by Harry Everett (Journalist and Broadcaster)
I had the privilege to commentate on Sonny Baker’s first ball and first over in professional cricket, v Derbyshire in July 2021 and I cannot remember being more impressed by an 18-year-old on debut. I had already heard lots about this young man from Devon Dumplings teammates who played with him at Kings College and how he ripped through school cricket with in-swinging yorkers. Of course, many had seen the clip that went viral of him doing just that. But there is more to his game than that super strength. It is a travesty injury ceased him from showcasing his skills on the World Stage at the U19 World Cup alongside James Rew and George Thomas. But that 3-46 on debut is one I have watched back on the Somerset YouTube Channel multiple times since-time very well spent. Ned Leonard and Kasey Aldridge will both get further chances in the 2022 season, having been mostly used in the Royal London Cup (RLC) last summer.
Lewis Goldsworthy had a breakthrough 2020 season impressing in all three formats. The Royal London Cup (RLC) side going forward could almost appear to be built around the Cornish all-rounder batting at three or four and bowling 10 overs of spin each game.
George Bartlett has been tipped by many to be ‘one-to-watch’ in Somerset colours this summer too, he has been in and out of the side over recent years, much like his friend Eddie Byrom who chose to move to Glamorgan for first team action. Bartlett has opted to stay, and if he can replicate the ball-striking of that belligerent 108 off just 89 balls v Leicestershire then he too could give Somerset a real chance in the RLC this summer coming. The Championship side will he hard for him to break into ahead of Banton in that number six position, Will Smeed also coming into red ball contention after preseason four-day form too.
Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory are two bowling all-rounders who have been fundamental to Somerset in all formats the past decade. Both have earn’t recent England call-ups, Gregory first struggling in T20s in New Zealand, but been given games in ODIs and T20s since, where he has performed better. Overton has the weird knack of getting one of the game’s finest ever batsman out (Steve Smith) but has been unfortunate with injuries and selection issues limiting him to sporadic test appearances. Bowling in test matches from Old Trafford to Adelaide to Antigua is all great experience for the North Devon man. Going down ill just hours before he was due to take the new ball in the second test at Barbados in March was particularly disappointing timing for him.
Max Waller and Jack Leach are quite different spinners and play the game in quite different ways, but both have been equally useful for Somerset sides for over a decade now. Waller belies his 34-years of age as he hares around the boundary catching screamers-few more memorable than the one to take AB De Villiers one-handed above his head under the lights v Middlesex. The second team centurion bats 11 in the first team, but saves so many runs with his fielding as well as his varied bowling deliveries.
Leach on the other hand likes to keep his bowling pretty simple, bowling consistent areas suiting red-ball cricket more-hence becoming England’s number one test spinner before making his Twenty20 debut for Somerset in just June of last year (2021). Solid without needing to be spectacular with the bat, he will forever be associated with two contrasting knocks for England. The 92 v Ireland and the 1* helping Ben Stokes to win England the game at Headingly.
Waller came through Millfield School and has recently played for multiple clubs across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, whilst Leach even recently went back and played at Vivary Park for his long-term club Taunton Deane CC when back from England duty.
As for those who came through the Somerset academy but have now moved to pastures new. Sidmouth and Blundell’s Dom Bess has gone on to flourish as the first choice spinner at Yorkshire, no longer under the shadow of Leach, both even earning test caps together in the meantime. Jamie Overton has been used as more of a T20 batter (as high as four) for Surrey in the Blast, whilst still bowling rockets, but not as consistent as his slightly slower twin brother. Nathan Gilchrist has earn’t more first team appearances at Kent, and the aforementioned Eddie Byrom had a promising first season with Glamorgan in 2021.