Saturday, Surrey, sun and short format
TThe man comes "home"
By Grockle
June 12 2010
Home Twenty 20 don't ya just love it? The boys only got back this morning after the coach broke down on the way home. Presently no-one knows where Kieron is but he'll be here don't panic people! Lots of seats and lots of sun. The 40 Commando flag is flying (the MCC wouldn't let it up at Lords it seems). Let's all hope it's a more 'rounded' performance from Somerset today.
v Surrey @ Taunton Saturday 12 June 2010
I've been remiss in reporting away fixtures in the last couple of weeks so I'm glad to be watching a game at home. Thanks for all those who mailed in comments. I'm hoping to put them together into summaries on the games played away in the next couple of days
Anyway. Sky are here the place is filling up with half an hour to go before the start and there are suggestions that this will be a well attended start (Thanks to Mike for the photos of preparations which I've merged in below this story). Lots of hard hats obvious around the place on the scoreboard side of the ground.
The side as published is;
Trescothick, Kieswetter, de Bruyn, Pollard, Hildreth, Buttler, Trego, Phillips, Kartik, Thomas and Turner
Can't see more than one change in that line-up after last night's extraordinary victory defending the lowest total in T20 history.
Somerset have won the toss and have decided to field on a good pitch and a warm day. There don't seem to be any changes to the listed side. Stumpy is giving out flags and Tremlett is the only change coming into the Surrey line-up for Afzaal.
A new start to the T20 this year as the two teams both come out and line up. shake hands and then take the field. Hamilton-Browne and Davis open for Surrey looking like employees of ASDA in dayglow green (they look like clones of the umpires). Mark Turner is opening from the OP and the Surrey captain cover drives him straight to the boundary.
Our T20 kit is BLACK with maroon armpits - great for this type of weather. 7 off the first and Ben Phillips to open from the River.
The ground isn't full. Plenty are in but there are green seats available in the Somerset Stand and in front of the Ondaatje while the Gimblett Hill is quite sparse. Even the Long Room top tier has spaces. There's about 6,500 in according to the office.
Ben bangs one in short and Hamilton Browne obliges by smacking one up in the air and into Zander's more than capable hands. 18 for 1 after 2.
Alfonso is on for the third to Batty who seems very keen to hook our man but can't quite manage it. Then he does and the fourth ball is caught by Zander with no increase in the opposition's total. Daft cricket!!
Marky boy arrives and is almost LBW from the last ball of the over. 19 for 2 after 3 and Trego replaces Phillips at the River end. He produces a decent over until the last ball which is an offstump long hop dispatched to the Cowshed boundary. 25 for 2
Marcus keeps ringing the changes as Ben takes the next over from the Old Pavilion. Davies goes big towards the Somerset Stand but not big enough as Jos Buttler sweeps around and takes the catch in front of the rope. 26 for 3 and Symonds joins Ramps for the partnership we need to clear out in double quick time!
After 5 they have 29 runs. Turner has changed ends for over number 6 and nearly gives a four with his first ball as Symonds flashes. But we are a decent fielding unit now and Thomas swoops in on the ball and save 3 and the young man goes on to produce a decent over keeping them down to only 35 at the end. Pollard takes the 7th (to the tune of 'Hi Ho'!!)and bowls to the only man he'll be used to from the IPL. He has a loping run to the crease and a whiplash delivery - he's deceptively nippy. His first at HQ goes for 4.
Mark is the first bowler to get two overs consecutively and he pays back his captain's faith by getting Symonds to stick one in the air which is watched and then caught by Buttler - 47 for 4 and out comes Khan.
Pollard continues from the OP and they are finding him difficult to get away as very sharp fielding and accurate bowling keeps them down to taking singles most balls. it is interesting that the Surrey batsmen seem unwilling to take any of our outfielders on as they attack a ball. the 50 comes up off the 5th ball of the 9th.
For the 10th we turn to spin with Kartik bowling to Ramps. Halfway and it is 59 for 4. Peter T is on at the OP end and he goes for 8. Khan is getting our slow man away a little better and takes his side into the 70's as the press debate the merits of "Rubicon" flavours which the sponsors have filled the fridge with (Guava, Passion Fruit and Mango) - not sure myself but the brand does bring a bit of colour to the whole place. Zander becomes the 7th bowler used for the 13th at 78 for 4 but Ramps opens his shoulders and comes the closest to hitting a maximum with a one bounce four to the Cowshed. he manages it next ball with a pull to the scoreboard stand to take Surrey to 90 and adds a third boundary off the very next ball followed by a viscious drive for six to the electronic scoreboard to bring up 100! Big over for the visitors.
As Ben Phillips comes on to bowl the 14th I've had a count of the flats and there is evidence of habitation in 5 of this side's "boxes" with a select bunch of four people sitting on the balcony of the penthouses watching the game in luxury. 109 after 14 and Turner is to be bowled out at the OP as Ramps looks for a half ton. He gets it off 34 balls (with 6 fours and 2 sixes) off the last ball of the 15th and takes them to 122 in the process.
Alf from the River as the Surrey men look to push the score on and after a couple of streaky twos our man comes up with the goods and skittles Ramps for 55 with a skiddy one that mashes his stumps. 131 for 5. Chris Schofield to the crease and Kieron bowling at the OP. He nearly gets Schofield as the two batsmen go for an idiotic run but he misses all three after collecting the ball on his follow through. He survives and it is 137 after 17.
Vigourous fielding on the boundaries keeps the score in check as both batsmen look to go on the ground through the infield. Kieron is as deceptively fast as a fielder as he is as a bowler - he covers the ground with a hell of a stride and saves at least one boundary when the infielder's dive doesn't cut the ball off. Neverthelsss Khan goes to go off 39 balls with a straight drive off Thomas to end the 18th.
Pollard finishes the OP stint and Khan looks to deposit both his first two deliveries but fails to worry the scorers. he then has to bat one away from his face for the third as KP gives him a short one. He finally gets one away and brings up the 150. KP finishes with 18 off his 4 - conditions at Taunton not a problem.
The last over and a ball that doesn't get up gives them one to start it from Alf. He bounces Schofield with the second and although he tries to hook....he doesn't. The third is pulled from off to leg and somehow goes for 4! Ball four sees Khan going for two but a quick return from Hildreth sees him struggling and the third umpire sends him on his way. 159 for 6. Spriegel gets a single and Schofield faces the last ball which spears in and takes his leg stump out of the ground. Alf 3 for 27....too good!! We need 161
The Reply
Tremlett opens for Surrrey and Marcus is off the mark to an edged drive past second slip for a streaky four. A good first Surrey over goes for 4 runs with Siomerset needing 8.05 per over. Nel opens from the River and Craig is off the mark with a single. Unfortunately Banger flips the next one to Younis Khan and it's 5 for 1. The boss's poor season continues, James Hildreth is next in and off the mark with his first ball. 8 for 1 after 2.
In the third, after producing a beautiful cover drive to the Gimblett, Craig mishits a pull and so doesn't give it the legs to get over the sub on the Caddyshack boundary and it is 13 for 2 after 3. In comes ZdB. Spriegel is on with the first spin for over number 4 and produces a tight six balls for 3. Dernbach takes over at the OP as Hamilton-Browne tries the 'Trescothick method' of mixing and matching his bowlers.
And then the sodding internet dies as the game ends and the whole of my report for the last 17 overs disappears into the ether!!!!!!
By now you already know that we lost this game by 21 runs after showing that our batting line-up is not producing the goods in this fomat unless your name happens to be James Hildreth or Kieron Pollard. While these two tried to keep us in a game, tight fielding from the Surrey eleven and poor support from the rest of the Somerset men meant that despite a 30 ball 40 odd from our West Indian (including a huge six over the OP into the back row of the car park).
Marcus said you can't always be the best on the day...it would be good if we were at our best in at least one of them!! The slow ball won the game and they produced more of them during crucial points in this game. We need Marcus, Craig and Peter to come to more of the parties and show that we aren't a 'one trick pony' relying on the power of Mr Pollard to get us out of holes of our own making.
We should have covered this total even though boundaries were hard to come by.
Kieron Pollard? He's a BIG bloke but deceptive with the ball in terms of pace and deceptive in the field in terms of ground covered. Ramps took the Man of the Match award and Surrey took the points. Disappointed personally but a nice day to watch the game I suppose.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:16:16:33:27 by Grockle.
Temporary stand going into the usual place.
Gimblett Hill well occupied with seats.
One point I did make the other day was about the flats windows, but I am glad to see that the pinch is over towards the east side a bit.
Merge this once a thread is started.
Another section added with a third to come
500 seats.
They are still putting the temporary stand up @ nearly 8 o/clock
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:11:19:50:54 by Mike BOS.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]I'm arriving in the Spitfire, and bringing the pads in case I get a last minute call up, so if you see a Padded Up Pilot wandering around please do say hello or just give me a wave!
If Pollard puts in another good shift with ball then I would start to wonder how Cam White would get a game? Having said that if our batting continues to underwhelm, I suppose they would consider sacrificing some bowling.
Grizzzly
Good to see Hildreth in form.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Getting a teeny bit concerned about the top order batting.
Ah well, let's hope it was just a bad day.
Grizzzly
However, after 40 overs, if Kieron Pollard is doing nothing next year I'd very seriously consider him for a longer stay in Somerset. He seems to offer something in all areas of the game and when he hits a ball it really really does stay well and truly hit!!
I'm assuming we were decent in the field again?
The photos.
A very good crowd, what I call a comfortable crowd with still room to move about.
Mark Ramprakash bld A Thomas. But he is still looks a good player.
James Hildreth 4 runs, keep in good form James ready for the CC.
Zander taking a comfortable catch to dismiss G Batty off Thamas.
Thomas in action again bowling C Schofield.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Once again, in front of a big crowd and the tv people, we let ourselves down. We were outplayed in every department and Sorry thoroughly deserved their win. Rarely have so many players been out of form. We must make more of the fielding restrictions and learn to recognise and play the slower ball.
The pa system was once again useless. We were in the middle of the Somerset stand and couldn't hear the pa.
I wonder who designed or chose the font for our shirts. The numbers and names are barely readable.
Nice touch having bike racks by the gate and a very pleasant cycle ride to and from Creech.
Life....don't talk to me about life! :-)
Alf, Ben, James, Kieron, Murali all had decent/good games and the difference between the sides was 21 runs in case you didn't notice during your inspection of everything bad about the day.
never mind...your tickets were cheap weren't they?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:13:00:38:24 by Grockle.
Pollard and Alf were great, as we come to expect, but Ben, did he have a decent game?
Only 21 runs - that's a huge difference in 20/20, still you keep looking through your ROSE-tinted spectacles.
20/20 in particular gives any player, who has a little bit of luck and plenty of desire and self-belief, to take the game by the scruff of the neck. Too many times our batsmen don't attack enough, at least sensibly, leaving the rest with too much to do.
I was talking to the designer of that temporary stand the other day, he told me they can be bought and cost about three quarters of a concrete stand.
They can clad the stand to match it in with the next building, they take a photo feed it into a computer and the cladding comes out already coloured to match.
I did say could he do it to the Andy Caddick Pavilion.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]I can’t change my mind on a remark I made to a neighbour of mine as I was nearly home, he asked how did we do and I replied second not even a close second.
The fielding I thought wasn’t all that bad, I can’t remember us giving many runs away.
The batting not very good in the first six overs, if you lose wickets in the first six it is hard to make use of the power play.
Regards to where I was sat, I was lucky to be able to sit with the professionals photographers otherwise I wouldn’t have gone to the match.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com] The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Thanks very much Mike.
For example - A lack of fielding commitment! Haven't you watched Somerset for a number of years? Have you forgotten how we used to field?
Didn't you notice that it wasn't until around the 15th over that any Surrey batsmen took on an outfielder for a second run and then only because they had to because the number of boundaries had been squeezed? Both sides fielded within the circle very well indeed.
Surrey beat us because we didn't hit at the front end and they used the slower ball better than we did.
21 runs is an over in T20!
At the moment we are a 'one trick pony' of a side but that doesn't make you any less of a misery.
They can improve...I'm not so sure about you :-)
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:13:17:05:33 by Grockle.
Move on to the next game.
And smile.
At one time it looked that Surrey would only get around 130/140, but Ramps proved me wrong.
Having said that we fielded OK, apart from an odd one or two. Batting wise Trego only faced 6 balls, and at on least three of those he took enormous swipes and missed, something Pollard did not do so early on in his innings.
As Tres said at the end a long way to go yet in this competion, I hope we improve.
Or was this the reason.
Somerset's preparation had begun poorly when their team bus broke down on Friday night, leaving them stranded in Southampton following their dramatic win against Hampshire.
Edited to add report
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:13:12:49:20 by everhopefull.
Glamorgan haven't though - possibly a different deal as they are effectively a national side.
Suggests we don't use the outlet on the ground - or loads of others do as well?
Richard Gould was talking about the problems on Friday Ever and it seems that they simply stayed at the hotel they were already booked in to. I got the impression that the coach problem was known before the end of the game so they got a decent night's sleep instead and left Southampton at 9 on Saturday so I don't think that was a factor.
The poor batting up front of Craig and Marcus has been apparent from the first game and if they don't get some in those first five then, as you say, an over where Ramps lays into the second string seamer decides the game.
Very true about Peter's Omari Banks impressions in his over at the crease. The balls were poor but the excution of shots was almost as bad. We don't hold it together particularly well when things haven't gone to plan presently
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:13:13:22:30 by Grockle.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]If you spoke of the negative things, Grockle, you'd probably not get your free entry!
Quote:Grockle
At the moment we are a 'one trick pony' of a side but that doesn't make you any less of a misery.
They can improve...I'm not so sure about you :-)
That's the trouble, I've known you too long and your dour Yorkie charm!
However my "work" did give one of your relatives free entry as well last year I seem to recall. :-)
The Sussex game was at the SWALEC this afternoon where the Sharks wore shirts with the same font on them. Do try and keep up.
Quote:Grockle
Sussex beat us because we didn't hit at the front end and they used the slower ball better than we did.
Keeping up with you is nigh impossible, as you did appear to be referring to yesterday. Journalistic license I suppose.
If one of my relatives did get free entry, wasn't it due to our sponsorship of superstar Wes?
Ahhh I understand now about Sussex I'll edit the post if it's OK with you.
How does the sponsorship get organised Botham?
Do you do it?
Or do you simply accept the benefits of whoever does and and then take cheap shots at the same activity under the guise of humour?
If you want the same benefits then get off your Long Room seat and do something about it rather than exhibiting such unfortunate petty jealousy.
Although I'm not sure that you are someone that Somerset would accredit because you aren't exactly balanced about the club are you and you do let your personal agendas cloud your judgements at times IMHO.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:13:17:03:53 by Grockle.
In the T20 this year we have played four games:
Sussex - lost. Played poorly by all accounts.
M/sex - won, due very largely to one sensational innings.
Hants - won, good result, albeit with Hants help !
Surrey - lost. Poor batting.
I don't see anyones postings as being particularly negative, more a reflection of the undoubted frustration with an under-performing batting unit at the moment.
I'm at a bit of a loss to know why our batting is mis-firing. The very welcome return to consisent form by James & the explosive arrival of KP, has co-incided with a inexplicable sputtering of just about everyone else - possibly excepting ZdeB. That only one player has scored over 100 runs in aggregate in 4 T20 games must be a concern.
Anyone have any theories why ?
As for a 21 run defeat. In a T20 game that is surely a pretty wide margin. It may be just "one over" Grockle, but it suggests we paced our response poorly, especially as we didn't lose our 4th wicket until 16th over & with James still there at the end.
Despite our shortcomings, we have still won two games though and as all (I think) we all agree, we are capable of much better.
If we can win 50% of the time with less than half of the team firing, think what we can do if all of them perform !
Grizzzly
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:13:17:55:34 by Grizzzly.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]But you're right about the thing that created that difference. If our top order had produced anything like the stuff they should Pete wouldn't have been in the run pressured situation.
Marcus said there is a long way to go and he's right but we need to get better from Wednesday for three reasons;
The team need to keep the momentum of the CC1 and 40 over competition going for after this month
It keeps us in the hunt for a T20 trophy
I'll leave the third one for another post in another place to keep the two aspects of the back end of this thread seperate.
The only thing to add is the fact that the support seam bowling has been poor/inconsistent all season in all formats as mentioned above
Edited to change 'and Grizz was saying that either' to 'and Grizz wasn't saying that either'
Subtle, but very necessary!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:14:10:54:44 by Tractor.
In all of the other competitions we are doing very well as a team, with 20/20 we seem to struggle with certain aspects of the game we have done so in the past.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]I think we've had a splendid start to the season,one of the form teams.
So,we lose a couple of T20 matches?
Get real,mun.
It'll come good.
All sides get beaten,all sides under-perform.
No need for a lengthy post-mortem every time.
However I stand by my points about the support seam bowlers excepting Thomas and Phillips in T20 and this is why I brought up the subject of Willoughby playing.
I`m sure he`d like to play before the 20th July and it would definitely strenghthen the team.
Pollard`s performance with the ball has been an unexpected bonus and I really don`t want us to continually muddle through and try and find 1/2 guys to bowl 8 overs ? and hope for the best from an economy point of view.
I do of course appreciate that he could be collared too,but there is in my opinion a greater chance that he won`t be.
The batting has been well aired already of course.
Our game against Glamorgan is the only other T20 game currently scheduled for transmission on Sky.
Monday 28th June at 17.40.
Thanks
WCG
OLDBOYBA!
Is he a better bet than Mark Turner? T20 isn't a pace bowler's game to a great extent but Mark did fairly well and Charl hasn't got such a tight control at the moment.
Touch and go for me,
Im really struggling to understand exactly what CK is contributing at present. He is lucky if he has scored 150 runs for us in all comepetitions this season- which is absolue nonsense. He is shortly to leave anyway I believe. PT needs to start too. He has hardly scord a run since the start of May. These guys would all have been bankers at the start of the competition.
I supose i can change just as quickly but as I say it really needs to be tomorrow.
Buttler will step in as wicket keeper who else will come into the team 'Compton'?
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]T20 seems to me - even more than other forms of the game - to be all about momentum and confidence. If you get into a rich vein of form (think WJD here!) then you can really go on a tear and hammer opponents in multiple games. Once you've had 3 or so low scores, though, it seems to be very difficult to reverse that trend in this form of the game.
Therefore, our guys absolutely desperately need a break-out game with the bat to give them the necessary momentum and confidence. Above all, we need a good start since consistently poor starts have been a common theme in this campaign so far.
It's not so much that I care desperately about winning this competition (especially as there is no Champions League prize at the end of it) so much as the fact that I worry about what kind of form and confidence our batsmen will be able to take back into the CC, upon its resumption, at the current rate.