20) Harmer again. Every ball feel like a potential wicket – the bounce is uneven, the batsmen are playing dangerously on the back foot. Abell scurries up the other end as soon as he can. Hildreth crouches down on his haunches after one scuttles low.

12th over: Somerset 40-2 ( Abell 6, Hildreth 20) The umpires glance up at the sky; in the crowd we see an umbrella, raised. The umpires have pulled on their nylon zip-up coats; the players are mostly jumper-less. In the portable cabin, sit-out places they use for T20 games – the name escapes me, apologies – the players are drinking tea. Just one off the excellent Cook’s over.

11th over: Somerset 39-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 20) Harmer drifts a little legside and Hildreth sweeps/swipes down for four. Then Harmer is a fraction, a tissue paper, short, and Hildreth sweeps again, squarer this time, for another boundary.

10th over: Somerset 31-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 12) Somerset don’t have much leeway what with Harmer and one end and Cook at the other. Patience and luck will good friends today. Another relentless maiden from Cook.

Ian Copestake writes: “Somerset having a top order problem with Trescothick sitting in the wings makes me feel we have been needlessly denied.”

So true Ian. Maybe the old warhorse has declared himself out?

9th over: Somerset 31-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 12) The floodlights are on and, with the wind tugging his shirt, Simon Harmer, off-spinner extraordinaire, takes the ball. He has has 78 wickets at 18.12 this summer. It soon becomes clear why – he’s an intimidating figure for an spinner – tall, stacked – and has the ball turning square. Rob Bailey turns down a pretty solid looking lbw appeal – rather him than me.

8th over: Somerset 27-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 12) The two batsmen are scurrying between the wickets, Hildreth has added a soupcon of energy to the batting this morning. He knocks Cook for his first runs of the day but batting against him, in his red-soled shoes, is not easy.

7th over: Somerset 26-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 11)A huge lbw roar from Porter’s first ball but, after a heart in mouth pause, the answer is no – possibly just outside the line. The skies, I’m sorry to say are darkening. Ah, that’s lovely: Hildreth clops the ball into the leg side for four; then a push into the offside, timing to die for, for another boundary.

6th over: Somerset 17-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 2) We see Marcus Trescothick on the balcony, in leisure clothing, not whites. Sniff. Simon Harmer is warming those ample shoulders up on the boundary. And a maiden from Cook who has been terrific this morning, forcing the batsmen to play.

5th over: Somerset 17-2 ( Abell 5, Hildreth 2) The slips can practically read the clothing label on the inside of Abell’s trousers – they’re close, and creeping closer, as the ball dips and hardly carries off the pitch. Abell strides forward hugely, and sends the ball scurrying square off Porter. Nice.

4th over: Somerset 14-2 ( Abell 4) Cook angles the ball in from wide of the wicket, and Davies isn’t nimble enough to move out of the way. The Somerset tail has often rescued the top order this year – hope they’re prepared for a repeat performance today.

Argh. Davies tucks his bat under his arm and trudges off. The last ball of Cook’s over is a straight one and Davies doesn’t move, the umpire ponders for a lifetime but the dodgy digit is raised.

3rd over: Somerset 14-1 (Davies 2, Abell 4) The Somerset batsmen are nervy, playing and missing, pushing tentatively. Porter, straight, high-armed, run-up, is on the money. Davies turns him off his legs for a quick single. Then some relief as Porter over-pitches, and Abell drive him at 70 degrees for four.

2nd over: Somerset 7-1 (Davies 1, Abell 0) Cook whistles the ball past the nervous pushing blade of Abell with his last ball of the over. He looks dangerous. Not the start Somerset were after.

Sam Cook whisks the ball down, the seam wobbling all the way, it moves slightly away, Vijay nibbles, nibbles, nibbles, and the ball falls low into the left glove of a diving Adam Wheater.

1st over: Somerset 7-0 (Vijay 6; Davies 1 ) Jamie Porter scurries in to Murali Vijay, who after two balls is kicking dust behind him like a donkey on a dusty spanish plain. A glorious drive brings up the first boundary of the match.

In the manner of a Radio one DJ – perhaps something for the ECB to think about next year – a shout out from Finbar Anslow.

“Morning Tanya, just got back from sunny Essex (though my heart lies elsewhere) and am now once more in drizzly Milan. A big hello to all Somerset fans especially my Mum, Barbara Anslow, 100 not out.”

Hello Barbara, and congratulations! What Somerset would do for a 100 not out today…

Showers are expected later in the afternoon but as the umpires walk out, the sky is light blue with decorative clouding. Here we go.

Impressive mowing from the Somerset groundsman – there actually doesn’t seem to be a single blade of grass on the entire pitch.

Alastair Cook, leading run scorer on either side in the Championship, is looking chilled. “It is amazing what momentum does,” he says ominously for Somerset.

Sky has gone live to Somerset where the sky is blue and the flag is flying on the cathedral.

Nick Knight is wearing salmon trousers and waving the Championship trophy around.

Somerset have won the toss and are going to bat. A nervous Tom Abell says, “Batting first is something that has done well for us this year.”

Somerset have won five out of six games at home this summer.

Looking at the pitch, bare and dusty, this will be a battle of the spinners: Simon Harmer v Jack Leach.

Hello from this first day of the final round of a dangly gold earring of a cricket season and, perhaps, the end of an era. The introduction of the Hundred next year, and the subsequent changes big and small likely to come from that, mean this could mark the beginning of the end of the rule of the 18 counties.

But, as if the Championship knew what might be in store, it has served up a cracker. Surprises, disappointments – from Nottinghamshire’s car-crash , to Surrey’s surprise hiccup – and the season going to the last, the Championship still in the balance at the final round. Somerset, perennial bridesmaids, five times this millennium, are after their first precious pennant. But to do so, they must overcome the 12 point deficit they take into their game against the leaders Essex at Taunton. Essex, 2017 Champs and fresh winners of the T20 Blast, need only draw..

Jack Leach has been allowed to play for Somerset, we hope Marcus Trescothick will make a talismanic 12th man appearance

So, in recognition of all this, we’ve decided to do something a little bit different: CountyCricketLive! has turned into an over-by-over of the Essex v Somerset match. You’ll still be able to chat BTL and email/tweet in. Hope you enjoy it!

Here is some pre-game reading setting the scene …