Vitality Eight Derby Day v Gloucestershire

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:06:24:19:04:19 by Grockle.

Glo`shire will be without former Somerset quickie Marchant de Lange for the T20 Blast derby at Nevil Road tomorrow. He had an operation on a thigh injury this week and will miss the rest of the season.

Former captain Chris Dent is also absent through injury, and is replaced in the 14-man squad by Somerset born and educated Ben Wells, who has appeared on a number of occasions for Somerset Seconds.

Somerset will make a decision on Tom Abell just before the start tomorrow, and rest Matt Henry ahead of the four-day championship match at Chelmsford next week. They will also be without Peter Siddle, whose finger injury may prevent him from playing again before his Somerset contract ends.

Craig Overton, who missed out against Hampshire last night, is expected to play, and Kasey Aldridge is added to the seam-bowling contingent.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:06:12:11:08:10 by Grockle.

No overseas for tonight’s game then

Terribly bad luck for Peter. Wonder if management will seek a replacement. Per the @#$%&, it looks like Kiwis and Saffers twiddling thumbs until September so a ‘Rest of June and then July,” replacement could come from those quarters.

Am I right in thinking Lewis Goldsworthy has broken a wrist ( may have misheard, might be a rib) ? Probably makes no difference, some reason we seem very reluctant to play him anyway

I forgot that the abbreviation for Future Tours Programme somehow triggers the obscenity filter on this site. Gawd only knows why.

To be fair AG, anything to do with the ICC has to be fairly obscene!

Lost the toss and bat first. Tom Abell back along with Craig and Josh but Lammers left out unfortunately



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:06:09:18:03:49 by hantssabre.

Well hantsabre you may think that it’s unfortunate that Lammers is left out , but I don’t . The majority of his T20 batting performances this season have not been at the level to hold down a regular place .

That’s fair enough Devonboy and I don’t have a problem with it, just hope he can refind his form soon

I would wholeheartedly agree with that hantssabre

I think I’d sooner have seen Tom and Craig wrapped in cotton wool ahead of Sunday, with us already down Peter!

Is there no live stream this evening?

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

There is:

[somersetcountycc.co.uk]

Thanks. It arrived rather late in South London.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Slow, low and rubbish is this pitch, as per the norm at Bristol!

More umpires that don't know that wides exist!?

Until the 5th ball, which was met with an excellent off-side forcing shot by Smeed, that was a truly dreadful over from Tom Smith.

A hugely productive over for us.

This won't be a track that is easy for guys to start on. Nor it is a track that suits timing players.

But if TKC gets going, he has more than enough power, clearly, to add to this without having to worry about how slow the pitch is.

Smeedy finally doing a Smeedy after Banton tried to ramp the 4th ball of the 2nd over. 50 off 21...hope it goes on for once

Unlucky Smeed. Another knock in the 90s, deserved a ton

Smeed certainly destroyed their spinners!!!

Banton has looked scratchy and has enjoyed nine lives already.

IF TKC gets in and going?

This game is over.

Banton gone. Hope we don’t throw this good start away

Does anyone hit better straight than TKC? Anyone?

Another dreadful over, this time from Lamb.

Cant afford to loose the momentum. Maybe should have sent Greener in

That’s a great lofted drive from Dickson!

Who is this Lamb?

He might be the poorest T20 bowler I have seen!

On loan from Lankie. We will do well to lose this one!

Well that went well. Gloucestershire commenters don’t seem too happy (snigger)

A Lamb to the slaughter.

It’s because Somerset has got all the money according to the commentators! Think Glos have 2 overseas playing tonight compared to our none!

I think Lamb has a sister who is rather better at cricket than he is.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

We could have played an overseas, Hants, if we had wanted to! And we are paying two of them!

Bats are having a good time with Glos going at 10 an over as well. They are also on for a big score. RvdM and Bashir have got a big game on.

Game stands or falls here. 9 off Bash and now RVdM

Oh dear. Starting to look a bit ragged and poor. Need a wicket or two.

It was a decent first over from Bashir, Grockle, in the circumstances.

This is a very good ninth over from Gregory.

Couple of wickets from Davey in that over should slow things down a bit hopefully

Yeah. Just need to get Hammond.

Done!!! Start the car!!

Will be a handy win as we’ve still got Surrey to play twice in our remaining 6 games

Very pleased with and for Shoaib tonight!

Came on and bowled solidly, having been introduced at a time when we were actually looking a little ragged.

RvdM & Bash did well. Gregory, Green & Josh all did their job. Pretty decisive after that. Second half of Glos couldn't keep the rate up and died trying

Kent, who had only won once before, did Somerset a favour tonight beating Hampshire by six wickets at Canterbury.

Well that was a fine night out. Never in any real danger, 11 an over is a lot to keep going at.

Bowlers held their nerve, were switched ends nicely, catches all held only the occasional fumbe.

Once Hammond holed out, it was done.

Surrey should be stiff test nothing we can't handle.

Have been out of the loop today, but clearly SCCC & particularly Will Smeed wasn't.

That must have been some innings. Not bad given that a few were calling for him to be dropped a couple of games ago.

We must surely be nailed on for a quarter final place now. Desperately hope we can continue in this vein right through to & including the Final.

Grizzers

Smeed? He's rubbish, isn't he? I read it here.... even I suggested he could be dropped. Which is why I'm a journalist on cycling magazines rather managing a cricket team!!

And Lewis Gregory didn't exactly have a shabby game, either.

I watched nearly all of Somerset's innings - up to just under 200 - though not Gloucester's. But chasing down a target of over 230 is going to be a very, very tall order. Glos were going along at 10 or so an over for quite a while, but even that's putting them further behind.

Three batsmen at a rate of 200 or more for Somerset, it's going to be hard to beat that - and one day that Smeed fella will score a century!

Will Smeed is a class act, well done Smeedy, a top performance that won the game almost single handedly!

Quote:

sfwithers
Smeed? He's rubbish, isn't he? I read it here.... even I suggested he could be dropped. Which is why I'm a journalist on cycling magazines rather managing a cricket team!!
And Lewis Gregory didn't exactly have a shabby game, either.

I watched nearly all of Somerset's innings - up to just under 200 - though not Gloucester's. But chasing down a target of over 230 is going to be a very, very tall order. Glos were going along at 10 or so an over for quite a while, but even that's putting them further behind.

Three batsmen at a rate of 200 or more for Somerset, it's going to be hard to beat that - and one day that Smeed fella will score a century!

A dump of a ground but no better place to win outside TA1.....

We murdered them, Smeed was just brutal.
He is a match winner, like TKC. It won't come off every time but when it does 😱😱

Fielding was superb, horrible dry bumpy outfield but we were 10 times better than them.

7 from 8 at the break is just outstanding.
Best record in the whole country.
1 maybe 2 wins qualifies us, probably need 3 to secure a top 2.

Now back to the proper stuff 💪

I watched most of it, it was enjoyable to see Will show us what he is capable of doing. It did our RR some good has well.

What a bad outfield, it was no wonder fielding mistakes were made, by both sides.

Always nice to beat the noisy neighbours.

I'm also glad that Sean Dickson has shown some form - if he could bring some of this to Somerset's red-ball game, that would be a massive help.

Somerset improved over the first part of the season, and if they could get something resembling an opening partnership, that would sure help things!

Well, I assume Dickson will be restored for Chelmsford, since poor old Steve Davies showed no signs of rolling back the years with the bat in his two CC games.

Well, I've really enjoyed eight of the most recent nine matches, but the real stuff resumes tomorrow and we must hope the recent confident play is again on display.

Those flats at Bristol are a bit of an eyesore, aren't they? Almost as bad as the MT pavilion.

Smeed is a strong guy. Good fielder. When the bowling hits a certain level and he is seeing the ball he is absolutely devastating and a joy to watch.

Can't help feeling, as I did with Jos of blessed memory that there is something missing however. I've yet to see either bat get the best of a superior opening bowler despite their obvious talents.

Their adaptability when facing players of equal skill can be lacking and I'd put that down to being somewhat satisfied with their skill set & marking those innings down as part of life. Both have the capability to be more than they are but circumstances seem to have created an acceptance of their lot in the cricketing world.

No criticism of their personal decisions, it hasn't done Jos any harm in his white ball rise to fame and you have to hope that nights like last night will keep Will in employment around the world for many years to come.

My fly in the ointment is that I will never see those CC innings that I know were in Jos... I'm pretty certain from what I saw around 2010 that he could have been even more than he is. How much more there is of Will I'm not sure we'll ever know. I'm sure he has a far better idea of his limits than I do and this might be a completely logical decision for him to make.

I remember watching a three figure innings by Craig Kieswetter in a Taunton Championship match of poise and skill and sheer class. I recall the surprise about the ground that the slogger could play with such grace and the way it changed the view of the man as a cricketer. His career was unfortunately cut short tragically but I have those 2 CKs... I'll always feel I've less of Will because of circumstances and choices in the same way I never feel I've got enough of Jos Buttler.

It was hard to believe, just how bad Gloucs' bowling was.

I mean they had three bowlers that bowled presentably/normally and then about 3 or 4 others that had a go, all of whom were varying degrees of horrendous.

Tom Smith's first over really set the tone... he set his field for an outside off-stick line then fired, I think, the first *four* balls of the over towards Smeed's leg-stump, getting repeatedly pulled for four/six as a result.

It was inexplicable. It wasn't "the batsman put him under so much pressure that he bowled it where he didn't want to." Tht would be if, for exmaple, he had bowled the first couple of balls outside off (as per his field) and Smeed had belted th*ose* for six and then he had felt forced to bowl straighter... and got biffed from there. It wasn't that.. he jsut rocked up and immediately bowled four balls exactly where WS would have requested they be bowled!!!

Later in the over, there was an example of the pressure getting him as he finally bowled a fairly decent fifth ball of the over, to which Smeed played a great cover drive... and then - as a result- he dropped the next one slightly short on the same line and got cut for four instead. But the first four seemed random unforced errors from a bowler who is usually fairly good (career T20 economy rate 7.4, albeit on some poor Bristol tracks).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:06:10:12:16:54 by AGod.

I see Bashir has signed until the end of 2025. Early days as yet, but my first impressions are very positive: good action and variation, height and bounce, looks to have a cool temperament. Would like to see him in the side at Harmerville, ideally alongside Roelof or - the sadly neglected- Goldsworthy. And maybe give Banton one last go as opener? We have to use these young players or risk losing them.

Classically as predictable as ever 🙈🙈

When we lose we are all rubbish. Players, management targeted for blame.
When we win it's because the opposition are awful!

I guess something has to fill the posts on these rather increasing good days we seem to keep annoyingly having.....

TKC came off early in the Glos inns, replaced by lammers, do we have a conspiracy theory based on zero facts on how long he might be out got yet!?!?

You don’t seem to know what “conspiracy theory,” means. This doesn’t surprise me.

P.s I see your bestie made it up to the dizzying heights of four yesterday. Still no bowling, though. When is he supposed to start bowling again?

Btw.. I don’t think you’d find a single remotely objective person who would think the Gloucs change bowling anything other than dismal yesterday. I mean - how many full tosses!?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:06:10:13:25:49 by AGod.

I don’t think we can be using Banton as opener, Treviskey.

Dickson will probably be brought back.

If not? I think it would make more sense to move Abell up to open and then, if you want to bring Banton back, then everyone else shifts up one and Banton comes in as, potentially, a counter-attacking number six.

OK with that. He’s in a lot better form now than he was the last time he played red ball. And I’m not sure Dickson has yet done enough to atone for his really terrible start to the season.

It isn't going to be the easiest selection meeting. Have to think Tom L's problem is location in the batting order rather than ability.

He never seems quite clear what his role is and seems to fall between modes of attack and support which shows in some of his dismissals. A lack of confidence in what to play when.

Tom Banton has increased his value to the side but they also have to be careful where they put him to develop that value. T20 does not alliw him to show whether he has now got the stability to open.

The second half of Sean's Friday innings suggested the confidence Dickson hasm't really shown since the friendlies. He looked scratchy at first but got into the game much better when it needed putting away.

The loss of Siddle is an opportunity albeit an unfortunate one as he seemed to be hitting his stride. Whether it automatically means a longer run for Aldridge or whether Green should now move back to four day will be interesting. Bashir stood his ground very well and suprisingly coolly for his age. Lewis Goldsworthy has to be asking if the rumours of injury haven't put paid to that. What of Ned Leonard?

It'll be fun.

If you had been following properly you will see Jamie batted at 4 on Wednesday too.

He has a role with Surrey that is fluid depending on the game situation as I keep trying to tell you!!!

Now there is no Lewis for Sunday and it wasn't mentioned in the pre match words from Kerr you can start speculating on that.....

Looks like Ben is probably there to replace Lewis, and so will probably play.

With Lewis, as you know full well, WSM, there’s always every chance that his back might be playing up. And, no, that’s not a “conspiracy theory.” It’s probably as likely that they are resting him as they think he’s tired, perhaps mentally, after 8 T20 captaincy stints.

I neither know nor care why Jason “failed to mention it.”

Rather unlikely Green will play having been no way near the red ball squads this year.

Dickson Lammers Abell George TKC Rew Kasey Rvdm Craig Henry Josh is the most likely unless we really feel it will require 2 spinners.

There is also every chance Lewis has a non cricketing reason to not be playing.

If you know that’s the case? You might as well say so.

Absent definite information as to why LG is absent, Jason’s comments about how hard the schedule is etc lead me to suspect “rested after T20,” is probably the most likely explanation for LG’s absence.

If no intention of considering BG, WSM, not sure why they’d drag him down to Chelmsford unless there is an injury doubt within the squad, for which BG is cover.

I have just remembered that, per a Surrey bowler, who tweeted about same, this round of the CC and, I think, the next one (?) are supposed to be played with a Kookaburra.

That would increase the chances of our picking two spinners, given that the K usually does little for the seamers after 25-30 overs or so.

Okay. I double checked. Kookaburra is 25-28 June round of games and then another in July.

Só the Surrey bowler who tweeted about their next game being with the K probably jumped the gun unless Stewart has somehow got the ECB to change the K dates for Surrey.


[www.bbc.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:06:10:14:57:05 by AGod.

It turns out that Notts and Hants, both at home, are the two games with the K ball.

I think there’s a fair chance that a K ball would help to spike guys like Abbas and Barker.

Quote:

AGod
It turns out that Notts and Hants, both at home, are the two games with the K ball.
I think there’s a fair chance that a K ball would help to spike guys like Abbas and Barker.

Interesting insight as BBC says this : "Two rounds of Championship matches, on 25-28 June and 10-13 July, will pilot its use, with the dates picked deliberately during this summer's Ashes series because all 18 counties will be in action"

We’ve been playing on pretty flat Taunton tracks anyway. So if we produce the same kind of fairly slow and flat pitches for those games with a K ball? Could be two run feasts, potentially. Right now, it looks like two high scoring draws from those two fixtures could suit management, tbh.

May not be relevant but is Lewis' missus expecting? Someone was talking about an expected new arrival during the last T20 game but that is all I got.

I looked at his Instagram but it looks like it’s a 100% cricket pro account.. nada to do With “Life.”

I will get all the Blast reports in as we move through but for those who can't wait for our perspective, here is the Bristol view of events.

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