Vital Semi Finals - Surrey or not Surrey
By Grockle
July 15 2023
This is IT!! Many believe if we beat Surrey then this trophy is ours. They obviously do not come from Somerset. We are capable of beating everyone in this ground today and losing to everyone in this ground today. We will take each game as they come and win or lose you can't say we haven't had a good T20 year. Though we will if we don't win again!! We face Surrey - they want to beat us. We have rested most of our side and we have Roelof back as well as having Shoaib working well. The questions are simple. Will we play 2 spinners? Will our match winners come to the party and win the game.... all to come. Sit back and enjoy.
v Surrey Vitality Blast Semi Final @ Edgbaston Saturday 15 July 2023
Marcus has asked for this 'brass plate to be added to all reports and I'm most happy to do that
" Vitality Blast Finals Day 2023 is supporting the Professional Cricketers' Trust. The players' charity provides life-changing and often life-saving support to past annd present players. Visit justgiving.com/campaign/blast2023 to find out more and make a donation"
There is a possibility of a rain affected game today as the weather reports are variable but mostly suggest big rain between 1 and 4 in the afternoon. Whatever happens, happens to Surrey as well as us so we have to deal with it. What decisions are made can be debated after the fact but whoever goes out there today is aware of the expectations and will be keen to do their best.
The side will be picked from the following group of players;
Tom Banton
Will Smeed
Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Tom Abell
Sean Dickson
Tom Lammonby
Lewis Gregory
Ben Green
Craig Overton
Roelof van der Merwe
Matt Henry
Ish Sodhi
Lewis Goldsworthy
Kasey Aldridge
Shoaib Bashir
Jack Brooks
The BOLD players will play unless something is very wrong. Roelof may have to show his fitness to actually claim a place and Lewis Junior is not fit. Will they go with 3 spinnners if there is an option? They have four seamers ready to go. Will Sean Dickson play? He ought to to be honest but will they look at Tom Lammonby instead? Not sure he has done enough to claim that place. Don't expect Kasey and Jack to have done enough unless we have poor faith in our bowling and we really shouldn't. Would love to see us go with the three spinners and four seamers. But it also depends on the demands of the weather and the length of the game. If our bats don't come to the party it may bery well be unimportant anyway.
Surrey have won the toss and will bowl first.
Our side is
Banton, Smeed, TKC, Abell, Dickson, Gregory, Green, Overton, Henry, Sodhi and Bashir
So RvdM did not make it through the fitness test but Shoaib has been a more than adequate replacement for him. Sean Dickson does get the nod.
We were planning to start at 3:00 we finallly get on at 3:30 because of rain so the second semi will be 19 overs instead of the 20 and the Powerplay will be 5.4 overs I am reliably informed though it means very little to me I have to say.
Off go the fireworks and out come the players. The players are saying that the ball is sticking in the pitch. Sam Curran will start from the Pavilion End and Bants is off the mark with a single in brilliant sunshine for the moment. Will also takes a single with a much more powerful shot. Sam is through Banton ball 3. Curran is getting some swing and the Somerset opener is aware of it and digs the next one out but then he pulls into that famous No Man's Land just over Evans head. He also snicks through the slips just missed by Jamie Overton. It doesn't seem easy out there End of the first 8 for 0.
Atkinson takes the second. His second ball goes for four. Smeedy hooks a ball without finesse into the pavilion for the first six. 18 after 2 - but Will isn't really in control of his shots yet. Curran returns and Tom is looking to take him on - interesting battle between these two. Curran is mixing the pace and Banton is moving about the crease to put him off. Some good running between the stumps is moving the score on. He wins the over with a four dismissed to the scoreboard side 29 without loss.
Sam's brother comes on at the Birmingham end and starts with a decent yorker. First time he has bowled for a while and Will swings one down the leg side, just helping it on its way to the boundary. Tom C has a good shout against Tom B but it looks high and they don't take the review. They take 8 off the over to move to 37. Sean Abbott comes on. Surrey think Will snicked 1 and they ask for the review. There didn't seem to be any noise but the image says it is close. Snicko shows a spike and Will goes for 21. 38 for 1.
In comes TKC and an edge takes the first ball to the boundary Abbott also has him feeling outside off later in the over. We think he snicks the last ball but there is no review 42 for 1 after 5. In comes the Surrey skipper Jordan. At the end of the Powerplay Somerset are 47 for 1 while by the end of the 6th they have moved to 49.
Atkinson changes ends to the Pavilion. Bants ramps for 6 over the fielder to push us past 50 but then is reviewed for caught behind next ball as he tries to pull one. Once again 'Snicko' says YES and we have another edge at 55 for 2. Out comes Tom Abell and he takes us to 57 at the end of the over. Now Tom Curran changes ends and we get the first "how wonderful it is that Surrey are so talented. Sooooooo many names in their side and squad...... (snore)" Curran looks to keep the pace off the ball and he does very well keeping Somerset to 62 for 2
Atkinson continues and the Somerset guys are looking to push on but the ball is not coming on to the bat all that quickly so finding the rope is not easy. Tom Abell shows his class with a lovely four though a field set for him which is all timing and placement. When he is good he is very very good. After 9 Somerset have 70.
Abbott changes ends to the Birmingham. TKC slaps a ball straight up for no apparent reason, the ball moves about but that chance was too easy and he goes for 11. 73 for 3. Somerset probably wanted more from their top 3 but batting isn't easy today. In comes Sean Dickson and he is straight off the mark. At halfway we are behind where we would have liked to be at 76..... Work to do in the second half with Jordan changing ends. There is some rain but with luck it won't come down in large amounts. But it is not looking promising. 80 for 3 with Sam Curran bowling in quite hard rain. The hover cover is switched on but the umpires are keeping the players out there. Dickson cuts the ball for four. Curran keeps at Tom Abell and he finally succeeds by bowling the Somerset man with a back of the hand slower ball. 86 for 4. Batting is becoming even more difficult if you can believe that!!
Lewis has another captain's job to do at 11.4 overs in squally rain. They will probably go off at the end of this one. It's 12 overs and it is 88 for 4 in not very good conditions. Abbott comes in from the Pavilion as the sun now comes out. The weather is really weird!! Wet outfield, sticky ground conditions. It's all a bit strange presently. Gregory is swinging but not connecting and Curran and Abbott are not going for much at all. After 13 we are still pushing towards the 3 figure mark at 92 but we aren't there at all.
Tom Curran replaces his brother with Surrey in pretty solid control. Somerset need to assert some fight in this game to set a demanding target or this may very well simply sputter out in the second half of the game. Lewis moves to the ball and bludgeons it to the boundary. A no ball follows a wide and we pass 100. The over ends with a slapped 6 into the stands 108 for 4 16 runs off that and we need more of those. Jordan bowls and Gregory gets all of it. Unfortunately Jamie Smith takes the ball in one hand off the thick outside edge and the captain goes for 9 at 109 for 5. In comes Ben Green. This could be it.
The commentators are saying that this partnership needs to work out what the plan of campaign is for the next 5 overs because they have to look to get this total over 150 in some way with one of these two bats going through while the other one takes risks to move the score on. A boundary to finish means 115 for 5. Ben Green skies on and is easily caught. 115 for 6. He goes for 2 and this partnership is not going to do anything significant
Craig comes in, foot down the line and straight four from his first ball. He then puts a lovely shot down past the keeper. However the third one is in the air too long and Tom Curran takes a low diving catch. The bowler goes for 8 and it is 123 for 7. Matt Henry is in. 124 at the end of Abbott's excellent spell which may have won this for his side.
Tom Curran bowls out at the Pavilion and we have 129 as Matt can't get him to the boundary. Sam Curran will also bowl out with 2 to go but the singles still don't become boundaries. This one is getting away from the batting side of Somerset and leaving a very BIG job for the bowlers who may not have enough to work with. Surrey have used no spinners in their attack and have been happy for Somerset to stay in their crease and not take the bowling on. It hasn't really worked effectively enough as the Surrey attack has bossed this innings and continue to do so. Getting this score over 150 has been hard work and it still hasn't been achieved. Curran goes for 5. We are into the last over.
Jordan takes it after the Curran's have gone for a mere 10 off the last 2 vital overs. We will do well to get 15 off this last one. We pass 140 but it has been 18 deliveries since we had a boundary and that can't be good for a side at the end of a T20 innings. The last ball from Jordan goes for a single and it is 142 for 7. Not enough by any measure I'm afraid.
So Somerset have to look to their bowlers for salvation in this game. There is probably no room for any error at all and early wickets are vital to keep us in this. We must bowl them out to win this one and they rarely let a team off the hook after a tight bowling performance. Hope remains but it may disappear quickly if we aren't on their throats from the first ball.
The Reply
Well they give us early hope as Craig gets Laurie Evans with a good ball but Jacks and Roy then settle in and start to move forward at about 9 an over. Then we get Roy via a superb waiting catch on a huge skied edge from Sean Dickson off Henry. He had to wait a hell of a long time for it and he waited well. 20 for 2 in the 4th. And another one as Jacks hits it high wide and handsome - straight down Will Smeed's throat. 24 for 3. Don't get my hopes up you bloody team!!
Gregory takes over from the Birmingham end for the 6th with Sam Curran and Smith at the crease. The Powerplay ends at 27 for 3 (5.4 overs in case anyone has forgotten). We then turn to the first spin of the game as Ish comes on to bowl the 7th at 34 for 3. He goes for 3.
He is followed by Green at an important time and we hope again as he gets Sam Curran goes first ball 34 for 4. Then Smith goes to 'Bucket hands' Overton and it is 57 for 5. That is a record for the highest number of catches in a Vitality Cup season for Craig.
Unfortunately this brings the man to the crease who would dearly love to take this away from us in the form of Mr Jamie Overton however, his brother would also like to take that opportunity away and after a huge six JOve tries to send Sodhi there again and lands in the hands of COve and it is 68 for 6. Bet our Overton liked that one. Hope springs eternal but the next man in is another possible game winner in Chris Jordan
Lewis returns for the 12th and Tom Curran says "thank you" and sticks him into the top tier of the stands to move Surrey into the 70s. 77 for 6 after a good 6 balls from the skipper. Ish will bowl out though he nearly has Jordan to what would have been a superb infield diving catch off ball one. Abell would have done very well and he did take the velocity off a probable four in the atttempt.
Jordan is looking for this as he sixes the Kiwi into the pavilion corner. Sodhi finishes with 4 overs at 1 for 31 and we return to Craig who Jordan puts into the side terracing with a massive blow to go into the 90s. At 95 COve gets his revenge as he gets the Surrey boss to top edge to Will Smeed 95 for 7!!!!! Craig finishes with a brilliant 3 for 24. Is this on?
Henry takes the next and Tom Curran has a brain fart skies the ball and goes to Tom Abell at 103 for 8. Abbott was not impressed on screen. Cameron Steel is the next in and there is a review of the bowling of Green. The LBW is confirmed. 108 for 9. Banton wanted that - no one else was really sure. Holy Cow as Atkinson comes in and nearly goes to an infielder coming in first ball. It is getting hairy now. Last wicket and not many to get. Will this be taken from us at the last gasp. Ben Green has bowled 3 for 25 so far as Matt Henry takes his last one and Will Smeed wins the semi for us with a diving catch coming in fromthe boundary!!
Hands up if you can believe that one!!!!! We win by 24 runs. The bowlers make it look like a day at the office. it certainly wasn't in the Press Box and it became mayhem in the Somerset supporters stands. Against the commentators comments about the 'mighty' Surrey we move on to the Final!!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:07:18:12:06:51 by Grockle.
This will be the thread for the semi - relevant posts for the game ought to go here. The 'Finals' thread is a more general one - to maybe talk about the disappointing pace of Stumpy in the Mascot's race or the scientific way the giraffe negotiated stuff this year to win.
But THIS one is about the semi..... I will update the frontpage as we go through this pain and hopefully on to a bit more glory. It will be what it will be.
If there's a bit more bounce, that *might* favour Bash over VDM, possibly, although VDM's fielding and batting may be missed.
Tbh, though... we spent most of our campaign relying mainly on the top three. Abell was uncharacteristically slow when he got in.
p.,.s Grockle.. this is where I think Rawlins might possibly come in... as a sort of finisher candidate, hence why I say I wouldn't be shocked if we made a play for him for next year.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:07:15:15:18:32 by hantssabre.
I make us favourites.
Second semi rarely won by side batting second unless D/L intervenes *during* the game.
I think the forecast has moved suddenly and viciously against the Brown Caps (just hope it's right!!)
Solid enough start.
We must target all non Jordan and Atkinson overs from here..
Abell will have to bat far, far quicker than he has done through the group stages.
If it goes the distance? Still a struggle, by the looks.
Surrey have bowled very well, and we have never really got going.
McDermott would not have got that.
Brave effort from Dickson, who justified his selection.
Tom Abell has had a poor batting campaign, with a low strike rate, to date.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:07:15:17:41:46 by AGod.
Yep - the predicted 'Aren't Surrey great fest' was a bit too much to be honest. I turned it off and went with the TV. Won't switch it on for their batting either. Don't think I'll be worried about the timing of the Final if things go along present lines. Unless Surrey implode we won't be in it.
But our bowling isn't a thing to be disrespected so there is still something in this game. Early wickets are absolutely essential.
Grizzers
If only we'd made another 20..
The key wicket, as usual, will be that of Chris Jordan....
That was a brilliant bowling and fielding performance.
Now, let’s finish this and bring the cup home !
Grizzers
PRAYING that we lose the toss and Essex send us into bat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gregory saying we would actually have BATTED first in this final.......... the penny has finally dropped for Somerset!!!
KA gives better batting and superb fielding.
Nice to see the childish name calling continues towards Surrey, really.
Not sure why anyone was surprised that we produced the same bowling and fielding performance that we did for nearly all the group games.
Good luck for the final lads be it today or tomorrow.
It is very doubtful that Sunil Narine, who stayed put in Texas despite the original Surrey plan to fly him home from America on Friday and back on Monday, would have got a bowl at Edgbaston today amid the all-pace Surrey attack.
And Jason Roy, who told his new American employers that he would be arriving late, contributed just 13 runs to Surrey`s semi-final downfall.
Quote:Nailsea_Fizz
Well this had made a funny read through. Not sure many can put their hand up to replace mystic meg based on an Hampshire v Surrey final after 5 overs of each match.
The rain which fell during the Somerset innings changed calculations hugely. The umpires played on, and let it fall on the wicket. Add in a really strong drying wind and it became the sort of pitch we haven't seen since the days of uncovered wickets.