Cricket

The Hundred, a fast-paced cricket tournament, has witnessed a significant decline in scoring this season, with the average first-innings total dropping from 155 last year to 133 this year. Trent Rockets captain Lewis Gregory believes that the culprit lies in the condition of the pitches.Gregory attributes the low scores to "tired" pitches, which have been affected by the heavy rainfall experienced in the UK this summer. He notes that the Hundred's balls, which have extra lacquer for branding purposes, tend to swing more than the standard white Kookaburras used in other competitions. This combination, coupled with the deteriorating pitches, has made it challenging for batters to score freely.The Rockets' recent loss to Birmingham Phoenix, where they were bowled out for 118, exemplified the difficulties faced by batters. Gregory highlighted the substantial new-ball movement, which has been a common theme in the Hundred this year."You're seeing the ball get off straight a lot, which obviously makes it difficult to whack out of the park when the ball is moving around," Gregory said. "There's a lot of cricket throughout the English summer and [we are] coming towards the back end. There are a few tired wickets that bring spinners into the game, and then there's a few wickets that have done a lot for the seamers."Gregory's observations are supported by the fact that the average first-innings score in the women's Hundred has remained relatively unchanged from last year. Some pundits suggest that the women's game has benefited from groundstaff leaving more grass on pitches, providing a more balanced surface.In a bid to overcome the challenges posed by the pitches, the Rockets employed a tactical move during their loss to Phoenix. They retired Imad Wasim out with 14 balls remaining, sending in Chris Green to target a short leg-side boundary. Gregory explained that the decision was made to introduce a right-handed batter to exploit the shorter side.Gregory believes that retiring batters out tactically will become more common in the Hundred's shorter format. "We've spoken about it throughout the competition and everyone's been happy, if there's a case to retire someone, everyone's comfortable with that," he said. "The shorter the format, you will see it a bit more… there's not much time, and if you think someone's not quite got the surface or the opposite down, it is giving someone else an opportunity to be able to do that."

Somerset's Will Smeed unleashed a blistering 86 off 48 balls, propelling his team to a commanding 108-run victory over Glamorgan in the Vitality Blast South Group encounter at Taunton.Smeed's innings was a whirlwind of aggression, featuring nine boundaries and five towering sixes. He dominated the Somerset innings, forming a 54-run partnership with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and a 50-run stand with Roelof van der Merwe.Glamorgan's bowlers struggled to contain Smeed's onslaught, with Dan Douthwaite claiming three wickets in an over to finish with impressive figures of 4 for 37. However, Smeed's dismissal in the 12th over triggered a collapse, with Somerset losing four wickets in seven balls.Craig Overton (42) and van der Merwe (20*) steadied the ship, guiding Somerset to a respectable total of 193 for 8.In reply, Glamorgan's batting faltered miserably. Sam Northeast's 24 was the highest score as Somerset's bowlers ran riot. Lewis Gregory claimed 3 for 11, equaling Max Waller's record of 139 T20 wickets for the county.Van der Merwe wrapped up the innings with two wickets in two balls, dismissing Chris Cooke and Andy Gorvin to seal a comprehensive victory for Somerset.

Somerset's title defense in the Vitality T20 Blast got off to a thrilling start with a four-wicket victory over Essex at the Cooper Associates Ground. Tom Abell and Lewis Gregory starred for the defending champions, guiding them to a successful chase of 194 with five balls to spare.Essex, led by Dean Elgar's 77, posted a competitive 193 for 6. Elgar shared crucial partnerships with Adam Rossington (32) and Jordan Cox (30) to lay the foundation for their innings. Gregory impressed with the ball, claiming 3 for 42.Somerset's chase began aggressively, with Tom Banton and Will Smeed hitting boundaries at will. Banton fell for 21, but Smeed continued his onslaught, smashing three sixes in one over. However, Essex fought back, dismissing Smeed and Tom Kohler-Cadmore to keep the contest alive.Abell and Dickson steadied the innings, but Dickson was dismissed for 26. Gregory then joined Abell and injected excitement into the chase. The pair smashed sixes and boundaries to bring the target within reach. Abell reached 55 before being caught, while Gregory remained unbeaten on 44, hitting four sixes and two fours.Somerset's victory was a testament to their batting depth and the match-winning contributions of Abell and Gregory. Essex, despite Elgar's heroics, will need to improve their bowling and fielding to challenge for the title.