Tom Banton scored a record-breaking triple century for Somerset in their opening game of the 2025 County Championship today (April 5) at Taunton, having also combined for a mammoth partnership with fellow England prospect James Rew.
Banton reached his 300 late in the day at Taunton, having come to the crease after Somerset lost quick wickets early in their innings the previous day. After bowling Worcestershire out for 154 on the first day of the season, Somerset slipped to 39-3 before Banton and Tom Abell put on 101 runs together, both reaching half-centuries before Abell was dismissed by Adam Finch. That brought 21-year-old Rew to the crease late in the day, before Somerset ended play on 187 for no further loss, Banton finishing unbeaten on 84.
The next day, the pair came back together and quickly went through the gears. Banton reached a century in the morning session, continuing his first-class form from last year, in which he average 49.50 in the Championship. After a tricky few years in red-ball cricket which saw him struggle to demand a consistent place in Somerset's side, Banton is firmly back in their all-format plans, and broke back into England's white-ball squad over the winter.
What a moment for Tom Banton 💥
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 5, 2025
He reaches the milestone in just 349 deliveries 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Eg4OiwFhiS
At the other end, Rew also piled on the runs, reaching his century with a boundary off his 186th delivery at the crease. Rew shot to attention in the 2023 Championship season, when he scored five centuries in the competition across the summer aged just 19. He equalled the record for the most County Championship hundreds scored in a single season by a teenager. While Rew has yet to be named in a senior England squad, he is regarded as one of their most promising young batting prospects.
Shortly after Rew reached triple figures, Banton doubled up. The score was his first first-class double-century, with his previous highest score being 133. At the point Banton reached his double hundred, the pair's partnership was worth 260, with record for Somerset's highest fifth-wicket partnership being 320 between John Francis and Ian Blackwell in 2005. By the time Banton and Rew took Somerset's total past 500 to break that record in the process, Banton had passed 250 and Rew was closing in on 150.
The next record in their sights was Somerset's all-time highest first-class partnership record of 450 between James Hildreth and Nick Compton in a match against Cardiff MCCU in 2012. However, Rew was dismissed caught and bowler by Ethan Brookes before they could reach that milestone, bring Somerset's highest-ever partnership in the County Championship to an end for 371, and Rew's innings to an end on 152.
Now partnered by Kasey Aldridge at the crease, Banton continued to pile on runs. Now into the final session of day two, he reached his triple century with a single off Brett D'Oliveira. The score is the highest by a No.5 batter for Somerset, with only openers Graeme Smith and Justin Langer having scored more runs in an innings for the side.
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