Glamorgan plus one T20

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:16:14:28:55 by Grockle.

Trigger is in for this one - bit of a surprise given news this morning of probably using a second spinner (what RvdM is I'm not sure).

He's in for Timmy G though which seems a little strange.

I'm going to run this as the thread simply because the other thread has already hit 100 posts and that is when the mobile version starts to clog up.

So any comments on this game on here please. Fanx

I can log into the commentary site and learn that commentary is now happening, but no sound is coming through. Is this ,y fault or is there a wider problem?

I now find I can get the BBC Wales commentary but not the Somerset one.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

As the second richest man in England I have paid to. Put a spanner in the BBC's works. For goodness sake LoL find something more worthwhile to listen to on a Sunday afternoon.

Why is Lewis being asked to bowl (or to a degree play at all) in these games?
Surely, if he has a serious back problem, he should have had treatment as soon as it was known.
This way he might have been able to come back fro the last one or two CC1 games?

Apparently he needs a major op to bolt his back together. I agree better he gets it fixed straight away. But he'd have no chance of being back this season, either way.

Going to have to chase 185+ at this rate...

Thanks AG.
If he needs a major op, what on earth is he doing playing, and Somerset management allowing/picking him?
Get it fixed, even if he doesn't play again this season - that must be better than risking more damage?

Quote:

AGod
Going to have to chase 185+ at this rate...

210 plus!

We were told that this back injury was not going to get any worse earlier in the season. We are now being told that the painkilling injections aren't lasting as long as they hoped so he can't play long duration games. If the back is saying 'I hurt' it means 'I need fixing'.

Get the bloody tools out and bolt the fella back together rather than asking him to bowl in a lost cause or in longer games if he can't do it.

100 up at 10.4 overs.

So very Somerset to let rubbish like Nick Selman smash his highest T20 score in a must-win game

BBC Somerset is now on air!

Don't despair - all is going to form.

Somerset will win this, so get behind the team.

a bit previous to say "rubbish like Nick Selman" given that today was only his second T20 innings.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Both Gregory and Jamie Overton have chronic back problems at a comparatively young age, and this season is not the first it has happened.

With a thin playing staff the club cannot tolerate 2 players missing months off each season through a repeated injury.

Sadly the only option is for the club to offload them both on health and fitness grounds.

If they temporarily recover it will be the same again next year and so on.

I await the abuse.

A glass half - empty or a glass half - full?
Regardless, both glasses need filling up.

Well done, Max Waller.

Power plays could scarcely be more different here - they made loads and we've started sluggishly.

They aren't going to do it Tom so saying they should is pretty pointless and abusing you for saying it makes as much sense.

It seems to be a career characteristic of most young bowlers. Jamie or Lewis are not the only ones. They aren't the first and they probably won't be the last.

It may do for Jamie in the end as he seems to have the more serious problem but should we put him on the market with this issue there are a number of counties who would pay for the treatment and play him.

Maybe they should bolt their backs before they start. Un-natural sporting action creates injury issues shock horror.

The things kids do to become famous aye?

The back injuries are undoubtedly a concern, Tom S, but good bowlers don't grow on trees.

Far from getting rid of bowlers, this club will - if we go down- probably have to consider improving the contracts of certain players to ward off interest from CC1 sides..

The injuries to LG and Jove might limit interest in them this winter, I suppose. Two spinners and Cove very likely to be in demand and will, presumably, be more tempted to go if we're in the wastelands of CC2.

I was tempted not to bite by Tom's post, but I failed. Both are far too talented to just dump. I'd agree that you probably wouldn't take a risk on signing them if they were approaching or over 30, but I'd hope Somerset keep hold of them for a few years yet & see whether their maturing/operated on bodies can handle the demands.

Oh dear. 26 for 2. I'm surprised they didn't send Hildreth in here to try to get things going with some quick singles etc.

The Trego for TG switch was presumably designed to lengthen the batting line-up and it looks as though that might prove the right call as we may well need the extra batsman here.

I'd love to know what the hell they said in Myburgh's mid-season appraisal?

With Allenby it was, presumably, a case of 'You haven't performed well enough so we do not envisage retaining you.'

But what excuse did they give to Mybs one wonders? In other words, what was Mybs "supposed," to have done, that he did not do?

They can't say "you haven't done well enough in red ball this season," because not given a chance.

They can't say "not done well enough in white ball," because the man has slapped seven shades of the brown stuff out of it in white ball.

"Matthew doesn't like the cut of your jib, sorry"????

"You looked a bit scratchy in the nets"???????????



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:13:16:19:46 by AGod.

How about 'You are 37 years old, and you have started a teaching career in the winter, so, no offence, but we need to look to the future'.

Or words to that effect.

We have young prospect batsmen coming out of our ears, as well as another batsman that is quite a bit older than Mybs who is presuambly coming to the end of the line. And Allenby going, of course. So there's no obvious need to 'do a Warwickshire," from an age stand-point.

I'll go with yours Chunky. Though I don't understand why that stops us using a man who is seeing it this well when we have issues in our batting in many departments.

He could do us a last service before HE CHOOSES to change career.

There is a difference between 'releasing' a player and 'letting him go'. Myburgh seems to be going down the Folland route rather than being thrown on the scrapheap by the DoC.

I'd still pick him for every game where we need a bloke with a bat between here and the end of the season.

For some reason, he did not seem to be asked about this, at all, on his commentary stints (at least not that I heard).

If JGM had simply decided he'd had enough then there would be no logical reason for the topic to be off-limits at the Beeb and it would, surely, have been an obvious topic to ask the man about?

What I did hear JGM say was that he had "certainly not given up hope of playing red ball cricket for us."

And, given that we are supposed to be fighting for our lives in CC1, there remains no good reason not to pick him to do exactly that......

I had been wondering whether he'd told MM that he was off and so didn't want to play red ball anymore but that's very clearly not the case.

Mybs did mention that he was ill at the beginning of the season but, also, that he is completely fine now.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:13:16:40:06 by AGod.

If Peter Trego wants to play red ball cricket this season, then now would be a fine moment to enter, win this match, and then do well in the home seconds game vs Essex (to back up his bowling in the seconds game vs Hants) to force his way back in for Chelmsford...

If there is nothing to talk about it also has no reason to be discussed.

Johann had a hand injury, it wasn't kept a secret. He then played.

Please keep looking for stories where there may be none. Just because something is not discussed does not always suggest some kind of Somerset D Notice on the subject.

Paranoia is sometimes just that. There weren't 'no go areas' in the Myburgh commentary unless it was a very well kept secret and George Dobel wasn't given 'no go areas' in his interview with MM recently.

This may just be a non story I'm afraid AG, except for the reason why he hasn't been used more often in the four dayer.

Your final sentence is the important part of said story, though.

Mybs 60, and the rest 56 thus far.

Wagg on course to be not far off Milne style figures, at this rate.

I'm not saying it will happen but maybe J.M. could be available for T20 next season as it's played during school holidays.

Spoke too soon re: Wagg - Mr Myburgh has spoiled his figures.

Good call, RR.

Maybe playing with Johann will give Jim a different perspective on this player because he is our hope at the moment at 142 for 4 with Myburgh on 75 off 43.

40 off 5 overs.

150 up with 4.1 to go

Looking like a good win now. Particular credit to Max Waller and the Meerkat for making the chase manageable and then to Mybs for executing said chase.

A mention also for LG who, depsite his injury, took what was surely the key wicket - that of Mr Ingram - another 20-30 balls of him and Glamorgan's total would have been out of reach.

Heartbreak Hotel.

Grizzzly

Disappointing to say the least!

Snatching defeat..... Allenby should have come in later. Overton should have come in before both Trigger and Allenby. No excuse for a side needing 21 from 18. A side that loses from there is simply NOT a T20 side.

Thanks and tara Jim. Just weren't up to it tactically I'm afraid and we should not be surprised that we are not in the knock out because we haven't been consistent enough.

Having said that well bowled de Lange in over 20 and well played Johann Myburgh for keeping it alive for as long as he did.

... but predicable

Yes, JM will certainly leave a big hole in our T20 team next season, if indeed he does exit entirely.

Maybe something can be worked around BR's idea.

Grizzzly

Yep. It is always funny how members of the other side's press corps always give up the ghost before we think of victory. Glamorgan boys all thought they were dead 2 overs out and we all thought they were in the driving seat with a rusty Peter and RvdM at the wrong end.

There should be a rule in a final over. Don't attempt a 'ramp' until it will win you the game!! Both of them tried it and both of them failed. Score a run a ball minimum and look for the boundary. All that was needed.

We still panic under scoreboard pressure. Again NOT the characteristic of a good T20 side.

Is this all over? can we go back to playing cricket.

... but if we beat Hampshire on Friday we shall probably qualify for the QF.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

No excuse for losing that - in T20 terms it was a gimmee - run a ball and wait - rubbish from the last two and we get what we deserve this season which will probably be nothing other than relegation.
In life you get what you deserve generally and we got MM...........?

There were a few people today saying, unfortunately for us,that Myburgb is moving to Essex next year with his family.On a more positive note Max has apparently been offered a new contract.

Well if they want Bess to play regularly in white ball (and Matthew has said that they do) then if Max is going to be offered a new deal then perhaps VDM will leave?

Or are we going to try and prepare dust bowls for home T20 games and play all three of them?

I wouldn't object but your average paying punter might not take kindly to 135-8 beat 118 all out by 17 runs every week?

This result summed up the whole group for me.

A collection of mediocre and thoroughly inconsistent T20 teams with the group having all the characteristics (predictability wise) of a lottery.

But you have to say this was an amateurish ending from Somerset, it really was. In this match, we had Trego as a 'specialist number 8 batman," - why!? And Allenby managed to muster the strength to bowl one over (for once) but was otherwise a specialist number 6 batsman - also a bit unusual in T20. Just daft to not manage to get VDM onto strike.

I don't imagine Peter was amused with his role as a specialist number 8 batsman.

Think we will struggle to qualify even if we beat Hampshire as we are the lowest placed team on 13 games and all the overs beneath can either match or overtake us with their game in hand

My thoughts on a pretty enjoyable afternoon spent in the delightful company of my wife on Thatcher's Terrace. Apart from the barbecue starting over an hour later than the advertised time the day started well, with a brief visit to the beer festival in stragglers, on the way. We sat with a platinum member, who told us that Trego had fallen out with Mr Maynard.

Perhaps they made up, but as much as I love Peter, he didn't help as much today. I thought we missed a trick in the last over by not attempting a bye through to the keeper who was a long way back. We had two opportunities to do this and missed both and we lost by one run .

Although Alan boot made a contribution, I felt he got in and took a long time about doing so and then when we'll set he gave his wicket away, but Elgar and Hildreth did exactly the same

I feel we have too many average players on the side and those that we have could do with better leadership.

Maybe the difference today was that Clamorgan enjoyed a fair slice of luck, with two boundaries to fine third man.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed the day and may well return to such salubrious surroundings.

Just how did we manage to lose by one run with Craig Overton still in the pavilion with three overs left.

It was a a crass mistake to send in Peter Trego at that stage. Not surprisingly after his long absence, he looked all at sea, not even getting a bat on four very average half-trackers from Hogan and then de Lange. I would have put a premium bet on Craig lifting at least one of those over the ropes.

On the bad luck side of the equation, Somerset would also have won if Lewis Gregory`s straight drive in the power play had not knocked all three stumps at the bowler`s end out of the ground - and gone for a boundary instead.

Unfortunately the title of the thread was prophetic.
Perhaps Friday's title needs to be something like Hampshire T20 minus 20

Meant to be that Rod. It seems we have a mathematical chance still of qualifying but I hope we don't make it because we don't deserve it.

Botham posted we are a pretty average bunch with poor leadership. Not sure that we are that average but we are poorly balanced and our strategy has been wanting far too many times.

We were more competitive than last year but still too conservative and predictable. So. Let's get back on the drawing board over the winter and deal with the immediate issue now of keeping the county in CC1

Tues Midx to beat Glos
Thu Sur to beat Glos. Kent to beat Essex.
If those 3 come in we have a chance.
Realistically its a huge long shot but we arent out quite but very close.....

That's the pot calling the kettle black if ever I have witnessed it.

You hope "we don't make it to qualifying because we don't deserve it"? You have come down on others like a ton of bricks for making similar statements to that.

Spew out all the bile and rancour you feel is justified, but don't expect others to take you seriously dude.

A glass half - empty or a glass half - full?
Regardless, both glasses need filling up.

You mean I call it as I see it Tom? You criticise me for 'toeing the party line' and then post this? Ha ha ha.

I can justify this position Tom. You want me to do that? Read my reports on the games. I've also agreed with the assessment of Botham tonight because when it isn't right I can state it and back it up.

I come down 'like a ton of bricks' on people like you when you make statements that you will NOT back up - partly because you generalise problems that mostly are based on nothing. I can discuss my belief and back it up with incidents that actually happened in the real world.

If we qualify we qualify but I personally don't think we deserve it as a T20 unit.

'Bile and rancour' about what?

I post balance. When it's good it's good and when it's bad it's not so good. Is that what you can't handle.

Our consistency is not good enough and we don't deserve to qualify in my personal opinion.

If you look back you'll find this is a consistent stance as I said exactly the same thing last year.

You don't take me seriously? You think that matters to me or many others on this site? You think they take you seriously? Poor boy.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:13:22:54:33 by Grockle.

Quote:

Grockle
I hope we don't make it because we don't deserve it.

I can't believe this. T20 is a lottery, we might still get through. Do you hope we go down in the CC?

Nope. I think we have more as a CC1 unit. I believe we can compete at CC1.

I don't believe that we are a good enough T20 unit. I haven't for more then 1 season. I'd rather see Kent in the T20 knock outs because I think they can contribute more to the competition as a unit.

The Southern region is a mess and we may get through. If so... so be it.

Are we one of the best 4 sides in the South? Over the competition not in my opinion and we will not add to the knock out section if our consistency is as it has been.

It's my opinion. It doesn't have to be yours.

In my opinion we have the wrong captain.

We do not have any idea who should bat where. Our bowlers are ill equipped for this type of game on the whole.

We bowl too short too often with seam and we do not play enough slow bowlers while our medium pacers who should be putting in the overs in the middle are hardly used Trego, Allenby. Bowl them if you play them or don't play them.

We don't know where to play Myburgh, We don't know where to play Elgar, We don't know where to play Hildreth, We don't know where to play RvdM. We under use the batting of Cove and Tim when he plays. We should not be using Lewis at all.

Our captain is predictable and inflexible. He has done better this year but not by much.

Shame about Hose but do we have other young batsmen we could have used? Banton?, Davies? R, Bartlett?, Byrom?, Rouse? Not sure and I'm not certain anyone else is.

It's just a mess and we are muddling through. If we muddle through then we do but please don't suggest that this is a meticulously planned campaign because it is anything but.

But it's my view on what I've seen. Some of it has worked and there is something to work on but can we honestly say that it looked like we had done lots of prep for T20 over the winter? I just can't see it though I have hoped to all season.

So if we qualify we do but I don't think we have done much to deserve it. But it is what it is.

Which teams in our group do deserve to go through? All have been average, to be honest.

Having said that, it may be better for us to focus entirely on CC1 rather than have some knockout T20 game to also prepare for.

So I too don't really want us to go through, put purely because we have bigger fish to fry and could benefit from a single-minded focus on that goal.

AGod- Only problem with that is losing can be habit forming.

For years Middlesex thought they could completely ignore T20, because the championship was all that mattered. After a month of getting thrashed in every T20 game, everyone's confidence was gone, and championship form suffered.

You can't, unfortunately, swap two T20 losses for two championship wins.

Yes, but we haven't completely ignored it and, this year, have won nearly as many games as we've lost.

Okay, if we lose to Hants then that would be 3 defeats in a row but that's not the same as a whole month of losing.

I'm not saying that we should not try vs Hants, simply that it may well be better if we don't go through (and the arithmetic makes it unlikely anyway).

As to the calibre of our current T20 outfit?

It's average and some average sides will go through from our group.

But we were spoilt with an exceptional T20 side for a number of years and may be guilty of judging ourselves against that zenith, rather than against realistic expectations.

At one point we had three world class T20 players - Marcus, Jos and Alf all in the same team, backed by other international class players in the likes of Kieswetter, Pollard and Kartik.

More than half of the XI at times was international class or better.

Here is the Somerset stats for the T20. [stats.espncricinfo.com]

I am sorry to say some big errors are being made by who ever makes these decisions.

Should Peter Trego have been picked to play, on form no. even Max Waller has a better batting average than Peter T.

It's not questionable who should have batted first, with Craig Overton average over 31. (I know I said I don't like averages).

It's errors like this that may have cost us the match.

I agree we haven't completely ignored it but we seemed to think that tinkering with little bits would be enough when a fundamentaĺ rethink was what was needed after the debacle of last year.

Corey Anderson was the right choice of player but we needed one who could bat AND bowl and wasn"t an injury liability. We probably needed a second but chose not to go there.

We said we were going for youth but did not. Did we spend the winter working with Davey, van Meekeren and Leask looking at how to vary and fool a batsman with pace and no pace? Did we look at a role for Ryan in this competition? Did we assess the quality of our up and coming young batsmen in order to offer them opportunity?

There wrte other things we could have done but we paid lip service to them and relied on old out dated and 'dependable' tactics which didn't work in 2016 and weren't dependable enough in 2017.

So we are where we are and where our efforts have put us.

Trego took the criticism very badly about his role in the loss on twitter. So much so that he had to clarify that he wasn't announcing his retirement.

The youth thing was strange. Jim said we would pre-season then the whole thing was promptly re-canted in favour of 'strongest XI regardless of age,' Just before the tournament started.

Mike - one thing to possibly say in defence of the Trego selection... sometimes, when a player has owned a particular opponent then the mere sight of that opponent is enough to revivify their season. Has any player owned any oppo more than Peter vs Glam in white ball cricket?

Too many times people say what a players has done and not what he is doing. (not aimed at you AG).

I don't understand this business of "it will be better if we don't qualify for the knock out stages". If we qualify it will be because we are good enough to do so. We haven't just played one match and got lucky. I'm no great fan of T20 but I might well go to the Rose Bowl on Friday to lend my support to the team.

The group has been so close that the teams that qualify may well do so down to sheer luck in terms of what happens in the final round of games - for example, whether it rains in some places and not in others. That applies to SCCC and to all of the other teams that might qualify in 4th place.

Mike - yes, indeed, I take the point.

On the Trego selection, the selection was presumably made because Matthew wanted to strengthen the batting (after all Peter doesn't bowl anymore in white ball so it wasn't hard to understand that he wasn't replacing TG for bowling reasons). Given that Matthew wanted to strengthen the batting then the options were, presumably:

Peter Trego
Tom Abell
Eddie Byrom
Tim Rouse
George Bartlett (if he's not away with the Under 19 one day party)
Ryan Davies
Michael Leask

The above would, I believe, be the sum total of the available options? Toms, Banton and Lammonby are away with England U-19.

To be fair to MM, there isn't anybody else on that list who would, unarguably, be a better selection in the T20 XI, IMO. Would anybody else like to advance a case that they consider to be unarguable in favour of any of the other options?

I'm more than happy to criticise Matthew for decisions that are obviously wrong (such as ignoring Myburgh constantly for red ball as almost all others flounder) but, sometimes, the club's resources are limited and there isn't an obvious selection for the "eleventh place."

Now, we could argue about the batting order for yesterday until the cows come home.......

(If you're going to play Peter at all then why select him in a role (finisher) to which he is largely unaccustomed - at least in recent years?) After all, Peter has usually batted top three for SCCC in most white ball cricket in recent times. Clearly batting him ahead of Mybs at three would have been stupid, but if he was going to play at all then maybe he should have gone in at four? Or we should have done the sensible thing and not put LG through the ringer with his back, and just sent Peter out to open.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:14:10:49:39 by AGod.

No criticism of AGod is intended, but the cliché "till the cows come home" never seems very apt to me, given that most of the cows I know come home at least twice a day to be milked. A better phrase, allowing for rather longer discussion, would be "till Somerset win the Championship".

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

We should all support the guys at Hampshire. They don't have the luxury of alternatives. They have to try and get as close to qualification as they can. In the mathematical unlikelyhood that we go further then we support that as well.

I am disappointed that we didn't do this better. We can and should have. We are a decent one day unit. Work on the T20 aspect might have helped there as well. Wins are wins and all are good

I'm interested in the manner of winning and the commitment to doing it well. After last year I expected better and personally didn't get what I hoped for. Just me. I'll be there hoping for the win next time but we can do better than this and should have been more prepared to do so.

Quite a bit of Matthew's previous success in the game came in T20, with tournament wins in both the West Indies and South Africa, if I recall rightly.

So he probably knows the basics of how to produce a winning T20 side but, at the moment, we just don't seem to have the resources.

I thought the original plan, as described by Jim ("We'll use the T20 to do what we did in the 50 over two or three years ago and introduce a number of young players,") made a lot of sense because it seemed clear to me (based on the two preceding years) that we don't possess enough established players that are particularly strong in this format..... so I didn't think, for one minute, that we'd be strong enough to challenge to win it *this* season, therefore it would make sense to try and steal a march for future campaigns by expediting the T20 development of some of the younger players.

I assume this plan was shelved, in part, because the first half of the season was so rough that club higher-ups worried that the fans may not wear this as a strategy.

But I think the original plan was the right one and the revised one (We'll just pick the best eleven players for each match) on balance, the wrong one.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:14:12:23:50 by AGod.

“Meant to be that Rod. It seems we have a mathematical chance still of qualifying but I won't be sorry if we don't make it because we don't deserve it.

“I'll be there hoping for the win next time but we can do better than this and should have been more prepared to do so.

“I post balance. When it's good it's good and when it's bad it's not so good. Is that what you can't handle.

”Our consistency is not good enough and we don't deserve to qualify in my personal opinion.”


Who would have thought that the above 4 statements were written in the last 24 hours by the same person – the inimitable Grockle?

Is that what you call balance, Grockle? It’s far from it.

I can tolerate people who come on here and either say we are the greatest thing since sliced bread, or we are lacking in many things and are poor. Those are opinions with which I may or may not agree, but I don’t doubt their claim to be a supporter whether they pay a membership fee each year or not, or whether they watch every ball in a season or just make an occasional pilgrimage to the County Ground.

But, if anyone comes on here and says, “I hope we don’t win” they are NOT a Supporter.

Anyone may think their side won’t win a game and say so, but to hope that they lose is a different thing altogether.

Repeat – with that attitude you have failed to prove that you are a true supporter. I suggest you transfer your allegiance elsewhere.

A glass half - empty or a glass half - full?
Regardless, both glasses need filling up.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:14:21:28:23 by Grockle.

Furthermore,

A glass half - empty or a glass half - full?
Regardless, both glasses need filling up.

The bottom line is this:

We have far more important fish to fry than the T20.

With the way cricket is going and the ECB trying to make it city-based and all that nonsense then, if we get relegated this season, we face a genuine threat of being marginalised forever more.

If we get through in the T20 then those players that play both formats will have to waste some of their time preparing for a knockout T20 match - time that could be better spent concentrating entirely on red ball cricket to try and pull this club out of the relegation mire.

As I walked out of the ground it seemed in this match that Somerset had dug a hole for themselves, helped considerably by the Glamorgan openers, dug themselves out of it through sheer hard work, gained a secure footing at the top and then fallen straight back in again for no apparent reason. Usually when I leave a one-day game at Taunton the crowd is either bubbling after a victory or contemplative after a defeat. Bemused would be a better description after this defeat. It had been as if a runner coming from the back in a race found themselves breathing freely and moving smoothly ahead of the opposition on the last lap suddenly found their legs turning inexplicably to sponge as the line approached.

Before the start the styles of the two teams had been very different. Somerset had played a slow measured passing game. Glamorgan a quicker, player on player tackling game. Football now the usual precursor to a game of cricket. The goals seemed to be breached in more or less equal numbers whichever game you watched. Meanwhile the mobile nets stood forlornly by on the square, betwixt the two football matches, like pieces of equipment hurriedly abandoned by a retreating army. Then the football matches ended more or less simultaneously and the large white balls were replaced by small white ones being hit high in the air.

All the while the music blasted the air unabated. At least I assume it was music for I recognised not one bar of it. I concluded I must come from a different demographic than the target audience or at least from the one that chooses the music. Even so there was more than a smattering of heads as grey as mine spread about the stand I was in and the one next to it. I sat in the temporary stand near the Colin Atkinson Pavilion from where I could see two and a half of the church towers which mark this ground. St James, St George’s, Wilton and St Mary’s, only the pinnacles atop the tower of the last were visible for the tower beneath had been obliterated by the new press box. I could see the St James’ Street entrance through which came a stream of sunny faced people flowing at a Sunday afternoon amble only momentarily halted by that ubiquitous image of our age, bag checks.

Somerset won the toss and elected to bowl as much because they had been put in to bat yesterday and then lost, as far as I could tell from the patchy PA in the Temporary Stand, rather than any plan related to this match. Glamorgan soon made light work of that decision once they had negotiated a typically miserly opening over from Max Waller. Waller, perhaps in his last season for Somerset or perhaps not, with his trademark quick return to his mark and run up operating together at the speed of a weaver’s shuttle. No wonder the batsman does not have time to score many runs. Five off this first powerplay over.

Van Meekeren bowled a miserly over too with the only boundary coming off the edge. From my vantage point he looked quick and eager and may yet have a part to play in stiffening Somerset’s beleaguered pace attack when the Championship re starts. The biting edge cannot all be left to Craig Overton and Tim Groenewald and van Meekeren does appear to have bite.

Glamorgan though edged ahead of Somerset reaching 85 for 0 at the end of the seventh over. There were worried comments about chasing somewhere beyond 200 on the same wicket on which Somerset had failed to make 150 the day before. Perhaps the Glamorgan support sensed this too for “Glammy, Glammy, Glammy, Glammy, Glamorgan,” sprang up from the two ends of the Somerset Stand. “Glamorgan are always very noisy,” said the woman a couple of seats along from me to her friend who had apparently queried such a thing at a cricket match. “Somerset La La La, Somerset La La La,” responded the Somerset contingent in the same stand although with rather less intensity perhaps reflecting the teams’ relative positions in the match.

It had all looked rather easy for the Glamorgan opening batsmen but these days there is always an Overton about the place when you need one. He bowled the first three balls of the ninth over without conceding a run; the Glamorgan batsmen trying not one traditional stroke against any of them. Waller had bowled the previous over for only 7 and the pressure now told. Donald tried to clear the ropes and Elgar, fielding at the Stragglers end of the Somerset Stand moved along the front of it to take the catch. As he positions himself for those high catches doubt never enters your head. Smooth as silk the ball falls into his hands. 87 for 1. The over had gone for 2 runs.

Now Somerset started to peg Glamorgan back a little. Nothing spectacular although Waller again rushed Glamorgan for 5 in one over, the next four overs going for 8, 7, 5, 6, Allenby, Gregory and van de Merwe helping Waller out. 113 for 1 off 13 hardly riches for Somerset but it did at least mean Glamorgan might finish without a 2 at the front of their score.

It was a crowd of two halves or to be precise a crowd of a quarter and three quarters. The two ends of the Somerset Stand periodically trading, ‘Somerset La La La’ and ‘Glammy, Glammy, Glammy, Glamorgan.’ The two now almost on equal terms although the Glamorgan tendency the more persevering. The rest of the ground applauding interspersed with chatter and cheers. The Family Stand kept its end up with the furry heads waving in the breeze and the inflatable batons beating their applause.

As the innings sped towards its close the two sides locked horns and fought each other topsy turvy to neither’s eventual advantage. Glamorgan took 13 off an over from Gregory and another 13 off an over from Overton but lost Ingram and Rudolph in the attempt. 17 from an over from van de Merwe was replied to with another 5 run over from Waller and something special for the last over from van Meekeren.

It went for only 4 runs and included the demise of Meschede. He drove van Meekeren hard just to the off, van Meekeren moved as if to take the catch but twisted his body and steered the ball onto the stumps before Meschede had got into his stride. The crowd erupted, furry heads and batons waving, ‘Somerset La La La’ rampant, the rest of the ground applauding and van Meekeren dancing a jig to the beat of the music from the PA. This I suppose is what T20 should be about. Hard fought cricket under pressure and a huge crowd each enjoying themselves in their own way and in their own place mostly without destroying the enjoyment of others or so it seemed from where I sat. But do make sure you get a ticket for the right part of the ground. There was one incident in the Somerset Stand which drew a small group of stewards although the reason for it was not discernable from the distance I was from it.

When it was all done and dusted Glamorgan had posted 183 for 6. A ‘challenge’ as the modern parlance for ‘difficult’ goes. But not impossible. The weather though had gradually closed in through the Glamorgan innings. High white cloud had come lower revealing its true nature as autumnal grey with a chill breeze to match, the flags on the Caddyshack blowing horizontally away from the ground.

That wind had once fooled Waller who had set off full pelt 35 yards towards those flags in pursuit of a long distance caught and bowled. The wind carried the ball ahead of him and he always looked a yard short of where he needed to be, failing to take the catch by a yard as he seemed to impede Gregory coming in. “Glammy, Glammy, Glammy, Glammy, Glamorgan,” responded one end of the Somerset Stand. Spelman the batsman, in his fifties at the time, fell to Waller three overs later for 66. The smoothest quietest stumping you are very likely to see. Waller promptly ran flat out backwards in celebration, arms pumping in overdrive, to the spot where he had missed the catch. “Somerset La La La. Somerset La La La,” sang the Somerset contingent in the Somerset Stand. Davies is so unassuming behind the stumps I almost wonder if he has a guilt complex about those clinical assassin-like stumpings.

Just as clinically Davies hit his first ball straight to backward point and Somerset were 1 for 1. Gregory momentarily circumspect then started to attack in his adopted T20 mode. A four fine of mid-off and another lofted straighter to the group standing between Gimblett’s Hill and the Somerset Pavilion. Then from the other end a six to the gap between the Trescothick and the Botham. If you are going to hit a six, where more appropriate than between those two Somerset leviathans. Next he removed two stumps at the bowler’s end with a rocket powered drive before failing to clear the deep square leg boundary. He had hit with such power it was difficult to believe he had scored but 18 and Somerset had reached only 26 for 2 in the fourth over and a more than passably tuneful “Bread of Heaven” flowed forth from where the old Stragglers Bar once held sway. Sacrilege.

This Somerset T20 side keeps up the batting attack whatever the casualties, Matthew Maynard’s “risky” approach presumably. It is certainly exhilarating if nerve jangling. Myburg was on message. He played the innings of the match starting with as classic a late cut to the red covers store next to the Ondatjee as you could hope to see in any form of cricket. Soon he drove a six into the front of the Somerset Stand just along from the Bread of Heaveners as if by way of riposte. It resulted in chanting of “Barmy Army!” from whom I know not nor why.

Elgar and Myburg then started to pull Somerset into the match with a six apiece and a range of well struck fours and nicely placed singles. Elgar’s six bouncing off the front of the Temporary Stand just below me and setting the corporate spectators at the front of the stand aflutter as it approached and agog as it hit the stand for they seemed to have come to watch the cricket but had not perhaps expected to get quite that close. The rest of us applauded and the Family Stand erupted.

Elgar rotated the strike as Myburg hit out, along the way cutting Carey perfectly behind square to the gap between the Somerset and Trescothick Stands triggering another chorus of ‘Somerset La La La’. The Duckworth Lewis gap that had opened up at 26 for 2 narrowed and then edged marginally in Somerset’s favour. Less than 100 needed and hope of another Somerset revival grew. Then Elgar completely misread one from Hogan and looped it horribly to mid-off. Hildreth came and went when he was tucked up a bit trying to uppercut and directed it straight at short third man. 102-4 in the 12th over and Somerset’s newly hard-won margin neutralised. ‘Glammy, Glammy…” rang out again and the knots in Somerset stomachs tightened.

Now came what would be, one way or the other, the determining partnership of the match. Allenby and Myburg neither apparently, if not officially, destined to play for Somerset next year. Allenby rotated the strike from his first ball. Myburg seemed to step up a gear in response. He hit 6 fours and a six to Allenby’s 2 fours but Allenby gave Myburg the strike so well they added 62 in exactly 6 overs. Myburg pulled his six off Ingram through mid-wicket to the boundary boards of the Somerset Stand and followed with a finely swept four through two flailing fielders to the Somerset Pavilion. Next he turned one fine to the Botham Stand to a huge chorus of ‘Somerset La La La’ and cheers and applause from every quarter of the ground for this was stirring stuff as Somerset put the wickets behind them and closed in on their target.

Then for good measure Myburg drove one hard to the old Stragglers area which provoked the PA into joining in with a bar of “Sweet Caroline” finished off by the Somerset chorus in the Somerset Stand with tunefulness if not volume to match the earlier rendition of “Bread of Heaven”. Myburg was running the Glamorgan bowlers ragged, Allenby rotating the strike all the time as Myburg straight drove beautifully to the Botham Stand between two despairing boundary fielders. “Hey Jude” struck up the PA. Myburg responded by sweeping behind square to the temporary Stand to bring the required rate below 8. Somerset’s earlier sad song was indeed being made better.

Everyone was beginning to believe now. “Somerset La La La” was almost continuous, the chatter and the buzz in the rest of the ground cacophonous. Every single applauded, every four cheered. The sun had driven the clouds that had shrouded the Glamorgan innings away and Somerset were charging to victory in glorious sunshine, the flags now hanging limp. The atmosphere was so reminiscent of those glorious John Player League afternoons in the Seventies I almost forgot we were watching T20 forty years on.

Then Allenby charged once too often, badly misjudged the quick single to give Myburg the strike and was run out two yards short. As he walked off he half gave what to me looked like a farewell wave with his hand but may just have been acknowledgement of the applause, crossed the rope and threw his bat down. He and Myburg had got Somerset so close. Somerset needed 22 from 15 balls. Two balls later it was 22 from 13 as Myburg tried to hoist a de Lange yorker into the Ondatjee Stand and was bowled.

Trego joined van de Merwe. 20 were needed off the last two overs. A six, among some singles and a 2, from van de Merwe left 8 off the last over. It was a truly painful to watch. Trego, who once would have won for Somerset here at a canter, seemed to have no touch at all as he missed a drive. A single followed before Van de Merwe’s scoop netted a leg bye rather than the match winning six, Trego missed one altogether and succeeded only in pushing the next back along the ground to the bowler, de Lange. The man next to me said as Trego shaped up to take the final ball, “We need a six.” 8 off 6 had become 6 off one. Of such things are nightmares made for they are not supposed to be possible in this day and age. Trego tried to drive it into Gimblett’s Hill but, almost inevitably it now seemed, it bounced at least once before it crossed the rope.

No “Somerset La La La” now. No “Glammy, Glammy, Glammy” either, just prolonged applause from the Glamorgan supporters. Perhaps they too were stunned by such an improbable turnaround. Somerset supporters were left with nothing to do but shake their heads in disbelief. This match will long be talked of in Glamorgan circles and perhaps, for different reasons in Somerset ones too.

I am not one much for changing the batting order, and if I am honest probably would not have done in this case, for my impression is that it rarely works. Although as I walked along St James’ Street after the match I did ask myself, “Where was Overton when we needed him?”



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:14:21:48:54 by Farmer White.

What AG said sums up my position as well I think Tom

You are right about the two first sentences your obsessive attempt to criticise me has prompted you to quote. They do contradict and while getting this off my system I think I've clarified what I mean.

I've altered your quote to show what I ought to have posted.

I don't mind if we do not qualify for the reasons I have posted in the last couple of days.

However the guys who play for the team don't have my options and they are still in this competition however slim their chances of progression are. They individually will go out to do their best and I appreciate and support that because they are my team.

This year some of them have pulled us out of the muddle and won games for us with single performances, Hildreth, Gregory, Waller, Myburgh, RvdM. Others have not had the opportunity and still want to have a go.

So I'll be hoping they win for their sake and supporting the next game. But I won't cry if they lose and demand wholesale sackings and crucifixions along with the other 'true' measures demanded by supporters like you.

I'll suggest how things can be done differently and debate the best way of going about it with people who want to see progress, That won't be you of course.

So thanks for pointing out my contradiction you are quite right I did not post what I really meant in that first bold quote.

I'm not sure what the third and fourth are supposed to show. The third shows how I am different to you and the fourth? Isn't that just a personal opinion that I've backed up over the last month?

The rest? Blah blah blah. I'll take no preaching from your pulpit about being a supporter. You are on here because you like being a disruptive influence for the reaction it creates. You look for my posts and things to complain about - that's about it. You turn up for the games it seems. What kind of supporter you are seen as is for others to comment not me. I'll just question some of the things you say if I feel the need

I don't think I'm the one who questions your support, I can easily leave that to others who pretty much have got you worked out. You've started one decent thread this year and I supported that but few posted on it because few see any point in discussing things with you.

I'll post what I think, I'll thank people who pick up contradictions in stuff and try and explain it better as here. But I think your obsession with me really needs to stop Tom. We don't agree on much and you don't really have the character to involve yourself in debate on a civil level for very long.

But thanks for pointing out the error. Hope it is explained now.

"Davies is so unassuming behind the stumps I almost wonder if he has a guilt complex about those clinical assassin-like stumpings."

This was, supposedly, and ludicrously, what got him binned by England - "not aggressive and vocal enough," yadda, yadda, yadda.

As for my position on the Hants T20 game - I'll shed no tears whatever the result but I DO hope for a number of good individual performances ESPECIALLY from those that play red ball or who are likely to do so between now and the end of the season - as I want our tails up for Chelmsford (vs a side who will surely have their tails up)

One of those players who I think is about to play red ball is Paul Van Meekeren. I don't really know why it took us so long to introduce him to the T20 side (perhaps more of that questionable planning that Grockle referred to?) given that we signed him off the back of excellent T20I performances for Holland - but we've introduced him now and he seems to me to have done well.

Unlike Josh Davey, he was also name-checked in Matthew's recent interview about the new overseas player (the Zaman replacement) as being a player whose development we would not want to arrest by bringing in an overseas paceman so I think that he has begun to impress Matthew and I expect him to be selected at Chelmsford. So I'd love to see him put on another strong performance at the Rose Bowl.

Equally, plenty of runs from Hildreth, S Davies and runs and wickets, too, from Mr Overton and, should he play, TG.

Finally, I'd like a spectacular hundred from Johann Myburgh to further try and force MM's hand re: the team selection at Chelmsford.

Of course, I realise that if we get all the above, we shall surely win the match but I'd be perfectly happy to win the match but then not qualify due to results elsewhere/damage already inflicted.

Of course, it's my pleasure Grockle.

If other contributors on here wish to "question my support for the club", then let them come on here and do so. They (whoever they are) have not been very vocal to date.

I shall most certainly lose no sleep over it.

I have no obsession over you, but perhaps you should realise that if you dish out abuse to others, then you should be big enough to expect some in return.

And that's not exactly rocket science is it?

A glass half - empty or a glass half - full?
Regardless, both glasses need filling up.

Oh I think you are a little word blind if you haven't seen the questions of what you call 'support' on this forum..

If I 'dish out abuse' then please report it. I'll certainly deal with anything I see as 'abuse' from you in the same way. I'm 'big enough' to deal with it and my concern for your sleeping habits sir are pretty minimal

Are we done now? I'll take no reply as 'yes" and that will be excellent. More important things to do. Enjoy your day.

Grockle-

Where's your pitchfork?

Have you buried Thomas under the patio?

No idea Chunky. I'll have a look (Thanks Mike).

Tom? Nah as I said, other far more important things to do.

Seems it's back.

Blue sky and 22°C in Weston with a good breeze.

Devonshire Road (near the hospital) @ 5.15pm

Grockle: Keep that fork handy for preparing the pitch in readiness for our last two home CC matches. Leach and Bess and RdvM will appreciate any help you can give.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Pitch preparation

I think this is the expert way of getting it sorted LoL

Now that is what AG might call a "bunsen" !

Grizzzly

"Oh I think you are a little word blind if you haven't seen the questions of what you call 'support' on this forum."

Simply tell the Johnnies to send me a PM over any concerns they may have, and keep it off this forum.

They will receive a very courteous reply in return.

I have had a wonderful day thanks.

A glass half - empty or a glass half - full?
Regardless, both glasses need filling up.

They are not my 'Johnnies' Thomas.

I'll leave this here and they can read it.

After this though I do think we are done. So if you feel you need to carry on please take your own advice and take it off the main threads onto the PM system.

Can you also follow your own advice when discussing with these people you seem to be unaware of.

Follow your references to 'courtesy' and the PM system when you wish to reply.... saves all the threats of legal action and all that don't you know

Cheers.

As Gloucester got hammered by Middlesex tonight they are just about out of the equation due to their run rate.there are now 6 teams on 12 points.Unless Surrey and Essex win both their games,one qualifier on 14 points will go through with the best run rate.so whether we deserve to still be in with a shout,along with the other teams on 12 points,stranger things have happened .

Somerset made 178/6 and won by 4 runs at James Hildreth's benefit gig.

It was a lovely evening for the 500 or so fans of all ages with a really friendly atmosphere, reminiscent of the festivals long gone.

Somerset's batting got off to a poor start and was saved by partnerships involving Trego/Maynard/Abell. Really Tom who batted later down the order was a class act being eventually run out.

Weston-super-Mare's batting was much better with some fruity overs giving the children playing football something to think about. In the end Weston ran out of steam against some tight bowling.

But all credit to Somerset for putting out such a strong team and their wonderful camaraderie. Maynard looked useful with the bat until a silly C&B and great to see Ryan Davis thriving there.

The game was a good advert for cricket and I give my man of the match to Paul van Meekeren, for letting a boy field wearing his shirt number towards the end of the game.

That sounds like a really good evening. Thanks for your report, SLaLaLa.

That was the first time that Middx have *ever* beaten Gloucs in T20 cricket - at the TWELFH time of asking..........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:15:22:09:29 by AGod.

That table is well tight.

SLLL spot on. Great stuff, and a delight to watch - twenty over cricket far removed from the 'serious' stuff.; a beer / charity match that everyone went home from, delighted to have seen, and no need for any afters - exactly what I thought T20 was supposed to be. That lad (4 yo?) will hopefully enjoy his fielding experience and full credit to PvM (or Paul Van Meekeren), something he would never have got from the 'serious' stuff (isn't that what T20 is supposed to attract?).
Maynard's fielding was a bit rusty since Old Trafford (the last time we saw him in the field), but Trego's keeping has come on leaps & bounds - a great run-out / stumping in the last over; quality.
Top marks to Maynard, Treegs, and all the Somerset players (great to see such a strong side), and Willow, Robbie T and Ryan D just to pick out those from a great opposition. (Sincere apologies for anyone missed).

Had a good night then Tractor.... good to know. You down for the U19 tomorrow?

Good bit of 'Somerset' as well Scrumper. Well right it's well tight.

May get a bit looser later in the week





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:15:23:59:29 by Grockle.

Go fish

I think our goose is cooked with Surrey winning tonight, needed Glos bad run rate above us in the table.

Astonishingly, only four points separate top from bottom in the T20 table. I imagine the only way Somerset could not qualify would be with a win with an astonishingly superior run rate.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Surrey or Kent qualify.Middlesex,Essex,sussex
Or Somerset will qualify as well.ver tight run rate between all 4

So Glamorgan beat Middlesex
Somerset beat Hampshire
Sussex and Essex tie or get rained off
Simple!!!

Northants opening bowlers figures tonight...

BW Sanderson 4 0 77 0
RJ Gleeson 4 0 61 0

Or even, so my abacus tells me Nellie, Essex to beat Sussex with 1 ball to spare!!

Quote:

Tractor
SLLL spot on. Great stuff, and a delight to watch - twenty over cricket far removed from the 'serious' stuff.; a beer / charity match that everyone went home from, delighted to have seen, and no need for any afters - exactly what I thought T20 was supposed to be. That lad (4 yo?) will hopefully enjoy his fielding experience and full credit to PvM (or Paul Van Meekeren), something he would never have got from the 'serious' stuff (isn't that what T20 is supposed to attract?).
Maynard's fielding was a bit rusty since Old Trafford (the last time we saw him in the field), but Trego's keeping has come on leaps & bounds - a great run-out / stumping in the last over; quality.
Top marks to Maynard, Treegs, and all the Somerset players (great to see such a strong side), and Willow, Robbie T and Ryan D just to pick out those from a great opposition. (Sincere apologies for anyone missed).

It was a delight to watch, no "F"in and blinding, despite the amount of drink! Reminiscent of the good old days. Players mixing with the Fans and enjoying themselves.

Has anyone been watching Triggers series on Sky channel 564? Last nights edition filmed in Kenya was a wonderful example of how cricket can be enjoyed in the most unlikely of surroundings. Wonderful, a must watch fro all true fans.

Beyond the Boundary on Sky Insight, so far has been a superb advert for cricket. Trego is still highly enthused by the game and this comes over in the program. Seeing cricket played in some unusual places reminds us of it's wide appeal and makes you realize that at the end of the day it is just a game that brings people together.

Somebody said the stewards had to step-in when there was trouble in the Somerset stand at the Glamorgan match.

I heard that as well but I don't think it amounted to a great deal. The Somerset Stand can be an 'interesting place during a derby.

Having said that I'm not sure it is a new phenomenon. Well over a decade ago the club employed off duty servicemen from 40 Commando to act as stewards at a Glamorgan evening fixture.

I can confirm the stewards did step in during the Glamorgan match. It was in the Somerset Stand. The intervention lasted a minute or two and then the stewards withdrew. I did not see anyone removed. What it was about I cannot say because I was sitting in the Temporary Stand but the intervention was clearly visible.

Last year by the time my move back to the West Country was confirmed my Championship Membership was long bought and the only 7 match passess remaining were for reserved seats in the Somerset Stand. It was not my most enjoyable experience of watching cricket and some of the language did occasionally make me wonder if I should wear a T shirt emblazoned with "Other Adjectives are Available" because the language came over as part of everyday speech for those that used it and was in no way used in an aggressive manner.

Now I choose to sit on the opposite side of the ground from where I thouroughly enjoy my T20 cricket, seeing that intervention apart.

There is a harsh reality though about cricket finances and T20 income is now a necessity for the survival of our domestic cricket however much we might wish it otherwise. Unfortunately some of that income comes from significant alcohol sales and from attracting people who wish to drink alcohol at the cricket.

It does seem to me though that cricket grounds, including Taunton, are large enough to accommodate the drinkers, the families and those of us who prefer not to sit among a crowd of inebriated people. Taunton this year (although I have not managed to get to a Friday evening game) has seemed to get that balance as right as it can be got. You soon learn where to sit and where not to sit depending on which experience you want. Possibly, if there is the demand a larger area of reserved non alcohol seating might help but only the club would know how quickly the current alcohol free seats sell. If the club get it wrong the sell outs will cease.

It isn't ideal but nothing is and in my view we have to find a way of making this work.

[Dons tin hat]

Raining hard in Cardiff.Settle for that result to start with!

Somerset will bat in our match, Michael Leask in the team.

Leask and Groenewald in for Elgar and Meerkat.

Why is Zahman not playing for us? Amir is playing for Essex, Sarfaraz played for Yorkshire last night, Tanvir, Imad, Sami and Azam also all played in the CPL last night so why have we not got the overseas that we signed playing for us in a game that we have to win to stop it being another barren season.

It's bad enough that Allenby has been batting 3 but why on earth is he opening the batting you need your ball strikers in during the power play not Allenby who's tournament strike rate this year is 105 with an average of 14, surely he has to be dropped is we go through.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:18:19:28:31 by Dave65.

One would assume that it is because he was not documented already - I asked about this on Wednesday and was told there are no exceptions to this return to Pakistan so I can only assume that the guys playing tonight are rushing to the planes straight after the games.

As Fakhar wasn't yet on our books one must assume he has not bee able to travel in and out.

Well done Pete Trego.

Grizzzly

If I am correct I believe if a player hasn't played in these rounds he can't play in the SF/QF.

I haven't looked up the rules this is from memory.

I think and hope you are right, Mike. Some will never forget the Elliot travesty.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Mybs dominant yet again. Travelling support should sing 'Are you watching, Matthew Maynard?'

Well done, Peter.

Wonder if that might give him an outside shot at Chelmsford? He could not be a worse selection than one James Allenby.

I suspect that Steve Davies has set a world-record for white ball ducks in a single season!?

I mean, seriously, he must be on, what, 6 or 7 for the season? For a top six batsman that may be a record?

Middlesex 17/4. Hants 10/3. Ho Ho Ho!

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Not a good time to be getting on a flight!

Quite right, Dave, it would be absurd to persist with Allenby in this.

Amir has been given an exception by PCB to play against us in the CC game, according to BBC.

I'm not sure that is a fair situation as We have been told it seems that there are NO exceptions to this request to return.

Welsh rain stops play. Well done, Big Jim.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Great stuff from Cove.

Absurd stuff from the PCB and very bad news for us.

What happened to Matthew's mooted Zaman replacement?

They're on again, but Midds are 24/5.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Why on earth did our wonderful Captain open instead of LG?

Looks like utter self-indulgence, quite frankly?

Unlike Mr Allenby, Mr Waller seems to have responded in the right way to the rumours about his future - playing well, rather than whingeing to the media.

Looking like we are going to come up short unless Essex can make a great recovery down at Hove.

62 for 6 .Dare to dream !

Well, every team in the entire group has been mediocre - to the extent that nobody really deserves to go through. Maybe they should just play semis amongst the Northern teams...

If only we had played like this in a few more games !

Grizzzly

Anyone have any idea how net run rate works and what we would have to do to get ours above Sussex? Because it looks as though that is what it is coming down to.

Ryan TD gone so Essex are doomed now.

Well they couldn't have really done much more in this game. That one run loss is walking back to haunt us along with our own flaming inconsistency.

Ahh well. Pete put the flag up. Max put the flag up. Johann put the flag up and then there's RvdM.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:18:21:20:15 by Grockle.

I think Ben put something up on the club site. He certainly posted it on Twitter earlier.

Great performance/result tonight.

If Mybs had been fit for all of the games and/or Corey stayed fit we might have done it. But Maynard cannot really claim that Corey not staying fit was a shock. If we were going to go with only one overseas, it should probably not have been one made of glass.

Think we should have dropped Allenby ages ago.

I hope that that's it for him but not sure that I trust Matthew to not include him at Chelmsford.

Yep. Jim will not be part of CC whichever league next year and there are reasons for that. So.... the people who will be involved need to stand and be counted now and Jim should rest and reflect before moving on.

It didn't work Jim. Sorry about that. I thought it would but the gap was too big and the demands of the job just didn't fit your skill set.

Good luck in the next stage and thanks for the good days.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:19:17:38:26 by Grockle.

Sussex run rate just below ours.

Does that mean we go through ?

Grizzzly

If Glamorgan win which is looking very likely

Even if Middlesex win, their RR is much inferior to our own, which I reckon means we are through to the QF's !

Astonishing if so.

Grizzzly

Regardless, can we please not continue with Allenby? He seldom bothers to bowl, he doesn't score runs and Brian Close as skipper he is not.

I'm not a big T20 fan myself but the rain has certainly made the final round of group games very tense and exciting in both divisions, with so many teams being able to qualify.

We are going to qualify because only one of Kent and Surrey can overtake us and the others have an inferior run rate.

And it looks like it's bye bye to Alec 'my whole squad should play for England, even the Australian ones,' Stewart..

Looks like Notts away. That run rate did the job, thanks Tregs!

Or not, bye bye to Kent instead, who blew it.

Suits us better as we can beat Batty's mob but Kent own us in this format.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:18:21:57:24 by AGod.

Glamorgan just stuttering slightly now, lost 3 wickets for 5 runs

The messages seem to suggest we are in. As you say Grizzzly. This performance was exemplary.

So another step probably.

We will keep Jim. He'll be allowed to captain as far as we go unless he sees his own writing on the wall and calls it a day for himself (highly doubtful)

Seriously need to ask about Steve D as well. A stumping tonight but not a lot else when we need a powerplay opening bat.

We did this with about 9 men tonight.

Official

Notts v Somerset Thursday Trent Bridge

LG and Mybs to open, for me, at Trent Bridge.

Remember Mybs taking Notts apart up there in the CC last year?

After today, probably bat Trego 3.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:18:22:18:06 by AGod.

Away to Notts in the Quarter from what I have seen of the tournament Notts look the best team in it to date. But I thought that in 2011 when we meet them at Trent Bridge in the quarter final, so lets hope that the result is the same as that time.

SD has had a white ball season which is the stuff from which nightmares are made.

Yep, all seem to agree we're through to play at TB. I'm pleased fir all concerned, but especially Trego tonight. You may say we won with only nine tonight, but tbh T20 games can often be won with only 3 or 4 players really showing up. Congrats to all involved.

Never in doubt. I'd appoint Trego as captain for QF.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Just back from a one off chance to see the film of the Hokusai (Old Man Crazy) exhibition. What do I find? Peter Trego hurtling Old Man Crazy like through the middle of the other seven counties chasing the last two qualification spots in the Southern Group like a skittles ball scattering pins in all directions.

Brilliant. Great Somerset tradition, last minute derring-do, and tables never lie.

I don't follow the intricacies of this stuff, but if we are through to the Quarter Finals, then congratulations are certainly due.

A cracking win tonight. Well done.

Well I'll be blowed. I watched it on cricinfo and went from despair (Davies 0) to joy(Trego and Hildreth) to exuberance (Waller Overton and van der Merwe) I still thought that even that comprehensive win would not dislodge Sussex, but what do I know. Roll on Notts and see what we can do with Hales and Patel

Somerset posted comfortably the best run rate in the Southern group, with two of the three counties above us - Surrey and Hampshire - in negative country and top dogs Glamorgan only just scraping into the plus run rate column.

Posters have torn apart, at different times, both our batting and bowling performances in the Blast this season. But you can`t achieve a run rate of 0.491 without having good days for both disciplines more often than not - allied to a goodly number of close finishes even when you lose.

Not long back from the match. Apart from Davies out in the first over, Somerset never looked like losing. Great knocks by Myburg and Trego with Hildreth rotating the strike well for Pete. Hampshire looked like a team who had already qualified and probably took us too lightly. Didn't know until I turned on TV when I got home that we had qualified so all round a good evening!

Congratulations.

The advantage of having a 'soft spot' for another team means I can now get behind Somerset for the rest of the competition.

Incredible evening of T20 cricket. Congratulations Somerset and particularly pleased for Treeeeeeegoooooooo. Well done to all, we qualified because we were good enough.

What the hell would we be like if we all turned up consistently.

Anyway. Another 3 hours in another town to show we are a better unit than we have been.

I'm glad we are getting the hard draws. We have a lot to show we are better at. So if we ARE going to Finals Day let's do it the hard way and put the fear of Trego in the hearts of the others.

And if we had managed to squeak a couple more runs on Sunday we would top the table.
Even with the agony of this roller coaster ride, can I say how much more enjoyable it is to watch a team of Somerset regulars competing with and sometimes beating teams full of names, internationals, stars etc. As opposed to watching Chris Gayle bash a score and then all others collapse in a heap around him. If he's the universe boss then give me victory by the Somerset minions any day!

Just got home too. It's late, so with all due respect to the fantastic bowling performances, I'll just say, Peter Trego, take a bow. And take that form into the last weeks of the season & push for a CC spot again.

Jake Lintott, an unorthodox left-armer who marked his professional debut for Hampshire tonight with a wicket, came all the way up through the Somerset ranks from our Under-13s to the Second XI.

He was born in Taunton and educated at Queen`s College, but I see he is 24 years of age so perhaps we had `passed` on him.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening with the return journey half that of the outward.

Excellent crowd and entertainment.

Treeeeeego-o-o, shouted a bit loud, so my wife tells me.

Could even afford to drop three catches!

Re the comments on Allenby & Davies, when the latter can get past 0, he's looked pretty decent, but who would you swap Allenby for? One of the youngsters? Or perhaps our replacement overseas player if it is sorted before Thursday? I often wonder what Craig could do batting higher, but I suspect things will stay pretty much as they are



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:18:23:58:55 by brt1919.

Well well well.
A team of rubbish T20 players all in wrong batting order, an awful captain, no 1 day specialist bowlers and basically no overseas player.
Not bad to sneak a quarter final in such turmoil and be 1 step from finals day.....

Delicious irony wsm !

Grizzzly

Just glanced at the North group, look at Yorkshire's runrate.

Quote:

cricketjerry-mouse
Jake Lintott, an unorthodox left-armer who marked his professional debut for Hampshire tonight with a wicket, came all the way up through the Somerset ranks from our Under-13s to the Second XI.
He was born in Taunton and educated at Queen`s College, but I see he is 24 years of age so perhaps we had `passed` on him.

He actually played U11 to 2nd XI via the Academy and like so many others was binned off. It just goes to show that spinners, especially 'unorthodox' ones take a long time to develop their skills. He has been playing 2nd XI cricket for various counties for several years, played overseas in Sydney and Colombo, is Captain of Clevedon CC in WEPL and plies his trade with Wiltshire in the Minors. What you might call a 'full time semi pro cricketer'

In answer to your question, brt, given that Allenby has batted badly, scarcely bothered to bowl and is anything but an asset in the field due to limited mobility and athleticism, then I think almost anyone would do/ be a better pick.

I wouldn't worry, unduly, about replacing him in a like for like way.

So we could pick a young batsman instead of him, add a seamer (re-instate the Meerkat who had been doing well) or get Dom Bess into the side. I'd probably go for the latter, even at Trent Bridge.

Or Tom Abell even

Much better fielder.

Maybe Jake suffered from the time we spent on developing Mike Munday with little result. We could be a little shy of doing that again. Or Jack and Dom were better options while Max was already there in part and we took on Leask as something part finished. I'm sure that there are a few who refuse to fall by the wayside at one place and find a way through somewhere else for all kinds of reasons. Good luck to the bloke.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:08:19:10:29:17 by Grockle.

Many thanks to LoL for texting me the outcome.

Great to see that Trego returned to form in such an emphatic manner - ably supported by the Emperor. Myburgh must be enjoying the best run of his career.

Jake Lintott made his mark on one occasion for Somerset. Fielding as a substitute, he effected a brilliant run-out of Sidebottom, which gave us time to knock off the runs to beat Yorkshire. I was able to send him photos which Mike and I took of the ensuing celebrations, so that he has some record of that event.

We should definitely make special mention of Hildreth's contribution yesterday and in the preceding matches. I believe that yesterday he scored only two fours but still scored at more than a run a ball. He has a great gift for keeping the score moving in an unobtrusive though styish way and I imagine that most of our opponents regard him much more highly than some do on this site.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Quote:

Wickham
Many thanks to LoL for texting me the outcome.
Great to see that Trego returned to form in such an emphatic manner - ably supported by the Emperor. Myburgh must be enjoying the best run of his career.

Jake Lintott made his mark on one occasion for Somerset. Fielding as a substitute, he effected a brilliant run-out of Sidebottom, which gave us time to knock off the runs to beat Yorkshire. I was able to send him photos which Mike and I took of the ensuing celebrations, so that he has some record of that event.

I might be wrong n out was shazad who was in a stubborn partnership at the time, direct hit!

You could well be correct, MD - on reflection, I think that Sidebottom had stroked the ball to cover and that it was the non-striker whom Lintott ran out.

Thursday.
SD Lewis Tregs Myby Hildy Rvdm Craig Jim Tim Max VanMeek.
Jim guaranteed to play but i cant see a way he makes my top 7.
Tregs has to play shots in pp, thats what he is good at.
I love Myby in PP but he is equally agressive in middle overs so happy Lewis can get us off to that flyer & Myby Hildy the middle overs.
Finals day here we come.....

Jove might be back.

Highly doubt it.... when he says the last 3 CC matches that really is the maximum you can probably expect

If Jamie is going to be fit for any or all of the last three CC matches we definitely want to keep him fit for them.