In life, there’s dumb, there’s really incredibly dumb, and then there’s bending over to pick up the soap after being reassured that, no, you’re not going to be violated again. Yorkshire’s declaration in this game is firmly in the third category.

Don’t misunderstand me, there’s nothing wrong with backing up pre-season assertions that you’ll play “attacking, fearless cricket”. There’s nothing wrong with setting a target that gives the opposition a chance of victory – carrot is often more effective than stick in such situations. But individual match conditions need to be taken into account, with each situation weighed up as to the realistic odds of victory and defeat.

In normal circumstances a target of 362 in 68 overs would seem a reasonable balance, with just enough time to bowl out the opposition, but only a poor performance in the field when faced by imposing batting likely to seriously risk defeat. Playing Somerset at Taunton are not normal circumstances. The way they successfully chased down 476 at a similar run-rate last season should have taught us that.

For all the effects of ‘scoreboard pressure’, for all the mistakes, misjudgements and mistimed shots that can arise from chasing a score, did Yorkshire seriously think they could bowl Somerset out in less than 70 overs? After only 22 wickets had fallen on the first three days did they really imagine ten could be taken in just over two sessions? The locals must be laughing their heads off at such naivety.

That said, nothing should detract from the way Somerset chased down an imposing total once again; as they had against us last year, as they had against Sussex in the CB40 just two days before this match – but this was a declaration that left only two realistic outcomes: a draw or a Somerset victory.

What makes the result all the more frustrating is that Yorkshire had edged a closely fought contest up to the final day, with Adam Lyth having the kind of game which indicates he may well have overtaken Stephen Moore for a Lions opening berth come the end of the season.

As always there were positives and negatives to take from the match, with Yorkshire’s scoring rate being an obvious area that needs sorting out. So far this season our approach of batting steadily, batting long, has served us well – only once have we conceded a first innings lead. The feeling that we could have pushed the scoring rate along more quickly has been little more than a minor complaint. But at Taunton the tempo of your batting is more important, with the need to leave yourself as much time as possible to bowl out the opposition paramount.

A good hour and a half was lost over the first three days by the overly cautious pace of Yorkshire batting, time that could have allowed a far more measured declaration. Much of the blame has to fall on Anthony McGrath. It’s great to see Mags scoring heavily again, his experience is important in a young team, but the time he takes to get himself going too often chokes the Yorkshire innings at a point when we should be pressing the accelerator. It may be time to be more fluid with our batting line-up, moving Rudolph or even Gale above McGrath depending on the match situation.

It was also disappointing to see how we fell away once Adam Lyth was dismissed, with 251/1 turning into 405 all out. A reasonable total, but well short of what could have been achieved given the base Lyth, Sayers and McGrath had provided us.

More positive was the way Patterson and Hannon-Dalby stuck to their task in Somerset’s first innings. Their collective 42-10-104-3 was as good a sign for the remainder of the summer as the five wicket hauls they’ve taken in earlier games. They took some stick in the second innings, but that’s always likely to happen at this ground.

There have to be worries about the injury to Tino Best though; Shahzad may now be back in time to replace him rather than form a partnership alongside him. A shame, as although he was expensive and wicketless in this match, he troubled the batsmen as much as anyone and you feel that on more helpful surfaces luck will return to him. Luck certainly deserted Yorkshire when he broke down after just two overs on the final day. Not that we deserved any.

The most worrying aspect of this defeat is the impression that Yorkshire have started to believe their own publicity, it’s the only explanation for our declaration.

Let’s be clear, Yorkshire have got off to a flying start in the Championship, one that’s all the more impressive for the relative inexperience of the side. But as I mentioned in my last championship match report, the difficult games are to come. We’re yet to play the two sides that’ve started the season even more strongly, Lancashire and Notts, Durham seem to have turned the corner form wise and will be a tough ask at the Riverside, and of course there is this game at Taunton. Those are the half dozen toughest games we’ll play this year.

This was the first of them and we fluffed it, gifting the opposition a chance to win the game, which they took. Yes, we only lost three points by not batting out for a draw, but the 13 extra points gifted to a rival could prove vital come September. Who’s to say that Somerset won’t be alongside us in the table? Who’s to say they won’t now be above us rather than below.

Result: Somerset won by 6 wickets

My Man of the Match: Adam Lyth

[Scorecard]

Si’thee later,

Len