SAM DALLING AT TAUNTON: Rew's unbeaten century at Taunton was his fourth of the summer. It was the fifth his fledgling career. He is still only 19...
Taunton: Somerset 163 & 514-8, Nottinghamshire 186 & 92 - Somerset win by 399 runs
"Come on Notts, we haven't come all this way to watch this rubbish," came the cry from a pair of visiting supporters perched on the bottom tier of the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion.
Somerset's slip fielders - and there were four of them - turned to each other and burst out laughing. They had plenty to smile about.
Poor Nottinghamshire skipper Steven Mullaney had just been struck in the mid-riff by Matt Henry; if Mullaney had clarity of thought at that point, he may have wondered just quite how it came to this.
His side were 14 for 4 in what was, nominally at least, pursuit of 492 runs for victory. In the gloom, with the floodlights on, with a newish Kookaburra ball, there would be just one winner. And that is how it transpired shortly before 6pm, Craig Overton extending his Inspector Gadget arms to hold onto a Dane Paterson edge at slip.
Nottinghamshire: 92 all out. Somerset: a 399-run victory, their second-biggest win in the County Championship.
Cast your minds back 48 hours and Somerset, having elected to bat, had been dismissed for 163. The knives of their fans had sharpened. And many of them, particular on social media, need little invitation to wildly slash a blade. How they were blunted following a complete Tuesday evening performance with the ball.
James Rew has made four first-class hundreds this summer (Harry Trump/Getty Images)
The final 90 minutes or so should though, not overshadow James Rew's contribution. Each of us knew a Rew at school, a student as academically gifted as they were sportingly talented. Perhaps the worst thing to be said about Rew currently is that his four As at A-level are likely to be wasted. Professional cricket is certainly his calling, although he is virtually a scratch golfer too. Yep, he is one of them.
So many youngsters show signs of promises, flashes of brilliance, momentary magic. But what takes time is consistent delivery. Only once such a stage is reached can they truly be deemed established.
And that is the thing about Rew. Well, there are many things about him, but this one stands out: Rew's unbeaten century at Taunton was his fourth of the summer. It was the fifth his fledgling career. He is still only 19.
How many cricketers in such an embryonic stage – this was just Rew's 16th match – offer watchers so little chance to make original observation? And that is a compliment, by the way.
Somewhat remarkably, Rew only made his first century in club cricket a week ago. That came in a Baker Cup quarter-final clash at the neighbouring Wyvern Club. Rew has in fact played 50 league games for Taunton St Andrews without having reached three figures.
His club teammates naturally adore him, and his ability (and eagerness) to talk all day. Likewise, he is happy to share his M&H bats.
But imagine that? Imagine being more comfortable making centuries against James Anderson – which he has done twice – than against club bowlers? Imagine converting five of seven first-class fifties into hundreds.
Somerset won easily in the end against Notts (Harry Trump/Getty Images)
A mark of Rew's class came when the great Anderson offered plenty of disparaging words after eventually dismissing him for 117 back in April. Rew’s response? A pair of centuries in the return fixture, a match during which, in an interview with The Cricketer, Somerset's batting lead Shane Burger drew comparisons with Quinton de Kock. High praise indeed.
During today's innings, Rew passed 1,000 first-class runs; one suspects there will be a zero added over the next decade or so. And Taunton witnessed what is quickly becoming a classic Rew knock.
There were several of the classic punches through cover that Rew has already taken ownership of, although he scores all around the ground. There is little Bazballian to Rew's game, but his did help himself to a trio of sixes. The second was the prettiest, a fleet of foot dance toward Matt Carter before plonking him onto the cloth sightscreen.
Later, it was a somewhat fortuitous edge that brought a 172-ball century. Rew sheepishly removed his helmet, afforded himself a grin and took the crowd's adulation. There was plenty of it to soak in.
It would be easy to look at Rew's strike rate, his steadiness, and suggest he is dull to watch. Easy, but not correct. He would end unbeaten on 123.
There was a little discontented murmuring as Somerset batted on toward tea. Some felt it was too cautious. 400? 450? How many do you need? But the declaration was, as it transpired, perfectly timed.
Nottinghamshire will need time to process this. If they had half-expected Wednesday on an East Midlands golf course, it would not have been because of this. How quickly life can turn.
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