Cricket

Somerset's hopes of securing their maiden Vitality County Championship title hang precariously after a challenging third day at Emirates Old Trafford. Needing 393 runs to overcome Lancashire, they ended the day on 204 for 6, still requiring 189 runs to achieve their target.Lancashire resumed their second innings on 298 for 7, with Luke Wells and George Balderson adding 100 runs for the eighth wicket. Wells reached his second century of the season, scoring 130 before falling to Jack Leach's reverse-sweep attempt. Tom Bailey and Balderson also departed, leaving Lancashire all out for 398.Somerset's chase began disastrously as Andy Umeed was dismissed for a duck. However, Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby steadied the ship with a 105-run partnership. Vaughan reached his maiden first-class fifty, but Lammonby was bowled for 49. Tom Abell's dismissal to Anderson Phillip left Somerset on 146 for 4.In the evening session, Vaughan was caught for 68, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore followed suit. Kacey Aldridge and James Rew resisted Lancashire's attack until Wells struck a crucial blow, dismissing Aldridge for 19. Balderson has taken two wickets so far, leaving Somerset with a daunting task ahead.Should Somerset fail to chase down the target, Lancashire will be relegated to Division Two. Nottinghamshire's performance in their match against Warwickshire will also determine Lancashire's fate, as they need ten points to secure their own safety.

Somerset's thrilling victory over Surrey in the County Championship Division One has reignited the title race, with the defending champions' lead now reduced to eight points. The match witnessed a dramatic final session, with Somerset securing victory with just minutes remaining.Tom Banton, who had top-scored for Somerset in the first innings with 132, suffered a setback when he rolled his ankle while playing football. The injury is expected to rule him out of Saturday's Blast semi-final rematch against Surrey.Archie Vaughan, the son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, emerged as a hero for Somerset, claiming match figures of 11 for 140. Jack Leach also played a crucial role, taking 9 for 142.Surrey's collapse from 95 for 3 to 109 all out in the final session handed Somerset the victory. Somerset captain Lewis Gregory praised his team's resilience and highlighted the exceptional performances of Vaughan and Leach."It was a crazy hour at the end," Gregory said. "There were periods when not much happened, but the lads hung in there and Jack Leach and Archie Vaughan were fantastic the whole game."Surrey head coach Gareth Batty acknowledged the team's concentration lapse in the final hour but remained confident in their ability to retain the title."We had a concentration lapse for the last hour of the game and it cost us the result," Batty said. "We are still top of the league and eight points clear."With two rounds of the Championship remaining, Surrey's destiny remains in their own hands. They will host Durham at home before traveling to Chelmsford to face Essex. Somerset, meanwhile, will aim to maintain their momentum and challenge for a domestic treble, having already progressed to the One-Day Cup final.

Michael Vaughan's son, Archie, has made a remarkable debut in the County Championship Division One for Somerset, claiming an impressive six-wicket haul against Surrey. The 18-year-old's victims included England Test players Rory Burns and Ben Foakes, showcasing his exceptional talent and potential.Archie's performance was lauded by cricket enthusiasts on social media, with the England Barmy Army tweeting, "Just the SIX wickets for 18-year-old Archie Vaughan. Outstanding!" Somerset Cricket also praised the young bowler, highlighting his 37 overs, seven maidens, and 102 runs conceded.Archie's six-wicket haul is a testament to his skill and determination. He is considered one of the top young prospects in England and was recently named in the U-19 squad for an upcoming series. His performance against Surrey further solidifies his status as a rising star in the cricketing world.Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Vaughan has expressed his disappointment with the England Test team's performance in the third Test against Sri Lanka. Vaughan criticized the team's approach, stating that they "disrespected Test cricket and Sri Lanka" by being overly aggressive.Vaughan believes that England's complacency after winning the first two Tests led to their downfall. He emphasized that the team's style of play, known as "Bazball," was not effective against a determined Sri Lankan side.Vaughan warned that England's current approach will not be successful against stronger opponents like Australia and India. He urged the team to learn from their mistakes and adopt a more balanced and disciplined approach in future matches.

Somerset's hopes of securing a crucial victory in the Vitality County Championship were dealt a significant blow on the third day of their clash with Surrey at Taunton. Despite posting a first-innings total of 317, Somerset found themselves trailing by 190 runs after Surrey's Tom Curran launched a remarkable assault on their bowlers.Curran, making his first appearance in the competition for two years, smashed eight sixes and six fours in a game-changing innings of 86 from just 75 balls. His heroics rescued Surrey from a precarious 228 for 8 and propelled them to a first-innings total of 321.Somerset's bowling attack, led by 18-year-old off-spinner Archie Vaughan, who finished with 6 for 102, and Jack Leach, who claimed 4 for 105, had initially put the visitors under pressure. However, Curran's onslaught turned the tide in Surrey's favor.The hosts' hopes of building a substantial lead were further dented when Surrey's bowlers reduced them to 194 for 9 by stumps on a rain-interrupted afternoon. Shakib Al Hasan was the pick of the Surrey bowlers, taking 4 for 83.Craig Overton remained unbeaten on 40, having added 41 for the last wicket with a stricken Tom Banton (28 not out), who batted heroically with a runner after suffering an ankle injury during the warm-up.Surrey's victory charge was spearheaded by Curran, whose innings was a testament to his exceptional power-hitting ability. His sixes and fours propelled Surrey to two batting points and gave them a significant advantage heading into the final day.Somerset will need to produce a remarkable comeback on the fourth day if they are to salvage a positive result from this crucial encounter.

Archie Vaughan, the son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, is set to make his Under-19 Test debut against Sri Lanka next week. The 18-year-old top-order batter and offspinner has been named in a 14-man squad that includes several other familiar family connections.Rocky Flintoff, the son of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, is also in the squad, as are Farhan Ahmed, the son of former Pakistan international Saqlain Mushtaq, and Jaydn Denly, the son of former England batsman Paul Denly.Vaughan has been part of Somerset's academy set-up since 2020 and signed his first professional contract with the county earlier this season. He has yet to make his Somerset first-team debut, but he made his mark at age-group level last week with an innings of 85 from 83 balls for a Young Lions Invitational XI in a warm-up match against the England U19 ODI squad.Flintoff Jr. top-scored for the England U19 ODI squad in that match with 106. Vaughan and Flintoff Sr. played alongside each other in 48 Tests between 1999 and 2008, and now their sons could begin their own partnership at age-group level in two Tests, at Wormsley on July 8-11, and Cheltenham on July 16-19.The team will be captained by Hamza Shaikh, who featured in two Youth Tests against Australia last year and is set to play against the touring West Indians in a Test warm-up at Beckenham this week. Shaikh has taken charge of Warwickshire's second XI on several occasions already this summer, during which time he has captained the likes of Chris Woakes, Liam Norwell, and Jake Lintott."They've helped me and given me more confidence in my leadership on and off the field, advising on bowling options and field placements," Shaikh told Warwickshire's website. "I like to think I'm a fairly calm guy and captaincy doesn't faze me. I'm looking forward to the challenge and hopefully coming away with a series win."The team will also feature several players who have already been in ODI action against Sri Lanka, including Kesh Fonseka, Noah Thain, and Freddie McCann, who made a matchwinning 174 from 139 balls at Hove on Monday.

Archie Vaughan, the son of former England captain Michael Vaughan, has taken a significant step in his cricketing career by signing his first professional contract with Somerset. The 18-year-old, a promising top-order batter and offspinner, has been a part of Somerset's academy since 2020.Vaughan's journey to professional cricket began at Millfield School, where he honed his skills from the age of 15. His talent and dedication caught the attention of Somerset, and he made his debut for their second team in 2022. He also plays club cricket for Taunton St Andrews.During Somerset's pre-season tour of the UAE, Vaughan impressed with his performances. He played against Yorkshire, the county of his father, in the third-place play-off of the Abu Dhabi T20 Counties Super Cup, scoring a valuable 35 off 28 balls in a three-wicket win.Vaughan's contract with Somerset will commence on November 1 and will initially run until the end of the 2026 season. He is eager to make the most of this opportunity and learn from the experienced players in the dressing room."It's something that I've worked extremely hard for and it's something that I've strived for since I was a kid," Vaughan said. "To get the opportunity for a club where I've really enjoyed myself over the last few years is an honor."Somerset's director of cricket, Andy Hurry, praised Vaughan's work ethic and potential. "Archie is a young man with a bright future ahead of him," Hurry said. "Since joining the academy, he has demonstrated a genuine and strong desire to work incredibly hard and improve every facet of his game."Vaughan's signing adds to the growing list of children of former England players who are making their mark in domestic cricket. Andrew Flintoff's sons, Rocky and Corey, are part of the Lancashire set-up, while Josh de Caires, son of Michael Atherton, is a first-team player for Middlesex.