Championship cricket back at the County Ground as Essex are the first 2010 opponenets to visit us at Taunton. We've won the toss and are botting and things are not great as Skipper Trescothick and Arul have gone early. Somerset have gone with spin and experienced pace. Mike Munday takes to the field for the first time in a while and the Mendip loam will be put to the test!!
Marcus Trescothick takes sole charge of his Championship sided for the first time today against Essex. in the past he has stood in for his county captain or helped during injury etc but now it is his baby and his can to carry! Today he has his first home game coming on the back of two defeats after being outplayed by Yorkshire and narrowly losing to Notts last week.
The side he takes in with him includes the first out and out spinner of the year, before the arrival of Murali Karthik as Michael Munday is included in the eleven. Because of that he has gone with his more experienced pace line-up rather than gambling on David Stiff or Mark Turner. The side is;
Unfortunately, as I briefly start this report, Marcus and Arul are both back in the hutch and Nick Compton has just passed 50 supported by Zander de Bruyn. 132 for 2 - a fuller report later but the ball by ball commentary is available using the link at the top of this report.
Although Nick settled himself into a second decent innings, he didn't translate it into three figures and went only 10 runs after the brief mention above for 72. That was the first of a solid middle order performance. James Hildreth replaced him and helped Zander to go one run better than Compo before he was the next to go at 229 for 4.
Buttler joined Hildreth and the accumulation went on. Although the keeper scratched about to get his innings going, he still managed to smack a number of impressive boundaries whenever the Essex bowlers produced something wide.
Just after Tea, ten Doeschate was starting to become a little to wayward and Pettini brought in Masters at the OP end. His much tighter line and new field placings made it more difficult for the Somerset batsmen and before they had fully adapted, James anticipated the wrong line, shouldered arms and lost the top of his leg stump for another 73 but by then it was 286 for 5.
Trego came in to take us to the end of the day but Jos didn't make it that far as he was caught by Maunders off Masters at 305. It got worse as well as Damien Wright came in, was called through by his partner immdiately, failed to ground his bat as the single was closer than first thought and was run out backing up in his first minute. It was all going a little pear shaped. Thomas came to the crease and did help Trigger get us to the end of the first day.
A draw on Day 1. Both took part of the first session, Somerset definitely won the second one and Essex got the advantage with a late surge in the third. The day ended with the home side on 328 for 7
Day 2
A spirited fight from the tail was what we wanted but it didn't look good when Thomas went at 339, followed by Munday at 348. However, Trego and Willoughby had other ideas and added nearly 40 before Willow was run out by Phillips leaving our promising allrounder not out on another socre in the 70's (71). All out for 387 - a decent score though at one time it suggested that we ought to have got another 60 or 70 runs.
Essex started their reply with Cook and Godleman and looked in little danger though the SCCC bowlers were keeping a good solid line which was difficult to score off. It wasn't until Wright was brought on for his Somerset home bowling debut that we broke through when he had Cook caught by the man he replaced in the England setup Marcus T. But Godelman, the ex-Middlesex man, was determined to start his Essex carreer a more centered and committed batsman. With Maunders, he nearly doubled the Essex total from 89 for 1 to 156 for 2 when his partner smacked a ball from Munday to the only fielder on that side of the wicket in the outfield (Pete Trego). First 2010 Championship wicket for the spinner.
Micklburgh and Godleman took the opponents past the Tea interval with Banger keeping faith with Michael at the River end and pace at the OP. It wasn't really however until Thomas was re-introduced at that end that things took a turn in our favour. His tight line and length kept the scoring down while Munday could vary his deliveries and keep the Essex men wondering without scoreboard pressure to keep the runs down. Mickleburgh was playing well up to that point and looked to be trying to hit the spinner out of the attack but he played forward to one that went away off the surface from Mike and it was scooped gratefully by the skipper. Wicket 2 to slow stuff.
At this point in time Mike was moving the ball from leg to off in the air and then getting purchase and movement from off to leg off the strip. Godleman went to three figures however and was the danger man as Essex looked to close Day 2 on top. Not to be though. Munday gave him a couple that moved away and then one that went straight on. Godleman played the first two easily and expected to do the same with the third. Only the ball wasn't where he expected it to be and he was "middled" standing legs astride and left leaning on his bat wondering where that one had come from - excellent ball.
Suddenly Essex were looking to close the day without losing more wickets. To keep up their jitters, Trescothick brought on Arul at the OP. His tight line coupled with the fact that Foster was having real problems trying to work out what Munday was delivering to him possibly pressurized the Essex captain into a lack of concentration and he was caught behind off Suppiah.
Foster survived (though not easily) and ten Doeschate put the long handle to a few at the end of the day but we won this last stage with the spin of Mike - another weapon in our arsenal as long as we have a total to bowl to. Essex finished on 262 for 5 and the game was well balanced at the half way stage.
DAY 3
Rain Rain Rain - no play all day and this game was over!!
Day 4
We cleared them out for 353 in the rain affected morning and went into the second innings with a slight lead but little to play for. In overcast conditions our openers went out after Tea for some batting paractive and at 4:50 with 100 on the board the captain declared and took the 10 points for a disappointing draw desgroyed by the weather,
We got batsmen who got runs, including Arul who scored freely in the shortened second innings. Our bowlers provided tight lines and good length spells with everyone getting in the wickets except Alfonso whose job was to keep the batsmen from scoring and he did that admirably. The pick of the bowlers has to be the after Tea spell by Micheal Munday whose 4 for 105 (he had the last man LBW) over 30 overs was an exciting aspect of the game and puts us in a position where it is possible that we could field a side with a 3 spin (Karthik, Munday, Suppiah) and 4 seam (Willoughby, Thomas, Trego, de Bruyn) option. Not only that but the team would not be particularly weak in the tail with Karthik's batting taking us to 8 with recognised batsmen. The introduction of Compton into the inner fielding setup also strengthens our fielding capability.
A decent unit all round? Well the possibilities are good BUT we have to win games and this weeks visit to Lancashire has to provide one day and four day wins to keep us in a realistic hunt for the top honours in the competitions this year. Our Championship hopes may rest at Old Trafford this early in May. We have the resources but can we get them to work effectively together?
"Ohh to be at home now that Essex are here"
Posted by: Grockles.com (IP Logged)
Date: 27/04/2010 14:26
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:03:13:04:06 by Grockle.
Loyal of Lhasa. THREE threads on this match now. I'm feeling muddled and can't find my ... damn, I've forgotten what I'm looking for.
As this seems to be the official one, which I'm sure will involve a merger, I'll post here.
Here is a picture of the soon to be completed Long Room
Long Room from a distance
Somerset Stand
OP End
I'm afraid I have a lot to learn about County cricket and I'm not sure that I have the patience. I found the 2 hours that I watched to be tedious in the extreme and as it wasn't warm and sunny, I left for my warm home.
Hildreth was injured in the pre-match warm up, the injury requiring stitches, so I'm unsure of his current fitness.
Tres was out to a lazy shot, so perhaps he needed a wee. Arul looked as if his mind was somewhere else.
Good grief, Botham, the apathy just pours out of your post on your morning's viewing.
To judge by what the radio guys are saying, this wicket possibly sounds a little like the one on which we played at home to Yorks two years ago - a game which ended in a result, albeit not the one we wanted. It sounds as though this wicket may be a little two-paced and generally very slow - not necessarily the usual strok-makers paradise.
It's a lovely morning here today and heard it's the same in TA1.Let's hope for a winning start to our first home CC match of the season.Temperatures could get to 20 degrees so looks promosing.Well I've packed my sarmies etc and am ready to go.Let's hope public transport behaves itself today and a good day is enjoyed at Taunton.I'm getting excited already.
Any and all of you who are lucky enough to be visiting the hallowed grounds today should be feeling pretty smug this morning. As I sit in my office looking out at clear blue skies I long to be sat enjoying the odd cold beverage enjoying our brave boys putting those Essex chavs to the sword.
Have a great day everyone, and let's keep the momentum going from Sunday.
To compound my sense of disappointment at not being at the ground, my only experience of the game is likely to be these two numpties on Radio Essex. Oh joy.
All I've been able to glean from the commentators so far is that Tres and Arul have taken us to 15-0 from 10 overs. Also, Munday is playing in place of Phillips who had been stated as playing in the scorecard.
This is sheer favouritism: not only do you lot living in Somerset have the privilege of living there, you also get the proper commentary, which is denied to us here. But at least the Essex men now have the Tone flowing in the right direction.
Unless a pitch is totally and utterly unresponsive and there is no movement through the air, either, then I would ALWAYS have a third man in first-class cricket. I say this on the principle that I loath seeing good balls go for four. If the batsman nicks it, the last thing I would ever want is him getting four. If he plays a genuinely good shot through a gap left elsewhere in the field, then so be it (and, indeed, he deserves his boundary.)
The green triangle does indeed work (though to my colour blind eyes it's not very green), but for the second time today just as I've got the commentary a wicket has fallen. I can't blame BJ this time: it's Bloke's fault.
The odd one gripping and turning for Phillips already which has to bode well because a) you'd have to expect MKM to turn it more and b) they should have to bat last.
FE - it will be interesting to see how much bowling Arul gets and how he fares, too.
The mere fact that Phillips has had as many as 17 overs already, suggests that either the Essex captain thinks it's a good track for spinners, or that he thinks it's a hopeless one for seamers, or some combination of the two.
I popped down to watch a few overs during my lunch break and although it's difficult to tell if the wicket is turning from the Banger stand, Phillips certainly got a couple deliveries to rear up a bit, and that's what seemed to get Compton out.
Hildreth was struggling to read his bowling early on as well.
Graham Napier is back from India and may play for Essex at Taunton tomorrow. There is, however, some doubt about his fitness. Ravi Bopora is with the England 20/20 World Cup squad in the West Indies.
Essex have signed New Zealand seamer Chris Martin as an early season replacement for Danish Kaneria, but as of late last week he was still awaiting a work visa.
Was looking at the 2nd XI squad for the game they are playing today and Waller and Turner are in it. There is also a 3 day game starting tomorrow at the same place.
Could it be that Munday will get a chance in the Championship game v Essex.? Sincerely hope so. Stiff should be the man to make way as his batting has been better than his bowling thus far.
There's been a lot of focus on our batting frailties in the first two games and indeed three of the top five, Suppiah, Compton and Hildreth are struggling.
Of course more runs from the top order are vital, yet if you look at our totals they were not disastrous, thanks it must be said to some heroics down the order.
The real reason we lost to Yorks and Notts in Somerset's age old problem; we couldn't bowl a side out twice.
Only Stiff really bowled badly and has been big disappointment so far, but remember we will be without Wright when Kartik arrives and then the pressure on Willo and Thomas will be immense.
While Kartik is absent who plays? Stiff has to step down for the moment and in this scenario, I can't see the point of playing Phillips while Trego, who appears in good shape with the ball is underbowled.
Therefore the "wild card" bowler slot goes to Munday in view. Should Wright not be fit it's Phillips not Turner as I wouldn't play Turner and Munday in the same team as it could be carnage...
Great news about Buttler. Any reports on the progress of our young bowlers Dibble, Hayman and Haggett?
If I remember rightly, Suppiah and Compton each made significant runs in one of their first four championship innings this summer - which probably applies to most CC batsmen so early in the season. And there was not much wrong with Compton or Hildreth at Cardiff yesterday. It's a bit early to write them off, though I have to agree that Stiff's bowling has been very disappointing. (And one always has to bear in mind that one good ball or careless shot can dismiss a batsman, while a bowler has ample chance to bowl well, however much dross he also produces)
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:26:12:44:14 by Loyal of Lhasa..
Aye,Mike slinging down a couple of pies in a tight game is all we need to do the trick.
Give the boy a chance,a tight early season game on a seaming track could have ruined his season.
Use a bit of common dog for once,KT.
Yep, Sid. I even wonder to what extent, if any, the fact that the bowlers have had to do quite a bit of batting may have left them slightly less fresh for their actual bowling stints.
Graham Napier is not fit to play for Essex, neither is former Kent batsman Mathew Walker (best-ever score an unbeaten 275 against Somerset). And Chris Martin is still awaiting a work peremit.
Opening bowler Tony Palladino has been added to the 11 who lost by eight wickets to Lancashire at Chelmsford last week.
Michael Munday and Ben Phillips added to the Somerset side that played Notts, along with Jos Buttler to keep wicket.
A decision on Munday will be made in the morning, depending on the wicket and weather forecast, but the Somerset powers-that-be appear to want him to play.
I think Thursday's forecast is ropey but, otherwise, the forecast is okay.
Frankly, I expect a draw and I would want to give MKM as much bowling vs Essex as humanly possible as we MUST have spin in the side for Old Trafford. It's awful luck that Kartik cannot play the Manchester game, as that pitch should be ideal for him.
Indeed the selection of Munday would improve the balance of the side.
His poor start to the season notwithstanding, I do so wish we could afford to select Stiff as well. I truly believe that fortune favours the brave, and that at Taunton he has the capacity to offer a wicket-taking threat that the others may not if atmospherics don't help out. Surely our 1 to 8 should be able to provide the runs we need to risk both.
I doubt it'll happen, but I believe it's still our best route to success.
So what is the point of paying Damien Wright`s air fare from Australia, not to mention his salary for April and part of May, FE, if you leave him out of the championship side?
Apart from his bowling, it was his batting partnership with Tres that made the Trent Bridge finish so close.
Up to a point one could argue that the "point" was so we had him for the supposed seaming northern tracks. And yes his batting was very handy - but it shouldn't have needed to be, should it? I'm afraid I'm kind of with KT on this one subject: Charl, Alf, Wright and Trigger look a little samey for me - and of the four, it's a no-brainer for me which one makes way, air fare or no.
I think we'll want both high pace and spin at Old Trafford. But Stiff has no form, so if we want to pick him at Old Trafford,then we'll need to bowl him into some sort of form beforehand. The alternative would be to pick Mark Turner in Manchester, but then could he be expected to suddenly turn it on in his first game of the season?
Going back over the past two seasons, each of Turner and Stiff has enjoyed success at OT. If we are going to have that type of bowler in the squad, they have to play on that kind of surface. Wright also has experience of bowling successfully on a bouncy track (MCG).
I'd gamble on Trego at 5 vs Essex, drop Hildreth or De Bruyn and play both Wright and Stiff. I don't think we'd lose to Essex even with that line up, but it gives us a chance to get the bowlers we need for a result game in Manchester into form for that one.
I would not want to gamble on no Wright vs Essex, though, just in case both Stiff and MKM both get it horribly wrong, as that would mean way too much bowling for Charl and Alf.
Dropping James, a player you seem to have often declared is all about (perhaps fragile?) confidence, immediately on the back of a run-a-ball, match-winning 60-odd would hardly strike me as a master-stroke of man-management.
Recent match figures from OT - Stiff took 5 for 93 from 26 overs in the match last yr. The year before, we had Turner with 3 for 53 from 17. Both men took top order wickets.
Admittedly, Munday had only 1 for 36 from 17 two years ago. However, Arul took 3, including 2 for 25 off 9 in first innings last yr.
This will, or should, be our most difficult bowling selection of the season for OT.
AN Cook may bat for 8-10 hours or so in this imminent game, whomever we pick, but we have to get bowlers into form for OT.
Cricketjerry-mouse's view that a player must be picked because he has had his fare paid and salary, begs the question - what about every other professional who is paid and prepared by us.
I am more concerned about the other young players who NEED to be involved if we expect them to perform and succeed.
OLDBOYBA!
So with the season just two matches old, and the half-empty brigade already forecasting we are doomed to relegation, you would drop the player who is your second highest run scorer to date after the skipper and your joint second highest wicket-taker.
The fact that he's our 2nd highest scorer shouldn't be a factor. In many senses, he's not here to score runs. And in a month, he won't be here at all. So would I leave out fast medium in favour of raw pace? Harsh maybe - but hell yes.
Sorry to be thick, but I've not been able to follow Grockle's link to the local commentary; I've got Radio Essex, but I'd prefer to listen to people who speak proper English.
BBC has no clue today, either. No teams there. Supposedly Munday is playing, but I have no idea who he has replaced. Apparently the Essex commentators have said that he has replaced Ben Phillips, which is very helpful, unless they mean he replaced Phillips from Sunday's team? That would mean Wright is, presumably, unfit with that hamstring. I don't believe they would leave him out.
Wright's hamstring must have gone. Really hope he's fit for Old Trafford. And let's hope we don't need his batting to bail out the top six, even on our own pitch.
a)Not going to pick any bowler of real pace for Old Trafford
or
b) Going to throw Stiff or Turner in with zero form behind them.
Better hope Mark Turner has a good few days at the Oval then! (vs Surrey in the second XI. Are we allowed to insert Stiff at late notice into that team? Should do so, if we get the chance.
ARGGGHH... Banger has just come up with a complete aberration..... not good. Compton, Hildreth and De Bruyn are going to have make runs in this one, or it will probably be not a lot of batting bonus points, unless of course Wright (if he is playing) and Thomas bail us out, once again.
Got the commentary at last and can now listen to some rather better informed people than those dreary Essex men. We were blessed with a remarkable insight when one of them informed us that the Tone flows westwards from Taunton and enters the sea somewhere near Minehead. BJ: could you just pop out and check that; maybe I've been wrong about it all these years.
And I've just heard the glorious jingle, reminding me of the need to buy some eggs now to keep in waiting for the Pope's visit later in the year.
More than I can get, LoL, all I get is an audio-error message, so am still stick with these geniuses who just complained that they were not sure who was bowling because they have not got their scorecard - can they really not recognise their own players?
wonder why we didn't bowl then. We definitely should have bowled first v Yorkshire. Maybe the forecast led them to believe bating today was the best course of action.
Just read that the reason why Hildy did not come in at 4.It was because he cut his knee in the warm up and required a hospital trip and stitches!!!
Interesting warm ups then!!!
I've merged everything together here - apologies for not doing it earlier. We're on the radio after tea so if you want a postal chat then get on the keyboard.
Glad Grockle wasn't in charge of the batting order today - if he'd used the same system as he used merging the threads, we'd have had Trego opening with de Bruyn, followed by Charl, Arul and Mike Munday!
Yep sorry guys. Done in a rush between balls. Then again, if you all stayed on ONE thread once the game was imminent I wouldn't have to merge three would I? Nurrrr! :-)
Seriously on this item. Please don't start to post on my match report thread if it comes to the game late (which it might while I'm working). Keep on posting on the threads you have and I'll take a little more time in future to get the comments sorted out and add them to the story when I can.
If we are still going at 120 overs, it might be as sensible to pull out even if we haven't quite got to 400. We aren't now going to bat them out of this match in one innings, and the forecast for Friday isn't great.
But to be fair SP, whilst I basically agree with that summary, we have only seen one team bat on the "new" pitch, and one or two balls reportedly did a bit. It might be better than it looks.
I note we were highest scorers of the day in either division. Does that mean that Taunton is still killing cricket or that we have quite a good batting side?
hopefully our guys can add a few in the morning and get after them in the next couple of days.
As I said last week, I think we have hardly bowled a team out for less than 200 in the past 2 years in Championship cricket.........its high time all that changed.
James Hildreth overcame a freak injury in the warm-up to hit a fluent 73 as Somerset ran up 328 for 7 on the opening day against Essex at Taunton.
The 25-year-old batsman slipped while playing a game of touch rugby and had to go to hospital for stitches after a team-mate's studs left him with a cut knee. [www.cricinfo.com]
A Good bit about today from a season point of view was Masters tying up our batsmen with an excellent spell of good length seam work after 80+ overs at the end of Day 1. He bowled very well in tandem with Wright and pulled Essex's day back together. james was fooled by the line - he hadn't really got himself into the correct mode for the new man with a new cherry.
He was getting something on the ball and bowled to his field very effectively against Trigger (not always the case during the day it seems).
It may already have been mentioned in this slightly maverick thread, but if so it is worth a second post on how impressive Jos Buttler was again today.
Assured from the start, strong through the offside, not afraid to go down the wicket and lift the spinner over his head and, as at Cardiff, seeming to enjoy batting with James H. He was also unfortunate to get the only delivery that I saw all day that `stopped` in the wicket, lofting it straight to mid-off.
His test in the field tomorrow will be keeping to Michael Munday, although he should have some experience of this from the 2nd XI last summer.
It seemed a pretty fair game of cricket. I was very impressed with most of the Essex bowling - particularly the morning session.
Question for the 'stats' geniuses - when did we last get to the 20th over of a championship innings with TRES only on 19. I thought he batted pretty well and took some of the 'sting' out of the attack.
Yes, I've succumbed to the Long Room, but not for 20/20, when I shall only come when Rosy is off shift and we'll reserve seats in the Somerset Stand. I didn't stay for the afternoon cake, but I'm sure it was very nice.
With the lack of weekend fixtures and my work commitments, I'm unlikely to use my membership more than about 5 more times, so the refreshments come at quite a price.
What worries me is my relative lack of enthusiasm for the game, so early in the season. I preferred the old days in the Stragglers with Tex and Tractor in their prime (well at least the singing, when Tractor kept getting letters from PA!).
Fantastic stuff again, Mike - for which many thanks.
Does the club have any kind of official photographer?
The kind of thing that you do is, surely, precisely the kind of thing that the club should be looking for to promote the game over this internet thingy.
Why don't they have a section for this kind of photography on the official site, one wonders?
CMJ opines in the Times that this pitch "seems likely to take increasing turn as the game wears on."
If so, I think this would be the first such occasion since the Glamorgan home game of more than three years ago when such a thing has happened. I cannot remember any spinner enjoying much success in a 'live contest,' since that IDB seven for. Yes, MKM took plenty against Notts in the season finale that year but there was nothing riding on it by then and, I am told, Notts took some truly stupid liberties with his bowling (or rather tried to.)
I certainly cannot remember any real spinner success at Taunton since we won promotion (either side).
8 overs to get 53 runs and that last batting point.
Trigger might as well have a good bash for it, what with very little batting at the other end with Munday and Willo left!
Surely the black matting KT mentions is being brought out in preparation to mourn the fact that Taunton has killed cricket.
Come on KT.
Stay in character.
Everyone else is.
Be fair.
Sounds like Willow has caused one or two issues, but Wright not so much, so far.
I wonder whether we will try the spinner early against their openers?
Wrist-spinners tend to like the bounce that can be generated with newish ball, so I wonder if we will see MKM for more than the token one over before lunch.
Did not sound like much was going on, Ronnie. Cook edged one throught the slips off Willow and was beaten once by Wright (no contact with bat.) There was also one half-shout for LBW by Willow and one full shout (not sure who it was against.) MKM did nearly have someone caught with his 3rd or 4th ball. I suppose, now that I've written it down, that looks like a quite a few "near things." But one does not imagine that things will get easier for our pacemen as the ball ages.
Suspect it's the usual story, whereby the wicket was at its best (for bowling) on the very first morning.
With Friday forecast to be a write-off, I don't really see how we could lose from here, so I'd like to see us bowl spin all afternoon, pretty much, come hell or high water. Get both MKM and Arul into form and rhythm ahead of Old Trafford's bunsen burner.
And yes - Bo - great stuff by Pete yet again. Very, very unlucky, by the sounds of it, the way the innings ended. When the coaches tell you to hit straight, they never mention that if you hit too straight...
He nearly wasn't there, they refused him entrance at the Jack White gates yesterday morning because the car park was reserved for box members only.
I have an ECB car park pass, a brand spanking new press pass and arrived at 4:00 with the car park some 40% full explaining that I had to do the ball by ball for the club at 4:05 to be told "no public parking today" so I had to dash off, find space in the side streets and then dash back in to get on the mike at about 4:10 - hence my initial huffing and puffing on air.
Now I'm not important but CMJ?? He's cricketing royalty for heaven's sake!!
Yep.. the whole Kartik situation has been far from ideal.
Big test for MKM and Marcus now, two sixes this over. Marcus has to put his arm around him, encourage him, keep the faith etc. I see no other alternative, given that we do not have a proven world-class spinner to turn to in this game. Perhaps get Arul on at the other end to try to tie them down a bit.
"Now I'm not important but CMJ?? He's cricketing royalty for heaven's sake!!"
As you may or may not be aware, the Radio Essex guys that are at the game talked about this at length. Apparently, CMJ, took an extremely dim view of the incident and the club was berated, at length...
To be fair, Ronnie, it sounded like the two sixes that were hit by, I think, Godleman were normal balls that Godleman went down the wicket to, got to the pitch, and played good shots at them.
It sounds like the pitch is painfully slow and that tends to be a nightmare for wrist-spinners.
p.s. tough chance has apprently just gone down off Suppiah's bowling. Commentators think it was De Bruyn that could not hold on.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:28:14:49:10 by AGod.
What's the betting that Godleman does what our three scorers of 70 odd should have done and goes on to a really big score?
Batting first at Taunton, we really do need those really big first-innings totals, and that means somebody needs to score a big ton as you are not, realistically, going to have a situation where all of your top six make 60 or 70 very often.
It certainly sounded like Masters bowled really well for them.
To be fair, sounds like Wright has bowled well for us, too.
I think the difference, so far, is that they had help from the pitch to see off our openers (early freshness).
But the problem is that our 3, 4, 5 all made good scores, but none of them took the responsibility to go onto the really big score we would need to be able to exert "scoreboard pressure."
At Taunton, you don't get scoreboard pressure with 380 odd, I don't think. I mean, the follow-on target, is only 230 odd which most teams would back themselves to get comfortably, here. Make 500, and leave a follow-on target of 350 and things are, arguably, somewhat different.
Munday has got Maunders, apparently, caught by Arul. I've got no commentary, though, so have no idea about the quality of the ball/catch/shot involved in the wicket.
Still, should hopefully encourage Marcus to keep MKM on after tea and should give MKM confidence, hopefully.
And now he's removed the centurion, too! Great stuff.
I will just say though, that I find it quite ironic that persisting with a spinner going at 4.8 is viewed so differently from keeping faith with Stiff when he was conceding at a similar rate.
If you get the chance to see the third wicket then you'll have something of an idea why persevering with MM is worth it. Godleman was done all ends up!
Is the SCCC site still showing highlights? I've not viewed any so far this season - but if I can find it, I will be absolutely CERTAIN to watch that, Grockle.
FE - you may have found that the attitude to Stiff might have been different, if we had 380-odd first innings runs, with which to play in those first two away games.
I could not understand why they picked Stiff for those two games, since they must have suspected that runs would be at a premium.
It will be interesting to see whether (or not) they are brave enough to pick both Stiff and Munday for Old Trafford.
Even Saj Mahmood managed a five for on that trampoline today.
MKM's effort today has certainly whetted the appetite for him and Kartik to be bowling in tandem in home CC games. We've got a trip to Edgbaston at the beginning of June, too, and that must surely be another contender for a two-spinner selection.
Sorry to say, Grockle, that the commentary is switching on and off every alternate second. I realise there's probably not much you can do about it right now, but it happened yesterday as well and I don't think my computer is to blame as others have mentioned the same problem.
would be good to see both in tandem...lets be honest our seamers aint going to blow anyone away so that's maybe our best chance. We do really need to think about where we are with these guys.......we were all screaming for a new paceman in the winter but oh no Brain was satisfied.
Don't know how good Kartik is with the bat cos if hes not that good then we'd have a long tail, however, if the top 7 don't do it then you are struggling anyway.
If the top 7 do it then maybe MM and MK will spin us to 2 or 3 victories and that would keep us in the division.
The pace bowling is a worry......to me anyway, maybe not others but to me its as plain as the nose on my face.
Don't despair, Ronnie - I think Kartik and Alfie Thomas will be two of the best 8/9s you'll find in the CC. I agree our seamers aren't going to set the world alight, esp at Taunton, but I don't think things are that bad.
PS to call our Director of Cricket "no brain", or even "oh no brain", is a bit harsh
Good lines buy all the bowlers I saw today. Excellent frugal spell from Thommo to allow MM the freedom to bol at the other end. Good sepll from Arul except for the over when Ten thingy got hod of a couple. Very unpredictable stuf from Mike M - he knew what was gong on out there but the Essex batsmen (and Foster in particular) had very little clue one ball to the next.
Haven't seen that in a long while and it was a joy to watch.
I met a jobsworth on Sir Viv gates this morning.Since I have been disabled I would walk through and be hand scanned but the chap with hand scanner insisted I went through turnstile even though they were hand scanning there.I repoorted the incident to Paul Bulbeck.Bet I don't get a problem tomorrow ha ha.
I haven't enjoyed an hour & a half play (4.30 - 6.00pm today) more for a very long time.
The luxury of TRES having TWO spinners bowling well and not being overawed was a real pleasure, and so clearly makes the case for REAL cricket. Long may we make sure TRES has a balanced attack in his armoury.
The confidence gained by the bowlers MUST not be thrown away.
I`m surprised no-one has commented about the run-out of Willow that ended our innings. There was no doubt whatsoever that the bowler deflected a fearsome drive by Pete onto the stumps. But the Essex boys told me during the interval that they were so pleased to see the ball hadn`t gone to the boundary that no-one thought of appealing.
It was only after he saw umpire Barry Dudleston beginning to walk off that Foster realised what had happened and, a good 40-50 seconds after the incident, asked the question.
It must be the first time ever that a wicket-keeper was the only player to appeal for a run-out - at the bowler`s end.
Don't mean to be downbeat but 2 of MKM wickets were with half trackers or did i miss something?
First to get Maunders was sat waiting to be smacked, which he did, straight to Arul at mid wicket, any other day and it should have gone for 4.
Goddleman wicket was another short ball, seemed he just tryed to smack it out the park but was too quick on the shot and almost offbalanced as ball passed him and bowkled him.
To be fair though i do like MKM, was very glad he got a long spell. The wicket of Micklebrough was excellent, took the edge, caught at slip, and he created a goo few other chances.
Still bowls too many loose balls but encouraging stuff.
Arul bowled well too, cracking ball, and catch by Jos, to get Pettini, thought he showed clear dissent too at not walking, trudging off, whilst looking round numerous times at umpire, as if expecting him to change his mind!!!
I would also like to congratulate Mr Hurry on this team selection, how many times when watching cricket have we said we had no variation in the bowling, today we had that choice and it worked.
One complaint why didn’t they get the sightscreen done properly at the old pavilion end, there were so many stoppages that the bowlers were getting very annoyed and ever Trescothick came towards the boundary and was shouting at somebody.
Unfortunately, with the forecast I've just heard at 6am here in Taunton, play could probably start about 4pm if they cover most of the field. This morning's a time for tidying the garage!
OLDBOYBA!
The photo I took was taken at 14.05 the modern age of digital photography, the other one by Marcus was out of camera shot but referred to in this write-up.
Maunders had made 22 and departed swishing his bat in annoyance at a major error. The next ball from Munday saw Trescothick spill a straightforward catch at second slip offered by Jaik Mickleburgh.
[www.cricinfo.com]
thanks for the message AG.............maybe he's better than I thought.
Looks like spin is the way for us to go then? Dont know why Kartik isnt coming over for the Lancs games. You've got to wonder whether he really wants to be here.
Forecast to rain until at least 4pm, according to Met Office, so may be no play today.
Looks like they may get the first two sessions in tomorrow, when the game will be one of trying to bowl Essex out before they get to 400 (so we can get full bonus points.) Otherwise, they will surely declare when they get to 400. Whether or not the true purpose of the declaration would be to deny us bowling points, they could, quite plausibly, say that they wanted to give their bowlers another run out.
Let's just say that I hope Charl has been very clear, subsequently, that he was absolutely certain that he was out (as opposed to not being sure whether he was in), otherwise a certain Mr Trego might possibly be less than gruntled!?
Incidentally, is there any kind of law to deal with a situation where the non-striker is not "grounded," in that situation, precisely because he has taken evasive action?
IOW.. Let's say Pete whacks it straight and Charl leaps to one side to avoid the anticipated flight-path of the ball. In the same instant, the bowler deflects the ball onto the stumps. Is it just tough doo-doo, even though Charl was simply avoiding being hit? I suppose it is, but it would not seem very fair.
Well, here in Staplegrove Road it's still raining slightly and looks grey grey grey.
Having gone for the afternoon session of Day 1 I would like to say Compton looked alot more competent than I was expecting after reading the discussions on here. I was expecting a dazzled child who didn't know which end of the bat to hold, instead he looked very good until a shot I'm going to charitably say must have climbed quickly on him. Though I had no way of telling from my position at the back of the Banger stand.
IOW.. Let's say Pete whacks it straight and Charl leaps to one side to avoid the anticipated flight-path of the ball. In the same instant, the bowler deflects the ball onto the stumps. Is it just tough doo-doo, even though Charl was simply avoiding being hit? I suppose it is, but it would not seem very fair
Technically it would depend on whether the movement to avoid injury started from a position of being "in his ground". If the only reason he left his ground was to avoid the ball (rather than as I suspect to "back up") then the decision of "not out" would have been the correct one.
Compare with the "Inzy" situation of a few years back when the big fella leapt straight upwards to avoid a shy at the stumps from Harmison and was incorrectly given out.
Thanks, FE. Your assumption about the situation that I was trying to describe was correct i.e. taking avoiding action with the starting point having been in the crease.
It's clear to me now that Willougby had had enough of being cannon fodder for Trego's outrageous hitting and craved the safety of the pavilion. I think I might have done the same.
This has been an extremely dry April. But then April 2007 was also very dry.
I wasn't really one of those who viewed the early start as being outlandish, simply because our weather is fairly unpredictable and, in some areas, as far as one can predict the weather at all, April should be expected to be one of the drier months.
For example, I was recently in Dartmouth, Devon. According to the info at the local tourist office, Dartmouth's driest months of the year are April and June (tied).
In fairness, though, even though there was some turn, it was apparently slow turn, and at 15 wickets down at the half-way stage of the match, none of us could have been at all sure of a result in this game, even if there had been no interruptions. That's not to say that there might not have been a result. Of course there might have been. Not sure which side of the 50:50 ledger the probability of a result would have been?
I went down this morning with my mac on but as there was no hope of play I took a bus ride to Minehead,had a bit of lunch and when I returned to Taunton caught train straight back home.I can report everything seemed peaceful in downtown Watchet.
Let's hope for play tomorrow as I've already bought my train ticket.
It might have been "slow" turn AG but after an hour of trying to play it Foster was as much at sea as he had been at the start so it was "effective" turn
What the hell is defined as "slow" turn? How is it different to "Fast" turn? Is there such a thing or is it just "Turn"?
Essex coach Paul Grayson has said on Radio Essex that they are hoping to have a chat with Marcus this morning with the intention of setting up a result.I fear that whatever they decide the weather will be the winner but you never know.
It's a funny old game.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:30:07:07:55 by BristolRob .
If I was the Essex coach, that's what I'd tell the local radio - same as I would expect our coach to tell our local media, ready to then blame the other side when it doesn't work it, saying it was their fault for not playing ball and that we were keen to do something for the fans, etc etc...
I was tempted to put photos of all the empty seats but I thought it was a bit heartless.
The ECB do have a photo of the empty deckchairs, there were a few people in the OP and Cowshed, but after I said my goodbyes to Phil and his wife they were gone.
I mean open on a match by match basis, I've been round pass them a few times hoping to get in when I've been in Morrisons, and now read on here that the gates at the other end of the Somerset stand are in use... So the Garner gates seem a bit redundant.
My information is after spending all that money on that entrance it has now been decided that it is dangerous lining up along the river bank. (if that is correct I do not know)
That path along the river was closed the last time I looked due to the pavilion conversion.
I would not be in favour of any type of contrivance. Bowl them out, get our bonus points, and then start the car for
Manchester.
p.s. Grockle.. yep, I think there is genuinely such a thing as slow turn and it goes hand in hand with a slow pitch. When turn is slow, even players that are not exactly God's gift to batsmanship can play spinners "off the pitch," ie they wait and see which way the ball turns and then decide what shot to play, as opposed to having to commit themselves to a particular type of shot as a result of having read, from visual clues, what the bowler is aiming to do from ball to ball.
Based on your reports on Foster, I would submit that if our pitch was quicker and, therefore, offering quicker turn, he would probably have been dismissed by now. On a pitch offering quicker turn then I think it would take a very, very talented player to be able to play the spinner "off the pitch," without being able to read the bowler. And since you've reported that he cannot seem to read MKM at all...
Im actually hoping that MKM stays in the team esp when Kartik arrives. Im heading to Taunton for 2 weeks at end of May for Yorkies and Warks games. To see us spin both those sides out would be a joy.
I know this has likely been discussed before, but we've lost a whole day due to rain, there is more rain forecast for later, and the weather has been fair since this morning...
I heard from the commentators that he's at the ground wearing his track suit; maybe he has a little niggle that he doesn't want to exacerbate before the Lancashire match.
A moderately encouraging exercise in terms of the way the pitch seemed to play (taking some turn) and a very encouraging exercise in terms of the return that MKM produced on it.
It does not appear, with rain forecast across the country this afternoon, as if there will be any winners in any of the Div One games.
Plenty of rain forecast for this weekend, but I gather that another long spell of dry weather (at least a fortnight) is forecast immediately thereafter.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:04:30:14:30:58 by AGod.
I left when the rain came.Didn't think there would be more play.At least I'm back for the H&G tonight.The path by river is closed because the wall behind the old C.A.P., soon to be Long Room,is being reinforced.
Just had a sneeky peep and he is there.Your powers are overpowering Mike.
One thing which may be a first in cricket is number 29 batsman LBW to number 29 bowler.
Now not a lot of people know that.
Thanks Mike BOS.
You have my permission to take me any time - teeth in or out!
Just wish I had your pictorial talent!
Water Polo today I guess
OLDBOYBA!
I made the High Dynamic Range Image and posted it because I thought it brought out the clouds we had quite well. I took three shots of the same thing, but at different exposures, and then combined them together to produce the image I posted.
A while back I posted pictures of the whole ground using this technique:
I also convert some of my shots to B&W and will post a couple of those from time to time, variety being the spice of life. I may post the very occasional sepia image too.
And I'll be honest, I do do a bit of post processing with all of my shots to make sure they are sharpened, the white balance is right and to bring the colour out a bit. And, like Mike BOS, I usually crop them too.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment.
We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals.
We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards.
If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing
abuse@sportnetwork.net