Ben Green outshines star names to keep Somerset juggernaut moving

SAM DALLING AT TAUNTON: The One-Day Cup captaincy, which he was given last summer, has brought the best out of Green; he has grown nicely into his role, into a side packed with international cricketers

Taunton: Somerset 150, Essex 139 - Somerset win by 11 runs

Keeping pace with the #HainTrain in 2023 is surely only the #GreenMachine? Once again Green, excelled with the ball. Once again, Green picked up cluster of wickets. Once again, Somerset won a game of T20 cricket. Sound familiar? Well, that is six from six now and they sit pretty atop the table.

Before Green, it had been largely been – Michael Pepper aside – a day for overseas stardom. In a low-scoring thriller, one that Somerset never should have triumphed in, the value had been in those brought in from afar. For Essex, Simon Harmer and Daniel Sams excelled. For Somerset, Matt Henry and Peter Siddle did likewise.

But when Green returned to hurl down the penultimate over, the match was finely poised: in pursuit of a mere 151 for victory, Essex required just 17 with three wickets in hand. For his first trick, Green had Sams caught by Tom Lammonby in the deep. That is underplaying Lammonby's role somewhat: it was a wonderful grab, one which required him to be watchful of the rope before holding on. And to bookend the over, Green removed Ben Allison. Game done.

Afterwards, Green admitted that Somerset had been 20 to 30 runs short at halfway. But, as he pointed out: "We've got three Test match bowlers in our attack and a lot of experience as well."

Don’t underplay your own role, Ben: "I'm trying," was his response through laughter. "I'm just trying to outfox the batter." Green is not, in his own words, doing a lot differently but "trying to use my change-ups when I need to and trying and be a bit smarter. T20… we know what it's like. It's sometimes luck of the draw. It's been my day a few times. But it's important to stay emotionally level."

^{Green closed out the win for Somerset (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

The One-Day Cup captaincy, which he was given last summer, has brought the best out of Green. He has grown nicely into his role, into a side packed with international cricketers. That Lewis Gregory trusted him, rather than Craig Overton at the death, speaks volumes.

Learning one's trade on Taunton’s notoriously high-scoring, compact, flat, white-ball pitches, is no mean feat. Green's run up is economical; his slower ball is excellent. And already he has 14 wickets in the tournament at under 10 apiece.

That he has not yet been confirmed as Somerset's skipper for this year's 50-over competition is, one suspects, because he may well end up with a Hundred gig. It would be – however that competition is viewed in these parts – richly deserved.

For the first half of this game, from the moment Harmer called correctly, everything went Essex's way. Not that there was any luck involved. As skipper, Harmer rotated his bowlers beautifully. Never too little, never too much. His fields were superb: Tom Abell was immediately greeted with a deep point and a catcher at extra cover.

Harmer caught nonchalantly, grabbing a pair of steepling balls at long-off. Oh, and he bowls a little too. In his first over, he produced what might have been a game-changing moment.  Such has been Tom Kohler-Cadmore's impact batting at three for Somerset, Rilee Rossouw's absence has barely been mentioned let alone lamented. Kohler-Cadmore had made 17 when he crashed one back at Harmer. One juggle; two juggles; out. Those hands are huge, and they let very little slip through them. In all, Harmer's four overs cost just 26 runs.

^{Green was Somerset's One-Day Cup captain last year (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Then there was Sams. An Australian who has, as is the modern way, politely declined a full state contract in pursuit of white-ball opportunity. Amongst an even powerplay, Sams bowled his two overs for just a dozen. Having been stroked into the River Tone by Lammonby, he responded by striking the stumps the very next ball. He would later return with his variety of pace-off left-arm seamers to end with 4 for 20.

To restrict Somerset to 150 was fine work. A mark of just how tidy Essex were comes by glancing at the extras column: just a pair of leg-byes given away.

Wickets were always going to be the key for the home sides. They would have backed themselves: 48 from 50 in this competition, which would become 58 from 60. And they have a pair of fine overseas bowlers amongst their own ranks.

Henry removed the dangerous Adam Rossington early and backed it up with fellow opener Robin Das. Not before the latter had given a little glimpse of his class, though. Henry's three over burst cost just 10 runs, leaving Gregory to ponder when exactly he should return.

Eleven overs later, the question was finally answered. And in those final six balls, Henry removed Harmer.  Siddle completed the overseas quartet, going for just 25 runs and dismissing Matt Critchley.

Pepper – ruled out of Essex's opening three fixtures with a knock sustained in second-team cricket – looked like he would earn victory on his own. His 63 runs were a joy to watch, never more so than when he scooped a six off Siddle or thumped Overton over long-on. But Roelof van der Merwe picked up his wicket, and from there Green swooped in.

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