Sunlight shines on the Righteous!!
PT @ the Bridge
By Grockle
April 24 2011
After the terrible start in the CC this is a game to get minds re-focussed on the task at hand and mark the end of the bad stuff and a return to the good stuff. Somerset need an uplifting performance today to show they are a side to be reckoned with and the last fortnight has been just a blip in the plan. They will play weaker opposition in less formidable places but maybe that is a good thing. The game starts at 1:45
v Nottinghamshire CB40 @ Old Trafford Sunday 24 April 2011
Commentary (Radio Nottinghamshire there seems to be no Radio Somerset/Bristol coverage)
Our Twitter account is now active so if you have that then @SomersetGrockle is us.
If you haven't got that then Grockles has a presence on Facebook - just search for "Grockle" and up it will come.
There's also another presence on Facebook at the Somerset Strugglers page. I'm sure they would welcome you as well.
Well it looks like we are back in the swing - at least on this thread - the official site announced on Saturday that Lewis Gregory will start today and that Adam Dibble was also added to the Lancashire squad for the match.
The final decision will be based around the fitness of our only real hero from the Liverpool game Steve Kirby who got a five fer even though he was still feeling the injury that made him doubtful for the season and curbed his bowling in the second day of the fateful Warwickshire game. With the Rosebowl match coming up early next week and the state of our Championship bowling at the moment it would probably be sensible to rest the man for the four dayer.
Lewis might already have been set for this game as replacement for Charl Willoughby who is by no means certain to be part of our one day campaign this year. If that is the case then the question of Kirby's fitness puts the selectors in a position and brings Dibble into the reckoning.
If Kirby is not fit then can they leave Charl out and go into the first game with a young and untried frontline of Hussain, Gregory and Dibble or will they be forced to put the lefty in and hope nothing goes wrong for the Hampshire game. The other factor to watch out for in this opening salvo is the influence of Ajantha Mendis with the white ball after his few minor issues with the red Duke ball in his first game.
The second question for today is what will be the batting line-up? The T20 experiment of the West Indies was not a huge success so it is doubtful we will see Nick Compton opening with his skipper (whose form is nothing to write home about at the moment). Will Arul (the only man with some kind of form in these early days of the season) open with his usual four day partner or will Pete Trego move up the order and take the first stance in the shorter format games. The line-up after that will probably depend on the nature of the progress of the game
The team is;
Trescothick, Suppiah, Compton, Hildreth,Kieswetter, Buttler, Trego, Gregory, Mendis, Hussain and Kirby
Chris Read puts us in and we really did not need to see Marcus Trescothick walking back after 3 balls LBW and with pretty poor body language according to the commentators...a man out of form is a nice way of putting it.
He started the match with Craig Kieswetter and we see Pete Trego coming in at 3. The plan seems to be attack! Our keeper put one out of the ground and so far away that they don't seem to be able to find it off Ben Phillips..His first 3 overs go for 36 as we power through the first 10 with both batsmen placing the ball over the boundary and Kieswetter sticking another one into the road before they reach a century partnership. Just after that 3 figure milestone Patel gets Trigger trying to cut one and Nick Compton marches to the crease and Craig goes to a 57 ball half century.
119 in the bag at the halfway stage but Nick is well caught by Voges before he gets double figures to his name (he departs with 7). James Hildreth replaces him and is cagey to start with as Patel keeps the press on and is helped by White to keep the score down. It is important that Craig keeps his cool and pushes the score while James gets the feel of the place and what it is like to build a partnership with the man he's been playing with for the Lions all winter. The score starts to move again and they move towards the 150 as the 25th over arrives. 147 for 3 at that point.
But James goes up the wicket to a 'hip high full toss' and top edges it Ben Phillips. The commentators are still talking about 'nervousness' and out comes Jos Buttler with nothing to his name really in 2011. 149 for 4 as the 25th over ends. The 150 arrives in the 26th.
With 8 overs to go the guys are still there with 177 on the board. Notts seem to expect and onslaught but the men on the radio are still talking about Jos's nervous manner. However he has fired off two impressive boundaries and has shown some of the power he had last season. One of them he fires into the bowling hand of White. It goes almost thorugh his palm and to the boundary!!
Then there's a great competition between Jos and Neil Edwards as he looks to smash the ball to the cover point boundary and the tall Notts man keeps diving right and left to stop him. He probably stops 10 runs in an over that went for that amount. Good to see the young men of Somerset in gladiatorial combat.
202 for 4 arrives in the 35th as the batsmen take on Ben who they know and who knows them. Jos has 42 off less than 40 deliveries and is starting to pummel the ball. A 50 in 36 balls in 35 minutes - the man is back.
Jos keeps going but Craig continues to build and faarm the strike to his partner. By the time the 100 partnership comes up Buttler has 78 of them and the next ball Craig hits the two to bring up his century and give him back his confidence. He clubs the next ball to a fielder but in 13 overs he put on 102 with his co-keeper and deserved tha applause as he left the field. Next man in is Suppaih and the best thing he can do is give the strike to his younger partner. 255 with one over to go.
Ball 1 is a single to get Buttler on strike. Ball 2 is hammered for 4. Ball 3 is hammered for four and on to 90. Ball 4 is a missed full toss - dot. Ball 5 goes high and they take 2 which takes him to his highest one day score. Ball 6 goes for 2.
270 for 5 Buttler 94 excellent innings to bring the man back to his peak. 56 balls 13 fours and 2 sixes. Craig got his 100 off 108 balls and set this up. This is sooooo much better. Don't forget Pete's 50 off 40 balls at the start.
The Reply
Gemaal Hussain takes the new ball to Hales. Big test for him leading the attack for a new county. He goes for 8 and needs to tighten up - 'wasn't a great over' was Ralph Dellor's assessment. Neil Edwards faces his old team mates once again but first he needs to get past a 'new boy' in Steve Kirby. He goes for 3. Unfortunately Gemaal is not having a great time and goes for 10 off the next over - not the tight start we needed - putting pressure on Kirby. The initial Notts radio assessment is not a lot of control and not a lot of threat - worrying times for the new boys especially the younger of the 2.
Then. Just when Gemaal needs a lift, Hales skies one and Arul Suppiah hangs on (just) to tha ball and in the fifth over it is Patel at the wicket with Edwards on 35 for 1.
As Grockles seems to have now excluded posters again from the messageboard we move towards the 10 over mark with Trego replacing Hussain to try and stem the tide and Gregory replacing Kirby for the first time. Mendis is also loosening up and we may need him as the new ball attack hasn't made in-roads into the Nottinghamshire batting line-up and they go past 50 in the 9th. Ito's 54 for 1 after 10. Gregory bowled one over for 2 and Mendis is on for his first one day stuff in England. Six encouraging balls later and you could say the press is now on.
In Mendis' second over Patel tries to get one over Hildreth but is 'done in the flight' and caught by the fielder at long on. 69 for 2 after 11 and Arul is warming up to partner his Sri Lankan team mate perhaps?
That is what happens and his first ball is driven hard by Edwards and clasped by his ex-opening partner some 15 yards away 71 for 3 and Read is in. We need this man out!! For those who talk about our the size of our tail. This is the last really recognised batsman in their line-up. The commentators don't seem to rate Ben Phillips as a batting prospect of any kind I'm afraid boys.
They've pulled Mendis off and brought Lewis Gregory back on and he gets Read LBW for 5!! There is the perception that it was high - but who cares once the umpire has put his finger up. 78 for 4 in the 14th. They are saying that Lewis has put some pace on and he certainly beat the Notts captain with that ball.
o his highest one day score. Ball 6 goes for 2.
270 for 5 Buttler 94 excellent innings to bring the man back to his peak. 56 balls 13 fours and 2 sixes. Craig got his 100 off 108 balls and set this up. This is sooooo much better. Don't forget Pete's 50 off 40 balls at the start.
The Reply
Gemaal Hussain takes the new ball to Hales. Big test for him leading the attack for a new county. He goes for 8 and needs to tighten up - 'wasn't a great over' was Ralph Dellor's assessment. Neil Edwards faces his old team mates once again but first he needs to get past a 'new boy' in Steve Kirby. He goes for 3. Unfortunately Gemaal is not having a great time and goes for 10 off the next over - not the tight start we needed - putting pressure on Kirby. The initial Notts radio assessment is not a lot of control and not a lot of threat - worrying times for the new boys especially the younger of the 2.
Then. Just when Gemaal needs a lift, Hales skies one and Arul Suppiah hangs on (just) to tha ball and in the fifth over it is Patel at the wicket with Edwards on 35 for 1.
As Grockles seems to have now excluded posters again from the messageboard we move towards the 10 over mark with Trego replacing Hussain to try and stem the tide and Gregory replacing Kirby for the first time. Mendis is also loosening up and we may need him as the new ball attack hasn't made in-roads into the Nottinghamshire batting line-up and they go past 50 in the 9th. Ito's 54 for 1 after 10. Gregory bowled one over for 2 and Mendis is on for his first one day stuff in England. Six encouraging balls later and you could say the press is now on.
In Mendis' second over Patel tries to get one over Hildreth but is 'done in the flight' and caught by the fielder at long on. 69 for 2 after 11 and Arul is warming up to partner his Sri Lankan team mate perhaps?
That is what happens and his first ball is driven hard by Edwards and clasped by his ex-opening partner some 15 yards away 71 for 3 and Read is in. We need this man out!! For those who talk about our the size of our tail. This is the last really recognised batsman in their line-up. The commentators don't seem to rate Ben Phillips as a batting prospect of any kind I'm afraid boys.
They've pulled Mendis off and brought Lewis Gregory back on and he gets Read LBW for 5!! There is the perception that it was high - but who cares once the umpire has put his finger up. 78 for 4 in the 14th. They are saying that Lewis has put some pace on and he certainly beat the Notts captain with that ball.
The 100 arrives in the 19th as the home side are struggling to keep up with the asking rate. They are 20 odd runs behind now and 'making no real effort' against Trego and Suppiah. At halfway they need 164 more with 6 wickets in hand. One thing to mention is the confidence of Trescothick in the field in his captain role which is being highlighted by the Notts commentary team. Voges and Mulaney are looking very scratchy with a couple of near run outs in one over.
Then it all starts to fall apart for Notts who really haven't put up any real fight for this game. Kirby is re-introduced and gives something to Gemaal as he gets Voges to put it down his throat for a tame end to a tame innings. 148 for 5 is followed by Mulaney being totally beaten by a pacier one from Gregory and he is clean bowled at 156. Elstone is in and immediately out LBW to Kirby 157 for 7. Ben Phillips arrives at the crease ready to stick it to his old mates! He smacks Lewis for 4 and prompts the Boss to bring back Mendis who has been underbowled really. He tosses the ball up and lets the batsmen heave the ball wherever they can. As someone says on the radio this has been a one sided game with a big total hardly being chased by the home side once a couple of wickets were down and the game is over 10 overs before the end and with 3 batsmen still in. White is swinging, Mendis simply "fools" him with a straight one and takes out his off stump. White was through the shot well before the ball arrived. 180 for 8.
Banger now puts Hussain back on to have a look at how he goes against the tail. So the competition between Phillips and Hussain starts. But it doesn't work although Mendis does get Ben to put one down his throat in the field. However, he gets some stick from the end partners with two consecutive sixes followed by a C&B which he takes but he is no balled on height and he finishes with 1 for 66 in 7 - not a one day bowler? Possibly. Adam Dibble take your chance.
Finally Trego catches the last man and we win by 47 runs with 4 and a half overs left. It's a good result with some excelelnt batting and good figures for Mendis (3 for 35) and Suppiah (1 for 21) Kirby and Gregory got 2 apiece but Pete was underbowled again while poor old Gemaal can't presently buy a good performance.
Confidence has to have taken a big jump and now we see if they can push it into the Championship as happened last year after two defeats and then a CB40 win against Glamorgan. On to the Rosebowl.
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I like the resurrection theme of this Easter Sunday thread!!
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:28:13:36:01 by Grockle.
And there was I thinking it was something that I had said, that had made everyone else boycott the site.
Perish the thought.
Or as Grockle would say - Test.
Quote:Grockle
Didn't it seem a little quiet CP?
Inordinately so, Grockle.
Somerset team.
ME Trescothick*, AV Suppiah, C Kieswetter†, NRD Compton, JC Hildreth, JC Buttler, L Gregory, GM Hussain, BAW Mendis, SP Kirby, PD Trego
Nottinghamshire team.
AD Hales, NJ Edwards, SR Patel, AC Voges, CMW Read*†, SJ Mullaney, SL Elstone, GG White, LJ Fletcher, JT Ball
One missing from Notts - It was Ben Phillips, I hear he is a good bowler.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:24:13:54:38 by Mike BOS.
It has been sounding like hard work, prior to that.
We're on top, and will remain so because we have scored more runs than we have lost wickets.
Voges has just caught Compo for 7 in the 21st
Have not heard of or from him for a long time!
But unfortunately he has taken a wicket straight away.
Game would appear to in that sort of position where it could go either way now, though.
We need a period of consolidation for 8 or 9 overs or so.
Jos in.
Notts have picked a young bowling line-up, but it looks like more or less their usual one-day batting line-up, so we will surely need a good many more from here.
I looked at last year's scores and it looked like teams batting first here tend to score 250-260 in 40 overs.
But we're in a bit of a quandry as cannot afford to lose any more wickets for a while.
Tres needs a score but young Buttler seems in good nick.
Good to see a really good innings from Craig, too.
We seem to be on course for the sort of total that most sides got batting first at Trent Bridge last season, but if the last couple of overs go very well, we may surpass it.
Tres needs a score now hopefully on Wed.
I struggle to see what Compton adds to this team to be honest and this year is a big year for him.
A win here could be massive. Hopefully our attack is up for it. Their first 6 look quite strong.
Go Arul! 5 more loke that will do!
But then again, his figures were identical to Ben Phillips - late of this Parish.
A good win for Somerset.
Well done - more please.
A good win today.
I have a new name for you.
Lewis Gregory
Better with the ball and better with the bat.
I never agreed with Rosey signing Ben in the first instance, let alone giving him another contract at the end of 3 years.
Lewis Gregory could possibly be a useful all - rounder, and I liked what I saw of him in the Pakistan game last year, as well as in a Second XI match.
Let's hope that other young professionals - Meschede, Dockrell, Dibble, Haggett, Jones etc. are given a chance also to show what they can do. Opportunities arising to do so, of course.
If Gemaal can't get himself sorted soon he may find Adam Dibble also breathing down his neck.
Good night.
As I said I have had no problems myself but I sent a PM to somebody they received it ok but have been unable to reply, they could not even save it let alone sent it.
How do I know, they telephone me instead.
It appears that you and I are about the only two persons left alive on Planet Grockle.
I am at a loss to understand why it is that we both appear to have experienced no problems whatsoever in posting and /or receiving, whereas many others have.
Quote:Mike BOS
Yes it is odd, the only thing I have not been able to do is add a smiley, and I couldn't change the colour of text.
There's one just for you then.
I often talk to myself anyway.
Have an enjoyable day at North Perrott. From memory it is a pleasant little ground with a good pavilion.
I look forward to reading your account of the game, possibly with some photographs later tomorrow.
You were quite right, Mike. I am on my own it seems.
I don't know why, but there it is.