Out with the Old.....
Looking Forward
By Grockle
January 4 2009
2009 is here and we now look forward to a new campaign in all formats with a slightly different line-up and slightly different objectives? Cricket is changing we're told do we go with it? Well there's 'change or die' and there's 'standards must be maintained'. Are they mutually exclusive os is there room for change while keeping the old guard happy? Hmmmmm
Looking into the 2009 crystal ball to see what waits for Somerset is not easy. It's all a bit misty and fluid.
The squad looks a little different and it is hard to decide whether the differences will work in the county's favour or against its short term ambitions.
It's goodbye to Ian Blackwell who is now a Durham player. Goodbye to the Mighty Kieth Parsons the county servant admired by almost everyone as both a cricket professional and man. Will it be goodbye to Andrew Caddick before the end of the season? Can the machine make it a full season to remember or simply make it to the end of the summer?
What about the "hellos"? Will we have the batsmen to fill the Blackwell Hole? Step up James Hildreth your county needs you to be a number 4. Step up Peter Trego we are looking for a Number 5 and a full blown seam wicket taker. Step up Arul Suppiah we need another top 5 batsman but we need a competitive and aggressive spinner as well. Step up Mark Turner. Are you the way forward for our new ball attack? Are you our Caddick replacement? Step up Michael Munday. Are you the spinner we need on a regular basis or was the end of 2007 all we get?
Are we Championship contenders? Batting should be awesome but that isn't the first time that has been the case - what we get and what we are promised are not always the same. Bowling is an issue and has to click - not going to happen in my humble opinion. We won't get enough wickets and confidence may suffer because of it. Mid table would be good result.....but.... stranger things have happened.
Are we a one day outfit? It depends on a number of things. The Trego component may be vital. The Turner option could turn the tide. What role for Neil Edwards in the one day line-up? Will Suppiah fill the place we need him to fill. Have we under-estimated Omari Banks? We can make enough but can we defend the total? We didn't this season and things are not necessarily different enough to make next year any different.
And what about the 20/20? Well Trescothick is an ace but do we have the bowling variation to make a fight of it? Again I don't see the wicket taker that will turn our fortune. Wes Durston will be a batting handful but not a bowling phenomenon. We don't murder sides the way we did in 2005. we have the batting to emulate Smith but the bits and bobs bowling is not going to take the wickets we need. We may make it out of the first phase
The ground looks different. The Brewhouse side will be fully functional by April and we have a 'Club Hub' rising on the Priory Bridge side. The other plans are on hold and there is little suggestion that they are going to move forward any time soon.
The nature of the competitions Somerset will be taking part in are roughly the same but either in the 'throes of death' (the Pro40), struggling against' the tide of change' (the Championship) or 'taking over the world' (20/20) depending on your personal view.
A strong financial base but a weakened playing foundation. Our batting line-up is formidable but our bowling vaiation and consistency is less predictable and reliable. We need both to win big long games and keep other sides on their toes during the shorter versions of the game.
Then again maybe something else will be different. We have expected sooo much in the past and got Faith Arkwright. Maybe now we expect less we'll get more than we bargained for.......
Hope springs eternal.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:01:24:22:55:23 by Grockle.
This is the last year before the 20/20 takes over (well almost).
No more Pro40 after this year, and we at Somerset will get a taste of the extra 20/20 with the women’s world cup at Taunton.
Time will tell if this will be good for cricket in the long run.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]However, I don't find I am able to get too 'holier than thou' about it. Going back into cricket history, I don't believe they played four-day games at Hambledon.
When I played (at my very humble level) we mostly started after lunch and finished that evening. Bank holidays we started at 11.30. It felt like 'proper'
cricket. Mind you, we were hardly a spectator sport!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:01:05:10:47:26 by Botham.
A good time of year for 20/20 so I can get to Cornwall away from it all.
The "real" one day format (50 over)has two strange days in May and the outgoing tournament (Pro40) allows workers to see all the games.
I know you've picked up on this as a major problem but there are more fundamental changes next season than two one day games mid-week I'm afraid.
My biggest concern is we will have less of the longer stuff.
I do hope not!
Edwards (scored 1,000 runs in 2007, time for him to emerge again in 2009)
Trescothick
Langer (c)
De Bruyn
Hildreth
Durston (averages nearly 40 in FC cricket and would walk straight into most county 1XI)
Trego
Kieswetter (+)
Caddick
Munday (best of the three spinners on the staff and so should start next season as number 1 spinner)
Willoughby
Arul Suppiah will be making claims (we can only hope) as well extending the batting order while still providing some spin options.
Have to agree about Wes BUT only in county sides that have consistent and solid bowling options.
It is effectively a 4 man attack that includes PT as 3rd seamer and Munday as 4th bowler.
Whilst i very much hope this could work i dont think we, and in particular JL has the confudence to use PT and MM as his 3+4 bowlers. Whilst Wes and Zander could bowl i dont think they will strike fear into many div1 batting line ups.
This is where the Blacky loss is realy going to hit us i fear inthe balance of the side.
I feel that (as BR has hinted at) that PT will be at 6, with Craig at 7, (at the expense of either Neil or Wes) therefore creating an extra bowler spot at 8 for another seamer, my vote goes firmly for Turner he needs to be given a chance this year, and then Jones and Phillips can fight MM for last spot, and rotate with Caddy and Willow as and when necesssary