Somerset re-ignited hopes of a maiden County Championship title with a dramatic 111-run win over defending champions and current Division One table-toppers Surrey at Taunton on Thursday. Archie Vaughan, son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, and fellow spinner Jack Leach took a combined 10 wickets in the second innings as visitors Surrey, set a target of 221, were bowled out for 109 with just minutes to spare on the final day of the match. While Archie finished with a superb match haul of 11 wickets, Leach took the final wicket of the match, dismissing Dan Worrall to spark wild celebrations among team-mates and supporters.

Somerset batter Tom Banton, who led the charge with scores of 132 and 46 in the match, made his way towards the middle, hobbling on crutches, before giving a hug to his teammate Craig Overton.

A video of Banton’s unique celebration went viral on social media.

Even on crutches, Tom Banton couldn’t resist the Somerset celebrations pic.twitter.com/aIjs8wEUwh

— Vitality County Championship (@CountyChamp) September 12, 2024

Archie, an 18-year-old off-spinner appearing in just his second Championship match, enjoyed a superb return of 5-38 in 32 overs.

That gave Archie, whose Ashes-winning captain father Michael made his reputation in cricket as a batsman with Yorkshire, a match return of 11-140 after he took 6-102 in Surrey’s first-innings 321. 

He also opened the batting, making 44 in the first innings. 

On a pitch renowned for helping slow bowlers, the other five second-innings wickets fell to England left-arm spinner Leach, who finished with an especially miserly 5-37 in 37 overs. 

The match appeared destined for a draw with Surrey 95-3, but the reigning champions lost their last seven wickets for just 14 runs in a spectacular collapse that included Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan falling to Vaughan for a duck.

Victory left southwest side Somerset, who have never won the County Championship — English cricket’s domestic first-class competition — just eight points behind First Division leaders Surrey, bidding for a hat-trick of titles, with two games left to play.

(With AFP Inputs)

With just a few minutes to go before stumps on the final day, Somerset stunned Surrey in an epic thriller in County Cricket. Needing just the last wicket to win the match, Somerset deployed ultra aggressive field around Surrey’s Daniel Worrall, with all 11 players visible in a single frame. With the ball in his hand, Jack Leach produced a brilliant off-cutter that hit the pads of Worrall, and every player of the Somerset team raised his hands in appeal. While the decision wasn’t the toughest to make, the umpire raised his finger and the entire screen shook as Somerset made history.

Surrey were 95 for, with less than 20 overs ago in the match. The momentum shifted in favour of Somerset when Ben Foakes and Dom Sibley were dismissed a collapse. Somerset, a team that has never when the County Championship, remain in pole position to prevent Surrey from producing a three-peat.

Cricket #SOMvSUR#WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/S7IrAEMezz

— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) September 12, 2024

Batting first, Somerset put 317 runs on the board, with Tom Banton leading the run-scoring charts with a brilliant 132 off 172 deliveries. Archie Vaughan and James Raw also produced useful cameos with the bat. Bangladesh veteran Shakib Al Hasan was the pick of the bowlers for Surrey, bagging 4 wickets while Daniel Worrall claimed three.

In response to Somerset’s first innings total, Surrey also did well in putting 321 runs on the board, thanks to half-centuries from Tom Curran, Ben Geddes, and Ryan Patel. Archie Vaughan was Somerset’s hero with the ball in the first innings, bagging 6 wickets while Jack Leach grabbed 4.

In the second innings, Somerset were bowled out for 224, with no player managing to score a half-century. Shakib was once again the pick of the bowlers for Surrey, bagging a fifer.

Dom Sibley’s 56 off 183 kept Surrey in the game while chasing a target of 221 runs but he lacked support from the other end of the pitch. Archie Vaughan and Jack Leach picked up 5 wickets each as Somerset bundled out Surrey for just 109.