Somerset Stragglers took on the MCC at Bridgwater CC in the latest instalment of the biennial fixture which in 2023 resulted in a thrilling win for the Stragglers by 2 wickets chasing down exactly 300 to win in 52 overs. With the prospect of a warm day in the field ahead in the timed format, Stragglers elected to bat first under clear skies and on a used wicket.

Openers Solly Woodall and Sam Shaikh were patient early on against the spin of Rufus Williams-Pritchard who immediately extracted turn and bounce from the dry wicket. Shaikh (11) fell first before Luke Williams took the score on 70 before Solly Woodall fell caught at gully. 70-2 became 75-3 as number four and Stragglers President Jack Cooper lasted two balls before left arm spinner Toohey brought the ball back through the gate to rattle the stumps.

Captain Williams and Bhuvi Jayaraman worked steadily towards a hundred partnership with a mix of traditional strokeplay and agricultural brute force, Williams taking a particularly liking to anything over pitched, one time depositing the ball over the pavilion with a mammoth six shortly after passing his half-century. However, their burgeoning stand was broken by the left arm spin of Jack Beaumont who bowled Jayaraman around his legs attempting a fine sweep such was the amount of spin on offer. Number five Max O'Farrell hit a six towards the nearby bowls club but he was bowled by the returning opener Dan Pugsley two balls before the lunch break.

After lunch, Sam Burgess joined Williams and both sensed an opportunity to up the ante with some belligerent attacking shots all around the wicket. But when Burgess fell for 12, caught at mid-on attempting a shot too many and then 'keeper Dave Jones stumped by his opposite number Chris Hellings for a ten ball duck, the Stragglers were precariously places at 207-7 and in danger of not posted a threatening score.

However, number nine Will Bere and Williams allayed any such fears they contributed a stand of 61 runs in just over 8 overs, during which time, Stragglers captain Luke Williams had moved to a quite excellent hundred to received applause from the Stragglers, supporters and MCC alike. The arrival of Williams' hundred precipitated further aggressive shots before Williams was eventually dismissed caught at mid-on off the bowling of Williams-Pritchard. When Will Bere was bowled by Beaumont from 20, Stragglers declared on 276/9 from 63.4 overs.

The MCC reply, started in electric fashion, the pace of Will Bere providing opportunity for the MCC openers to find the boundary with near impunity. The score was 71-0 at tea and the opening stand was worth 88 in just 13 overs before the introduction of Henry Bowen accounted for Lewes (39) caught by Williams. Fellow opener Liam Lewis continued on his way however and made the most of the shorter boundary against the spin of Krishnan Subramanian and Bowen.

Number three Lloyd White came and went, clean bowled by Bowen, but the arrival of the free-scoring Pugsley at number four provided no relief for the Stragglers attack as he also played his shots in a partnership of 101 with Lewis who reached his fifty of just 44 balls before Pugsley bright up his own half-century from 56 balls. The third wicket eventually fell with the score on 197 as Sam Burgess induced a false shot have Pugsley caught by Jayaraman at midwicket for 61.

There was still time for Jack Hobbs to add 49 not out including six fours and three sixes, as he added another 42 with Lewis in less than seven overs before the MCC opener was finally dismissed for 91 from 91 balls by the seam of Solly Woodall as he attempted to clear the mid wicket boundary. Jack Beaumont finished 14 not out as the MCC romped home to the target in 42.1 overs and more than seven overs of the permitted last twenty to spare.

Many thanks to Bridgwater CC for excellent hospitality during both lunch and tea intervals and for hosting the fixture for the second occasion.