Always Look on the Bright Cider Life - The Somerset Cricket Podcast · The Somerset Cricket Podcast

The 2025 Men's Golden Apples

·1 hr 10 min·4 clips

Sean Dixon made 71 not out from 26 balls against the Bears.

1. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - The Somerset Cricket Podcast focuses on the 2025 Golden Apples and Somerset’s season awards. 2. Ian Shepard hosts with Steve, Sir Peter Wanless, and Anthony Gibson, all of whom matter because they vote on the awards and frame the season. 3. The episode asks which Somerset performances, players, and moments best defined a year that included a six-wicket chase of 194 and several major trophies. 4. The show opens with Somerset’s win over 194, Will Smead’s role in the chase, and the post-match awards-night atmosphere. 5. The panel recaps the President’s Champagne Moment, Lewis Gregory serving baby Guinnesses, and James Roo singing in the long run at Mambos. 6. The first major debate is the County Championship performance of the year, where Tom Banton’s 371 against Worcestershire is weighed against James Rew’s 116 against Essex, Lewis Gregory’s unbeaten 89 against Sussex, and Craig Overton’s 6 for 23 against Durham. 7. Steve argues that James Rew’s 116 against Essex mattered because Somerset were 80-odd for 5 and needed momentum after a poor start to the season. 8. The group also notes Tom Banton’s 371 as Somerset’s all-time Championship record and the first game of the season’s headline score. 9. Jack Leach’s Championship value is emphasised through 491 overs, a heavy workload, and more than 50 wickets. 10. Peter and Steve also mention Craig Overton’s all-round numbers, Tom Abell’s late-season runs, and the broader feeling that every player contributed at some point. 11. In the Championship Player of the Year vote, James Rew and Jack Leach split the room before Leach wins the award. 12. The reasons given for Jack Leach are control in all conditions, match-winning bowling, and a season that kept the attack functioning across formats. 13. The Young Player of the Year discussion centres on Thomas Rew, with Dan’s email nominating Josh Thomas after his late-season performances. 14. Thomas Rew’s 84 not out against Durham, his 50 on List A debut at Radlett, and his calm batting under pressure are repeatedly cited. 15. Josh Thomas, Archie Vaughan, and Alfie Ogborne are all mentioned as part of Somerset’s younger core and future depth. 16. The Metro Bank One Day Cup section shifts to Tom Lamonby’s 5 for 20 against Sussex at Hove, James Rew’s 438 runs at 62.6, and Archie Vaughan’s 397 runs at 44.11. 17. The speakers describe the Metro Bank tone as practical and evaluative, with the panel comparing batting, bowling, fielding, and captaincy rather than one highlight alone. 18. The awards-night tone is informal and club-like, with references to tuxedos, the trophy on the dance floor, and a late finish at Mambos. 19. Listeners who follow Somerset Cricket, scorecards, and season awards will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting tightly edited analysis or non-cricket content may skip it.

As heard by us

A Somerset season review that keeps James Roo, Tom Lamonby, and Archie Bourne in sharp view.

The episode lands as a familiar end-of-season Somerset Cricket Podcast discussion, moving through winter checks, travel chat, and the Metro Bank campaign without much fuss.

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Why you'd press play

For when you want a Somerset end-of-season verdict with proper debate built in around the 2025 Golden Apples.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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