Must try harder - the Half Term Report
By Grockle et al
July 10 2015
Matthew Maynard must have walked through the gates of the County Ground in early 2015 with a mixture of excitement and 'what the hell am I doing here' coursing through him. The county jungle drums must have given him a better idea of what was going on at Taunton than even the people on Grockles who know everything. Now we have some evidence to look at where the club actually is at the start of the 'Maynard Era' If we aren't winning we must be failing and if we are failing we must remove everyone and replace everyone because there is no middle ground. If you are not number one you are nothing etc etc. Is it really true? What is the position at Taunton at the start of July?
Well it's half term report time and that means time to look at comment and factual performance to try and put a perspective on it all.
The Grockles forum is full of polarisation. The 'hell in a handbasket' brigade are struggling to find a point of agreement with the 'rosey spectacles' group while a number of us look for light and shade in the deep dark v blinding light argument. They agree on one thing (unusual in itself) - it hasn't been a great start to the season.
So let's look at it all. The pre-season loss of Nick Compton was not a good thing but the man wanted to go and there was no point in trying to keep him. As it was, the need for James Hildreth to step up was answered by the player - providing one of his most consistent front halves of the season for half a decade. The problem of the opening trio was going to be an issue and after good start from Johann Myburgh, Maynard had to face a stop/start beginning for Tom Abell's first full season and on going problems with his skipper's form in the opening position. The early big hundred from Marcus clouded the issue rather than clarified it and there is a growing school of thought that the big man will call it a day at the end of the summer rather than stand down from the opening slot. He isn't finished in the eyes of those who see him going on as a dangerous middle order batsman (a la Collingwood) but he may be in his own eyes because he only sees himself as an opener. Unless his form in that position improves greatly he may face an ultimatum and the decision may be taken out of his hands. I personally don't expect to see Marcus Trescothick in 2016 Somerset colours and I have to admit I'm not sure how I feel about that.
Presently it is not an issue because the experiment with the aggressive Tom Cooper has not worked. It was always going to be a gamble and it hasn't gone the way Maynard hoped. The man hasn't the patience to work at number 3 and that has created a lack of self confidence which has seen his form fade away. Johann Myburgh has once again been asked to step in to a position he wasn't expecting to have. Luckily James Hildreth has been 'Mr Solid' at four and the front end has found a kind of base though it is a shakey one and is liable to fall apart in any game. This will have to change and the debates about the international in 2016 may be overtaken by the need for a batting international captain to take this side forward. No domestic names come to mind and there is no replacement for the present club captain on the books at Taunton.
The number 5 batting position has, of course been affected by the problems at the front end. Jim Allenby was not expected to be our number 5 CC1 batsman, I doubt he was expected to be number 6 but with the loss of form of Peter Trego and the loss of Craig Kieswetter to injury and then tragically to retirement he has found himself there. We, the supporters, have found this a problem, he is out of position and with a collapsing front end he is also in too early too often. Lots of moaning about the depth and the 'loss' of Alviro Petersen and the failure to sign Colin Ingram have all been put at the door of the new coach, the captain, the Chief Executive, the architects of the new pavilion. Why aren't we picking up 'loan signings'? Why didn't we plan for this? Well we did to some extent and probably did not expect all the batting issues we have encountered. Alex Barrow's complete loss of form has not helped the situation and the failure of Lewis Gregory to move up the order may also have had an effect. The end product has been a failure to make enough quality runs in the top five in a first innings and too many games where we were chasing totals or relying on the tail and bowling attacks to keep us in matches. We are at least one specialist batsman short and our own 'resources' have not taken up the opportunities to make that position theirs.
As with many sides without an age spectrum, we are in transition. There are many players in the Somerset squad who are either in their last years or their first. There are almost no mid 20's players in the squad, settled in their positions and there for a number of years. The men at the back end of their careers may retire, this is likely in the case of Trescothick and Thomas, in which case we lose both our appointed captains. Others may find their roles are limited by the demands of professional cricket on their bodies, Peter Trego and Tim Groenewald may find this an issue. Meanwhile the younger players may not fulfill the potential that is expected of them. Although Craig Overton and Tom Abell seem to have made the move to first team consistency, Lewis Gregory, George Dockrell, Jamie Overton, Jack Leach and Alex Barrow are finding it harder and may not make the cut. It seems that Adam Dibble will lose out to fitness issues and confidence in Josh Davey's ability to tighten up his bowling will see him leave at the end of the season. Others may fall between the 'two stools' of skill. Max Waller is a useful T20 leg spinner and fielder but does not seem to have the skill set to be of use in longer formats. Michael Bates is a very competent keeper who may not have enough batting ability to maintain a first team place. James Reagan may not be afforded the time to convince in either skill. It suggests a bit of a 'clearout' at the end of the summer but some are asking whether the second team and Academy has personnel to fill the places left or does the club have to go looking in the kolpak market - something they have fought against doing while local talent was about. In a 'time of transition' can a club get rid of its two appointed captains, most, if not all, of its spinners and a large amount of its young intake at the same time? Is it worth keeping them if they cannot provide the quality required? Over to you Mr Maynard.
And so to the bowling. It was welcomed that we appointed a fulltime international player early in the year. Abdur Rehman had a record of taking wickets for the club and had been a succesful, if part-time, international for us before. We needed a wicket taking spinner, George Dockrell had still not got over his finger injury and had not impressed in his second season. He held batsmen rather than dismissed them and had been struggling to do even that at the end of 2015. Jack Leach was a player who looked promising but he had the unlucky habit of getting injured when we needed him to be fit and had therefore not been able to take advantage of opportunities in front of him. Max Waller struggled to get out of the T20 format as an effective player. He suggested batting skills but the club did not seem to have faith in his second XI scores. It may be that circumstances require them to test him in the 50 over competition. If not then it is difficult to see why he would stay or how we could afford him after September of this year. Unfortunately, we seem to have been too impressed with Abdur's record from 3 years ago and not his lack of cricket since then. Up to now he has not been a force with the ball of any kind and with another Leach injury and the absence of Dockrell on international call up we have missed an effective spin option on too many occasions.
The seam attack has once more been led by Alfonso Thomas but he has not been the force of the past. He is not the 'death bowler' in T20 that he was and has been our most expensive bowler in that format. His form in the four dayers has been better but not on a par with his previous seasons. People are calling for his removal from the T20 side but as the short form captain that is probably not going to happen quickly., if at all The real succes in the seam area is the improvement of Craig Overton, though managing his workload has been a headache and the interest of the England camp has been a worry in the sense that just as we get him to a point where he is useful to us regularly he may become an international and bit player for the county.
Craig's brother Jamie is also of interest to the ECB but remains to both his club and his country an unpredictable speed machine. We have used him ineffectively in the T20 where his lack of control has caused problems for us and joy for opposing batsmen. In four day games he has had a little more time but has yet to move to the next plateau of skill. Tim Groenewald has been good and not so good in both formats. He bowls effective spells but can disappear out of a game for periods of time when nothing happens. He doesn't go for hatfuls but he takes no wickets. The fact that we are using Peter Trego sparingly (and not at all in T20) makes this a problem as Lewis Gregory provides the same kind of levels of productivity. Maynard believes in rotating his bowlers and will not use Craig at all in the T20 so what our most effective unit is can be a question that is hard to answer in most formats. The bowling has been more effective and we can take 20 wickets on a good day but whether we have a defendable score in order to do it is a matter of doubt.
So.... as a cricket side we are presently a middling four day unit. Our batting is weak but our bowling can make a side struggle if it gets its eye in. We need the batting to hit some kind of total so our bowlers can keep us in games. The spin department is almost non existent and Jack Leach must be given a chance if we feel he has any merit at all at the moment. We all hope that the summer will start to dry out wickets and Abdur may come to the party but how long can a side wait? A result and a couple more draws and we will manage to survive this year but it does not solve the longer term problems which may need hard decisions to be made alongside careful purchases in the winter to keep us in the first division in 2016.
We are a poor to middling T20 side. We will not compete in the knockout stages of the competition this year and we don't deserve to. The use of Chris Gayle for a few games was a treat for the supporters who saw him and a bit of a financial coup for the club but nothing more than that. The side around him could not maintain a competitive edge. How can a player hit 150 odd off 62 balls and be on the losing side? The loss of Cory Anderson made little difference and Sohail Tanvir was little more than an oddity although effective in his way. Luke Ronchi was an after thought and although he has had his moments he will not change the tide (we are presently at 72 for 6 chasing 173 against Kent and highly unlikely to get them). The T20 will fill the coffers and little else.
The 50 over tournament? Well that is winging its way towards us and will at least tell us whether Matt is learning on the job and how quickly.
The club itself seems to have lost its way because of the problems of the Director of Cricket role since the departure of Brian Rose. The importance of money and club status seems to have been over emphasised and over marketed. Obsessions with international cricket and the facilities to achieve that have sidelined the cricket to some extent in the eyes of those in charge while frustrating those looking on. Somerset have taken their eye off the ball and opposing sides have smashed it firmly and consistently into the windows of the new pavilion development across the new international boundary. The supporters really care very little about International games at Taunton. It makes the roads a bit busy for a day and might be worth a trip down for a look but that is it. It is NOT the future lifeblood of a provincial county. Survival in the top echelons of the domestic game using our own Academy to keep us there and ensure the flow of the important thing - talent on the field - is Somerset's way through the discussions of franchise and reduced county cricket. It is not a time for Somerset to be weak or seen as weak on the field of play.
There is more wrong than right. Some is just a case of minor manipulation. Some is more ingrained and harder to shift and it will need strong characters to make the change whether they come from the playing personnel or the management. Some has been a club problem for a decade or more and may need some VERY hard work to remove. But it all needs doing to allow the progress and developement of the next Somerset side to push for that elusive CC1 pennant.
I think the kernel of that Championship winning side is playing at the County Ground this season and while others let their desperation to win a championship in their lifetime cloud their judgement of the position I am happy to wait because it will come in its own sweet time if we work on the positives and in the words of Dougas Adams
'DONT PANIC'
Over to you lot.......
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:17:19:33:28 by Grockle.
It would seem that you are anticipating a bit of a 'clear out' at the end of the year. How big remains to be seen.
I am confident that Alex Barrow will "make the cut" but perhaps as a batter who could keep in a given situation. From what I have seen of him, he is a competent 'keeper but I suspect that 'keeping regularly is having a detrimental effect on his batting.
IMO he will come again.
Abell, COverton, Gregory are a big boost, they have all shown that they are capable of match winning performances. JOverton looks the part but hasn't produced the match figures to prove himself as yet-however he remains young. I'm happy for them to continue their upward trajectory, I just hope they aren't overcoached or misused tactically and I wonder if that has already happened in the case of Gregory and Joverton in a couple of instances...
5 and 6 are a big problem. We seem to be trying to find a way to squeeze players onto the team sheet, despite their poor returns. This isn't helped by the lack of squad options. I am a big fan of both Allenby and Trego but both are batting too high and under-utilised as bowlers, so are therefore for the most part, playing as pure batsmen. Even with Trego's upturn of form of late its not his position. With the thorny issue of CM's possible return or departure from the club hanging over such choices, JA and MM must be feeling worried about JA's returns. With an extra batsman recruited and a bowler dropped, either could be moved down but they would then need to bowl more and take wickets to justify their spot. If CM did return I just can't see how all three players could be kept happy.
Spin is a worry. Rehmann has been a waste of money so far. Even more worrying is the fact that JL, GD and MW can't force themselves into the team in spite of AR's form.
I think there is room for improvement in our seam attack but considering where they are in age and development terms we should be pleased with what they have achieved so far.
The age demographic and cover for positions is something which appears to have been ignored when assembling the squad. Sadly this can't really be helped mid-season. Hopefully that will be addressed, but it takes bravery to get rid of the likes of Trescothick, Thomas, Allenby, Myburgh, Cooper and replace them with younger unproven players. I wouldn't be sad to see at least 3 of those names move on. I suspect though that both Thomas and Trescothick may remain albeit in reduced capacity. The overseas player for the CC also a big decision-not sure which international team is touring next summer?
This season could yet go very wrong. We remain only 12 points above the relegation zone-nothing in it in CC terms with half a season remaining. Regardless of future results I hope that management are willing to give squad players an opportunity in the remainder of the season.
I do expect a change of playing staff at the end of the season. How big is a good question and I have no answers but there are a number who may be looking to the end of the season with trepidation.
Much of the hard work in my opinion is done. A crop of young players who the club have nurtured, developed and who now are finding their way in the first class game. It doesn't stop there though, the youth cricket, the emerging player programme, the academy, the schools links are all very firmly established to continue the flow of young players into the county game. I wouldn't write off a single young player..the clue is there. They are young and some take longer than others to develop. I agree that potential at some stage needs to turn into performance but we are not at that point with any of our crop in my opinion. Its a shame that Dibble has not had opportunities and it may be time for him to consider his options but all the others have great potential. Leach, Dockrell and Barrow are young talented cricketers who have an exciting future. Davey too, given opportunities. Regan has shown promise with the bat, I believe his keeping needs work but he is young! At the end of this season, Tres and Alfonso together with club have important decisions to consider. I believe it may be time for new leaders and they might well come from within our own ranks, who knows.We are a club with an exciting future and with one of the best crop of young players around..I say lets embrace them encourage them and support them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:12:17:30:28 by Grockle.
It's just my perception and I can't remember too many, but Durston, Meschede, Leach, Dockerell, Munday, Spurway, Blackie, Cobley, Andall to name but a few
Firstly, what a very approachable and likeable bloke.
Asked him where he thought it had gone wrong this season and he simply said "too many senior players haven't performed"
We chatted about Jamie Overton and Tom Abell - unsurprisingly, MM thought they both had bright futures ahead of them.
I"d love to know who you think we preferred from the old echelons in some of those cases but it is too ludicrous a 'perception' to ask.
So your 'perception'.of present day age discrimination is based on the lack of opportunity given by Somerset because of their youth to Wes Durston, Ian Blackwell, Mike Munday and Sam Spurway!!
You do know that George is not with us until the end of July because he is playing for his country?
😂😂😂
As for me taking rubbish, guilty as charged. I've got so used to reading the same on here, it's infected me.
Sam Spurway packed it in, partly because of a young keeper called Kieswetter and another called Buttler
Munday was given so much time to develop. He didn't
Jack Leach? Maybe but that is by no means certain. Lewis, Tom, Craig and Jamie Alex Max Jos, CK
Who the hell has 'disappeared'?
Those who couldn't get in were usually injured or not good enough. Only Callum Haggett (health issue) and James Burke (plenty of time to break in here but just as he was took the money and ran) have moved on to other counties recently. I don't include Gareth Andrew simply because in my opinion he wasn't good enough and he hasn't really proved me wrong as a bowler though credit to him for creating an all rounder position at Worcs.
It's all in your head Botham. There is soooo little evidence to back it up I can't believe you are trying to justify it as an opinion.
You already had the 'talking rubbish' disease at the start of your time on this site. If we were looking for the 'infection' you would be very close to 'patient zero'.
edited to complete a sentence about Callum and James
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:13:12:38:47 by Grockle.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:13:10:04:56 by Grockle.
Quote:Botham
For many years we seem to finish seasons saying that we have a fine crop of youngsters coming through, then they seem to be forgotten about.
How right you are, Botham. Since the end of last season I've already completely forgotten about Abell, Gregory and the Overtons. I suppose I have to expect amnesia at my age. Now where was I?
Carl Gazzard, he was a promising youngster, as was Wes Durston.
He then gave up the game of his own accord to take on a career in Insurance. Another who saw CK coming through and wanted more stability
Wes Durston? Do you know how long Wes was here? How was he discriminated against in relation to his age?
You certainly implied it directly in your eariier reference to this 'perception" when you said they were overlooked for older players on the Hants thread on 22 June. I doubt anyone else would read it any other way.
For once just accept that the evidence does not back up the 'perception' and that Somerset have nailed their flag to a youth policy wherever possible for over 5 years. I still don't see how Wes of all people even backs up the way you are now trying to twist this.
Nor does Munday who was here ages, Blackie who was here ages Mesch who is still here according to the club. The facts don't hold up either argument.
If you want to keep this going give us a credible youngster who was here a short time, given no opportunity and released to ply his trade successfully anywhere else.
But to show it is a policy or a trend you are going to have to find about 10 of them because as LoL pointed out there are 4 presently being given those opportunities you say we deny them.
Two have even been sent to other clubs to get more opportunity though I'm not so happy about that in one case myself.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:14:10:22:41 by Grockle.
However he was not young at all at the time he left and was not passed over for someone older. IMO he left because in the eyes of the man that counted at the time he was overweight and unfit and - again at the time - that was not seen as acceptable.
I can think of about three who have left us and done as well elsewhere but nary a one other than IB who could be deemed to have done better.
Just my view of course.
The only ones I could think of besides the ones already mentioned were Ian Bishop who was released mid season and had one good season at Surrey before returning to minor league cricket in Devon (hope James Burke does better at Surrey) and Ben Trott who was released here, got a second team slot for Kent at Taunton and did so well they signed him, He had an extremely good start and then also tailed off into obscurity.
Jamie Groves left us for Leicestershire and later admitted it was the worst decision he ever made - another one season guy.
Mark Turner of course left us to finish his career with Derbyshire but there isn't anyone who can say we didn't give him a chance. Including the worst decision I think Marcus ever made giving him the last over against Warwickshire in a Final and paying a heavy price for that opportunity as Bell won the trophy for his side.
Callum Haggett is doing well at Kent but he had a heart condition for a lot of his time here which badly affected things we could offer him.
And way back Neil Burns and Luke Sutton went elsewhere because they weren't going to get a look in against Rob Turner - but they were of an age and good enough to get berths elsewhere.
I struggle to think of who Botham is actually thinking of.......
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2015:07:15:11:44:12 by 9th brother Dredge.
The club still appear to see him (to judge by batting orders, although something changed yesterday for some reason) to be the best batting prospect amongst our young all-rounders.
I'm not convinced that the club are correct about that. He must look really good with the bat in the nets or something because the club clearly find it hard to shake the conviction that he's a great prospect with the bat in spite of thin evidence from CC matches.
Meschede will hopefully not be one of our mistakes and will. If he is handed a new contract and a starting berth next season, it will be a good decision for all concerned that he was sent out on loan.
I can't agree about Wes. I think we spotted his talent but we didn't need the batting aspect at the time and he seemed happy to be this occasional spinning middle order guy. I think the thing that spurred Wes on was when the comfort zone was removed and he had to work hard to get a contract while in the doldrums with the Unicorns. He wasn't going to get there on his bowling and so he pushed his talent into the forefront.
Lesson for Max maybe though he isn't the batsman Wes is.
Quote:As I remember things, at the time a decision was having to made about giving Wes a new contract, there were some 'off the field' issues never talked about openly but rumoured, AND the question of ages to do with ECB funding. Nick Compton being 2 years younger was given the contract and Wes drifted away. I was never aware of the 'off the field' issues and as their career batting averages were very similar, I would have been happy for Wes to get the nod because of his outstanding fielding and useful bowling. As it turned out Nick served us well until, allegedly, love interests turned his head back to London.Monkey Butler
I think we failed to spot Durston's talents.....).
Old Boy!
How long does it take to travel from Taunton to London, and how much is the train fare in proportion to Nick's/his love interest's annual salary?
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
He got the Championship & we got a burnt out JL.
Whoever was at fault, it was a crying shame.
Grizzzy
I thought when Somerset let Munday go it was a big surprise. At the end of that season he had had his first ten-wicket match. My feeling was that they felt he was a risk and wouldn't progress-perhaps they saw other options as better? But i did find the timing weird on that since I felt a breakthrough had been made.
WD suffered from being good at everything but not putting up consistent returns in the CC. At the time we had a few bits and pieces guys and I suppose he was seen as most expendable. His fielding was really good (I remember a run out he did the year we won the T20). He may or may not have developed into the player he eventually became had he stayed at Somerset. The same thing can be said now of CM.
I would have been happier had they kept any of these three in place of short-term kolpaks but some of those kolpaks did rather well for us. Van der Merwe could be good. But next season, if it came down to him or CM which option is to be preferred?
He played for Somerset from 1982 to 1988 inclusive before moving to Northamptonshire the following season, where he remained a player for a further six seasons.
Somerset announced their 'retained list' before the end of the 1988 season, and despite not figuring on it, Felton was selected for the final match of the season v. Gloucestershire.
In our second innings, Felton scored a very good century in a losing cause. Upon his dismissal, when he walked off the pitch to a very good reception from the crowd, not only did he raise his bat to acknowledge the crowd's applause, but he waved it intentionally in the direction of the Somerset committee room in the Colin Atkinson Pavilion as if to say - "You've sacked me, but I can still score runs" and so it later proved to be the case.