Image: Tom Lammonby was the hero of the match and secured victory for Somerset / © WarwickshireWorld
The One-Day Cup match between Somerset and Sussex at Hove was an absolute belter, packed with heart-stopping moments, gutsy fightbacks, and one player who stole the show with the ball. Picture a sunny day, a buzzing crowd, and Sussex winning the toss, opting to bowl first, hoping to make early inroads and chase down whatever Somerset could muster.
Somerset’s batting got off to the worst possible start. First ball of the match, and boom, Archie Vaughan was gone for a duck, snagged by wicketkeeper John Simpson off Sean Hunt’s cracking delivery. The Home crowd was buzzing, and things got worse when Tom Lammonby followed, also out for a three-ball duck to Hunt. Somerset were 6 for 2 after 2.2 overs
Lewis Goldsworthy tried to steady the ship but couldn’t get going, scratching around for 8 runs off 16 balls before Fynn Hudson-Prentice had him caught. At 21 for 3 after 6 overs, Somerset were in all sorts of trouble, staring down a potential collapse. Enter Captain James Rew, who played like he had ice in his veins. His 29 off 35 balls, with four crisp boundaries, was exactly what the doctor ordered, a calm head to weather the storm. But just when it looked like Somerset might find their footing, Henry Crocombe struck, catching and bowling Rew in the 14th over. At 59 for 4, things were still looking dicey.
Thomas Rew, batting with his skipper, chipped in with a solid 30 off 46 balls, picking up three boundaries with a cool, collected approach. But Crocombe was at it again, bowling him in the 20th over, leaving Somerset at 82 for 5. It was do-or-die time, and Joshua Thomas stepped up with some serious swagger. His 50 off 58 balls was a beauty, seven fours, one massive six, and a whole lot of heart. He kept the scoreboard ticking until Sean Hunt got him in the 30th over, caught by Simpson, with Somerset at 141 for 6.
Now it was Finley Hill’s turn to play the hero. Hill’s 55 off 68 balls, with three fours and a six, was a masterclass in mixing grit with flair. He found a great partner in Kian Roberts, who smashed 29 off 32 balls, including three fours and a six, like he was playing a T20 game. Their 67-run stand for the seventh wicket was the lifeline Somerset needed, dragging them past 200 and giving the crowd something to cheer about. Roberts fell in the 43rd over to Danny Lamb, and Hill was bowled by Jack Carson soon after, leaving Somerset at 218 for 8.
The tail didn’t wag much, but Kasey Aldridge gave it a good go, smacking 17 off 13 balls with a four and a six before Crocombe sent him packing in the 48th over. Alfie Ogborne chipped in with 12 off 14 balls, but Hudson-Prentice got him, and Somerset were all out for 243 in 47.3 overs, with James Langridge stranded on 0.
Sussex’s bowlers shared the wickets, with Sean Hunt and Henry Crocombe leading the charge, each grabbing three. Hunt was on fire, giving away just 35 runs in his 10 overs at a stingy 3.50 economy rate. Crocombe’s 3 for 47 included some massive wickets, while Hudson-Prentice bagged two, and Carson and Lamb each took one. Somerset’s 243 was a fighting total, not massive but decent, thanks to Thomas, Hill, and Roberts, who pulled them out of a hole after that horror start.
Sussex kicked off their chase of 244 with a bit of hope, but it didn’t last long. Tom Haines came out swinging, cracking 5 runs off 3 balls with a boundary, but James Langridge had him caught by Kasey Aldridge in the second over. At 7 for 1, Sussex needed a partnership, and Charlie Tear and Tom Clark delivered with a 53-run stand for the second wicket. Tear made 16 off 26 balls with three fours, while Clark looked the part, smashing 34 off 34 balls with five fours and a six.
Then came the moment that flipped the game on its head. Tom Lammonby, who’d had a forgettable day with the bat, turned into a one-man demolition crew with the ball. In the 11th over, he struck gold, getting Tear caught by Finley Hill and then trapping Fynn Hudson-Prentice lbw for a duck on the very next ball. Two balls later, Sussex skipper John Simpson was also lbw for a three-ball duck. Absolute carnage! Sussex went from 60 for 2 to 60 for 4, and when Kasey Aldridge got Clark caught by Langridge in the same over, they were 60 for 5.
Danny Lamb and Oli Carter tried to stop the bleeding, but it was tough going. Lamb made 7 off 11 balls before Aldridge had him caught by Vaughan in the 15th over, leaving Sussex at 70 for 6. Carter hung in there, grinding out 19 off 42 balls, but he couldn’t find the spark to turn things around. Jack Carson gave Sussex a flicker of hope, blasting 35 off 34 balls with seven fours, and his 44-run stand with Carter for the seventh wicket had the crowd perking up. But Langridge broke through, getting Carson caught in the 24th over, and Sussex were 114 for 7.
Carter’s dogged innings ended in the 29th over, caught by Vaughan off Kian Roberts, with Sussex at 128 for 8. Henry Crocombe and Archie Lenham tried to keep the dream alive, but Crocombe’s 7 off 15 balls ended with an lbw to Lammonby in the 31st over. Sean Hunt, the last man standing, made 8 off 17 balls, but Lammonby wasn’t done. In the 36th over, he had Hunt caught by Ogborne, and Sussex were all out for 153, a whopping 90 runs short.
Lammonby was the star, finishing with a jaw-dropping 5 for 20 in 7 overs, including three maidens, at an economy of 2.85. He tore through Sussex like a hot knife through butter. Langridge backed him up with 2 for 32, Aldridge took 2 for 42, and Roberts grabbed 1 for 28. Alfie Ogborne kept things tight, giving away 30 runs in 8 overs without a wicket. Sussex’s batting just couldn’t handle Somerset’s fiery bowling, with only Clark and Carson putting up a real fight.
This match had it all, but Somerset’s 243 in 47.3 overs, at a run rate of 5.11, was built on some gutsy batting. Joshua Thomas’ 50 off 58 balls and Finley Hill’s 55 off 68 balls, with three fours and a six, were massive, and Kian Roberts’ quick 29 off 32 balls added some late fireworks.
But the TCNI Magic Moment goes to Sussex’s Sean Hunt. The guy was electric, taking three huge wickets for just 35 runs in his 10 overs, keeping his economy at a tidy 3.50. He started with a bang, getting Vaughan out first ball, then sent Lammonby packing for a duck. His third wicket, Joshua Thomas, broke a dangerous partnership, keeping Sussex in the hunt during Somerset’s middle overs.
Tom Lammonby, the TCNI Hero of the Day had a shocker with the bat, out for a duck, but he made up for it with the ball. His 5 for 20 in 7 overs, with three maidens, was pure magic. He took out Charlie Tear (16), Fynn Hudson-Prentice (0), John Simpson (0), Henry Crocombe (7), and Sean Hunt (8), turning the game on its head by sparking a collapse from 60 for 2 to 60 for 5.
Lammonby was relentless, swinging the ball like a wizard and keeping Sussex under constant pressure. His spell sealed Somerset’s 90-run rout and made him the undisputed star of the show.