As if this season had not been difficult enough to stomach for Somerset fans, in recent days the club announced the cancellation of their cider festival, citing poor ticket sales.
When the Taunton locals are off their apples, it must be serious. Monday’s batting performance once again gave them nothing to cheer, and only sorrows to drown.
After winning the toss and electing to bat in a crucial relegation battle, Somerset capitulated to 103 all out, their lowest total of the season.
There were neither demons in the pitch, nor the Derbyshire bowling line-up, which prospered quietly and simply with disciplined seam bowling.
Tony Palladino’s accuracy accounted for the hosts’ top order, before Tim Groenewald tore through the middle, with his third five-wicket haul of the season.
The Somerset innings was summed up by Craig Kieswetter, who attempted to smear consecutive deliveries from Groenewald. After a slice for four and a dropped return catch, Kieswetter finally holed out at mid-off. Three reckless strikes, and out.
That the hosts remain in the game at all owed everything to Piyush Chawla, their overseas import.
His cameo with the bat scored a quarter of Somerset’s runs, and the leg-spinner’s four for 87 took advantage of some unusually prodigious first-day spin, which also caught the attention of an England and Wales Cricket Board pitch inspector in attendance.
Chawla briefly threatened to undo the visitors’ solid opening platform, but an assured, unbeaten stand of 93 in the final session between Richard Johnson (55) and Tom Poynton (53) steered Derbyshire into the commanding position they deserved.
Eleven days cricket remain in this Division One county campaign. But the opening session yesterday could prove decisive for the fate of these two teams.
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