From Mumbai to Taunton: Why cricket’s variety is its greatest gift

No two matches are ever the same – and that’s exactly the point.

Someone on Substack asked me a very straightforward question the other day.

‘What’s so special about cricket?’

Such is my fascination with the game, I struggled to keep my answer concise. But as I typed, I found myself coming back to one word – variety.

No two matches are ever the same because so many variables shape the outcome – the pitch, the weather, the tactics, the conditions changing over time. You can follow it for a lifetime and still be surprised by what unfolds. Few sports reward deep thinking and patience in the same way, while also delivering moments of pure adrenaline.

A tale of two matches

Monday’s cricket perfectly illustrated the point.

As Krunal Pandya held his nerve in the final over – taking three wickets and defending 19 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede – drama of a different kind was unfolding 4,600 miles away.

Over in a sun-bathed Taunton, four days of good old-fashioned cricket was reaching a thrilling climax. Ten men in whites crouched around the bat, waiting for an opportunity, as Jack Leach ambled in to bowl the last over of the game – his 91^st of the match.

A record-breaking effort, and a dogged defence

Over the course of the previous three days, Somerset had amassed 670/7 in their first innings – a daunting total to say the least, given that Worcestershire had managed just 154 in theirs.

Tom Banton made 371 of them – the highest ever score by a Somerset batsman and the fifth-highest innings in the County Championship’s 135-year history. Wicketkeeper James Rew’s magnificent 152 was reduced to a mere footnote.

Worcestershire faced the improbable task of batting for 200 overs to save the game. But save it they did.

A superb rearguard led by Brett D’Oliveira left Worcestershire nine down at the close, with number eleven Tom Hinley facing 44 balls for his 5*.

Same sport, worlds apart

Mumbai and Taunton. Two very different cities. Two very different games of cricket – so different that to the uninitiated, it could scarcely look like the same sport.

Both nail-biting in their own way – and both a brilliant demonstration of why this sport is so bloody captivating.

The Taunton game also has some interesting implications for the rest of the English summer. Given Banton’s scintillating red-ball form, what it might mean for his England future.

Banton in line for an England call-up?

Worcestershire’s great escape should take nothing away from Banton. His perfect start to the season follows a 2024 when he broke the record for first-class runs by a Somerset batsman.

"This is the best day I've had in cricket and will probably be the best day I'll ever have.”

He seems to have been around for ever, but he’s only 26, and his game is still improving. He’s already forced his way back into England’s white ball set up – for me he’s a much better option to open than Phil Salt, especially in ODIs – but it might not be long before he catches the eye of McCullum and Stokes in the longest format too.

An aggressive, clean striker of the ball, he’s drawn comparisons with Kevin Pietersen in the past. The question is where does he fit into the side?

Crawley under fire, but middle order looks settled

Looking at the current test line-up, Zak Crawley is under increasing pressure after a run of 15 tests without a century, and a miserable tour of New Zealand which ended with a single-figure average. In Kent’s first game this year he lasted just seven balls before being bowled through the gate attempting a drive.

But I suspect the fruitful partnership Crawley has forged with Ben Duckett will grant him a stay of execution for now – and in any case I’m not convinced Banton would be a test opener – at least not yet.

Ollie Pope has looked increasingly skittish, and I reckon he might be better down the order. Jacob Bethell did a good job at 3 in New Zealand with Pope batting seven as he took over wicketkeeping duties from the absent Jamie Smith.

Banton may need patience

The problem for Banton is that the middle order of Root, Brook and Stokes looks locked down for the foreseeable. As a number 5 he’d struggle to force his way in. His best hope at the moment would appear being regarded as the next cab off the rank should one of those three suffer an injury – and even they I suspect Bethell would be ahead of him.

There’s time yet for the selectors to take notice – and if there’s one thing we know about Stokes and McCullum it’s that they’re not afraid of making bold calls.

But until then, Somerset fans should sit back and enjoy the show.