2006 More of the same 1?

By Grockle
April 15 2006

Well the speculation is over and we will be starting up the road in the Big City against the "Old Enemy" next week. What have we got and what can we really expect? Well everyone has an opinion and here is mine!!

New everything this year. 

We have a new management structure (if you take the point that they didn't actually start last year). 

New coaches at most levels.  An inexperienced but supported first team man in Andy Hurry

and a steep rise and learning curve for his number 2 the ever present Jason Kerr.

New on the field control with the 'World Cup shoe-in" (Angus Fraser on radio this morning - If Gilo isn't fit) Ian Blackwell in charge after a winter with the England boys.  Matt Wood as his VC - he'll captain for at least part of the summer because Blackie will play in the one dayers during the summer one would assume - or carry drinks while Mr Giles tries to re-establish himself.

New Aussie "promise" with the new 'Warne' Dan Cullen arriving after his spell with the Aussie firsts in Bangla - the 'doosra' at the County Ground and Somerset with an attacking spinner again - back to the days of Mushy?  Alongside him there's Cameron White who will run out today to show us what he can do with the bat and with his spin options - a legbreak bowler as well....wonder what his googly is like?  They are young, hopefully ambitious and Australia contracted...but is this spin overkill?

Welcome to the Taunton Summer Mr White

New options in many places within the first XI.  Batting, pace bowling, allrounder places up for grabs and young guys hoping to fit themselves into them.  Hopes from the other sides of the boundary ropes that they make the grade.

But what does all this newness mean to the hard bitten SCCC supporter who have looked at more than one recent season with optimism only to see the potential drown in a flood of inconsistency, poor performances from key personnel and sagging self/team confidence which the management seemed to be unable to deal with?

Pace Pensioners or Punishers?

Well the key is the bowling performances for me.  We have a wonderful frontline pace attack in Caddick, Johnson and now Charl Willoughby.  Experience and track records that should guarantee well over 100 wickets for the pot.  IF we can get them onto the field, together and fit to bowl. Andy Caddick is our Championship key card.  If he is fit and bowling the way we know he can then he can almost take the points on his own.  We have to keep him fit for the four dayers.  It is key to our Championship aims (the main aim according to Mr Hurry).  Richard Johnson, the benefit boy, is not fit and probably never will be.  He cannot sustain prolonged bowling performances and shouldn't be asked to.  He needs to be managed carefully to give us what we know he can when we need it.  He will probably appear more often in the one day team giving us the short set of overs with the large bunch of wickets if we get it right.  He will not be a Championship regular in my humble opinion.  That puts the pressure on Willoughby to perform with the Cadmeister and this is by no means certain on the home strip.  Caddick has always managed to get huge bounce when no-one else can at Taunton - can the South African do something south of Leicester that he couldn't there last year...simple....he has to.

Pace Promise?

So, some of the youngbloods and not so youngbloods have to stand up to be counted in the long game for Somerset to mount an attack - especially away from home where we struggled to perfrom last year.  Simon Francis is the obvious man to look at for the third pace spot in the CC games.  Experienced and older, but failing to shine last year although he looks the part.  Little or no penetration gave him cause to analyse what he did and that seemed to make the situation worse.  He MUST put in the figures and take the wickets this year - we have said more than once that this is his "make or break" career year.  He has to play and he has to make a mark.  Gareth Andrew was tried last year and proved that he is a wicket taker, especially at important times, but not necessarily in the longer game.  He is probably a certain for the one day games, BUT only if he can improve his efficiency, he can be expensive.  He probably won't be a Championship player if everything else goes to plan.

Rob Woodman looked promising at the end of last season but may be a year away from real forward motion.  He is a possible Championship option if Frank Senior cannot make the grade but he may be looking more at an allrounder spot after a winter with the U19's where he was used as a number 3 bat rather than a strike bowler.  2007 is more likely the Woodman year.  Mike Parsons came to the fore and then returned to the back after some games last season.  His winter will have been important. He is forecasted to be a 'line and length' bowler and heavens knows we need as many of them as we can get if 2005 is anything to compare with but it may be too early for him as well.  I think he is marginal in the four day squad and a possible secondary option in the one dayers.  He may have to accept a season of mostly seconds cricket to prepare for the 2007 season - it may be his year as well as Woodman's.