Tom Banton Rewrites The Record Books In Somerset Opener

08/04/2025 13:23 Share

Tom Banton Rewrites The Record Books In Somerset Opener

Tom Banton secured a place in the Somerset County Cricket Club record books as the new County Championship season kicked off.

Banton and his Vertu-backed team-mates got their championship challenge underway with a home game against Worcestershire at Taunton, with Somerset eventually taking 16 points from the match when it ended up as a draw.

The main talking point however was a stunning performance with the bat from Banton, who came to the crease on the opening day with his side on 39-3 in reply to 154 all out from the visitors.

By the end of the day, Banton had moved to 84 not out to guide Somerset into the lead before going on the attack on day two.

When play closed, Banton had steered Somerset to a lead of nearly 500 runs and had set a new first class record for the county, surpassing the previous best set by Justin Langer in 2006.

Eventually out on the third day for 371, Banton would end up with the fifth highest score in County Championship history – although it was the highest Division 1 score since the move to a two-tier system back in 2000.

His partnership with James Rew – who hit 152 – was a club record for the fifth-wicket.

The innings marked the fourth time that Banton had passed 100 in his career, and was the first time in his career he has passed 200 runs.

In scoring a triple century, he became only the eighth Somerset player to achieve the feat, and the first since James Hildreth in 2009.

“It’s probably one of the best days I’ve ever had - and will ever have,” he said. “You don’t get these opportunities often and I kept telling myself that I needed to put the balls away when I could. It’s a pretty special feeling, and these are things you should never take for granted.”

County Championship Highest Scores:

* - denotes Not Out