Notts Part 2 - Sunday
By Grockle
August 9 2008
Given that the weather forecast for Sunday is a much better than Saturday's we can look forward to a full game. but who will be in the "Grey and Joker Red" looking to improve our Pro40 chances? If there are any changes from the CC side it will come in the batting line-up which once again failed to build on a good opening partnership. The bowling fired but will Ben Phillips be looking to return?
v Nottinghamshire Pro40 @ Taunton Sunday 10 August 2008
Three games and 1 win to our name. The position is still recoverable according to BR but it won't be if this becomes loss number 3 I wouldn't think. So will the selectors stay with the master plan or will today see changes being made to bolster up the batting and introduce more assertive spin bowling?
One would assume that the openers will not be touched because effectively they have done nothing wrong all season. There might be a move to push Justin back to 3 but the question is then 'who do you pull in?'. There have been forum comments about giving Neil Edwards a one day berth but that doesn't seem to be in the plan. So Marcus Trescothick and Justin Langer will be expected to lead our batting.
Zander de Bruyn will provide the possible anchor at 3 and the bosses have kept faith with James Hildreth during the majority of the season so I doubt things wil change. He seemed to settle well in the second innings of the Championship game but then seemed to have a 'thought shower' and smacked exactly the wrong ball to a fielder. I expect to see him at 4.
Poor shot selection has probably done for any return of Ian Blackwell to the one day side despite the need for a tighter spin option. His misjudgement in the first CC innings and awful shot in the second will stand against him and as he didn't bowl there is little on the plus side in the eyes of those who wrte the team sheet at the moment. Peter Trego will therefore take the number 5 spot or move back one for Arul Suppiah who is exected to come in at Ian's expense.
Craig will keep so number 7 is covered and then there is a real question about who will find places in the last 4 spots. Caddick may rest so Charl Willoughby will take the eleventh spot and one would expect Alfonso Thomas to take one of the others. That leaves a possible five players looking for the chance to take one of two places.
Steffan Jones - good CC match with the bat aggressive with the ball at the end of the third day. May lose out if....
Ben Phillips - has been seen bowling in the intervals but we're not sure if he's fit. If he is he will play.
Omari Banks - extra bat/spin option? Hasn't impressed on a consistent basis and will not play if the weather is damp-ish (unless Arul doesn't)
Michael Munday - real outsider but had 10 wickets in the seconds and they know him of old. Very doubtful
Mark Turner - an outsider? Could use him as a surprise pick and hope his pace gives Notts the jitters. I'll personally be surprised to see him.
On that basis one would expect to see seam options and they would be Jonah and Ben with Mark coming in if there is an injury scenarion that keeps Phillips out. I doubt there will be room for two spinners and Arul's performance in the seconds game would put him in pole position for tomorrow....and maybe replacing Ian in the Tuesday game because of his more consistent performances with the bat. But that's for later.
Gates open at 11:45.
The side is almost as expected except he plays his three spinners. Omari gets the second spinner spot and we do not see the return of Phillips. Steff stays in. Wes gets a chance with the bat although I don't expect him to bowl and Trigger is rested? Lots of faith in Banks - time for him to justify it.
Notts win the toss and choose to bat and go off at quite a pace against Willoughby and Jones. It's sunny with the odd shower at the moment and once again they are playing on a wicket one over from the Championship (in front of the last third of the Botham) - central almost. Jefferson and Swann open for them and although Willoughby gets Swann early (caught by de Bruyn) with only 15 up, they go at 6+ an over for the first 10 with Jonah going for 35 off his first 5 and the batsmen sharing the spoils.
This brings about a change at 12 with Zander coming on at the River and Thomas joining him at the OP for the 13th. Showers are still smattering the place but not enough to get them off the pitch. de Bruyn seems to be up for today and he produces a wicket maiden for his second catching Wagh LBW at 84 trying to pull him. But Will Jefferson is taking a liking to Alfonso who he deposits onto the roof of the cowshed in the 15th. We aren't slowing them down at the moment as they move to 96 at the end of the 16th.
The 100 arrives at the end of the next one and announces the arrival at the River end of Omari Banks for his first spell. Unfortunately we have to wait for it because it also announces the arrival of a torrential downpour which forces the players off and the cover on but disappears almost before the sheet is on the strip. This game has to finish by about 7:30 but we don't lose overs as they reduce the time between innings instead and the players are back on the pitch in 5 minutes in order for Omari to bamboozle them. Voges has a good look at him, is fooled by the last one and he goes for a very creditable 4.
Jefferson goes to his first 50 of the season (probably why he isn't playing Championship cricket) in the 19th off 56 balls with 4 fours and a six and after 20 they are still moving at about 6 an over with 112in their 'run bag'. But they don't get to 120 unscathed as Thomas gets Jefferson playing across the line and Arul takes the catch at 117. Patel replaces him as Zander changes ends to the OP for the 23rd.
We are witness to a surprising event as the Outlaws move towards the 150 mark as Zander gets Patel to go over the infield and Arul drops a semi-sitter on the boundary. Not something you see every day and not really something we wanted today because not long after that Ptel brings up the 50 with a one bounce four to the open area by the cowshed. At the end of the 29th they are 156 for 3 with the little man on 18 and Voges on 35. This is the base for a big push towards the 250+ score although Banks is keeping it moderately tight at the River and fools Patel with a quicker ball which he misses and Craig stumps him on the leg side. 157 for 4.
164 after 30 overs so 250 is on if they push it. Zander has bowled his 8 and his one wicket cost 41. Fair to middling and his last only went for 4. Omari finishes just after him and his wicket went for 36 - the best he's bowled in a full allocation of overs. A decent session for him and only 4 off his last as well. Steffan is back on at the OP with the jb of keeping the 'press' on. but he goes for 9 and Voges celebrates his 50 off 58 balls with 5 fours.
There are questions about the next choice with Arul on for the first time at the River and they finish his 34th on 187. Decent start mr Suppiah. Alfonso now takes over at the OP to finish his spell and one would expect to see Charl at the other for his last 2 although don't put money on it yet. Shafayat is looking to get Thomas away but a large full toss from the little man in the 35th is missed and he loses his off AND leg stump while the middle one stays up!! 191 for 5 and in strides Matt Wood for a bit of a thrash. Woody versus Thommo with his tail up...this could be intersting. Well he's off the mark and they have 192 with 5 to go.
But that was all she wrote for Woody as his return to the County Ground ends quickly and not particularly happily as he tries to glance Arul down the leg side and is bowled around his legs for 1 and Notts move to 192 for 6. Mark Ealham last two balls as he smacks the second one he faces straight to Justin. 192 for 7 and Arul has justified his selection today and has possibly put into question Ian Blackwell's championship appearance for Tuesday's game against Surrey.
Thommo gives them little in the 37th and they still haven't broken the 200 barrier with 3 to go. Arul stays on (not surprisingly) at the River for the 38th and it comes up off the 2nd ball but he only gives them 5. 202 as Alfonso bowls the 39th and we've held them really well in the second half of this innings irrespective of what happens in these 12 balls. Omari doesn't help letting one through for four.
But Thommo finishes with 2 for 42. 212 with 6 to go and Arul has the last one. 2 boundaries from the first two balls for Franks and he puts the third into the scoreboard seats and the fourth into the carpark beyond it. The fifth goes into the Botham without a bounce and they get 2 off the last one - 28 off the over and all to Franks (4,4,6,6,6,2). Errr - you know the bit in italics? Forget I wrote it!! We need 241 to win!! Arul still finishes with 2 for 37 off his 4 which means he had 2 for 9 before that massive "Franksfest" of a last over.
Our start? "Usual Start" is the comment from a supporter. Justin inside edges the first one for four after a massive 'wahoo' and is caught inside edging the second. What the hell is going on? 4 for 1 after 2 balls. Craig Kieswetter is in at number 3 (no Trego). Marcus is then nearly run out ball four coming down the wicket while CW stays exactly where he is. 4 for 1 after 6 balls from Schreck. Andre Adams is on to do mayhem at the other end and MT is nearly run out again at the end of the over as he looks to get on strike on a single that isn't one and has to scramble back.
We have moved, scarily on to 24 after 5 overs but it's not settled and commanding at the moment one has to say - lots of scrambled singles. By the 15th we've pushed it on to 74 and we look a bit more settled. Craig is putting bat to ball solidly but we still only see glimpses of Marcus in full flow. Andre Adams isn't particularly impressed as Kieswetter murders him but we still don't look in command.
Greame Swann comes on at the River end for over 17 and this is where we lost it in the Championship game we've played spinners poorly and Swann certainly had a significant influnce in the longer meeting between the sides. Have we learned anything? Well if we have it isn't immediately obvious as Craig tries to hit big shots off most of the balls he faces rather than having a look and Marcus is completely foxed and is bowled for 29 off the first ball he faces. When did we forget how to play spin?
77 for 2 at the end of the 17th and in comes Zander de Bruyn to show his colleagues how to play a slow bowler. Meanwhile Ealham is trundling in at the other end but will probably soon be replaced by Patel or anyone who can spin one or two unless we show some application. Swann's second over shows that ZdB hasn't got a clue either.
Craig fulfills his role as number 3 batsman by going to a 72 ball 50 with 6 fours and even though Patel does come on at the OP end we pass 100 in the 23rd but we are 20 runs behind the D/L requirement. It doesn't get any better when Swann bowls the keeper playing a backfoot defensive shot to a ball that beats him and takes out his off stump. 57 is commendable but the loss f his wicket doesn't help the momentum. 104 for 3 with James Hildreth the next man in.
The two batsmen look to push it along and certainly Hildreth looks better against Swann but the 'ask' is getting bigger all the time and at the end of the 28th over they need 105 off 12 overs. Patel has changed ends and with 10 an over required and a solid batsman and one out of form at the crease it doesn't look like a confident prediction to suggest a Somerset win. However as Hildreth puts Pattel's first ball of the 29th into the new stand that may be too pessimistic. Especially as he puts the next "Patel Pill" to the Botham boundary. It's 92 off 11 and "Jim" starts on Adams with 10 off his first two of over 30 and takes us past the 150.
With 15 off the 30th Notts bring Swann back on and Hildreth misjudges one and puts it straight up in the air and into Shafayet's gloves. The hopes move down a gear again and it all falls on Wes's shoulders. James hit 38 off 22 balls with 3 sixes ad the same number of fours. Shame really but at least we are back in the hunt for a while needing 70 off 9 with Zander on 40 and Wes yet to score but he is the batsman you could do with at this end because he will keep the scoreboard ticking and make de Bruyn run or hit big. Franks is on at the OP and we need 66 off 8 - four is not enough.
Zander does look to push it along, taking a two off the first ball of Swann's last over but he is then bowled trying to leg glance it for a good 44. 177 for 5 needing 64 off 46 balls. Arul is going to be Wes's partner for the last bit of this innings. At least Swann may finish before they do!! Swann puts in 8/1/35/4 - and may have won this for his side.
61 off 7 as Arul faces Frank. They all think he's hit the first but the umpire doesn't and it puts the Notts man off as the next ball is a wide. 2 off the next...these two will run everything.
The 34th over sees the ball being changed and we need one big over to neutralise the Franks 40th. They need a tight over to put it out of our reach and Mark Ealham is on at the River to keep the Somerset men in check. It's fitting that it is down to Arul to be involved in winning this one if we actually do that but the 34th doesn't seem to be that vital 6 balls until Wes puts Mark into the new stand and we need 45 off 5. Franks v Durston brings us to 199 off the first 2. Franks v Suppiah brings up the 200 but he is really struggling to put bat to ball at all. Notts are back on the boundary so Wes does the obvious and puts it into the pavilion for 6. he then hits a four off the last ball - excellent. 31 off 4 looks more like it - we need no daft stuff.
Patel in on at the River and Arul is facing. He gets Wes on strike and he sixes him into the new stand once again. They move it on to 222 - 19 off 3. Notts throw Ealham in at the OP end to try and keep this in their sights. Wes is facing and while trying to smash him is bowled for a fighting 36 off 30 balls that put us back in this game.
In comes Omari Banks and he takes a single off his first. Arul goes for the safe option and takes the single as well and that is how the over goes so we have 226 at the end of it. 14 off 2. Franks is back on at the River. Banks is facing - single. Arul puts a full toss away and we go below a run a ball for the first time. He starts to hit the ball, a second four to the new stand puts it down to 5 off 8. Then 5 off 7. Banks runs for the next single and we have both batsmen at the same end. Arul tries to get up the other end but fails and he is run out on 326 - headless chicken time!! In comes Alfonso but not to face. The scamble another single and it's 4 off the last over with the West Indian on strike.
Last over Ealham v Banks ball 1 - dot. Ball 2 - dot. Ball 3 - single. Ball 4 - single and finally Ball 5 - two!! We win with a ball to go. Thank the son of God for that!! A victory by three wickets with a ball to spare. Well done to Wes Durston for bringing us back into this one and well done to the whle side for sticking with it and getting us there. One of those sticking out vein ones that doesn;t do the heart rate or the stress level any good at all!
But two points is two points guys and gals and we are still in this Pro40 thing!! Nite!!
Grizzzly
How about the wifi answer, Grockle?
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Let us hope that he is given a chance.
With the competition for places, this year, being so fierce, players must seize the opportunity and I hope Wes does this, as Arul has.
I just hope the pitch dries out and we avoid the showers. We've not enjoyed the best of weather for home games.
We seem to have about 4 inches of rain in Dorchester, today!
I'm trying to think who Wes will be in instead of and unless they expect to go with a two spin attack I can't. Wes has always provided good service with the bat but he hasn't done it with the ball on the few occasions he's been given the opportunity and seemed to be in fourth position (possibly) third in the pecking order as batsman/slow bowler.
Good for him that he's back in the frame and good luck to him if he gets the chance.
Oh and in case 'Yep' confused the issue - the Wi-Fi is working as far as I know.
Also on the injured wicket-keeper front, I see Ambrose broke his little finger at the end of the second day at The Oval, but still played today with the help of painkillers.
On every level he should be the England keeper and it is a continuing problem that we pick people for that position on something other than merit.
Maybe the only way to get Read into the position is get his Notts boss into the Peter Moores position because that seems to be what is required.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:09:23:45:57 by Grockle.
I have draped my Blackwell shirt, from the balcony in support of my hero.
John Lydon has got nothing on you.
Quote:Big Jim
You're a bit of an anarchist on the sly Wurzel aren't you?
John Lydon has got nothing on you.
I'll be whatever you want me to be, Jim, but I haven't a clue who John Lydon is!
Trego replaced by Durston. Jones plays instead of Phillips. It doesn't get any better.
Perhaps we have to play him a certain number of times. Sheer madness.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:10:14:27:15 by wurzel.
Thanks W for keeping people abreast of what was going on while I drank Italian coffee with a very nice person in a local coffee shop. Did get to the gym though!!
Zander and Thomo now bowling pretty tidyly and our fielding is sharp. Umbrellas are up, so I've moved away from Tractor's perch, back to my cocoon.
Tractor's friend Bill has just complained to the stewards about me standing in, what is apparently a no standing area, so I just hopped through the barrier, which was ok.
They're off for rain!
Matt Wood bowled by Suppiah, sweeping, for 1. 192-6
Ealham ct Durston, bowled Suppiah 0 192-7
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:10:16:11:38 by wurzel.
Both commentators, before the over began, thought that this was a strange decision of Langer's, because some of the quicker bowlers still had overs in hand.
As we now know, Arul's bowling was attacked in that final over, but the fact that annoyed the former Somerset player Mark Davies, who was commentating, was the fact that Justin Langer had his back to the bowler whilst Arul was being taken apart and no one, other than the wicket keeper Craig Kieswetter, spoke to Arul to give him any advice or encouragement.
Perhaps Langer's attitude, leadership and man management skills are one of the reasons why we have failed to deliver the goods in the one day game this year.
I am obviously not there to see it, but hearing reports like that do make me angry!
Re your two corrections, Grockle, I have conferred with the good folk around me and we all would like to refer those decisions to the 3rd umpire! BTW, I haven't had a drop!
If the fireworks don't start soon, knowing that our match winner is somwhere else, I shall be ceasing commentary and heading for home, to finish my packing, for the journey to ..............................
[sigh]
Well done to the middle order, which I'm sure will have the ground rocking!
Great recovery. Fantastic stuff from James and Wes. Six sixes.
Take that, Notts.
Well played, especially Wes, James and Arul.
The person who said Arul dropped a catch cannot have been telling the truth. I refuse to believe it. You'll be telling me next that Hallam couldn't throw.
Did we win off the last ball???
Who's the star?
Much more encouraging.
Hopefully James, in particular, will now be lifted for the Surrey game in the week.
Great to see the critical roles played by the likes of Arul, Wes and James - just like beating the Aussies a few years ago!
Am I alone in thinking Wes has actually done pretty well this year when he's had a chance to show what he can do?
As I have posted before I think he is our new KP.
But he's often done well in the past, and it's great to see that he's hit his straps today.
Apart from the mistakes over how Shafayet and Wood were dismissed, which you have already corrected, your stand-in from the substitutes bench got it wrong about Swann also.
It was not the `poor ball (full toss)` by Willoughby that he describes, but an extremely clever piece of bowling.
Swann had opened the batting in a pinch-hitting role, and was waltzing down the wicket just about every other ball. On this occasion, Willow saw him coming miles in advance and adjusted his length accordingly so that Swann hit it right on the bottom of his bat, putting up a simple catch to mid-off.
Deep thinkers, these Somerset bowlers.
He says he left when Marcus was out.
My money was on he left after 20 overs as he thought that was the end of the game.
Shame we can't ask him as he's on his way to the airport.
Did anyone ask him where he was going?
Can't say I felt confident when the rate was up around nine an over, so it is just great to see our middle order pacing the reply to perfection.
Really hope we can kick on from here in the Pro 40. Hopefully it will give us the momentum we have been looking for.
Grizzzly
We're in a very healthy position in the table after this.
Let's hope this will give everyone a lift and get rid of any self doubt that may have been lingering after a below par week.
It would be good to hear that we'll be fielding our strongest team in all competitions (which includes I
for the rest of the season. Surely they can play all the remaining matches and if not we have a quite a large squad.The batting performance ebbed and flowed. Craig played well in an unusual role, Marcus looked a bit out of touch today and the captain was just mad!
James took his time and then pushed it along and many of the younger players marshalled Zander to play at their pace - good move dudes.
But it was Wes who rarely flaps who took on the game when we needed to up the pace. Arul couldn't get bat on ball for a lot of his innings so he simply did the next best thing and farmed the strike to Mr Durston.
Rather surprised to see Omari come in in front of Jonah and it was very worrying when Alfonso also came out. In the end it wasn't a controlled finish, it was just a case of 'for heavens sake get bat on ball and run!!'
But overall we did a good job and without Franks' heroics in their innings we would have walked it.
Strange decision but to some extent based on Arul's seeming ability to hold that end up - one over too far - a spinner's lot I'm afraid. Omari also bowled well and put the brakes on - still not convinced though.
Don't be surprised to see Arul in the CC1 side for the Surrey game at the expense of someone else. Good end product, some promising indicators but it isn't there yet and there's still some work to do.
Batting against spinners and working the bowling attack so the right people are in the right places to bowl at the right times in an opposition innings.
Wurzel just got carried away a bit with the Wi-Fi experience I think although I did have to check he wasn't watching the Test on the telly and got confused.
The stewards were strange, yesterday, in front of the OP. I understand keeping stairway clear, but keeping the area in front oof the OP clear, when the corridor is blocked, due to building work doesn't make sense. The stewards kept asking people to move, so maybe a notice would be better? I then stood for 20 minutes, behind the seats, but in front of the banned area not obstructing anyone's view, which was allowed by two stewards. I left temporarily, but when I returned I was told to move. I enquired why and was tol;d it was a sterile area. I explained that the other stewards allowed it, but the guy was obstinate. One of the committee members was also asked to move and he couldn't understand why, but would find out. It's never dull at Somerset.
The Gimblett Mound now seems to be a concrete plinth, perhaps Grockle could shed some light on this (no not torchlight!)?
The scoreboard is unfortunately not very visible from the Exec Club, as some bright spark has put a gantry in the way, but I stand by my earlier reports of the action. Perhaps some other attendees would like to give their views.
The Business Club members are still unhappy about the withdrawal of tea and biscuits and the fact that the safety railings block the view of those sitting on the balconies. Those standing on the balconies, to see over the railings, makes them unpopular with those sitting inside!
Have a nice day everyone (clue)!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:11:08:39:05 by BristolRob .
For those of you who seem to think the dual wi-fi was some kind of Grockle plan can I please put your minds at rest. I haven't lost my mind or decided to do some kind of double act. As you can see Wurzel only posted on the forum, under his own steam, without any Grockles logo and from his own choice of laptop.
We may see some winter frontpages from Bagpuss if she chooses to do that (although she's been remarkably quiet over the past few months) or John Fuller if he has things to say but I doubt anyone else will ever get access to the main editing suite.
one steward was on fire duty at the bottom of the stairs, it could be because it was pretty full and only one stair in use that they were more active on keeping that area clear.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]I was hoping to take a photo of it but it is in such a mess at the moment I haven't bothered.
As soon as it looks better I will do so.
The retaining wall is being faced with brick to looks like the old wall, It it hard to say what the steps will end up looking like.
On top of the wall will be planters as part of the landscaping. (I asked a workman)
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Oh and as an aside. We were number 9th in the top 10 viewed sites on the network yesterday which isn't a position we hold very often - especially in the weekend that the footy season starts.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:11:12:17:50 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:11:12:51:14 by bloke.
I also referred both descriptions to the people around me before I posted the actual events (already on the frontpage anyway, typed at the time).
I'm so glad you find that your companions in the EBC agree with you (maybe they'd been imbibbing instead) - must have looked away from the Test and the 'networking' for a second to watch the pitch.
I don't know, maybe the safety bar got in the way or the waitress asked for the money for the tea and biscuits at that moment in time and the concentration on the game that the EBC is famous for just slipped a bit.
Unfortunately the people around me (who watch this stuff for a living) didn't agree with your assessment and so neither of your descriptions will appear in any local or national newspaper reports tomorrow!
I think that is as near to a third umpire decision as you are going to get I'm afraid.
Have a lovely holiday and we'll report on what goes on in your absence.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:11:23:51:09 by Grockle.
Yesterday's play transpired to be a great success story for Somerset's Acadamy; the 'unofficial' acadamy of Millfield School that is, with Hildreth, Suppiah, Durston and Kieswetter all playing important roles.
Where would we be without Millfield?
"You liked Twenty20? You ain’t seen nothing yet. Prepare yourself for NatWest Pro40. It’s got twice the excitement, twice the action and twice the balls."
Just think, if you can double the cricketing entertainment by having 80 overs in a match, instead of 40, then how much cricketing fun would happen in 96 overs in a day...for 4 WHOLE days in a row...I mean, 4 days in a hot tub...I'd be more shrivelled than Ronnie Wood...
Also, 4 out of 5 toss winners were beaten (including all three who opted to bat first.)
The first two is when I don’t get it quite right, the first taken early the second late. (Nobody’s perfect).
Matt Wood bld Suppiah – the ball on its way to the stumps.
Shafayat bld Thomas – A bit late with this one, it is a surprise how many positions the stumps can get in.
Wes Durston – You try playing this shot on one knee.
A Voges – Kieswetter hoping Voges lifts his back leg.
A Suppiah – I like Suppiah if he is given the right opportunities he can become a good all-rounder.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:11:18:52:04 by Mike BOS.
No need to apologise - we are all indebted to the time and trouble that you take in getting your photos on here.
I think the third Umpire has had a look at Matt Wood's dismissal now.
Very interesting.
He was trying to glance the ball to leg and got caught up in a ball that wasn't going where he expected it to which is why he ended up almost falling over it as it bowled him.
Maybe if you had the soundtrack where a number of people then had a debate about why the hell he was the second player to try and play a leg glance to a spinner spearing it in that way you might see the picture in a different light.
But of course it fits wonderfully with the first photo of Shafayet just afer he'd tried a "reverse sweep" and ended up looking back at his stumps from an upright position.
Now if you were there and saw it differently please add your own spin to it by all means. But you'll be arguing with correspondents from the Times, plus local journalists who all had a bit of a giggle about the desciptions of the dismissals from a forum post which I checked with them just to see if my own eyes deceived me.
But don't take my word for it. If you want some kind of official statement from the powers that be before you belive it then pease write and demand one. I saw what a number of other people saw and Wurz saw what the people in the EBC saw.
Take your pick by all means. But I'll tell you what Boycott would say. The papers tell you how it was and it ain't gonna change..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:11:23:57:12 by Grockle.
I guess some must have been pm' Grockle, concerned that I (resplendent in my 'Grockles' 'Botham' jumper, on Sunday, might have had access to the editorial. Oh to have such power!
I am now struggling for wireless access, in Italy, but not having much success with the interpretation, but finally I'm back, but battery will soon die!
I understand that Tractor retired to the wine bar, on Sunday, so maybe his taste buds have become less refined, or should that be more? Anyway it was very quiet when i left, apart from the tinkling of teaspoons on China. Only kidding Grockle.
I think looking at the picture it is easy to see why some thought he may have been trying a sweep.If you took your eyes off play for a split second and missed the start of the execution of the shot and just saw that then you would assume that a sweep it was.
It just shows how difficult the life of a reporter can be.
You need eyes in the badck of your head.
And elsewhere.
Otherwise you get these grumpy old men sitting at home arguing the toss.
And plenty more where that came from.
Also, whilst Grockle suggests that it was inappropriate to try to leg-glance Arul spearing it in at leg-stump (because someone else had perished that way,) I would actually submit that, unless Arul was turning it appreciably, a leg-glance would be a logical shot to essay to things speared in at leg-stump. Matt's execution was obviously fairly horrific, however. If Arul's turning it, you're into the realms of leading edge etc, if not? Well, other than the sweep or a purely defensive shot, I'm not sure what else one is meant to do?
Everything was good about the shot,even down the angle of the bat and the steely look in the eyes which watched the ball onto the bat.
The only problem was my whites had split as I played the shot,right in the middle of the groin area exposing something which could have been quite nasty.
Thankfully some editor had spotted it and hastily apllied a wad of Tipex over the worst of the offending area.
It was some split.
That was some exposure.
Yeah but not regionally Wruz and these are the guys who provide game info for the official site, the Gazette and the Post (plus others about the place). Remember? They were the one's you wanted to take as gospel on the Herschell incident?
The papers are what you make them and being there is so much better than reading about it. It's just that sometimes people can be mistaken and the gracious ones go "Yep".