THE 2018 season has been a memorable one for Somerset.

A vast improvement in the County Championship saw last season’s relegation battle transformed into a title challenge, while the club also reached T20 finals day for the first time since 2012.

READ MORE: The big cricket quiz - how much can you remember about Somerset's 2018 season?

Here are 10 champagne moments from across the season, starting at a time when summer felt very far away…

1) Trescothick nets in the snow

It seems strange to think about now, given how scorching most of the summer turned out to be, but Somerset’s first pre-season friendly was abandoned due to snow in March.

That was the second bout of heavy snow to have fallen in Taunton in a matter of weeks – the month began with Storm Emma as winter refused to go away.

Somerset had installed a marquee to enable them to practice outside through the chillier months of the year, and this clip of Marcus Trescothick strolling through the snow quickly went viral.

2) Renshaw tons up before lunch

Matt Renshaw was expecting to spend his springtime travelling across Europe with his girlfriend – instead he spent it travelling across England with a cricket team.

The Australian fully embraced the county grind having come in as a last-minute replacement for Cameron Bancroft, however, scoring a century on his debut against Worcestershire and following that up with a ton before lunch against Yorkshire in Taunton the following week.

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CELEBRATIONS: Matt Renshaw (right) after his 86-ball century. Pic: Alain Lockyer/SCCC

His 112 from 99 balls was far from what Somerset expected from an opener with a rather more conservative reputation, but the Taunton faithful quickly adopted a new Aussie favourite to follow in the footsteps of Justin Langer, Steve Waugh and plenty more besides – the hope remains that Renshaw will be back next year.

3) Buffet bowling at its best

Taunton may now have a ‘Ciderabad’ reputation as a raging turner, but you don’t need a particularly long memory to recall the days when the wicket was, to put it lightly, more batsmen-friendly.

The final day of Somerset’s County Championship match against Hampshire brought back some of those memories, as James Vince and Hashim Amla put on an unbroken 176-run stand to comfortably bat out the draw for the visitors.

They were assisted by some rather generous bowling as Somerset gave their part-timers a go. George Bartlett did not enjoy the experience so much, however, and was hauled from the attack after this spectacular beamer…

4) Trego defeats the old enemy in style

Somerset versus Gloucestershire in a T20 on a Friday night. It’s always a special occasion, never more so than when the local players put on a show.

Peter Trego did just that when the two sides met in Somerset’s Vitality Blast opener in July, belting 72 not out from 41 deliveries and winning the match with a six – surely the most fitting way possible for Somerset to seal victory over their traditional rivals.

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OVATION: Peter Trego walks off the field after his match-winning knock against Gloucestershire. Pic: Alex Davidson/SCCC

5) *That* Jamie Overton catch

Athletic pieces of boundary fielding are almost taken for granted nowadays, particularly in the shortest format, but there are still those catches that take your breath away.

Jamie Overton’s against Middlesex was one such grab. Toppling over the rope, he managed to flick the ball back into play, hop back over the boundary edge and take it on the rebound – a truly superb effort.

He also did well to do it in a televised fixture. Jerome Taylor took a stunning catch of his own, one-handed to his left at mid-wicket off Overton, to dismiss Jason Roy against Surrey in Taunton, but the fixed cam didn’t pick it up. Hard luck, Jerome – but all those in the ground will remember it fondly…

6) Jack’s back – and how

Jack Leach is a man blessed with plenty of talent, but not much in the way of fortune.

Having broken his thumb the day before England named their squad for the first Test against Pakistan, Leach had to watch as his place in the side was taken by his Somerset spin twin and good friend Dom Bess.

Leach’s Somerset comeback also ended in frustration – and rather a lot of pain – as he was concussed by a Morne Morkel delivery against Surrey at Guildford.

Not many cricketers respond to setbacks better than the 27-year-old, however, and he was soon back to his best when fit again. He reminded everyone of his class by running through Essex in Taunton in August – bowling unchanged from the River End, he ended with career-best figures of 8-85 from 48 overs to lead Somerset to a 45-run win which kept them in the title hunt.

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HAPPY DAYS: Jack Leach celebrates a wicket against Essex. Pic: Alex Davidson/SCCC

7) Myburgh’s Taunton farewell

Johann Myburgh became a firm crowd favourite during his five seasons in Taunton. Having played countless crucial County Championship knocks early on, the veteran reinvented himself as a destructive opener against the white ball in the latter stages of his Somerset stint.

A 42-ball ton against Essex in August was Myburgh at his best, and his final appearance at the County Ground later that month was a fitting one. Somerset beat Notts by 19 runs to return to T20 finals day for the first time in six years, and Myburgh led the side off to a rapturous reception.

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EMOTIONAL: Johann Myburgh leads the side off after the quarter-final win over Nottinghamshire. Pic: Alex Davidson/SCCC

Reflecting on that memorable day, Myburgh said: "It was very special - it’s hard to put into words.

"It’s something I’ll remember for a long time. It was very unexpected – the way the crowd reacted was very humbling and moving.

“I’ve played all around the world but winning that quarter-final at home and the way people reacted is something I will treasure and remember for a long time."

8) Tie-d up in knots

After four-and-a-bit sessions of wickets tumbling amid increasing drama (and an unwelcome return to endless discussion about the Taunton pitch), Somerset began a run chase against Lancashire needing just 78 to win.

When Marcus Trescothick and Azhar Ali fell to successive deliveries, there were nerves. When three experienced teammates followed them back and Somerset were 23-5, that turned into torment.

Somerset edged their way towards their target but, with the scores level and just one run needed to win, Dom Bess – who had battled so hard for 19 – had a rush of blood and charged down the wicket.

He was stumped, and last man Jack Leach holed out to deep mid-wicket as the visitors celebrated an incredible turnaround. It was Somerset’s first Championship tie since 1939.

OK, this may not have been quite a ‘champagne moment’ for Somerset – the result realistically ended their title dreams for another season – but the unique nature of the match, which ended comfortably inside two days, makes it worthy of its place in this list.

9) Monk-ey business

Somerset’s players and coaches often stress how strong the team spirit is within the dressing room, but sometimes actions speak louder than words.

Being left out the T20 squad for finals day, though many of them would have expected it, cannot have been easy to take. Some players, in that scenario, may give the day a miss or choose to watch from the comfort of their own sofa.

Not at Somerset, though. The non-playing members of staff instead decided to embrace the day, dressing as monks and enjoying an afternoon on the beer getting behind their teammates. Not only that, but those who had played went and sat in among the Somerset faithful after the semi-final had finished. Small gestures they may be, but they go a long way in the eyes of the supporters.

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MONKS: Somerset players Ben Green, Tom Lammonby, Eddie Byrom, George Bartlett and Dom Bess at finals day

10) Hat-trick heroes

Any hat-trick sparks jubilant scenes, and rightly so. These scenes are amplified when it’s a part-time (and often too reluctant) bowler, such as Tom Abell, who polished off the Nottinghamshire tail in the space of three deliveries in this week’s season-ender at Trent Bridge.

Remarkably, however, this was not the last hat-trick of the match. Craig Overton repeated the trick early on day three and, incredibly, all three catches were caught by the same player as Marcus Trescothick’s bucket hands completed the job at second slip.

Buckle up, stat fans: it was the fourth time two teammates have taken a hat-trick in the same game, and the first since 1996. What’s more, Overton’s was the first time the same bowler-outfielder combination have joined forces for a hat-trick since 1946 and just the third time it has ever happened in First Class cricket.

As a way to round off the season, Somerset couldn’t have asked for much more.

What moments have we missed? What have been your highlights from 2018? Join the debate on Twitter and Facebook or leave your comments below.