By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (April 9^th 2025)

The New Season Begins

The latest cricket season has just begun with a bang thanks to Somerset’s wicket-keeper batsman, Tom Banton’s heroics, although Worcestershire, led by the captain Brett D’Oliveira,[1] managed to mount a stunning rearguard action to claim an unlikely draw. Nevertheless, with just one match played, Somerset is in third place with 16 points, six behind leaders Nottinghamshire. Worcestershire is eight of ten teams in the Rothesay County Championship Division One with nine points.

Responding to Worcestershire’s paltry 154 all out Somerset responded with a massive 670 for 7 declared. The odds were on Somerset to claim victory, but Worcestershire had other ideas, making 485 for 9 in their second innings – staving off defeat for an hour with Tom Hinley resisting for 44 balls at number 11 in only his third match at this level. He also ended the record-breaking knock of 371 by Tom Banton, which was the fifth highest score in English county cricket – the other four were over 400 runs.

Banton’s Historic Knock

Banton came in to bat with the match evenly poised – or at least with neither side holding a clear advantage – at 39 for 3. He was last out with Somerset declaring at 670 for 7, having hit a team record of 371. His innings was historic – the highest for his county[2]. Tom Abell was next out for 52 – their partnership was 101 and Banton’s share was 54 not out. James Rew was next in. He departed for 152 – his contribution to the new fifth wicket partnership record for Somerset of 371.

Banton reached his century from just 124 balls with 20 fours. He added seven more fours to reach 150 from just 173 balls. Rew reached his hundred from 186 balls. Banton took 243 balls to hit his first double hundred in English county cricket. Meanwhile, Rew reached his 150 with a boundary off 258 balls, but his vigil ended after 275 balls, caught and bowled by Ethan Brooks for 152. He had hit 16 boundaries, two of which were sixes.

Banton and Rew’s fifth wicket partnership had amassed 371 runs – not the only time that number of runs would feature in this match. It consigned John Francis and Ian Blackwell’s 320 partnership for the fifth wicket against Durham in 2005 to history.

It took 351 balls for Banton to reach his triple century – the eighth Somerset batsman to reach that mark. However, further records were in his sight. It took him another 32 balls to claim the record for the highest ever score by a batsman for his county, 343, breaking the Australian opening batsman and now coach, Justin Langer’s record of 342 against Surrey in 2006.

Banton ended the second day’s play on 344 not out with over fifty boundaries – 53 fours and a six – with power to add to his record for Somerset.

Worcestershire’s 154 all out was put to shame – Somerset ended the day on 637 for 6 a lead of 483 runs. Banton was finally dismissed for 371. His total included two sixes and 56 fours. Somerset declared at 670 for 7 after Banton’s 403 ball vigil ended caught by the wicketkeeper, Gareth Roderick, bowled Tom Hinley to lead by 516 runs.

The Rearguard Action

Worcestershire had no choice but to play for a draw – an uphill task. They ended the final day on 485 for 9 – Matthew Waite was left unbeaten on 87, having hit nine fours. Kashif Ali was caught by Craig Overton off the bowling of Jack Leach for 51 – his innings contained 8 fours. Adam Hose was lbw bowled Kasey Aldridge for 82, having hit a six and 12 fours. The top-scorer was Worcestershire captain, Brett D’Oliveira who was controversially dismissed lbw not offering a shot for 121 to Archie Vaughan.

Worcestershire had a nerve-wracking conclusion as Somerset only needed to take the last wicket in an hour, but Tom Hinley, playing just his third first class match held out for 44 balls, making just 5, but preserving his wicket. It was enough for Worcestershire to claim a draw despite Banton’s heroics.

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[1] Brett, 33, is a right-handed batsman who also bowls leg-spin. He is the current captain of Worcestershire. He comes from a famous cricketing family. He is the third generation of D’Oliveiras to play for Worcestershire. Brett’s grandfather Basil had to leave South Africa due to the appalling racism there and to allow his talent to shine.

Basil’s story remains one of cricket’s most important as it changed the face of cricket, leading to the isolation of Apartheid South Africa from international cricket (see The D’Oliveira Dynasty, which will be published here soon). It also played a part in sport helping to change society. It was an example of sport effecting political change for the better. Football, too, played an essential role in South Africa’s battle against, and ultimately victory over, Apartheid.

            Cricket lost Basil D’Oliveira’s prime due to the racism of South African cricket. He came to play in club cricket in England in 1960, joining Worcestershire in 1964, aged 32. He played for the county for 16 years and for England between 1966-72. His son Damian (Brett’s father) also played for Worcestershire for over a decade beginning in 1982. He died aged 53 in 2014. Brett recently extended his contract with Worcestershire until 2027.

[2] Brian Lara’s 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994 is the highest score in first class cricket anywhere in the world. It broke the English county cricket record, 424, set by Lancashire’s Archie (AC) MacLaren against Somerset in 1895. It had almost lasted a century. In 2022 Sam Northeast hit 410 not out for Glamorgan against Leicestershire. It was the third highest individual score in English county cricket. The fourth and last score over 400 in English county cricket is Graeme Hick’s 405 not out for Worcestershire against Somerset in 1988. Banton’s 371 is the fifth highest in English county cricket.

There are 20 higher scores in first class cricket – four in Test Matches, two of which are by the West Indies’ Brian Lara (400 not out and 375), the others are by Australia’s Matthew Hayden (380) and Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (374). Australian legend, Bill Ponsford hit scores of 437 and 429 for Victoria against Queensland in 1927 and Tasmania in 1923. Ponsford is the only batsman to have hit two quadruple centuries, although Lara has a quintuple century and a quadruple century to his name (and a triple century too) in first class cricket.