Somerset Stragglers 21 August 2025

Captain James Florey

Lost by 33 runs

Somerset Stragglers 157 all out

SOA 124 all out (Arjith Ravi 5 for 75, Colin Allen 3 for 19)

The final day of another wonderful Western Tour saw the SOA travel to Bishops Lydeard, the home of the Wombats Cricket Club, to take on the Somerset Stragglers. A few tired and aching bodies were boosted by 2 tour debutants, firstly Karthik Ananthanarayan, making his first appearance after a week of spectating from the side lines and secondly young Freddie Fowler playing his first, of what will surely be many games, for the club.

Stragglers won the toss and elected to bat on a warm afternoon. A dry track and fast outfield posed for an intriguing contest between bat and ball. Things couldn't have gone better for the SOA with Pierre picking up the wicket of the dangerous Harry Everett for a first ball duck. Sharing the new ball with the luckless Karthick, both bowlers probed away with Pierre well rewarded with a 2nd quick wicket leaving the stragglers at 8-2. Recovering well with a 50 run stand, the SOA turned to the spin of Arjith Ravi and the cunning bowling of Pres Colin Allen to turn the game firmly back in the SOA's favour with exemplary figures of 3-19 for the Pres and 5-57 for Arjith. The Stragglers were dismissed for 157 in the 34th over with other notable bowling performances from Freddie Fowler who can count himself extremely unlucky not to have picked up a wicket or two.

The SOA enjoyed tea in good spirits at the prospect of chasing down the modest total and causing a upset against a team largely made up of Somerset private school 1st XI players. Shiraz Husain and Will Owens got the SOA of to a cautious start against some very tight bowling. Both openers fell with the score on 20 bringing Alex Wildman and Freddie Fowler to the crease. Freddie fell to a ball that would have claimed any batsman whilst Alex injected some life into the innings with 4 quick boundaries but fell to leave the SOA struggling at 46 - 4. Wickets fell at regular intervals with batters never really feeling 'in' as spin proved to be extremely testing with turn and bounce resembling something that wouldn't have looked out of place in the subcontinent. Despite a late cameo from Arjith the SOA were dismissed for 124 losing by 33 runs. Despite the result, spirits were high as the team and supporters reflected on a brilliant tour. A huge thank you to all those who organised and made it happen. Role on 2026!