SAM DALLING AT TAUNTON: The hopes for him at Surrey are high. Comparisons to a youthful Chris Woakes have been drawn by more than one observer, both the partial (club coaches) and the impartial (members of the press)
Taunton (day one of four): Somerset 170, Surrey 138-4 - Surrey trail by 32 runs with six first-innings wickets in hand
It is both a trope and a misnomer that Surrey always pilfer from afar. And while it is true to a degree - they have indeed perused and selected some of else where's finest - their home brand offers just about the best value going. Many tend to (often selectively) forget that.
A visit to Surrey's website will, after a little navigation, lead you to a star-studded and lengthy squad list. Run through it and stand out names are plentiful. England past; England present; England future. In all formats. But a decent chunk of them were schooled within a few miles of the Thames. South of the river, obviously.
One name that might, as it stands, only catch the eye with a little neon-assistance, is Tom Lawes. If you are talking Surrey's Test hopefuls, both Jamie Smith - who made what has become a typically lovely and rapid 44 - and Gus Atkinson top the list. Ben Foakes' name has popped into every other Ashes sentence written, Will Jacks might consider himself unlucky to have missed out to Moeen Ali, while, had fitness allowed, Jamie Overton would certainly have been vying for the Josh Tongue role.
Against that backdrop, Lawes has begun spreading his wings just below the point at which the radar starts its detection. That is no bad thing, either. The hopes for him at Surrey are high. Comparisons to a youthful Chris Woakes have been drawn by more than one observer, both the partial (club coaches) and the impartial (members of the press). For the record, Woakes was 24 when he made his Test bow in the final match of the 2013 Ashes. Lawes turned 20 on Christmas Day just gone – time is on his side.
Lawes celebrates the wicket of Sean Dickson [Harry Trump/Getty Images]
There is a peaceful serenity in Lawes' approach to the crease, one that hides his fierce competitiveness and desire to face challenges head on. He does not, according to those that know, back down.
'Charging in' does Lawes no justice. Because such a choice of words does not give any indication of the smoothness, the repeatability of his action. It is very easy on the eye. Except for, on this opening day, those of a Somerset persuasion.
Lawes picked up a trio of early wickets to leave the hosts 57 for 4. Sean Dickson pushed at a ball that lifted a tad and shaped away a touch. Second slip took the catch. George Bartlett pushed at one he had little choice but to play at. This time it was third slip's turn. The dismissal of Tom Abell was a tad fortunate, the old 'strangled down the leg side'. But Abell has form there, so it was not overly surprising.
Lawes would later end Tom Kohler-Cadmore's resistance to finish 4 for 41. Somerset reached only 170 (having opted to bat). Such was the trust that Rory Burns had in Lawes that Dan Worrall, Jordan Clark, Overton and Atkinson bowled fewer overs.
It must be a joy for Burns to skipper this side, what with a quintet of high-quality seam options at his disposal. The only one with a Test cap - Overton - was fourth change by the time Jacks had turned his arm over.
Lawes has earned comparisons to Chris Woakes [Ryan Pierse/Getty Images]
Lawes signed rookie terms in the 2021 winter off the back of an injury hit season. All it had taken was half a dozen 2nd XI T20s and a solitary red-ball game. A place at Durham University would have to wait. Instead, he wintered in Adelaide recently where the temperatures may have been a tad more amenable. 2022 brought debuts in all forms, 18 first-class wickets and a County Championship winners medal. Not bad for an opening hand.
So often, young players endure difficult second summers. There is no shame in that, but Lawes has continued to flourish - to date, his 26 red-ball wickets have cost just 21.
'But what about his batting?' echoes cyberspace. Because if one is going to throw Woakes comparisons about, it should be remembered that he went to his Test debut with half a dozen first-class hundreds.
It is a fair point. Lawes naturally lags behind Woakes, although did make a maiden first-class half-century in a recent draw with Nottinghamshire. And his One-Day Cup numbers last summer – Lawes topped Surrey's run scoring charts, with four half-centuries in seven innings – suggest proper allrounder potential.
It may well be that in a few months' time, Lawes needs to find further space on his mantle-piece. Surrey, having lost to Lancashire and drawn with Nottinghamshire, have found what was once a title 'canter' getting a little closer to a 'race' than they would have liked. Even their Lord's triumph last week has not negated their need for victory here. Having ended the day just 32 runs adrift of Somerset, and with Tom Latham (67 not out) and Jacks (13 not out) to resume in the morning, they will fancy their chances.
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