"Ain't Gonna Happen" Surrey Day 4 Oval
By Farmer White
April 19 2024
Farmer returns to a reporting role with comment on the fourth day of the Championship game at the Oval with Surrey looking to win the tie while Somerset try to make their way back from another all too familiar first innings collapse. It was going so well... Welcome back Old Man White!!
County Championship 2024. Division 1. Surrey v Somerset 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th April The Oval.
Jack Leach, (knee injury) and Tom Abell (hamstring) were unavailable.
Surrey. R.J. Burns (c), D.P. Sibley, O.J.D. Pope, D.W. Lawrence, J.L. Smith, B.T. Foakes (w), C.T. Steel, J. Clark, J. Overton, A.A.P. Atkinson, K.A.J Roach.
Somerset, M.T. Renshaw, S.R. Dickson, T.A. Lammonby, L.P. Goldsworthy, T. Banton, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory (c), C. Overton, K.L. Aldridge, M. Pretorius, S. Bashir.
Overnight. Somerset 285 and 204 for 6. Surrey 428. Surrey lead by 61 runs with four first innings wicket standing.
Final day. 15th April – “It ain’t gonna happen“
“It ain’t gonna happen,” were the words of the Somerset supporter with me at the end of the third day when I suggested that Somerset would have to bat at least until tea on the final day to have a chance of saving the match. It seemed a reasonable statement for him to make at the time. Somerset were six wickets down and only 61 runs ahead. Even on a flat pitch with the Kookaburra ball, the thought that Somerset’s last four wickets could bat for four hours or more on the final day was, as they say, for the birds. Perhaps it was. The pigeons which pick at the grass at the edges of the practice pitches in front of the Galadari Stand gave their wings a rest and stayed the entire final day as a slow-motion drama unfolded in front of them. As to spectators, most had voted with their feet. Leaving aside those sensibly hidden behind glass as winter had another swipe, at those sitting in the shade at least. By my count there were about two hundred in the ground, a far cry from the near four thousand of the first day. The match was, after all, essentially dead as a contest and if Somerset were to save it, it would be by dint of a substantial intervention by the weather. In the event, play began at ten minutes past twelve with 18 overs lost and the rain barely threatened again, but still, my Someret brain thought, it ain’t gonna happen.
With rain promised, I sat under cover at the bottom of the huge conference centre stand at the Vauxhall End. Initially, the sun bathed my seat, battling with that bitter wind. Surrey had to wait a dozen overs for the new ball and filled the wait with Jamie Overton and the spin of Cameron Steel and Dan Lawrence. In Overton’s first over, Lewis Gregory cut and drove him to the boundary twice and was twice beaten. It was typical of the play which immediately followed. Initially, Somerset did not seem content to defend their way to safety and, despite the age of the Kookaburra ball, the Surrey bowlers seemed intent on reminding them of their batting mortality as they occasionally found the edge of or passed the bat. Without taking undue risk, Somerset pushed forward. There was only one maiden in the 14 overs possible before lunch. Gregory found the boundary more than once and Kasey Aldridge kept the score moving with controlled pushes and guides. More often than is common, the ball was pushed for two into the vast expanse of The Oval outfield.
For the watching Somerset supporter, every ball was a trial, for any ball might bring a wicket and Somerset had no wickets to spare. Even with the expectation of an early finish and a Surrey victory, that sliver of cricketing hope which dreams of the impossible being made possible burned in Somerset hearts. Perhaps, just perhaps, those last four wickets might hold out. Each time the hope pushed itself to the front of the Somerset mind it was dashed by a burst of reason which said, “It ain’t gonna happen.”
Then, “C’mon Surrey!” the cry from someone hoping from the Surrey side of the equation. It was a hope no doubt bolstered by Kemar Roach taking the new ball three overs before lunch. Gasps of disappointment from one side and of relief from the other followed as Roach beat Gregory to no effect. In the over before lunch, an edge from Gregory which fell just short of first slip and an appeal which resulted in no more than a leg bye had hearts racing or missing a beat depending on who possessed the heart. Before that over, tension had just begun to bite as Somerset reached for lunch still six down. By the end of it, the ground was silent with tension. Then, hearts beat freely again as the lunchtime chatter took hold among the scattered watchers.
In those 14 overs before lunch, Somerset added 48 runs and took their lead to 109. But more important than runs, they had not lost a wicket. With 64 overs left in the day wickets were still the primary concern and, as the players returned to the field, I doubt many Somerset supporters held out hopes of saving the game. Five minutes later, any remaining hopes felt the crush of Aldridge’s wicket. He had just pushed Roach through point for two, hurried into the second run by a shout of, “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.” Then Roach found the edge of a defensive bat and Aldridge was caught behind. Somerset 256 for 7. Aldridge 42. Lead 113. “Surrey!” the immediate response from a home supporter. A lump in the pit of the stomach, the likely response of most Somerset supporters
Now, Craig Overton joined Gregory. A back foot square drive off Jordan Clark from Overton was soon crossing the Galadari Stand boundary in defiance of the apparently inevitable, but it was ten overs before the ball crossed the boundary again. Overton and Gregory, vice-captain and captain, had clearly set themselves to grind through the afternoon if they could. “If only they could,” the tantalising Somerset thought in response to, “It ain’t gonna happen.” A late cut for two from Gregory off Roach came in the over after the boundary, but then followed eight overs with nothing more than a single. Just ten defiant runs coming in those eight overs. Somerset were marking time, wearing down the new ball. And as Somerset marked time in the middle, the Pavilion clock marked time with them. Slowly. The more often I looked, the more excruciatingly slow seemed the movement of the hands of the clock towards 3.40, the time fixed for tea on the final day.
Along the way Gregory opened the face to Clark and the resulting single brought up his fifty, but it didn’t seem to matter. All that mattered was that he was still there. Somerset’s lead was 126 but there were at least 58 overs left in the day and the equation still brought the same answer. “It ain’t gonna happen.” With Somerset still scoring in spasmodic singles, Lawrence forced an inside edge from Overton which fell short of leg slip. Now time stood still for a moment while the brain processed Somerset’s narrow escape. Then two straight drives and an on drive from Overton, all off Lawrence. All three reached the boundary, suggesting Somerset might be making a break for safety. But then the occasional gathering of singles resumed as Steel joined Lawrence and the tense quiet and the slow-moving clock returned.
For Surrey there was hope as Overton was twice struck on the pad, once by Lawrence and once by Steel, once playing no stroke. Both times, the ground held its breath, but the umpire remained as motionless as the hands of the clock on the Pavilion. “One was missing leg. Probably, “ said the text from the online watcher, “And the other was just missing off. Both probably umpire’s call.” It was not a message to settle the Somerset heart. Neither was, “That was out if it had hit,” after Overton had pushed a ball from brother Jamie to midwicket, turned halfway through the run and dived for the crease as Jamie intercepted the ball at short midwicket and threw at the stumps. The two brothers ended their exertions in separate heaps replicating the intensity of the contest.
As Craig Overton and Gregory continued to push their way forward, single by occasional single, towards tea, Somerset minds began to think, “Perhaps it might happen,” and to begin to relax as each single added to the pressure on Surrey. Gregory pulled Gus Atkinson straight towards Roach on the midwicket boundary. It was the same spot that Matt Renshaw had occupied on the second day when he had spilled a similar chance from Rory Burns. Roach caught the ball, but it bounced out of his hands, hit him on the forehead and fell to earth as the batters poached another single. Two balls later, Gregory edged through third slip when there wasn’t one and another single accrued. Two maidens later, Somerset walked off to tea with the score on 320 for 7 and a lead of 177. Not enough yet for safety given the pace at which modern batters can score, but hope continued to grow in the Somerset mind as Gregory and Overton continued to stand firm.
With the hope came superstition. Superstition has no force, and most cricket supporters know it. But no one wants to be the one who took a chance if their team then suffers a setback. So, when I left my seat for my teatime circumnavigation of the outfield, I noted my seat number, Row 18, Seat 339, to ensure I returned to the same seat after tea. The supporters who perambulated the outfield at tea were few and far between, but most of the two hundred or so who had been in the ground at lunchtime remained, such was the grip of a match which, despite the ball and the pitch, had refused to die.
For a while after tea the tension relaxed. Perhaps the interval had led to a resetting of expectations among supporters with Surrey having taken only one wicket in the preceding three hours and needing to take three more in fairly short order if they were to have a chance of winning. Somerset will have made the same calculation. Perhaps that led, after half a dozen more overs of spasmodic singles and a single boundary, to Overton launching another brief assault on the bowling. This time he drove Atkinson square for four and, in attempting to hook him, top edged him to fine leg for another four. Now Somerset led by 190 with 28 overs remaining, 26 after a change of innings. Not quite enough to make the match safe.
Pushing on, Gregory drove Steel for four, but when he attempted to cut him, the ball flew straight to Atkinson at backward point and Surrey had taken their wicket. There was a huge cheer from the Surrey supporters followed by a return of the tension as Surrey pushed the door to victory ajar. Somerset 345 for 8. Gregory 80 in four and a quarter hours. Lead 202. Overs remaining 26. Surrey would need to remove Somerset’s final two wickets quickly.
And remove them quickly they did. Migael Pretorius, on debut for Somerset, tried to slog sweep a ball from well outside off stump to somewhere over midwicket. The ball steepled towards the heavens from where it was caught by Dom Sibley pedalling backwards from short mid-off. Somerset 349 for 9. Lead 206. Pretorius nought. Shoaib Bashir turned Steel to fine leg for two but succumbed when he failed to get his bat down to the next, full, ball from Steel and was leg before wicket. Somerset 351 all out. Bashir 2. Overton 52 not out in over two and a half hours of solid defence and controlled run scoring. “Surrey!” and, “Come on Surrey!” the shouts from the crowd. There was no time to ponder whether Surrey would make the attempt, for they immediately made their intention clear by sprinting from the field.
After all the tension of the day, the weather twisted the screw another quarter turn, threatening to take the returning players off just as they reached the boundary rope. The umpires were already in the middle and removed the bails they had just put on. Hope for Somerset. Then, no sooner had the Somerset players climbed the stairs to their dressing room than the bails were back on. Hope for Surrey. Surrey would need 209 to win in 19 overs. It was a tantalising target. Eleven runs an over with no prospect of losing. Just within range in T20 but with no fielding or bowling restrictions. The tension was back now with a vengeance. For the few Somerset supporters who had stayed on for the fourth day, a match that had been on the brink of being saved, however unlikely that had seemed at the start of the day, was back in balance again. There was no pressure on Surrey, there was little prospect of them losing, caution could be thrown to the winds in an adrenaline-fuelled rush for victory. All the pressure was on Somerset. Row 18, Seat 339 suddenly felt very uncomfortable, whilst the few Surrey supporters in the seats near me were as suddenly sitting bolt upright.
Somerset began with six on the boundary, which soon became nine. Overton and Pretorius opened and mixed the bowling up, full, short, wide and straight, but it all came the same to the Surrey openers, Smith and Lawrence. If the bowlers bowled short, they were cut or pulled, if they pitched full they were driven, if they pitched full and wide in the T20 way, the batters reached low and cut. They chanced their arms repeatedly, they had no choice if they were to get near their target, and the ball flew. Fourteen came from the first over, Somerset’s fielders scattered around the edges of The Oval’s wide acres finding it impossible to prevent at least a single from every ball, and twice the ball crossed the boundary. Pretorius was a little more successful in his first over conceding only one boundary, a glance from Lawrence, but again every ball was scored from. “Come on Surrey!” came from one of the crowd as scattered as Somerset’s fielders.
Overton’s second over saw Smith drive him over long off into the Pavilion and Lawrence enjoy some of that fortune that favours the brave as an attempted drive flew over the deserted slips to the Vauxhall End for four. The ball seemed to fly off the bat with Somerset unable to exert any control and twelve runs came from the over, and after three, Surrey were 36 for no wicket, three ahead of the required rate with the cheers beginning to multiply in volume and in numbers. To a Somerset supporter, 209 was beginning to look uncomfortably vulnerable.
Briefly, Overton and Pretorius staunched the flow of boundaries. None came from the next three overs and Surrey failed to score off four balls. It was not much consolation, but it was something to cling onto as ‘only’ 22 runs came from those three overs in ones and twos and the Surrey run rate fell below ten. It left them to score at nearly 12 an over for the remaining 13. The match was tightening again after the early Surrey onslaught, seven runs an over for three overs had simply not been enough, and the Surrey cheers had been replaced by another tense quiet while a rainbow appeared suggesting there might yet be a shower about.
If they were to retain their chances of winning, Surrey needed to regain their early momentum. Smith and Lawrence must have known that for now they launched an assault on Overton and Pretorius even more ferocious than that with which they had begun the innings. Fifteen off an over from Overton, a six driven to the Pavilion and a four driven to the Galadari Stand from the first two balls. Then a six off Pretorius pulled over deep midwicket by Smith and a four driven through the covers by Lawrence with every ball in the over scored from, 17 in total. After eight overs, Surrey were 90 for 0 with 119 runs needed from the final 11 overs. Back to 11 an over. On target and the crowd sensed it. “Surrey!” and “Come on Surrey!” cries seemed to be breaking out from all around despite the paucity of the crowd and Row 18, Seat 339 was feeling more uncomfortable than ever.
And then, a change. In the bowling and in Somerset’s fortunes. Gregory had played what used to be called a captain’s innings and now he bowled a captain’s over. His first ball was well wide of off stump, demanding that Smith reach wide and low for it if he wished to score. He did reach for it and pulled hard over straight midwicket. Renshaw ran in equally hard towards it, landing flat on his back as he took the ball but ended up holding it aloft. There was a huge sigh of relief from Row 18 Seat 339 and from any seats in the ground accommodating the few remaining Somerset supporters. There was extended applause for Smith, out for 45 from 25 balls. Gregory compounded the blow to Surrey’s fortunes the loss of a wicket brought by finishing his over for six runs. Then, Aldridge, having first suffered a top edged cut for six over point from the new batter, Ollie Pope, bowled a leg stump yorker as Pope stepped to leg to try to cut and bowled him.
Next in was Jamie Overton. He managed three runs from his first four balls as Gregory and Aldridge tightened their squeeze on the batting. With 12 runs an over needed from the final eight, the cheering had ceased and the tense quiet returned. Only Tom Lammonby’s voice broke through the tension with, “C’mon lads!” When Overton attempted to pull Aldridge, he connected with the top edge and the ball flew high and back over the bowler’s head. Aldridge turned and ran back beyond the stumps before taking the catch. Now Aldridge, perhaps with his extra pace, perhaps following advice from a coach who ran out to talk to the huddle as Overton walked off, tightened Somerset’s sudden grip further. Rory Burns failed to score from his first three balls and then pulled his fourth to deep midwicket where Lewis Goldsworthy took the catch.
Now Gregory, whose first over had begun the squeeze on Surrey, caught and bowled Dom Sibley off a miscued pull. Then, with Surrey’s charge petering out, only four runs came from an over from Aldridge, all in singles. It left Surrey needing 86 runs from five overs. “It ain’t gonna happen,” the thought that sprang to mind. Surrey knew it as well as I did, for their batters offered to shake Gregory’s hand. He accepted and the tension that had gripped the ground in one form or another for most of the day evaporated as those of us who had experienced a wonderful, if unexpectedly so, day of cricket sidled slowly out of the ground, the Somerset supporters among us breathing the largest sigh of relief we had in a long time.
Result. Somerset 285 (T.A. Lammonby 100, M.T. Renshaw 87, L. Gregory 50, C.T. Steel 4-50, A.A.P. Atkinson 3-57) and 351 (L. Gregory 80, L.P. Goldsworthy 58, C. Overton 52*, C.T. Steel 5-96, D.W. Lawrence 3-76). Surrey 428 (D.P. Sibley 100, R.J. Burns 75, B.T. Foakes 57, K.L. Aldridge 5-64) and 123 for 5 (D.W. Lawrence 53*, J.L. Smith 45, K.L. Aldridge 3-14). Match drawn. Surrey 14 points. Somerset 11 points.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:24:10:40:36 by Grockle.
Who do we have back from injury, if anyone?
We have a new bowler, if he's ready to go in time
We might even pick a specialist spinner...😱😱
All starts at 11am on Friday if the flaming weather allows
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:16:09:51:23 by Grockle.
At least, that's what the Beeb claims.
Are the Norwegian Met Office as confident, Bobstan?
A minute to KO at a certain football stadium.
Lammonby, Dickson, Renshaw, Goldsworthy, Banton, Rew, Gregory
The other 4 will be Overton, Pretorius, Bashir and I'd say Davey but they'll probably say Ball though he presently has not impressed particularly (early days admitedly but many have put him behind Josh and Kasey on performance at least from last week)
All depends on if Craig is fit I suppose.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
There was something back in his game in Canterbury and I hope it continues. I'm not sure he's past Josh Davey yet but if the selectors decide different, I'm happy to give them the benifit and hope his return to more successful bowling continues.
It might happen, Josh still doesn't look completely back but he always produces more when paired with COve.
Davey is not in the squad.
I believe they will stupidly leave Aldridge out as they want Ball to have the chance to justify his signing.
That may not be a very serious comment but there really should be some means of putting a stop to what is happening at Trent Bridge. In the first match of the season only Lyndon James and Calvin Harrison had played their first first-class match for the county. (Harrison was actually born in South Africa and attended King's Taunton but does not appear to have been linked with any other first class side). In contrast, Somerset's XI at Canterbury included seven men who had played their first first-class match for the county - and that team did not included home-grown Overton, Abell or Leach.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Re the Notts thing, I know they pay well but I wonder if young players still believe the myth that Peter Moores will turn them into world beaters despite the evidence to the contrary at both Lancs and Notts.
No Ned either so straight Jake or Kasey choice with everbody else.pretty nailed on
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:11:20:51:01 by Grockle.
Quote:AGod
He does a mighty fine spreadsheet and is very well-versed in corporate lingo.
👍As Michael Vaughan said AG, not that I often quote him but think he was right there . Another man I don’t like to quote , KP clearly had his measure too. I think the Notts fans have long cottoned on, looking at their Forum.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:12:10:32:19 by AGod.
Roach is playing for Surrey, so it might well be a challenging start.
Now Kasey needs to put his case as clearly as possible
Pitch had been looking relatively docile but that seemed to really take off.
Some fine shots from Lammonby and Renshaw solid.
Jake Ball is unlikely to be sorry to have missed this match - since one imagines that bowlers on both sides have a lot of hard yakka ahead of them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:12:13:30:22 by AGod.
Surrey v Somerset
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Now TL has been shook up by it when he really didn't need the extra pressure!!
And no ton yet, that run didn’t count!!
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Time to retrench, fellas, time to retrench...
Very disappointing since the run out.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:12:15:26:34 by AGod.
I wasn’t going to say it before lunch to supposedly jinx it, but watching Tom L before lunch, I genuinely thought that I’ve rarely seen such a pleasing bat aesthetically in all my cricket watching.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:12:15:54:21 by Des Platt.
Even by Somerset's standards that was a corker.
Shocking.
I made the mistake of being optimistic when they were nearly 200 for 1. Oh, I know, I should have known...
Once again, Tom Banton gets the opportunity to make a place his own but doesn't take it... it was on a plate.
In this present line-up those chances may be few & far between. We have spaces for Abell TKC & Umeed to fill in the next 4 weeks.
* I use "home-grown" as a shorthand for those who played their first senior match for the county concerned. Thus Bashir can be included.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Such a shame we (save Matt & Lewis) folded thereafter, but credit to Surrey's bowlers.
Could be a tough day with the ball tomorrow, so a good time for our new signing to show what he is capable of.
Grizzers
Anthony did apparently do an interview, in which Shane Burger claimed there is "something in the pitch for the bowler," but then he could hardly have said otherwise without making most of his charges look terrible in the process.
The problem is that the Surrey wickets came from extra pace (Atkinson) and wrist spin (albeit a part timer), neither of which we have, I don't think. I was hoping Pretorious might bring extra pace but he didn't seem particularly quick yesterday.
So... we're stuck with a medium fast seam bowling attack on a pitch that seems pretty placid, under sunny skies and with a ball that, to quote Lewis Gregory, barely has any seam on it.
In a match played on a bowler's pitch, you might occasionally be able to win a match in which you lose 7-20, if you've made 190-1 beforehand.................... but on a batter's pitch? It feels all but impossible. Monday morning rain might offer us some sort of possible escape route in terms of getting out with a draw, but only if we can keep it very tight with the ball today and if the middle order can show more substance than a blancmange in the second half of tomorrow.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:13:13:23:48 by AGod.
Pitch or attack? Good question
Bowlers generally don’t do well with the K ball unless they have extra oomph or are top spinners. Our chances of getting loads of wickets here, with this attack and this ball, are the same as Chris Woakes’s chances Vs Test teams with a K ball. And I believe Chris W has a career test bowling average with the K ball of about 60!! And Woakes, I think, has the best English domestic Test bowling average of the modern era!? I think it’s about 19!?
Thanks.
Great to see the back of Pope.
Jamie Smith very dangerous, however.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:13:19:22:14 by AGod.
Worried though.
Despite the peach that got Smith, Craig doesn't look fully there.
Pretorius is probably bowling through jet lag so got to give him a pass presently
Gregory looks pretty fragile (may have to use him sparingly)
Davey not fit?
Jake...? Meh at the momeny
Leonard injured?
Alfie pulled in 👍🏼
How close is Sonny?
Are we expecting to bolster with the 2 Toms?
Ben Green is where?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:13:18:02:45 by Grockle.
The Surrey fans were quite complimentary about his performance too.
We toiled away with the ball and got one or two gifts along the way, tbh (Pope, certainly). But, as we know, the damage was largely done in that awful hour before tea yesterday.
He also hates bowling with the Kookaburra ball, of course.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:13:20:37:47 by Grockle.
The batting highlight was produced by Will (Sorry, Jamie) Smith with some splendid clean striking in his 51, that included seven fours and two sixes.
Tomorrow - which will be today by the time most of you read this - will or is another day. Keep the Surrey lead to not much more than a hundred and then bat brilliantly but stubbornly until Monday's rain arrives.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:14:22:13:49 by Loyal of Lhasa.
Will Smith is a man noted for throwing a punch at the Oscars!
As it is? We wait to see if Aldridge and Shoaib can follow up on decent days yesterday and whether the front end bowling can be a little sharper… and then, possibly from behind splayed fingers, I shall watch our middle order and hope to goodness they can acquit themselves rather better second time around…
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:14:09:23:54 by AGod.
Seems Derek Randle was one of them!! With 174 at 5'8 and a half inches.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:14:11:20:21 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:14:11:52:59 by AGod.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:14:12:44:08 by AGod.
Now we need to hold the line with the bat either side of lunch.
Unreal.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:14:14:56:47 by Des Platt.
I think it’s going to be the current group plus Andy U once his digit is better.
Dickson and Banton not really scoring even Vs the Kookaburra is not reassuring, with the Dukes ball back from now on. At least most of the others have some form / runs / confidence to take into the next few games.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Reading the Cricket Paper today , it is given as a reason for using the K ball that it gives spinners more chance and gets teams used to not being able to take wickets so easily. It does , however produce some tedious watching. We’ve been used to that at Old Trafford for years.
We all , or most of us despise Surrey or Essex. Have to admit that Surrey rarely get anything wrong but it is becoming as distorted as the Manchester Arabs in the football Premier League. Even if they do get a signing wrong, does it matter?
I think my future of watching professional sport is nearly all in the past, but I will always treasure Surrey’s disintegration at Old Trafford in September 2003, when they were strutting to a third championship on the run until Carl Hooper belted them all round the ground. He was batting with the number 11, Gary Keedy and Surrey did the usual rubbish of giving CH singles and not trying to get him out. He just flayed 2s, 4s and 6s and went from 29 to 100 in the time that Gary Keedy scored a single. The Surrey team fell apart in front of me and that team didn’t recover. Nobody can take that away from this bitter old dinosaur.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:15:00:16:12 by Des Platt.
Overall, we've battled well in this game, aside from the wretched first innings collapse, which could well have cost us the game.
Still, there is still hope.
Grizzers
Both are usually in teams chiefly for their batting.
Here's the thing:
Seamers aren't suddenly going to become good at "thinking batsmen out," just because of 2 games played with a K ball.
I mean, you'd have to switch to it full time really (perish the thought) before seamers livelihood's would be sufficiently threatened that they'd think "I'd better figure out another way of getting folks out."
The success of Steel and Lawrence does make one wonder though: How many other seldom used spinners could be effective, if actually given a chance?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:15:10:33:06 by AGod.
If similar occurs south of the river I shall say "All Hail".
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
But I can't find the BBC commentary in the usual place.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Re my comments about TL the other day, I haven’t changed my opinion ( not just based on that innings as I’ve seen him play a couple of ones live) that he is one of the most aesthetically pleasing batsmen I’ve seen. As a general rule , ( notwithstanding CH ), I‘ve generally been luckier with seeing great bowlers perform than great batsmen. The two live centuries that stand out to me for elegance are Barry Richards at Liverpool in 1975 when he very much made Greenidge look a bludgeoner and Mark Waugh’s dream debut century at Adelaide in 1991. KP’s double hundred at Guildford in 2012 stands out for savagery rather than elegance.
I cannot remember a single instance of our escaping from 19 for 6 (our effective position in the match yesterday) within at least the past five years (definitely not without tons of rain coming to our aid).
A great effort from Gregory, Aldridge and Overton today, with Gregory especially, but also Overton, batting against type.
Aldridge's and Bashir's economy still crucial in bailing us out too, though, since if they had gone round the park for 3.5-4 an over as most bowlers in this match did? Surrey likely would have had an extra 75-90 mins yesterday in which to bowl, as they could have declared with a nice lead, rather than batting to the end of their innings.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:15:16:18:57 by Somerset LaLaLa.
At least Pretorious has come up with a good second over.
(sadly)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:15:18:19:33 by Grockle.
Surrey should have sent Sibley in first and then the handshakes could have happened much earlier.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
8 for naff all in conditions loaded in favour of the bat!!!? As brilliant as the 20 for 7 was abysmal!!!!
Some of the very best flat track bowling I've seen for Somerset since we had Caddy operating on millponds at Taunton, back in the day!!!
And he was incredible in that run chase!!
I wonder how many other times Gregory has scored two fifties in a match. My impression (in particular, from last year's T20 campaign) is that he is an excellent leader.
I agree with Grockle that this is the match in which Aldridge has come of age.
The result will no doubt have cheered the birthday celebrations of one of our most esteemed contributors.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Plenty more positives to take from that, not least of which being the performance of the new skipper, plus of course Kasey, whose bowling seems to have developed very nicely over the winter.
Credit also to Craig whose batting stand with Lewis quite possibly saved the game for us.
Yes the first innings collapse was disappointing, but I reckon we’ll come out of this game feeling happier than Surrey.
Good stuff.
Grizzers
As to The Oval, they lowered their flag to half-mast on receiving the news of the death of Derek Underwood aged 78. I don't think his passing has been mentioned on here, although I may have missed it.
The Oval is a very friendly ground now. Friendly stewards if you needed one but the stands were unstewarded unless someone calls for one. Spectators were invited onto the outfield at the start of every interval in the match, lunch and tea, the second the players had crossed the rope. There must have been upwards of a thousand of us out there during the lunch interval on the first day. I saw people sat in cricles with small picnics or just chatting. The area of the outfield in front of the Bedser Stand seemed to be set aside, whether officially or unofficialy I don't know, for schoolchildren to bring their bats and balls and play impromptu games of cricket. The square wasn't cordoned off, just three stewards spread out along the Pavilion End edge of it (the end of the ground people were asked to keep to) forming what seemed to be an invisible line which no one crossed. There were also a few scattered along the rest of the boundary to ask people to keep to the edge of the playing area in the Vauxhall End of the ground.
A word about the crowd too. It had a very different demographic from the crowd at every other CC venue I visit where the great majority look over 60 or thereabouts and are predominantly male. Except on the last day, in the Galadari Stand at least (where most people outside the Pavilion were seated), there was a very high proportion of young people, aged about 25-40, probably more than were over 60, and they were far from being predominantly male. The numbers of younger people was striking and probably the main factor leading to a first-day crowd well in excess of 3,000 - quite possibly nearer 4,000 and probably around 2,500 on the second day. They really had turned out in very large numbers.
The cricket held the interest throughout. The Oval too.
I would add, I was at Canterbury for all three days of play too. Another very friendly ground. There was a stark difference in the crowd though. Predominantly male and over 60. Only 400 or so on the first day, perhaps 300 on the second and 200 on the fourth (which also applied at The Oval final day). And of course, the Canterbury weather was not as good as The Oval weather and there were train strikes on all four days. Very few Somerset supporters there but we were there in numbers at The Oval.
Farmer
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:15:21:32:27 by Farmer White.
Your resilience in successfully fighting for a draw deserves high praise and resulted in a fine game. Surrey batted too slowly in the second half of Saturday and on Sunday morning when it was clear some time would almost be certainly lost on day four. I accept a team's gameplan shouldn't be based on a weather forecast 48 hours away but, particularly with the improvements in radar and technology etc, you should still take some awareness of it into account. We didn't as we pootled along, perhaps over confidently thinking you would easily fold in your second dig. You certainly didn't.
Telling you what you already know, Gregory's captaincy and two innings were very valuable whilst Aldridge was the best bowler of both sides across the game (notwithstanding Steel's 9 wickets) imo and deserved his match eightfer.
The stats don't obviously reflect it but Bashir also played an important role. Just 12 runs from his two knocks and a return of 1/76 from our first dig, the only one in which he bowled. However, his 10 not out on day one contributed to a more than handy partnership of 49 with your skipper for the last wicket whilst his bowling return came from a mammoth and very tidy 36 overs which contributed to you achieving a draw. His overs used up so much of the game when you were already on the back foot and would have snatched a hand off for the draw and the 8 points that now go with it.
Finally, pleased that the Farmer enjoyed his time at the Oval.
It is a strong confirmation of my nerdy nature that I took delight that Surrey's second innings ended at
one two three for five.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
was this:
Yes, had they taken risks they might have lost wickets. But let’s say they might only have made 325 rather than 425 or so… there is, surely, no way they ought to have been concerned about then losing the game on the final day? As we showed, by making four wickets last most of the day, wicket-taking was not going to be easy on the final day - and so there would have been no obvious downside to Surrey being more aggressive towards the end of Saturday / early Sunday?
In my experience, the great majority of those who watch county cricket are, first and foremost, cricket-lovers and recognise and enjoy good cricket from both sides.
I too appreciate P&C's comments. The generosity of his remarks matches that of the commentators at the end of the live stream.
My only ever visit to The Oval when I actually got in was for a wonderful 3 day Surrey v Lancs match in 1993 when Lancs actually won and as said above , appreciated fine performances from both sides and in particular from Wasim and Waqar.
Very spectacular rain it was too at The Oval ; got back to my friend’s flat in Streatham and it nearly reduced Peter West to speechlessness describing how dark it was. It was probably the most spectacular rain I ever saw until my first day abroad in Houston May 81 when there was ten inches in the day ; look it up if you doubt me , not that I think you would.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:16:22:52:59 by Des Platt.
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:18:22:42:52 by Farmer White.
Here's what it looked like.................
[youtu.be]
Compensation comprised two tickets for a day at a Surrey home Championship game during the remainder of the season, which really wasn't much consolation to a lad from Somerset on a rare outing to the big city !
So we made do with an afternoon at Madame Tussauds.
Ah well.
Grizzers
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:04:20:01:25:02 by Grizzers.