Overton stops Somerset’s title hopes falling off a Cliff
“THAT ruddy Craig Overton,” a Yorkshire supporter could be overheard saying. That ruddy Craig Overton indeed.
Not content with knocking Yorkshire out of the Vitality Blast quarter-final earlier this season with one of the most remarkable innings that this ground has seen, Overton was up to his old tricks again. This time it was more rearguard than rip-roaring, but it could prove no less valuable to Somerset in a fascinating match that could go either way.
Overton top-scored with 64 as the visitors improbably kept their first-innings deficit to 11 runs in their pursuit of a maiden County Championship title. He then got to work with the ball, reducing Yorkshire to 5-2 before they reached 128-6 at the game’s halfway stage, a lead of 139, George Hill leading the way with an unbeaten 50.
If Overton, 32, was the man who held Somerset together, Yorkshire’s spearhead was seamer Ben Cliff. When he had Overton caught at long-on to end the Somerset first innings at lunch on day two, Cliff had figures of 8-76 from 16.4 overs, the best for Yorkshire since 1998.
The 23-year-old had yet to arrive in this vale of tears when Craig White captured 8-55 against Gloucestershire at Gloucester all those years ago, while his figures were also the best for Yorkshire at Headingley since Graham Stevenson’s 8-57 against Northamptonshire in 1980.
It was the first five-wicket haul of Cliff’s first-class career and, on this evidence, it will not be his last, the young man having had to bide his time for his chance amid strong competition.
Cliff got Yorkshire up and running on the second day with the balance of power then with the hosts. Somerset were 68-5, 144 runs behind, with Overton on seven and James Rew 17.
Overton cut Ben Coad to the boundary to finish the first over in emphatic fashion, then Cliff claimed wickets with successive balls in an even more emphatic conclusion to the second over from The Howard Stand End.
Rew was caught behind, then Lewis Gregory lbw, completing Cliff’s five-fer — a moment that seemed to mean as much to his team-mates as it did to the bowler himself.
When Cliff struck again in his third over of the day, Jack Leach caught behind from one that climbed, Somerset were 86-8 and in all sorts of bother, their title hopes seemingly sinking by the minute.
Back in July, they had been 82-8 in the 15th over of the T20 quarter-final when Overton produced his astonishing innings, his unbeaten 79 from 30 balls carrying Somerset to a target of 162 with one ball remaining.
For as long as Overton remained at the crease, Yorkshire knew they could take nothing for granted.
He had for company Migael Pretorius, a 31-year-old South African all-rounder who has had a disappointing campaign with the bat. Prior to this game, Pretorius — who has a first-class hundred — had only four times passed double figures in 19 innings in all cricket, with a highest of 48.
Now he stepped up in Somerset’s hour of need, copping a number of painful blows to the body as he and Overton began to turn the tide. Runs came steadily, with Overton strong on the drive as usual and Pretorius adept in areas square of the wicket.
When Pretorius greeted the first ball of a new spell from Cliff with the crispest of cover drives, he had his first fifty of the campaign from 59 balls. He was finally out five minutes before the scheduled lunch break, flashing a drive at Cliff to Hill at first slip for 58 from 71 balls.
His stand of 90 with Overton beat Somerset’s previous best for the ninth wicket against Yorkshire — 86 between George Langdale and Bill Andrews at Taunton in the first summer after World War Two.
With only last man Jake Ball now for company, Yorkshire stationed eight men on the boundary to Overton. Still he managed to clear it twice — lofting Cliff over long-on to reach his own fifty from 102 balls, then depositing him over mid-wicket. Next ball, however, his luck ran out and Somerset were all out for 201.
When Yorkshire replied, Overton, charging in from The Howard Stand End, bowled a driving Will Luxton through the gate with his third ball and then had Adam Lyth caught at first slip by Henry Nicholls.
Ball bowled James Wharton and after rain forced an early tea at 2.40pm — barely enough time for lunch to settle — Yorkshire fell from 40-3 to 54-6 as Matty Revis edged to second slip, Jonny Bairstow was brilliantly held in the covers by a diving Archie Vaughan, and Sam Whiteman was taken at second slip trying to leave.
Dom Bess survived the indignity of a king pair against his former county and then set about frustrating them in tandem with George Hill.
The pair batted determinedly against wholehearted bowling and committed fielding, adding 74 for the seventh wicket in 23.1 overs before bad light ended play with seven overs left.