A Formidable Base - Gloucestershire CC Day 1 Bristol
By Farmer White et al
June 13 2022
A little behind but no less good for that. Thank you Farmer. It was a decent game overall
Gloucestershire. M.S. Harris, G.F.B. Scott, J.R. Bracey (w), M.A.H. Hammond, G.L. van Buuren (c) R.F. Higgins, J.G. Bethell, Z.J. Chappell, Zafar Gohar, M.D. Taylor, B.T.J. Wheal.
Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, M.T. Renshaw, T.B. Abell (c), T. Banton, J.C. Hildreth, S.M. Davies (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, J.H. Davey, P.M. Siddle, M.J. Leach.
Toss. Gloucestershire. Elected to field.
First Day 12th May – A Formidable Base
The large proportion of Somerset supporters present among a smallish crowd was obvious when I arrived two overs after the start. A two-hour bus ride, a walk through the centre of Bristol and another bus ride to reach the ground my excuse for a late arrival. For the record, the scoreboard, always the first thing a cricket supporter will look for on arrival, read Somerset 2 for 0. After a meander to identify a vantage point, and looking for a bit of height, I took a seat in the second row from the back of the Mark Alleyne Stand at the Ashley Down Road End with the sightscreen to my right.
There was a Somerset supporter behind me, he had made the trip from Barnstaple in farther Devon. Two more a couple of rows in front of me. Two more a few seats along the stand towards the sightscreen. Two more, further down the stand from them, and another two a few seats to my left. The stand was fairly sparsely populated but included a generous allocation of Somerset hats along its length. The large Mound Stand to our left, square of the wicket and far from the pitch was sparsely populated, although a few more came in during the day. The crowd was heavily concentrated immediately in front of the Pavilion and in the Jack Russell Stand on the far side of the sightscreen from me. A row of folding chairs of the type you see at festivals and scattered along the length of the square boundary opposite the Mound Stand, closer to the wicket, and in front of the car park were also popular. There were 700 or so in the ground by my count, although that expanded to perhaps 1,000 later in the day.
By the end of the day, Somerset had built a formidable base at 319 for 4, although many Somerset supporters would have liked them to have pressed harder towards 350. I was just relieved that after the depredations of the first three matches the batters had maintained their discipline throughout the day, and built the base for an impregnable position rather than risk falling short through attempting to score too quickly. Before the start of play, 319 for 4 would have been settled upon by any Somerset supporter to consolidate the home victory over Warwickshire in the last match.
Given the nature of the pitch, Gloucestershire’s decision to ask Somerset to bat surprised most despite some cloud at the time of the toss. One Gloucestershire supporter offered the theory that the pitch at Bristol tended to become slower as a match wore on and wondered if the thought might have been to bowl on it while it had some life. There was a tinge of green visible from beyond the boundary and Somerset supporters were more inclined to the view that Gloucestershire might have preferred not to face Overton and Siddle. Such though are the musings of cricket watchers before any match. As it was, a scratch attack of Gloucestershire bowlers and players loaned from other counties because of a Gloucestershire injury crisis began by taking on the increasingly settled Somerset opening partnership of Matt Renshaw and Tom Lammonby.
Both Lammonby and Renshaw registered attacking centuries early in their Somerset careers, and both have been more circumspect this season. Now, following the innings victory over Warwickshire after the three consecutive defeats at the start of the season, an opportunity afforded itself to bat on another pitch conducive to batting. The only anxiety was a sky of high, clumpy white cloud, albeit with occasional dashes of blue. The Gloucestershire attack took a while to settle, and perhaps to discover how best to use their miscellany of bowlers. It presented an opportunity to Lammonby and Renshaw of which they soon took advantage .
As I took my seat, an on drive from Renshaw off Ryan Higgins, along the ground and through midwicket to the Mound Stand, took him to 16 and Somerset to 22 in the seventh over. A glorious straight drive for four in Higgins’ next over raised a round of applause sufficient to highlight the considerable size of the Somerset contingent in the crowd. In Higgins’ next over, Renshaw found the boundary again, this time with an on and a straight drive. “Shot!” a Somerset supporter cried above the growing applause. Then, “No point in chasing that,” when one of Gloucestershire’s loan signings, Hampshire’s Brad Wheal, was driven through the offside as Renshaw’s wagon wheel began to fill out, at least in front of the wicket. A hook and a cover drive off Wheal followed, both to the boundary, and took Somerset to 54 for 0 in the 15th over, with Renshaw on 42. This was the rampaging Renshaw of old putting smiles on Somerset faces, albeit with a little more discretion and on a demonstrably flatter pitch than the green tops of 2018.
It wasn’t all Renshaw, and it wasn’t all boundaries of course. Cricket is rarely like that. An attacking approach such as Renshaw’s on a fresh pitch, however flat, on the first morning courts risk. My notes carry enough examples of “play/miss” to demonstrate that. A mistimed hook too, off Wheal, which fell safely clear of the midwicket fielder caused an intake of breath. It presaged a period of consolidation from Renshaw, while Lammonby, again not without risk, went onto the attack. A thick edge off Wheal again demonstrated the risk, evading gully and running to the Pavilion boundary, but a pull was middled and flew through midwicket to the Mound Stand boundary before Taylor and Scott gained some control for Gloucestershire, restricting Somerset to 12 runs in seven overs as Somerset reached 77 for 0 in the 26th over.
Then, as if Somerset had merely paused for breath, Lammonby struck three times in five balls. Scott was pulled through midwicket to the Mound Stand. “That was a solid pull,” someone said. Wheal, bowling from the Pavilion End, was driven square and then, off the next ball, hooked, both for four, as Somerset applause turned to cheers. Renshaw renewed his assault with three boundaries in four balls off Scott, not least a stunning straight drive and a square cut both of which brought cries of, “Shot!” and more ringing applause. Somerset went to lunch on the back of yet another boundary, an on drive from Lammonby off the slow left arm of Zafar Gohar. 114 for 0 after 31 overs, with Renshaw on 65 and Lammonby on 44, was as emphatic a start to the match as Somerset’s large band of travelling supporters could dared have wished for.
From the Alleyne Stand, an anti-clockwise circumnavigation takes you behind the Mound Stand, a virtually deserted area on the first day of this match, for the Mound Stand, far from the wicket still had only a scattering of spectators. The Somerset team coach, parked behind its far end, proudly maroon, gave the impression of lording it like some brooding giant. Beyond that, and sharply to the right, the concourse between the modern Pavilion and the areas of seating next to the boundary was crowded with people on their own circumnavigations or just quietly perambulating. It was here I suffered my first delay, accosted by a Somerset supporter demanding to know my assessment of the morning’s play, and then arguing with it. Moving on, past the Pavilion, the row of ‘festival’ chairs along the boundary opposite the Mound Stand looked incongruous in front of the heavily used car park upon which the gargantuan temporary stand sits for one-day internationals. The occupants might really have been at a festival ground given their relaxed looks under a now mainly sunny sky. There was more to discuss here with a Somerset supporter beaming at the morning performance. Even so, I might have returned to my seat in time for the beginning of the afternoon session had it not been for the ice cream van. No scoop ice cream and so I settled for a glorified choc ice on a stick. “A pound cheaper than the same thing at the Oval,” my comment to the seller. “We’re poorer here,” the response.
The afternoon session did not disappoint, at least for Somerset supporters. Lammonby began it with an on drive off Taylor for four and an edge for four off Higgins, which flew midriff-high through an empty second slip. “A bit early in the match not to have a second slip,” someone said after gasps of relief and disappintment had subsided. “Especially when you have put the opposition in,” responded the person at work when I texted him the news. Those two strokes took Lammonby to 53, Somerset to 125 for 0 and presaged a period of Somerset dominance every bit as stirring as that of the morning. Lammonby continued to play his strokes and was now outscoring Renshaw to ever more enthusiastic applause from the Somerset contingent. An on drive, leaned into off Higgins, brought gasps of delight as it flowed easily through midwicket to the boundary. There was the occasional play and miss still but an off drive off Higgins to the Jack Russell Stand brought the comment, “Men against boys,” from another Somerset supporter. Harsh perhaps, but the afternoon was developing a majestic feel about it.
Such comments cause immediate anxiety among hardened supporters, for they so often seem to bring cricketing disaster. Almost immediately, a ball from Zak Chappell, on loan from Nottinghamshire, and the pick of the Gloucestershire bowlers, cut in off the pitch and lifted as Lammonby tried to leave with bat, face up, horizontal and pointing at the keeper, almost as if he was trying to uppercut. The ball followed the bat, cramped the leave, took the edge and flew towards Marcus Harris in the gully who took the catch diving forward. It was a peach of a ball and an excellent catch, but Lammonby had made 76 in nearly three hours and Somerset were 172 for 1. There were a few sighs of disappointment, for Lammonby’s batting is exhilarating to watch, all smoothness of stroke and sureness of timing when he gets it right, but an opening partnership of 172 had been beyond dreams for Somerset in recent times.
Renshaw, playing with more certainty and less risk than Lammonby, had continued to find the boundary. A clip through midwicket, an on drive and a pull through backward square leg, all for four, and all off Taylor, had brought the comment, “Renshaw keeps a lot of his strokes on the ground.” It came as a surprise therefore when, on 94 and with anticipation of a century growing, Chappell bowled him to a cheer from Gloucestershire supporters. “Inside edge,” the apparently eagle-eyed observation of one watcher, although a replay suggested another outstanding ball cutting in sharply was the culprit. Whatever the cause, the bails had been nudged off and Renshaw was walking back to the Pavilion. Somerset were 179 for 2 and the future of the innings was in the hands of Tom Abell and Tom Banton.
Banton drove Chappell and Higgins into the on side for three and four and lofted the slow left arm spin of Zafar Gohar over long on to the Ashley Down Road End for six. And yet, in three quarters of an hour at the crease he never looked secure, playing and missing, mistiming a number of strokes and leaving an uneasy feeling that he would not be long for the middle. An edge off Gohar evaded slip, ran away for a single and added to the feeling. Then, when he came forward in defence to a ball from Higgins, he edged it to Bracey and Somerset were 207 for 3, Banton 18, with James Hildreth joining Abell who had been at the wicket 12 overs for ten runs.
It felt like a critical moment. Somerset had scored a daunting 207 runs with the day only half spent but had just lost three top wickets for 35. Cloud had regathered overhead, and two batters were at the crease who needed to establish themselves. The Gloucestershire bowlers meanwhile, Chappell in particular, were finding their mark. The chatter among Somerset supporters became more hushed and there was hope in the faces of Gloucestershire ones. And yet, whatever the situation, Hildreth is always inclined to look for opportunities to score. This occasion was no different. Before Higgins’ over was out, Hildreth had steered him neatly through third man for four, Gohar was spectacularly driven square to the Mound Stand to cries of, “Shot!” and Higgins no more than pushed through the covers for four more. “He hardly put a bat on that,” someone said as the ball outran the fielder to the boundary. By the time the umpires had removed the bails for tea, Hildreth had caught Abell. Both were on 16 and Somerset were on 229 for 3. “That’s one more run than in the first session,” someone said, “although it doesn’t feel like it,” marking Somerset’s more disjointed progress since lunch.
My tea interval circumnavigation was greeted with smiles as Somerset supporters on clockwise circumnavigations saw the wyvern on my hat and signalled their approval of Somerset’s progress. The partnership between Abell and Hildreth had looked more secure than the one between Abell and Banton and 229 for 3 was beginning to promise a commanding score. Twenty minutes is rarely enough for a circumnavigation, for people have to be talked to and the atmosphere has to be absorbed. It took me a few overs past the restart to complete my journey, but meandering along the boundary and walkways of a cricket ground while play is in progress gives a feel for the broader pattern of the play, if not the detail which fills the brain from a fixed position in a stand.
As I walked or tarried to watch a few balls over the heads of those in the ‘festival’ seats, the impression was of Hildreth continuing where he had left off at tea. Two cover drives delivered two runs apiece and a steer through third man reached the boundary in front of me as I rounded the near corner of the Russell Stand. Then, as I regained my seat, Abell cut Chappell behind square and the ball crossed the boundary at third man while Hildreth pulled through midwicket to the festival chairs and someone said, “That’s another bonus point in the bag,” as Somerset reached 250 for 3.
Somerset were dominating, and a score in excess of 350 by the close was being speculated about by all and hoped for by beaming Somerset supporters for, the occasional ball like the ones with which Chappell had taken his wickets apart, the bowling did not look overly threatening and nine runs had just come from that one Chappell over. And then, just as the flow of Somerset runs looked set to become a flood, Abell and Hildreth turned to consolidation. Perhaps the bowlers’ tightening lines were beginning to have some effect, perhaps Somerset were determined to protect their unfamiliar dominance. The next 18 overs yielded just 43 runs and the ball crossed the boundary only three times. Hildreth scored more quickly than Abell, “Hildy does score quickly,” someone commented, “he is always busy,” as he cut Gohar for three and Wheal for two in successive overs, but singles were his main fare as he and Abell worked assiduously to strengthen Somerset’s position. It was all in stark contrast to some of the frenetic collapses of recent times.
The new ball was taken with Somerset on 272 for 3 and Hildreth drove it through the on side off Higgins, the ball glinting in the sun as it ran along the ground to the Jack Russell Stand. Three overs later he clipped Chappell off his legs with the minimum of bat movement and the ball ran just behind square to the Mound Stand beneath the main scoreboard which promptly registered his second fifty of the season. “Well done, Hildy!” someone shouted. It was as far though as he would go, for after nearly two hours at the wicket he attempted to keep a ball from Taylor out and edged it for Bracey to take his second catch of the day. Somerset were 292 for 4 with ten overs still to be bowled. A wicket more than some would have liked given the dominance of the batting but, for the second game in succession, the top order demons of recent times were being scattered before our eyes.
Abell was on 37, having been at the wicket, defying the Gloucestershire attack, for 43 overs. He had defended with the obdurate nature which he has so often demonstrated in Somerset’s interest. He has a style with the bat which reflects the determined nature he portrays at the crease. Correct, precise and decisive. In defence, whether he is playing or leaving the ball, he plays with the same classicism and abruptness of stroke that he deploys in attack. The bat flows through the stroke at speed and stops abruptly once the ball has been played or, if being left, has passed by. His leave leaves no doubt. The bat retreats from the path of the ball at speed until it is above his shoulder and there it stops, motionless, as if awaiting some further call to action. His forward defensive too. His foot and bat come forward, and there they remain, locked in position, until the ball is safely neutralised.
In accumulating those 37 runs Abell had been at the wicket with Renshaw, Banton and Hildreth while 113 runs were scored. In his 43 overs my notes record him reaching the boundary just four times. A straight drive and a cut through wide third man, classic strokes both, off Chappell, an edge past slip off Higgins and a deflection to fine leg off Wheal. It had been a demonstration of absolute determination of the they-shall-not-pass variety. A glance for three off Gohar did cause a few sharp intakes of breath among the Somerset contingent given Abell’s chequered history with that stroke, but this one was perfectly played.
With the departure of Hildreth, Steven Davies came to the wicket, filling the gap in Somerset’s lines as he and Abell steered Somerset to the close. He did allow himself one square drive off Wheal. It was played off the back foot with a minimum of bat movement and easily outpaced two chasing fielders to the Mound Stand, reminding those who see him regularly of what he is capable. With three overs to go, and facing Taylor, bowling from the Ashley Down Road End, Abell finally allowed himself some licence. First, he came down the pitch and drove fiercely through the covers to the Mound Stand for four. As classical and precise as ever, the stroke drew the comment, “Glorious!” And then, “Yes!” as he again drove Taylor, this time through long off to the Alleyne Stand, again for four. Whether the “Yes!” was for the stroke or the fact that it had brought up Abell’s fifty is beyond knowing, but both deserved the accolade. Abell had batted 53 overs, given no chances, been the rock-solid core of Somerset’s innings once the opening partnership had been broken and a foundation from which the match might be dominated had been laid.
Close. Somerset 319 for 4.
There is more from Farmer on his own site (Link HERE)
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:06:13:21:04:29 by Grockle.
One would assume Pete Siddle is fit again and Josh has had a but more time to get fit along with Lewis Gregory.
But Jack Brooks has asked a few questions and so has Lewis Goldsworthy with runs in the seconds... so some competition which is never a bad thing.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:16:18:56:28 by Grockle.
Josh bowled well in the last one and so should resume his new ball alliance with Cove, full-time, I would hope.
If still relatively pain free, then I guess LG will be the 4th member of the seam attack.
I assume that Peter is now fit (he was in the last squad but failed a fitness test on that occasion.
So, no surprises.
Gloucs won’t help us by preparing a Bunsen, so I highly doubt VDM will play. I assume Peter will replace Jack B compared to the last game.
Payne and Amir being out a couple of sizeable blows for them, leaving much resting on Ryan Higgins with the ball.
With us at full-strength, pretty much, them down two front-line bowlers and an opening batsman and looking at the league table?
I see this as a must-win game for us, really.
I wonder if they will try to prepare a road?
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:11:17:30:28 by Loyal of Lhasa.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:11:18:31:36 by Grockle.
Such occasions are liable to be in short supply.
We simply must take advantage, since we have seen plenty of evidence of our struggles when our bowling attack isn’t at or near full-strength. The fact that Gloucs are down three important players make it even more imperative that we back up the Warks effort with another win here.
I wonder if this was a “We don’t want to face Craig Overton first,” type of insertion.
Their commentator claims that Bristol just gets flatter and that’s probably why they’ve inserted. However, last year, we batted first and made 300-odd and they replied with 27 for 6 which, would appear to cast doubt on the commentator’s notion that “if there is any life in the deck, it will be on day one.”
We bat then. Put in by Glos? Must be an interesting bowling line up for them with Chappel opening with Higgins and snother loan bowler in it.
Will be interesting how this quick move into the loan market by Birkinstein pans out.
Renshaw looking a bit scratchy with a few edges going where he doesn't seem to be expecting them.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:12:13:46:39 by Grockle.
I think, however, that the daft decision to go to a 1960s football win/draw points ratio I.e 2:1 for this season is primarily responsible for the run fest seen on most grounds so far this season.
Last season, but barely moved off the straight this year. So some sort of change in the ball being blamed.
Grizzers
Got to be really ruthless here. Maintain focus, do nothing daft and lay the foundation, today, for a really big score tomorrow.
Warks put Northants in, too, and also getting hammered
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:12:14:35:57 by Grockle.
Decent test for Banton in that 4 spot. He hasn't tied it down yet.
If we do end up in that sort of 250/3 with the overs in the 70s position then will we avoid the three soft dismissals mini-collapse either side of the new ball this time? One imagines that our victory chances probably depend on doing so .
“Pitch it up and I might sashay down the wicket and smack you over the top. Change your line and pull your length back a bit? I’ll play you late through the offside.”
He's working hard and some of that 'cockyness' in his batting is starting to filter in as well as his confidence in red ball hanes increases.
That's a good thing for us and a true nightmare for opponents. The day Renshaw, Lammonby, Abell and Banton click in the same game is going to be horrendous for whoever we are playing!!
This time both guys simply must at least be in when first the new ball is taken.
Now, can we get through it to set up a serious chance of a properly big total tomorrow?
The pitch does look much more favourable for batting than bowling but, then again, our bowlers are much better than theirs, on paper, and if they also bowl a lot better on grass than Gloucs then, coupled with what will hopefully be a large total, then we may well be able to put them under considerable pressure.
If what their commentator says about Bristol usually getting flatter is true, then we want a good bowl tomorrow.
Quote:Somerset LaLaLa
Decision not to bat first may have been something to do with not wanting to face Overton and Siddle today. I am sure Gloucestershire are not looking forwards to facing them tomorrow either. Bad decision guys
Yep, I agree. I'm gutted for them.
Banton also seems so much more like a red ball batsman this year.
Would love to see us get maximum batting points tomorrow, then let Messrs Overton & Siddle loose.
Grizzers
Renshaw has certainly helped up front as have some weakened bowling attacks (Warks were down Brookes, Norwell, Woakes and Stone, whilst Gloucs are down Payne and Amir). But the good thing is that confidence, at least, will be rising since neither Jason Kerr nor the batsmen themselves will give a fig who they got their runs against - they will care only that they got them. We may, of course, face attacks at or near full-strength in subsequent games and we may certainly have to bat on pitches with more to offer the bowlers than this one in Bristol seems to offer. It seems, however, that batsmen everywhere have an ally in this season’s ball which, reportedly, is swinging less than any seen for many years.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:13:10:06:50 by 9th brother Dredge.
I'd like Jack taking wickets for us and staying well away from the 'who will carry the drinks' for the NZ games.
Seriously, though, I rate the guy. Much, much more accurate than any English-born wrist-spinner seen in these Isles for some considerable time.
Ben says they are also streaming the 2nds game all being well from Taunton Vale straight on to Youtube
Seconds T20
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:13:12:06:46 by Grockle.
It must be hard to keep morale up when you are looking at 2 days in the field if you field first.
As it is? I might declare presently.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:13:12:49:50 by AGod.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Apparently Ryan Higgins has bowled only four overs, so far today, which tells me that Gloucs have given up on this surface.
Perhaps we are just batting on as we, too, see the surface as hopelessly flat and are hoping for some deterioration later?
591 on the board.
11 overs, apparently, before tea (assuming commentators remembered to take the two overs off for change of innings).
Sobering for England at the moment:
Cove looking pretty unthreatening on flat track.
But 38-year old Aussie making a guy who Eng probably still have hopes for, in Bracey, look a mug.
Superb stuff!
That bowling effort was pretty good as well. Hopefully more to come tomorrow.
Gloucs. may be below par, but our team performances over the last couple of games have represented a massive turnaround and the resultant confidence infusion can be nothing but good.
Grizzers
If we only take 4 wickets today, then jinxed. But the bowlers confidence must be high
Therefore getting early wickets might make the follow on much more of a possibility.
That being the case, I thought I’d pass the info along. I do hope that’s okay with you.
Day 3 Siddle from the Pavilion end
I missed the first ten mins.
If there’s any doubt over him, the ECB will certainly not let us use him Vs Hants.
Wonderful stuff from Josh - terrific bowling.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:14:12:26:33 by Hamez.
I’d say Gloucs seem to have enough problems Vs Leachy and that Josh and LG are warming to their tasks well enough that we could go again, even sans Craig.
If Tom has a private forecast more upbeat than the Beeb, though, then I’d guess we’d bat again.
Looks like Josh is starting to approach his best once again.
Looks like it may have been a jarring in the crease from the other end issue?
Just in case nobody heard, ENFORCE THE FOLLOW-ON!!!
And just in case you are not aware - Van Buuren is almost definitely not going to bat so it is effectively 9 down now
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:14:19:16:00 by Grockle.
All out for 186 and Jack has 5 for 49 on this pitch
And we can confirm that Somerset have enforced the follow on
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:14:13:52:06 by Grockle.
The difference between him and their SLA on this pitch has, to put it mildly, been pronounced.
The home side here need another 50 odd or this may be the highest defeat of anyone by Somerset in the Championship EVER!!
Innings and 246 - pretty effective victory really
👏👏👏👏👏
The second largest first class victory margin in Somerset's history just behind the 2007 Leicestershire one where the top four of Trescothick, Edwards, Hildreth and White all made 100s
It beats the largest victory over Gloucestershire in a first class game by 76 runs
Bring on Hampshire on Thursday
I watched a lot of the last two days on the Glos Livestream and it was all pretty stress free - a great all-round performance. The two commentators were a bit bemused by the end of Somerset's innings and quite critical, and while it slowed a little, I think Somerset had a target of batting once, batting very big and relying on the bowlers. And hoping that the weather held out.
And after three defeats - at least one of which might have gone the other way - Somerset's season is certainly getting back on track. I thought, and think I said here, that both Siddle and Renshaw looked like good signings, and that seems to be the case so far.
So it’s very, very satisfying to have dispatched a weaker opponent with the minimum of fuss, completing the task before they could again be saved by the rain (as they undoubtedly were in this fixture last year). It also avenges what was a fairly poor home loss against them at Taunton last year.
Enormously satisfying!!
That’s got to boost team confidence massively.
Tremendous all round performance. Good of JK to highlight Jack Leach’s contribution as well.
Gloucs were poor, but that ground has produced bucketloads of runs for them recently, so to roll them over by that margin. was extremely impressive.
Grizzers
And now for the really good news... the ECB announced a new rule this season that most seem to have ignored: Any side that has won by an innings has the right to invite the opposition to bat for a third time and if even then the they cannot exceed the other side's one innings total the dominant side will be awarded sixteen additional points. Thus Gloucester will bat again in the fairly hopeless pursuit of 246. You heard it here first (and last)...
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Quote:Loyal of Lhasa
As I wrote after the previous match ... each performance this season so far has been better than in the previous match.
And now for the really good news... the ECB announced a new rule this season that most seem to have ignored: Any side that has won by an innings has the right to invite the opposition to bat for a third time and if even then the they cannot exceed the other side's one innings total the dominant side will be awarded sixteen additional points. Thus Gloucester will bat again in the fairly hopeless pursuit of 246. You heard it here first (and last)...
Sounds like a good idea, though I doubt they'd pass our total if they battted for a fourth time.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:15:03:46:43 by Owain Glyndwr.
It's raining in Taunton now, playing so good has helped Somerset get these last two wins.
The team played throughout the three days as if they knew those tears were coming. To take 18 wickets in four and a half sessions on such an unforgiving pitch must rank as one of the great Somerset bowling performances. There may have been others more spectacular, but I doubt many were achieved on such a pitch. It was a truly astonishing perfomance, even against a weakened team. There were no weak links.
Farmer
For Rugby:
In 2019 (aged 15?) he scored 414 runs at 46.00 including a century aganst Cheltenham and took 21 wickets at 16.57
In 2020 there was no significant cricket to report
In 2021 he scored 654 at 130.80 including 202 against Marlborough.
And he had an outstanding tour as caotainf of the England U19s.
A Test career surely awaits...
*Places one to five in the table are occupied by the Test ground counties, places six to ten by the non-Test ground counties.
*The Test ground counties have won ten matches to three by non-Test ground counties. Somerset have won two of those three matches. The other was won by Essex when they defeated Somerset by one wicket.
*Only one Test ground county has been defeated by a non-Test ground county - Warwickshire by Somerset.
*All five non-Test ground counties have been defeated by Test ground counties.
*Test ground counties have registered 409 points. Non-Test grond counties 239 points.
In the second division:
*The top three places are occupied by Test ground counties.
*The bottom five places by non-Test ground counties - I am not counting Durham as having a test ground.
*The test ground counties have won eight matches, the non-Test grond counties three.
Over the last decade and a half, Somerset have been the only non-Test ground county to consistently challenge the hegemony of the Test-ground counties in the first division of the Championship, alongside Sussex in the first half of that period and Essex in the second. Given wider developments in the game, It would be timely if the team could follow up the last two victories and mix it with the top half of the table again this year.
Farmer
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:16:00:36:14 by Farmer White.
We can console ourselves in Somerset that we are still a bona fide county and own our ground. This cannot be said for Middlesex who have a tenancy in London and questionable if their county even exists.
As an aside, and although it goes against the grain to feel sympathy for Glos, I do think the current rules about player replacement are a bit weird. If their captain had been hit on the head and suffered concussion, there could have been a substitute player, but not if he damaged his shoulder. In this case, I don't think it would have affected the final result, but I don't understand the logic. (If I have misunderstood the rules, I'm sure you'll let me know!)
Players are tempted to play on if they have only a very mild concussion, or symptoms that they do not recognise as concussion.
A player playing on with a brain injury (which is, of course, what concussion is) increases their risk of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). This condition is progressively debilitating, and fatal.
A player might or might not be tempted to play on with a shoulder injury. But if 30 players per season did so for ten years the yield of eventual fatal illness occasioning from having done so would very likely be 0.0%.
Hence - being allowed a replacement has nothing to do with fairness (from which point you were probably examining its logic?) and everything to do with protecting player health.
If the whole world collapses and only the Test Match counties are allowed to survive, I shall invest the £180m I recently won in the Euro Lottery by promoting Test Matches at Taunton. The selection of the England XI will be in the hands of this website and entrance will be free.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Somebody who will restore Gimblett's Hill. Please
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:17:13:56:22 by Mike TA1.
Link:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Further reports will appear below:
Second Day: A crowd within a crowd
Link: [farmerwhite.co.uk]
Final day: Gloucestershire Overpowered
Link: [farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:01:26:16:52:47 by Farmer White.