Saturday PM Cricket - Gloucestershire
Not in?
By Grockle
August 23 2008
Our last chance to figure in any way in this format for 2008. We go in with our usual one day unit - still without Trego. I know he isn't bowling but...come on people! We've won the toss and we'll bat. Cloudy and overcast but quite warm down here.
v Gloucestershire Pro40 @ Taunton Saturday 23 August 2008
Phil Tottle is on the ground so there should be some kind of coverage on Somerset Sound/Radio Bristol or the internet.
Faith is a wonderful thing and we seem to have lost of it. The side for today is;
Langer, Trescothick, de Bruyn, Hildreth, Durston, Kieswetter, Suppiah, Banks, Jones, Thomas and Willoughby.
We've won the toss and have decided to bat. I'll leave the debate about our one day specialists (albeit PT isn't bowling considerable amounts at the moment) being left out of the 40 over side once again to the forum because personally I think all the issues have been debated and form/prowess and results seem to make no difference to the plan whatsoever.
Anyway the eleven gentlemen will take the field with the bat first in about 15 minutes and we shall see what we shall see.
Out they come. Marcus standing tall against Kirby and takes 6 off him (first 2 was a bit scratchy, flipped into a gap in the slips). Lewis is in to Langer from the OP and the skipper takes a single off the first. We get to 9 before the first real chance is offered - good going for us! Luckily, Justin hits it to Taylor...who drops an absolute sitter and we move to 10.
But it doesn't do us any good because he straight drives one to Ali later in the over and takes the single but is run out by a direct hit to the OP End and we are 13 for 1. It's a slide and via a replay but he called and he moved the moment he hit the ball. Ali was just quicker. Kieswetter is in rather than de Bruyn so we may be looking to push this along a bit.
That seems to be Banger's view as he takes Kirby apart with 5 consecutive 4's off the last 5 balls of the over - 4 to the offside followed by one to the leg as Kirby tries to vary angles and pace. 34 for 1 after 5. Full length balls dispatched with ease. Good to see Kirby come back in the 7th and tie our man down a little more.
But in the 8th, Craig gets into Lewis on the offside, first he goes over the infield to the new scoreboard for a one bounce four and then drives him for another with his next ball as the England man tries to cramp him up. The young man just walks away and smacks him through the field on the ground.
Kirby watches the 50 arrive as Trescothick hits his seventh four to the Botham stand boundary. He no balls but keeps the Somerset man down with a yorker only to be sixed on his next delivery to the old scoreboard. Then a four off a no ball with a free hit to come. 69 for 1 after the 9th. 5 overs for 53 with 42 off 2 of them..."Welcome to Taunton Steve - the bloke at the other end used ot play for England you know!"
And our man goes to 50 off 31 balls with 8 fours and a six. Now he faces Hardinges from the River at 74 for 1. He seems to fare no better however as Marcus peppers the new River stand with a couplle of one bounce fours and we move into the 80's. Lewsi tries to indimidate our keeper and is absolutely thrashed out of the ground as Craig hooks him imperiously to take us into the 90's. The visitors don't seem to be learning that you can't bowl short or wide to these blokes because they'll drive you all day. We've had 3 free hits already and the 100 comes up with another powerful cut to the Brewhouse boundary. 100 after 12 and the Bristolians need to go back to the drawing board as our pair take 17 off the 12th. Awesome stuff at the moment.
North comes on to provide some slow stuff at the OP and Craig introduces him to the churchyard off his third 126 at the end of the 14th. Kirby comes back on at the River end and thanks the Lord that MT takes a single off his first. A much better over though - but the moment Tresco is back on stike the ball bounces off the CA just above the Somerset dressing room. He bowls yorkers to Kieswetter and then two slow balls to the big man who puts him away for 10!! Why? 138 after 15 overs and Gloucestershire don't really know what to do with a 125 partnership off 70 balls with 19 fours and 4 sixes - a second wicket partnership record against the Bristolians!!
North gets some of the initiatvie back as he foxes Marcus and nearly has him out of his ground and stumped. His partner Dawson joins him at the River end for the 17th. Craig goes to a really good 50 (35 balls 2 sixes and 5 fours)off his first ball. He doesn't look as confident against Dawson though coming up the wicket and misjudging the flight and trying to cut him late but not getting bat on ball - could be something for the visitors. He goes for 5 which is an improvement.
The 150 arrives in the 17th and Dawson has put the brakes on at the River, especially in relation to Kieswetter. Although he has opted to take his helmet off and play in his cap a la his captain. Halfway and we have 161 - big score on the cards you would think!! Marcus on 91 and Craig on 58 but the spinners have got the rate down to 4.5 from 9 in their 5 overs and the press is on as much as it can be.
But the boys keep on milking the score and we have the odd deftest of touches from the master including a beautiful late cut to the CA which wonderfully placed and moved him on to 95. The 150 partnership came off 105 balls and it wouldn't have gone any further if Taylor hadn't put down a second sitter off Kieswetter on 64!
Brown is on at the OP for the 23rd and our opener moves to an emphatic century off his first ball!! 177 for 1 with Trescothick going through the landmark off only 68 balls with a huge 13 fours and a six within it!! Majestic - not a lot more that can be said, just a privilege to watch! 180 for 1 after 24 - brilliant stuff up to now!
And on this great day I lose the last 16 overs of immense information as a glitch sends it into the ether!!
Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter hit 300. The highest scores at this ground and the highest partnership for any wicket anywhere in this competition!!
Kieswetter more than played his part while scoring his first ever ton with an immense 121 off 107 balls with 9 fours and 5 sixes. No second part here! He was an equal partner of an awesome exhibition of batting from both men. They passed Cook, Rose, Gooch and the visitors had no answer to it.
What can you say about Marcus Trescothick? The sixes off the scoreboard were huge and his own landmark score of 184 off 112 balls with 20 fours and 6 sixes was one of those things you see few times in your cricketing life. He placed balls or hit them with almost superhuman power, he drove, he swept, he pulled and he hooked and Kirby needs some mention because he kept to his work even though he was the man who took great punishment in his early spell - coming back to 87 for 3 off his 8 having gone for 42 off 2 was to his credit. He had to bowl at the end as well.
Craig and Marcus took 302 off 33.1 overs - what more could you ask for?
333 for 4 off 240 balls...we ought to win this one!!
The Reply
Marshall and Ali face 334 to win with Charl bowling the first and with the help of a Chinese cut they get double figures off the first and they start their account with 13! Alfonso opens from the River end and they have 24 by the end of it! Game on?
The 50 arrives in the 5th and we are on for a big game unless something calms down. Why is Alfonso taking the new ball? Steffan instead? Gloucestershire are well ahead of the run rate at the moment...now there's would be a story!
The 300+ is certainly looking on at the moment with the likes of Arul, Wes, Zander, Steff, Omari and James ready to get the game back on an even keel with some tight bowling. Good job we left Peter and Ian out if you ask me.
It's becoming a problem and Justin turns to Arul to pull it back into some semblence of reality in the 8th from the River. Unfortunately it doesn't quite do the trick as Marshall and Ali move to 88 at the end of the over. They need 8+ an over and they are going at 11. So the skipper looks to Steffan to do something at the OP in the 9th and he does the business with his second ball and has Marshall LBw for 43 at 89...Thanks be to Jehovah!
Hardinges is next in. Jeremy Coney was talking on SKY about the Gloucestershire bowling to MT and how no-one seemed to have the guts to bowl Yorkers at the start of the innings. Jonesy has the guts and provides 5 in his first innings. They score 3 in the over....maybe Mr Coney was right. Charl now switches ends and is much more effective from the CA.
Nevertheless the Gladdies reach three figures in the 11th and there is still a game very much on here as Ali goes past 50 in the 12th. We're pulling it back but we've allowed them a real good platform here with loose bowling in the first quarter of the game.
We keep gradually pulling this back into line and by the end of the 15th it's 140 for 1. Arul returns at the River to see if he can further improve the press that Jones in particular has put on the Bristolians. But it doesn't work and the 150 is up. Justin now turns to Zander to bowl some medium pace with no close fielders in sight. They still need 7.6 per over to win but it is a lot easier than the 8.4 they needed 16 overs ago. Nevertheless, de Bruyn only goes for 4 so we can't complain. Until of course Arul goes for 12 off his first two balls from Hardinges. However, Durston sends one in and Ali is run out not grounding his bat! 73 runs and can't run his bat in!! 167 for 2 but Hatinges has 44 and in comes CRAIG SPEARMAN to put this game beyond us!
A one day embarrassment is on the cards and on the telly at the same time. We really aren't an impressive unit I'm afraid.
Omari is on at the River against Spearman and he's nearly stumped off his first. But Hardinges goes to 50 in the 21st (42 ball 3 sixes and 4 fours) and they have 188 at the start of the 22nd. This is really really on and our bowlers want shooting because the bowling is awful. They could pass 200 in this over and we're allowing them to stay in this game when we shouldn't have. 137 off 18 is a gettable target with 8 wickets remaining and they look like they'll get it I'm afraid. In the end we keep them to 199 at the end of the 23rd.
Alfonso returns for the 24th at the River with a real job to do...please someone put the brakes on! They still need 7.4 but look in no great danger of NOT getting it and we can't put two bowlers on the park who can hold them at BOTH ends.
Our score was down to excellent batting, theirs is down to mediocre bowling, except for Wes who hasn't been given the pill yet - but there's still time.
It's 214 with 15 to go after a good over from Mr de Bruyn and they need to get 14 of those left out of the way within the next hour! Lots of dicussion about field placings, but to be hnest it hasn't made much of a difference up to now and it doesn't here as the first goes for four down the legside. A wide follows before we get that rarity...a dot ball. Thomas has a legside field which has 3 men on the rope.
The rain is coming down halfway through the 26th, it's dark and the visitors are well ahead of the D/L (presently standing at 204). They may very well retire to the pavilion . That is if Thomas manges to finish his over as he fires down his third wide of the over. 223 after 26. They need 'Nelson' off 14 - entirely gettable.
Then a glimmer of hope as Langer picks up the ball aat midwicket and 'exocets' Spearman's stumps with the international well out. 223 for 3 - is that the turning point? Not until Hardinges has gone will it look any better from up here! He may have been released by his county but he's certainly seeing it like a football at the moment. But a brilliant piece of crickt from the captain who only saw one stump and destroyed it from 15 -20 yards.
North is now at the crease and Hardinges is still connecting far too well with far too many deliveries although the D/L has been made a little healthier by the wicket. Nevertheless they are still ahead of the required rate as the drizzle has turned into steady stuff with the umpires discussing it. Omari only goes for 4 in the 2th but the officials are having another discussion and we are off with the D/L in the Gladiators favour. 236 for 3 off 28.
The rain came down and we lost 6 overs but it started to rain as soon as they took the field and they went off again. The visitors needed 283 of 34 but that's academic now. 10 minutes delay and Gloucestershire will win by 12 runs. Which they probably would have done anyway.
A better defeat? To be beaten by the rain and the D/L?
Nope. A marvellous innings by a magnificent duo is devalued by our inability to hold a poor side because we couldn't bowl to a plan to hold a side needing over 300 to beat us. It just about sums up our one day capability but marginalises a stupendous effort by Marcus Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter which was the highlilght of a really poor game even though we've seen 569 runs in the day.
The weather won at 7:20 and Gloucestershire took the game by 12 runs on the D/L and I can't see anyone arguing with that. The Man of the Match was Marcus and other than Craig Kieswetter there wasn't a lot of quality to talk about.
The floodlit game on Thursday now becomes a relegation battle for us after our fourth defeat in this tournament. See ya there.
Elsewhere Oliver Newby, who has a five-fer in the current match, ends his loan period from Lancashire tonight so won`t be playing. The squad actually includes two bowlers - Hardinges and Rudge - who have been told they are not being retained at the end of the season.
It makes me smile anyway!!!
"Langer should return to the helm against Gloucestershire today for what is effectively a make-or-break game if the Sabres are to retain hopes of a one-day trophy. They are two points behind the Divisison One leaders but have only three games left.
"Also in the squad will be Omari Banks, who scored 118 for the second eleven against MCC this week, and Ben Phillips, who got 90 in the same game.
"Somerset (from): Langer, Trescothick, Kieswetter, de Bruyn, Hildreth, Trego, Durston, Suppiah, Banks, Thomas, Phillips, Jones, Willoughby."
No Ian Blackwell!
This is getting silly.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:23:14:44:38 by Grockle.
Craig has put one in the graveyard and Mr Frost and crew are searching for the ball.
Has Frostie got an "I love Kentish Townie" T-shirt on?
150 partnership off 105 balls!! Not too shabby.
I give up re Blackwell & Trego. No comment/statement re the reasoning behind their continuing omissions. To me, that seems like a huge poke in the eye to them both, especially after their performances V. Hants..
But what do I know - I'm clearly just an an ignorant expat !
Grizzzly
(Still,at 197-1 maybe they wouldn't have been needed anyway).
This batting is an absolute joy to watch,absolutely brilliant.
Performances like this from Banger just show what class he is and just what England have been missing.
What a batsman.
Craig isn't doing too bad either,standing ovation for his three figures.
............ they might be 'rested' from now on !!!!
Grizzzly
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
By somebody in the crowd.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Craig gone for 121.
Sometimes I think it is no bad thing for a batsman in a long partnership to be out just before the end, for it means he gets some special applause just for him - and he certainly deserves it.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Craig was sensational.
Banger has been out of this world.
322-4,stunning stuff Banger.
Final score of 333-4.
Defend that now please lads.
"And those now abed will hold their manhood cheap...."
or something like that...
Sorry, I had a few things written during it but the electronic weather rained on my parade and I lost the report on 16 overs!!
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Thanks
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Is there not a Fine Third Man?
If they get this score they deserve it,nobody can argue with that.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Write this one off and start the campaign to avoid relegation from this division.
We've relied on our bowlers to keep us in games this year...but today? (Shakes his head in exasperation).
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Perhaps, I should reserve my angst for the end of the season, and at the moment there is plenty of it!
I don't know what has happened it's as if they thought that we simply couldn't lose defending such a target.
Club standard bolwing I'm afraid,very poor.
Sothey will be out again it seems - very strange this one day stuff.
Apparently the commentators are saying that they have it on good authority that Mr Langer is very unhappy.
Reading riot acts I hope.
End result totally unsatisfactory and the feelings of frustration just continue as two one day specialists sit another one day game out as our 40 over unit fail to defend a 300+ target.
It was a difficult day but surely we must have been able to do better than this! Record scores are supposed to be made in winning causes for heaven's sake.
Well played Gloucestershire.
Call that first class bowling?
I think I'm angry.
We've set another record in defeat.
That's the highest ever total scored by a losing side in one day cricket in this country.
Enough said.
Quote:Grockle
It's over. We lost by 12 runs on the D/L and we deserved to lose.
Nine of us might.......but two of us certainly didn't!
It's a load of tosh for Langer to stand around whingeing about how unhappy he was with events.
If you leave out two of your best players on a consistent basis then you deserve to lose, Langer. Running yourself out in stupid fashion did not help either.
Disgraceful that Marcus's and Craig's efforts went to waste. Does anyone else agree with me that Craig's batting was the weaker of his two suits today?
Brilliant on the stumpings and an amazing save from a dreadful throw from Zander which would surely have been four with most keepers.
Of those that bowled any number of overs, only Zander bowled with anything like the requisite discipline.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I really enjoyed Jeremy Coney's contribution as a commentator.
And I think he hit the nail on the head when he said that a skilful left-arm spin bowler that actually flights the ball would probably have caused problems for the right-handers on that pitch.
Can anyone possibly think of such an individual?
disgraceful.
Gloucs still had to get over 90 at more than 8 an over - and the two bowlers on still had overs left and were going at 5 and 6 per over.
I agree with Jon Lewis, Gloucs would have won anyway, I think.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Remind me what he did there to ensure that he has not been picked since?
The same goes for Banks.
If Suppiah and Blackwell are in competition for one place wil someone please tell me what IDB has to do to get back in or has Suppiah's performance today been good enough to make it a no contest. The County Champ is still priority but we are now prime relegation candidates in the pro 40!!!
I am so glad I came home last week...I don't think I could have survived this in the flesh.
I know numerous things have been said on here re Trego and Blacky but there just is no logic whatsoever to leaving them both out of what you'd call our best one day 11. There is clearly more to it than cricket because not Rose, Langer or Hurry have given any solitary reason for their absence.
Whilst i do have a lot of time for Wes and Arul there surely can not be any arguement that Blacky is a more agressive one day batsmen and better one day bowler. Today was crying out for blacky bowling over the wicket at the leg stump tying batsmen up and having to try something different.
I realy would appreciate any logical (cricketing or not) explanation as to the 2 of them, particularly IDB being left out, from official sources or otherwise.
Have to shout them myself now.
Cricket shouldn't make you angry.
Should it?
The D/L formula & therefore the result look highly debateable on these numbers, but we really shouldn't have let them get anywhere near to that even becoming an issue !
As for SCCC's one day selection policy, it is simply a perfect blend of madness and lunacy.
Grockle - can you shed any light in the reasoning behind this ? It just seems to defy all logic & common sense ?
I used to laugh at Fred Trueman saying he "didn't understand what is going off out there", but now I know how he felt !
How much longer can the Club remain silent on this ?
Grizzzly
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:23:21:06:23 by Grizzzly.
Neither Langer nor Rose want to climb down and admit that they have got this totally, utterly, hopelessly wrong.
God only knows what's going on with Ian.
As for Pete, this makes even less sense. There's surely not any off field issue, or we wouldn't have just awarded him a new contract extension? So that must mean that Langer/Rose genuinely believe that he is not good enough for a place in the one-day side. Mind-blowing.
Or we just don't give a monkey's about this competition and are bowling people that we would not pick for competitions that we do care about, just to try and encourage/develop them.
If that's the case, then why not rotate Pete and Ian with some of the other established players to create room for the likes of Arul and Omari?
Bring back Blackie and Trego. Apart from their bowling, they'd have got more runs at the end of the innings than Durston/Suppiah/Hildreth did. Grizzzly - you're spot on about the selection policy.
Christopher
They made the decision to leave Blacky out, it clearly hasnt worked and now they refuse to back down.
Be it fitness, attitude whatever it doesnt make sense from a cricketing point.
If there are internal/external/personal reasons that they dont want publicised then fine just say so.
By saying nothing it just creates numerous theories/rumours which keep the situation rumbling on.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:23:22:27:47 by averageside.
Why three spinners (although it was highly doubtful that Wes was ever going to bowl). Omari works well with Craig and he was unlucky but Arul on in the 7th? Too early.
Zander bowled with control - and I'm not his greatest fan with the ball.
And they should have listened to Coney - Alfonso and Jonah should have been employed bowling yorkers, Justin should have taken a page out of Smithy's book and changed bowlers, changed ends, anything to keep the batsmen unsettled even James H occasionally. 20/20 batting needs 20/20 tactics
The only people who were going to get in on this strip were batsmen. We needed to keep them from doing that and we didn't.
Trigger would have been played mostly for his batting - don't think he's fully fit to bowl - but he could have added to the erratic nature where Wes would have been murdered.
And Ian? Well...that one day boat seems to have sailed so what is the point? The fact that the man can go for very few when everyone else is being hammered everywhere seems to be in some kind of blind spot for our captain.
Having said that, the one absolutely brilliant piece of fielding was from the skipper when he gave us a lifeline with a superb run out of Spearman.
And sorry Shep - I really have tried to look at this positively but had Gloucester needed 10 per over off the last 10 to win, they would have got them because they were away from us and no two bowlers had the skill to hold them.
Even if Zander had held one end at 5 an over, Hardinges would have simply taken 15 off the other bowler be it a spinner or a seamer.
The only thing that might have helped us would have been a really short target - 10 off one over perhaps - in which case I would have given the ball to Jonah and told him to bowl the same ball 6 times. Full and on the toes because it was the only thing that worked.
Agreed AG Coney was really interesting and informative
Over the last two years we have proved time and again that we are a poor one day side, but someone should explain why we don't play our best side.
So we are a better unit than we are being allowed to be. It's not the ability but the strategy is wanting a bit I'm afraid.
It's the 'elephant in the room' issue in any conversation about Somerset selections. No one brings it up. It isn't mentioned at all in one day conversations and is a non item in official reports etc.
But assume that Ian will not play another 40 over game this year now that we have no chance of being at the top of the table. There is stubborness I think and whether it is 6 of one and half a dozen of another or not it is affecting our one day perfromance.
Wurzel says we haven't been a well performing one day side for a couple of seasons. Well this isn't the side that were runners up last season and it is suffering for it. That side still exists but we won't play it.
Want to talk about logic? Well you could argue that it is logical to play the side that got you into the first tier of 40 over cricket I suppose...unless there is something better.
If they thought they had it then they were badly mistaken.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:08:23:23:39:16 by Grockle.
You imagine what would have been said if Banks (No fault of his own) wasn't picked to play in the first team. So what do they do pick him for the Pro40, I think instead of Blackwell.
We were watching both Banks and Suppiah in the nets the other day bowling to Langer. Somebody pointed out that Suppiah was turning the ball more than Banks.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]The Tempest
Maybe, upon reflection, when the evenings get darker and colder, we shall all be huddled around our firesides, discussing "The winters tale" and admitting that "All's well that ends well."
I can't remember his name,we just call him the merchant of Venice.
Nice chap,had a friend also from Italy.
Marcus and Craig batted superbly, that cannot be in doubt with Craig doing a fantastic job behind the stumps also, especially from a wild throw from De Bruyn
The total should have been straight forward to defend, there in my mind was the issue. When the boys came out the body language was of a very subdued, some said relaxed manner giving the impression that they believed the job was already done. It was almost as if they just had to bowl 40 overs and the game was won. There was no urgency, the fielding on the whole lacklustre apart from 2 run outs, one was a very smart run out by the captain.
We never ever looked like taking a wicket. Jones bowled well as did De Bruyn, but Alfonso and Willo were very poor.
It does not look good for day/nght game on Thurs on Sats performance.
Hurry and Langer need to instill 'the job is not done' until the end mentality.
Also hope the boys are in for fielding practice before the Worcs game
Love's Labour's Lost.
In one-day cricket, we seem to lack bowlers who can consistently bowl accurately - including, as has been mentioned, bowling yorkers - or who can beat the bat or otherwise put pressure on opposing batsmen. Willoughby, Thomas and Blackwell are usually exceptions to this rule, in so far as they usually bowl reasonably accurately; but we cannot rely on a mere three bowlers - particularly since one of them isn't being picked. This is clearly an issue which needs to be addressed.
While I support the policy of concentrating on the County Championship, no-one can be happy - including, I am sure, the management and the players - that we have under-achieved so markedly in each of the one-day competitions.
As for the future - and as others have said - playing our strongest side would seem to be a good starting point.
I think members invest their hard earned funds in the expectation of seeing the best that Somerset can offer, for this to be going on without explanation is a great disappointment.
In the quarter? final match against Kent at Beckenham the youngster had an outstanding knock but struggled in the 90s with the presure of holding the side together and getting a maiden ton. At least the first hundred is now out of the way.
Let the run scoring flood gates open.
His foot was clearly in the air when the bails came off. The Sky commentary team were of the opinion that the stumping was good.
If Millns hadn't bottled it Hardinges would have been out and a new batsman would have slowed the scoring rate for a while.
Vera Duckworth might have put us ahead if that was the case.
However that is now Much Ado about Nothing!
You can listen to live ball by ball on www.appleam.com and just click on listen live,or 14.31 mw
Hope this helps,enjoy the cricket..
The absence of provision from the regional branch of our national broadcasting system does leave a gap and it's great to see others stepping into the gap.
Apple will be there for the floodlit game - not sure whether Somerset Sound will be (are the Bristol clubs or Yeovil playing?)...Radio Worcestershire probably will be though!! I'll link in on the story so you can have your choice - if there is one!