A stonking Championship game comes down to the wire and up steps one Steffan Jones to do what he's been doing quite a bit this season. Take out the tail boyo! With few runs to play with and Denley moving towards 150, Jonah rips out three in quick succession and takes the heart out of the Kent reply at the same time.
v Kent CC1 @ Tunbridge Wells Wednesday 21 May 2008
Can we notch up our first victory points in Kent? The weather and dogged batting defence by our opponents has meant we have no wins under our belts in the Championship in 2008. We haven't lost but we need those extra 10-ish in the bank to chase Notts for the big silverware.
There's no place for Michael Munday in this match and Caddick and Turner are still not ready for consideration although Mark is nearer than Andy in that regard. JL wins the toss and decides to change tack and bat first this time.
It wasn't a great decision as the Kent bowlers seem to have got the gist of the conditions rather better than our batsmen. Edwardo, El Capitano (2 ball Justin), Marcus T and Zander all have their feet up before we pass 50 mostly courtesy of McLaren and although Hildreth and Blackwell both get into double figures we are six down before the hundred.
Peter Trego and Craig Kieswetter rally the troops a little and Phillips and Jones wag around Trigger's 49 so we stagger past 200 before we fall for a total of 208. Not the winning start we were hoping for. Up to the bowlers then.
It all looks good when Charl Willoughby has Denley first ball but it is left to his partner Trego to make inroads as Kent work around Key to set up a base. He gets to 48 before he becomes Peter's second victim but van Jaarsfeld is putting up stiff resistance and he gets to the end of the day with Saggers as the nightwatchman.
Day 2
After the early departure of 'Saggy' Stevens puts on a spirited partnership with van Jaarsveld (moving towards a worrying century). But thanks to good work from the support bowling of Jones, Phillips, de Bruyn neither batsmen gets to their milestone. No fifty for Stevens and although they do pass our total with only 6 wickets down and a big first innings lead is on the cards for the home side, once Trego dismisses the big scorer for 95 the tail crumble.
Willoughby cleans up the scraps and we keep Kent under 275. Not a great position but we're still in this game a mere 60plus behind and half a game to go. A big push is necessary.
Niel Edwards goes early but then Kent find it hard. Langer and Trescothick put on 111 and when the skipper goes stumped, we finish the day on 157 with Steffan in as nightwatchman.
Day 3
Steff goes early but Marcus is certainly not ready to leave the pitch yet. Even though Hildreth and de Bruyn cheaply to early conditions on the third morning we bat a ways. At 179 Ian Blackwell arrives and it's 286 before he leaves again with a 10 four 60 to his name. His VCstays around for a bit longer before he takes his 139 back to the locker room 2 short of 300. but we're not over yet as Trego farms the tail from Number 8 putting on 29 while we push to 335 all out.
They need 271 and we need wickets!!
Kent seem to be cruising as Key and Denly take them past the first 50 with ease. Enter Charl Willoughby and exit Key at 51. Ben Phillips breaks through with the wicket of Tredwel at 62 and Van Jaarsveld doesn't repeat innings 1 as Hildreth catches him of our lefty at 67. Kent are wobbling and Jones keeps the wobble on just after the three figures as Stevens flips the ball to Edwards. Willoughby tempts Kemp to give the ball to the same fielder at 122 and the third day ends with Kent being held together by Denly but less than 150 from victory with 5 wickets in hand.
Day 4
Somerset need a bowler in the zone on the final morning and Denly's wicket badly!! They get one but not the other in the early overs as Steffan Jones steps into the 'matchwinner' ring and takes the optimism of the Kent supporters and places it where the sun doesn't shine. After a 30 plus run first segment of the morning he removes his namesake Jones at 168 courtesy of Marcus T in the slips. McLaren doesn't stay around long, bowled for 1 at 170. Arafat flips one to that slip fielder again 2 runs later and Joseph doesn't bother the scorers while adding 4 before he flips one to Trego to give Jonah a fivefer and Somerset the match?
Well you would have thought so but Saggers is not keen to leave and we can't get him out. Denly is heading for 150 and they don't need a whole lot of runs. The number 10 faces 48 balls for his 9 runs but his partner takes his side to 250 and his personal score to 149 before Charl comes out after lunch and puts it all to bed by getting one to move in and catching the stubborn Kentish man in front.
We win by 21 runs and thank the Gods for Welsh bowlers!!
18 points, fourth place and a game in hand. Not too shabby. now to stuff the Bristolians and the Welsh in the one dayers!!
Somerset have kept faith with the same side which drew with Sussex last week, as they prepare to take on Kent in Division One of the LV County Championship
The official site says that MKM is in contention and no decision on the final XI will be taken until after we have examined the pitch (presumably tomorrow morning.)
Meanwhile, Mark Turner will play versus the Yorkshire second XI, so let's hope that goes really well.
Caddy will confine himself to a bit of bowling in the intervals at Tunbridge.
I'm in London, Nailsea, and a fresher morning you could not wish to see.
Enormously dissappointing.
One assumes that, unlike vs Hants, it hasn't started damp, otherwise why would we have batted?
We can only hope it's a sub-standard club wicket. Last year, however, it was very slow and very flat vs Yorks. I believe it has a reputation for being generally slow, too.
Indeed, that could be our problem, as I never really think our batsmen are hugely good on slow, stodgy surfaces. I think they like the ball to come on to the bat to play their shots (as most do) and lack the patience to chisel out runs on slow, stodgy pitches (unlike some.)
and another possible indicator (in reply to Nailsea) that humidity and, thus, swing is probably not the issue could be the relatively unimpressive figures of Martin Saggers who has long been a fine swing bowler.
Can I curse it by though or do you have to type to do that? Because i'll own up to thinking "half an hour of these two (PT and CK) and we're right back in this"...
No problems Grockle,it's pretty gruesome anyway.
I think this is a fair recovery,at least we've got something to bowl at.
I sense a win coming up.
I really do.
Well, some credit is clearly due to the lower order.
If the pitch is anything like the one for last year’s game with Yorks, I think we’ll be in some significant trouble, though.
Let’s hope that there’s rather more in it than the one on which Yorks declared (batting first) last year on about 580.
If there is, then there’s still a possible scenario in which we get back into this one – i.e bowl them out for about 300 and then make about 350 in our second knock to leave them 250 or so on the final day. That might be do-able, provided that there’s something in the pitch for our bowlers. Kent do have a very strong batting line-up, though. Like Andrex – long and strong. McLaren and Arafat, for instance, have both made runs recently. I have a third Kent player in my line-up too – Van Jaarsveld. He tends to either depart in single figures or make a really good score, or at least that’s the perception I have of him. Let’s hope it’s the former today.
Could someone let KT know that our man Trego (who isn't really good enough to be a third seamer, you know!) is currently our leading wicket taker in the Championship, with the best average and strike rate.
As we won the toss & decided to bat, one wonders what happened here.
We have them 3 down, so all is not gloom, but unless there are extenuating circumstances (?), to get only 200+ must surely be viewed as an opportunity lost ?
Like AG, Kent may remember last year's game at T Wells, and asked for a slightly sportier pitch (nothing wrong with that).
Could be that JL saw a pitch that wasn't perfect and which might get worse rather than better. 208 may be slightly under or slightly over par; similarly, Kent may have batted well to get to 80-3, or we may have bowled less than well. Let's face it, we've no idea!
SP - I looked back further tonight at the previous two games before the Yorks one. Both of those pitches were also described as 'slow,' in Wisden too. One of them was a turgid draw. The other produced a 9 wicket win for Kent (over Warks). The Kent-Warks game was nip and tuck all the way until Kent were left 197, which they suddenly got for one.
However, in both the 2005 and 2006 games, the run-rate was painfully slow - very similar, in fact, to the run rate of 85 runs in 38 overs that Kent got against us today. When we were hustled out in 58 overs or so, I was dissappointed we didn't manage to last longer. But, if those previous games are any guide, we did at least score at a good run-rate for this pitch - thanks, largely, to Pete.
In both the 2005 and 2006 games, the spinners did come into it as the game went on. Therefore, Ian might be able to do something for us, especially in their 2nd knock.
The Times today claims that swing WAS the cause of our first innings travails, and claims that the pitch is "good."
No mention of whether it was also swing that kept Kent to 85 runs from 38 overs, though.
I hope they're wrong about the swing and that there is plenty in the pitch because swing is notoriously fickle and even if it was there yesterday, it might not be today.
What's the weather like up in the Llundain area?
It's over-cast and just a little wet here.
Swing bowlers would be most eager to have a bowl in these conditions.
Please don't tell me it's warm and sunny.
Guess what, Jim. It's a beautiful morning, here in Londinium.
To be honest, I think sunshine can be fine, provided there's also humidity (for swing purposes.) It is more humid than it was yesterday but yesterday was as fresh as milk straight from the udders.
Then again, Jim, The Times also claims that yesterday's play was played under blue skies, and yet they suggest the ball swung anyway. Perhaps there is a river or other source of moisture right by the ground?
Ben has just got Kemp!! Big wicket. Must get both McLaren and Yasir as well, though.
Incidentally, a major curiosity of the Kent side is that I believe I am correct in saying that only Saggers and Joseph average less than the Kent no.3, Tredwell (career FC average.) A most curious batting order - why Tredwell at 3?
Yeah, I'm wondering if the pitch might be starting to keep low already. If the ball's swinging prodigiously then I would have thought that whilst that might make the ball more likely to hit the pad, it would also make the umpires more cautious about giving many decisions (if the ball is swerving all over the place?) Also, wouldn't you expect the odd catch behind or in the slips, if it's swinging everywhere?
I must remember to drop Van Jaarsveld before their 2nd innings, though, can someone please remind me?
One of our big guns is going to have to play the kind of role that he has played for Kent if we're going to turn this around. As excellent a batsman as Pete is, there's no way we want to put him in that position again.
James Tredwell is batting high in the Kent order at the suggestion of the England selectors, AGod.
They took him to New Zealand last winter as spin back up to Graeme Swann for the one-day internationals, but he didn`t get a single game. So he asked the selectors what he should do this season and they said `improve your batting`. This may, just may, have been based on the view that England is carrying a batting minnow with Monty at No.11 in the Test side.
Tredwell has scored two first-class centuries in past seasons, but his overall average is in the low to middle 20s and the wickets have been pretty scarce this season, too. Hope that doesn`t change at Tunbridge Wells.
PT's batting average for 2008 currently stands more than twice as high as his bowling average (40/19), which must rank him as one of the oustanding allrounders in the land.
They have the first innings lead, time for the batters to play us into a winning position. Lots of wickets either bowled or LBW so far in this game which seems to imply either that the ball is swinging or that it's staying down. Either way, we have to make sure they have a challenging target to chase in the last innings.
when does the new ball kick in? Is it at 80 overs? or 85? or not until 90?
I thought it was 85, but if it's 80 then the sudden demise of that innings, together with our struggles in the top order yesterday would suggest that batting is very difficult vs the new ball?
Magnificent stuff by Pete to clean up both Van Jaarsveld and big Bob.
Hi chaps, I am currently working in Kent so took the day off to pop along to TW. to be honest I didn't think the ball was swinging much, but I would describe the wicket as slow and low. I looked to me as though JL was a bit early with his shot and apart fromm Trego everyone else seemed a bit too watchful. The locals assured me that they would win in three days, but they would say that wouldn't they!!!
It could be worse lads and ladettes.....you could be a fellow Middx follower!!!
I’ve seen enough of Pete’s batting to know that he is blessed with tremendous natural ability. He has a great “eye.” An effortless manner. A fine range of shots. Natural timing. I’ve often wondered how good he would become if he concentrated full-time on his batting (I assume he splits his practice time roughly 50:50 between the two disciplines.)
However, I’ve generally tended to view his bowling as being pretty ordinary. But he has REALLY stepped up his bowling this season. I don’t know whether it’s just more experience, or whether he’s worked extra hard in the winter, or if he’s the kind of guy that performs best when he thinks the team is really leaning on him? Pete was actually relatively lightly bowled in his first couple of seasons back with us as the magnificent Cadmeister bowled and bowled and bowled. Now Caddy isn’t currently available, Pete is being called upon more and more and more. And, by jove, is he responding!?
I'd hope so Mike.Once we've got a winning score on the board the wicket can produce all the demons in the world as far as I'm concerned.
What are winning score is I haven't a clue.
As dear old Bamber used to say...."any offers"?(I always thought he was saying "Ernie offers" until somebody explained otherwise.Mind you it was only last year I realised that Johnny Morris wasn't actually talking to the animals.I felt cheated.Cheated I tell you.)
I've mentioned Blackie's bowling spell against Glamorgan at HQ a few years back many times before and have to do so again.
Whilst a second spinner would be welcome he may be surpluss to requirements if our man can produce the sort of spell that made Shane Warne look like a second rate schoolboy.
Tight seam bowling doing plenty at one end with Blackie creating mayhem at the other sounds like the order of the day to me.
I’m a little worried at the moment. To look at the scorecards, it appears that either we are adopting a tactic of blocking at one end and simply relying on Marcus to push the score along or that scoring has become all but impossible for new arrivals to the crease.
Yes, Jim, if we were 70 or so further on, I would welcome this apparent difficulty in scoring for new arrivals. But as it is, it looks like it's going to be really difficult to gain a decisive lead. Thank god we did well yesterday!
I would say we're well into "something to bowl at" territory, fast approaching "nasty total to chase in a 4th innings" and, with an hour more of these two could well reach "never been chased in a 4th innings on this ground in history".
I confess I have no idea of the stats for this ground, but I'm sure you get the idea...
This year we will be bringing you all the action live from the Nevill Cricket Ground in Tunbridge Wells with online coverage sponsored by Caffyns - Tunbridge Wells. Cricket Week begins on May 21st.
[www.hrtw.org.uk]
I think there's quite a lot of evidence that this is one of those games where the new ball is of disproportionate value.
Look at how we torpedoed the end of the Kent innings and how the hosts have been able to remove two very good batsmen, both of whom were well set with this new cherry.
I don't think we've got enough runs in the bank yet and it's going to be tough against this 2nd new ball. We must avoid the kind of late-order capitulation which Kent suffered.
We are 235 ahead at the minute . We need 300 to bowl at which is another 65. 20 more overs for us which gives about 30 tonight to bowl. 75 for 3 at close of play sets up a great day tomorrow. While I've typed this we've scored 7 of them. Trig obviously doesn't trust Ben . Is this the day for a Willoughby 50?????
It's working for me Mike,cheers.
I'd like to give my best wishes to Mr Webb on ward five who is recovering from an operation on his big toe.
I love Hospital Radio,we'll be having some Bryan Adams next.
Rock and Roll.
I have to say Anderson has surprised me today.
He has just bowled one of the most fiery spells I've seen by an English bowler in many years.
The ball that caught Flynn flush in the face and knocked his front tooth out was nasty,very fast and nasty.
England seem to be bowling well as a unit today,which makes a nice change.
No nightwatchman hundred (W Wolf) nor Willo 50 (AG) - wishes not totally fulfilled today, chaps!
Will 270 ahead be enough? Andy Hurry said he'd be happy with 250, as did BJ. Need Blackie and the seamers to come to the party now...up and at 'em, lads.
A good bowling performance required now. I think, using my earlier scale, we've reached "tricky total to chase in the 4th innings" but by no means impossible.
Willo taking out the top 4 would be a nice start...
At this rate, Grockle's contention that Pete might take Zander's place as a batsman when AC is back in the team looks like it's something that may come to fruition.
Tea time.
Time to regroup,take stock and gather thoughts.
If we make this next session ours then we win the match.
Make it count boys.
Make every ball count.
Perhaps so, FE. I can't recall seeing JL ever previously bowl even one of our new ball bowlers for only 2 overs with the new ball, though, let alone both.
Perhaps it's some kind of cunning psychological ploy to fire Charl and Pete up?
I guess at least MT shelling a catch implies chances will be coming. Pretty urgently need to get amongst them now, I think - Blackie will need to come to the party, methinks.
Home for the next 15 minutes (sorry: I can't afford the diesel required to keep driving for the full hours of play!), but then going to pick up the kids. Two more between 5 and 5.30.
It's ok, folks! It appears that we are capable of taking a wicket whilst I am stationary.
I'm still going to go for the boys myself (rather than sending Mrs. E) just to chivvy things along.
See you in 30!
My hoodoo appears to have run its course.
At least, my last trip didn't bring another wicket.
Have I passed the charm on?
Quick; someone else; go for a spin for half an hour!!
Half of them gone now......for significantly less than half the target........without our leading wicket taker chipping in as yet. Willo's been stung into action!
Top stuff boys!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:05:23:18:07:28 by Frome Exile.
This is so boring.
I say scrap the longer form of the game and stick to 20/20.
This is killing cricket.
Bring on the dancing girls and hot tubs.
Pizza,that's the future of cricket.
Pizza.
Big Jim I have to say Anderson has surprised me today.
He has just bowled one of the most fiery spells I've seen by an English bowler in many years.
The ball that caught Flynn flush in the face and knocked his front tooth out was nasty,very fast and nasty.
England seem to be bowling well as a unit today,which makes a nice change.
Certainly don't want to start a fight with you old boy......but I'm having a little trouble reconciling this post with your vehement condemnation of the same bowler for a similar (but ultimately less damaging) ball a matter of one Test ago. I know Chris Martin is Chris Martin, but has Dan Flynn (in his first Test) done anything other than bat higher in the order to demonstrate his competence to face such bowling? Or to suggest that it's the most likely way to garner his wicket?
Perhaps I'm mistaken, but you seemed to condemn the nastiness of the Martin delivery, and to praise the nastiness of the Flynn delivery.
It is true that Kent bat a long way down, but not as far as if they had been able to field their original choice for this match.
Azhar Mahmood, who has at least one Test century and a goodly number of first-class ones behind him, was due to come in at No.8 and fill the fourth seamer spot. However, an injured hand failed to heal in time.
He was replaced by Robbie Joseph, whose performance with the ball has been useful in this match but whose highest score in four seasons with Kent is 36.
I know who I would rather have to get out tomorrow morning.
I didn't condone it,I said it was fast and nasty.He had every right to bowl him a bouncer.
Flynn is also a batsman,not a bowler who can't hold a bat.
It was a mistake by the batsman.
Nothing wrong with a pace bowler bowling a fiery spell against the top order.That's what he's there to do.
He bowled well in tandem with the other bowlers today,as I stated earlier.
Just becuase I am not a fan of Anderson it doesn't mean I'm going to be critical of everything he does.
Comparing Flynn to Martin is like comparing Blackwell to Willoughby.
It simply doesn't make the slightest bit of sense to me.
And,a bowler does not bowl a wicket taking ball with each delivery.
To even think he would is insanity.
Bowlers bowl as a team.
Whilst one can be testing the batsmen with short stuff,as he is perfectly entitled to do,the other can be working away on line and length,getting a bit of swing here and there.
That is what makes great bowlers,the ability to work in tandem with other bowlers.
Too true fRed,and let's hope the boys are all able to work well together tomorrow.
It should be a nerve jangling day.
Fingers crossed it goes our way.
Let's hope FE can get the car out in the morning.
Fair enough Jim. I misinterpreted your emphasis.
I'll be keeping the 12th Man (my car!) in reserve until about 12.30 when I head off to attempt to play the game.
I'm confident the boys can do the job without automotive intervention!
With refrence to Anderson's ball yesterday which I seem to have watched a million times this morning. It's more a case of Flynn missing it than Anderson aiming it! He tried to hook, swiped across it and stuck his face in the way.
Martin would never have tried to hook him but also wouldn't have been able to get his head out of the way - as Flynn should have.
Flynn made a daft shot selection and got it wrong but should have the shots so Anderson has the right to use that against him. Martin hasn't and so Anderson shouldn't
If you can't see the difference in batting between Martin and Flynn I don't think there's much point in carrying on.
I'll ask you a question.
Do you think Blackwell and Willoughby are of the same ability with the bat?
If a paceman was bowling bouncers at Willo we'd all be up in arms.
If somebody bolwed a bouncer at Blackie then we'd all say fair game and hope he puts him out of the ground.
The argument that the two be treated the same is both bizarre and without any foundation.
No point in going on with it,let's hope when the lad gets back in he's given a thorough testing of his abilities.He's a Test match batsman who is one of the bright hopes for the future of New Zealand cricket.To treat him with kid gloves would be completely disrespectful.
Fingers crossed for today.
I just feel that one bouncer is a legitimate weapon against any batsman, to keep him from simply lunging onto the front foot. Had it been sustained at Martin in the way that it was at proper batsmen yesterday, then fair enough. But I still feel that the degree of vitriol directed at Anderson for the one Martin ball was too much. I still don't think it was the right ball to bowl, or the best way to try and get him out, but I do think it was a legitimate, if inappropriate, tactic, and that anyone playing Test cricket should be able to pick the length and get out of the way of it.
Anyway. I won't go on about it any more.
Here's to today!
Right,let's stop and concentrate on today.
FE get the car out.
I'll get the OWZATT dice out.
LoL,you'll get first dibs on any wicket that goes down.
Come on boys.
I will, Mike!
Do you think someone reminded Jonah that Caddy and Turner are coming back to fitness?
What a man.
Competition for places......it's brilliant!
I take total credit for those four wickets. I decided I would leave the screen and go and do the washing up and not return until I'd dried everything as well.
My god it's all happening so quickly! And I was so nervous. I know I haven't seen any fat ladies yet but........
Small point chaps. There seems to be a slight error on the timings of these posts, got me all confused and checking my clock.
To answer my own question, they've gone to lunch. Only 27 needed. A great effort by Denly, it does have to be said. Really does. But it's hugely dissappointing to not get Saggers in 40+ deliveries at him.
I suppose that it's probably Jonah that's injured after his great early morning work, otherwise he'd have bowled more (listed as 16.3 overs with Pete on 7.3).
Justin Langer needs to just really get into them and just have people bowl as fast as they possibly can after the break, at Saggers. We have to hope that we manage to get another 8-10 balls at Saggers after the interval and that someone, somehow can get shot of him.
If not, then while a lot of attention will focus on the inability to kill Kent off with the ball; it shouldn't be forgotten that we were poor first-up with the bat (top order)
This kind of innings, by Denly, is the kind that I always place disproportionate importance on when assessing the value of batsmen and their potential ability to step up a level. He's received little or no support from most of his colleagues and it really has been a remarkable effort, on the surface of it.
The innings by Denly,win or lose has been incredible.
Hats off to the lad for the that.
Let's hope he does the decent thing though and surrenders his wicket in time for us to win.
Come on my boys.
No idea on Jonah's problem AG,they just said he had to leave the field.
Fantastic win, things looked very bad after our first innings. They again showed the character of the team to turn it around and again to finish it off properly.
It was tight but that is what makes the game so exciting.
It's taken three and a half days and only twenty runs seperate us.
Superb stuff from everyone,Denly included.
What a mtach.
What a win.
I feel sick.
I love Somerset.
I love County cricket.
I bet whichever players dropped Denley twice in three balls when he was on 22 yesterday were the first to exchange high fives with Charl this afternoon.
If he did that despite a major niggle (shot up with cortisone or something) that speaks volumes for the man. I can't believe he'd have come back if it was a serious injury because surely the club would not permit him to, no matter how much we needed the wicket?
Still, unless he left the field due to feeling unwell - which seems unlikely given how many wickets he had taken - then I guess we have to assume that he has some kind of niggle and, therefore, will not be risked for the Gloucs game?
All in all, this was a brilliant game of cricket. Absolutely tremndous. Probably the best game that SCCC have been involved in at CC level for, what, at least five years? I don't mean, it was the best SCCC performance over that time, but rather the most competitive and compelling game (at least from afar).
I think today did spell out - again - the difference between the two divisions. Many Division two counties would have folded at 176-9. But Kent clearly fought, tooth and claw as is probably fitting for a team that has never been relegated in the CC.
Now..... team selection for the next one....??.....??
Okay.. I'm going to assume that we're not going to risk Caddy at Whitgift? I would assume that he will have one second XI game before coming back? as opposed to just bowling in the intervals at first-team games? The latter is hardly the same as bowling in the middle!?
But what about Mark Turner? Surely he must come back into contention? And what about MKM? I'm afraid to say that Ian has not yet demonstrated any conspicuous wicket-taking form with the ball in CC games this season. One wonders whether MKM might have swiftly ended Saggers's innings here? Tredwell, reportedly, did get turn (including spinning one right across JL) So do we want to fit MKM into the team for Whitgift too? Interestingly, the Guardian reports that Ramprakash struggled against Adil Rashid, yesterday, before being dismissed by him. Admittedly, this was at the Oval, however.
But if Jonah is fully fit by next Wednesday, is there any way he could or should be dropped? I'd have thought not.
Perhaps Phillips might make way for one of Turner or MKM?
I also like Grockle's idea which, I think, would be for Ian to bat at number 5 and Pete to bat 6 with Zander dropping out to accommodate an extra proper bowler. I can't believe that will actually happen, though. Also, for that strategy to work, even in theory, I think we'd need to have Craig making more consistent scores in the number 7 birth. And we'd also probably want to play both Phillips and Jones too, so that the tail would only start at 10, as opposed to 9 or 8(if neither of them played)
Of course, if Caddy is deemed to be fit and Mr Rose does deem it to be worth risking him at Whitgift, then that makes it even more complicated....any thoughts, anyone...?
Thanks for the info, Glover. Perhaps Pete had a really bad tummy or something? Who knows? Would certainly be really bad news for the balance of the side if he were out injured for the next one.
At the very least, though, the fact he was back on after lunch would appear to suggest that it's not likely to be a serious injury and Pete could always sit out the 20:20 if needs be to make sure he's fit for the greater part of the CC season. I'd rather he didn't though, because I'm hoping we'll open the batting with Pete in the 20:20 and see some real pyrotechnics from him. (Yup, FE, I am in favour of a pinch-hitter in 20:20 because we need to score a minimum of 8 runs per over in that form of the game, whereas 6 an over is usually plenty in the FP.)
It will be interesting to see, though, what effect the 20:20 might have on our season? We may see a whole host of players such as Wes, Arul, Banks, Thomas etc playing a handful of times during the campaign and if any of them do really well, it will be interesting to see if they then come into contention for Pro 40 or even if they can put pressure on people in the CC side?
Well done everyone today: Jonah, Willo, the catchers, the physios and the washers-up! Great win in a great game - will certainly lift team morale for Monday.
Strange,the commentators said it was Jonah who went off.
They even gave a brief run down of his history and Welshness.
How on earth can Trigger and Jonah be mixed up.
One has a much more sensible hair cut.
I can confirm SjB that everything in the house got a spring clean.
The wife was so fed up with me she went upstairs.
The dog is now shining and the cut glass sparkling.
I even got the hoover out.
I didn't hoover mind.
Just got it out.
Can't tread on the wife's toes too much.
She has to be good for something.
Sensible, clear-headed captaincy from JL to take the lunch break at the normal time (I assume the extra half-hour delay was available, or were we just fortuitous that it was due when it was?) - gave the bowlers a rest, broke the batsmen's concentration, enabled him to give a team talk, sort tactics, etc..
From what I could glean on commentary the lunch break was being taken as normal.
Like I said during the break,it only takes one ball and there was no need to panic.I'm sure JL said something along those lines.
The break enabled the boys to get their thoughts together whilst upsetting the rhythm of Denly.
This was a superb performance,anybody know if there was a man of the match?
That's a very pertinent point BVIG.
We can not only compete in these matches without Caddy but win them too.
When he's back we'll be a right handfull for everyone.
The butler?
He was down the bookies putting the life savings on Henrythenavigator in the Irish Guineas.
Somerset are in forth place with a game in-hand on the three above, there are sixteen points between us and Notts up the top.
Maximum points from the game in-hand will put us in number one spot, we need to get more batting points in the first inningse.[content-uk.cricinfo.com]
There are some interesting views tonight on the Kent C.C. website Bulletin Board for supporters` comments.
Most moan either at their batters (Denley apart, of course) or the umpires, But there is a relevant one for us from a poster calling himself `Peter T`. Any relation?
He was there for all four days, and after commenting unfavourably on the Kent batting, says: `Somerset appeared to want to win more than Kent.`
Quite a compliment here for Langer and Hurry - not to mention an excellent omen for the rest of the season.
And a bit of a change from a couple of season ago when we saw more than one game where we seemed to have decided we couldn't win before we'd got half way through.
SheptonPaul Well done everyone today: Jonah, Willo, the catchers, the physios and the washers-up! Great win in a great game - will certainly lift team morale for Monday.
And the driver! I took at least 8 of the 20 wickets in my car.
The last one came whilst I was batting.
"And a bit of a change from a couple of season ago when we saw more than one game where we seemed to have decided we couldn't win before we'd got half way through."
Absolutely right, Grockle. This is the sea-change which has been wrought since Messrs Hurry and Langer joined SCCC.
And Mike is absolutely right about the first-innings batting points; in terms of the table, that is the main thing letting us down at the minute. If Whitgift plays anything like to type, then we must surely be utterly determined to grind out the score that would give us all five batting points.
As for the comment above (on the Kent board) I wouldn't be shocked if that was actually from a slightly mischievous Mr Trego himself (after all he was once their player)
I think this concern over first innings points has been a little over-stated. It just doesn`t reflect the conditions we have been batting in or the state of the wickets at the time.
Against Lancashire, in overcast weather on an Old Trafford `quickie`, both sides got exactly the same batting points; against Hampshire we were caught on an old-fashioned damp green-top; against Sussex, we got all five points on offer (they got either one or two, I can`t remember); and against Kent, they got only one more than us.
Give us the playing surfaces - and we`ll finish the job.
Loyal of Lhasa. I hope you scored some good runs by way of celebration.
Not as many as I probably should have, given the time I was out there: but mine was the Tavare role yesterday.
And my 28 over occupation did help set the platform for a comfortably winning total, so I'm more than happy with that!
To be honest, Jim, aside from winning, the nicest thing about the game was facing a team full of some really talented youngsters. I faced a good few overs from a 13-year-old leg spinner who had me in real trouble at times. He opened the batting too, and looked really classy, making a patient fifty. I've made a note of his name, and will look forward to hearing how far he goes.
Missed yesterday's excitement due to a pretty grim day in SW Alberta. It hadn't stopped raining (heavily) since Tuesday & we were on the point of being evacuated last night ! Has ceased now & the water is about 25 feet from our house - fingers crossed please people !
Anyway, fantastic result & not a few nibbled finger nails by the looks of it.
Just a few thoughts:
1) Our 'desire' seems to be back. Good sign, as it won us any number of games last season.
2) Tremendous performances from Jonah, PT & Banger.
3) Echo above sentiments that we need to score more in our first innings, to avoid putting pressure on ourselves.
4) Also echo above views that, at this rate, future selection is going to be a bit of a nightmare. Now, let's see, I seem to remember doing the Pools when I was a lad,............perm any 11 from 15 !!
Glad you're ok Grizz,we've been suffering something similar today.
The weather on the coast is the worst I've known it in close on a decade.
High winds and rain are making flooding a real possibility.
As you say,what Summer?
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