Ricardo Vasconcelos brings light to dark, wet Taunton

SAM DALLING AT TAUNTON: Between various rain and light-forced interludes, Northamptonshire made their way to 137 for 4. Sadly, the forecast is grim for much of the next two days. A shame. What could unfold here might be crucial to relegation

Taunton (first day of four): Northamptonshire 137-4, Somerset

Ricardo Vasconcelos has many admirers. His batting, all left-handed and fluid, is an area of outstanding natural beauty. And here, at Taunton, surrounded by West Somerset's vast, lush, hill selection, he picked up some additional followers.

It was a day of supporters well-wrapped and huddled despite the May Day bank holiday having passed. It was a day of bitter winds whistling an ominous tune across the outfield, of long-sleeve cable-knitwear, of handwarmers deep in off-white polyester pockets. It was a day of Mr Whippy's initially perky optimism soon dimming, and of second-hand booksellers admirably (and largely unsuccessfully) battling with plastic sheeting to keep their treasures dry.

And amongst all this gloom, Vasconcelos offered light. By the time he fell – shortly before the 2.30pm dusk – he had made a beautiful 70. It came at a fair lick and included well over half his side's runs. It took a Lewis Gregory beauty, well held by Craig Overton, to deny Vasconcelos what looked set to be far more.

The runs were most welcome. Vasconcelos had made just 71 of them from his previous six innings, his average a nudge over 11.

He is far from the only Northamptonshire batter to struggle this summer – they shared just four half centuries and one three figure score in their opening three fixtures – but there is a sense that when Vasconcelos fires, all is well in the Wantage Road world. Somerset were delighted to see him trudge off.

^{The weather impacted play at Taunton (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

The return to form was welcome in a wider context, too. If this promising knock can be turned into a run, Northamptonshire will be all the better for it.

Before arriving in England, Vasconcelos had made just a smattering of appearances in South Africa for Boland. His Portuguese parentage enables him to play county cricket in a post-Kolpak world. Great faith was placed in him when awarded a five-year deal that runs to 2024. That came after a season ending injury in 2019.

Briefly, following Adam Rossington's sudden departure on the eve of 2022, he was club captain. It was, with John Sadler new in post, a turbulent time. That experiment was soon halted, enabling Vasconcelos to concentrate on earning his cricketing currency.

A wise decision: why add further weighty pressure to someone who already occupies perhaps the game’s most difficult spot? He joins Tom Haines as a relatively young opener to have been relieved of duty.

Vasconcelos has a desire to conserve nature in common with Kevin Pietersen. Back in 2019, Vasconcelos headed for the Mozambique border and the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve. There he helped conserve rhinos.

^{Lewis Gregory appeals unsuccessfully on a frustrating day for all concerned (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

There was a tad of KP to Vasconcelos' batting here though, forcibly removing Lewis Gregory from the attack with a three-ball boundary triptych.  First the face was opened, the slips giving chase in vain. Next the short ball was hammered. And, for the finale, point was beaten.

A couple of slices of luck – a pair of inside edges from Gregory and Peter Siddle respectively bringing boundaries – were earned.  Vasconcelos had been present for just 72 balls when he passed fifty for the first time this season. It was all a little too easy.

Winning the toss and bowling was the obvious decision. Tom Abell cannot really have been criticised for that. The pitch emerald-tinged; the sky a menacingly evil accompaniment perched upon the Blackdown backdrop; Northants yet to achieve a bonus point. Yet by lunchtime, the visitors had reached 108 for 1. Jack Leach's left-arm spin was not quite called for, but it was not far off.

There was a little frustration from the locals at the insistence of right-arm seamers coming round the wicket to left-handers. Yes, Stuart Broad and James Anderson do it wonderfully, but they are, well, Stuart Broad and James Anderson.

It seems to have become the rule rather than the exception. But to effectively rule out several dismissal modes so early in the innings seems both counter intuitive and productive. Eventually it worked with Vasconcelos' dismissal, but it took long enough.

^{Vasconcelos top-scored for Northamptonshire (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

In fairness, had Tom Kohler-Cadmore held on (and he should have done) to a slip catch offered by Hassan Azad from Overton, the story may have differed.

It was the game's first over and could have changed the course of everything. It didn't. And instead, half-century stands were put on for the first, and then second wicket.

Between various rain and light-forced interludes, Northants made their way to 137 for 4. Sadly, the forecast is grim for much of the next two days. A shame. What could unfold here might be crucial to relegation.

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