2006 More of the same 2
By Grockle
April 17 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!!
All Round Conundrum
There is going to be a big question to answer in more and more games as this season unfolds; "To spin or not to spin". At number 6 to 9 we have a wealth of talent. One of those places will go to the wicket-keeper and that will be Carl Gazzard - please God keep him fit. Sam Spurway (big lad!) has been pushed into the main game early, because we've got rid of all our other "wickies" but I think few supporters expect to see him unless Gazza's form is woeful or he picks up some niggle or other. If he does and Sam shines, he may find the route back a little hard...but that is for the future.
It's the places around him that make for more interesting contemplation. We have a number of allrounders. Mr Blackwell will return 'semi-triumphant' from a winter tour which has probably put his name firmly in the frame for a berth in the world squad in March. He may find his services called upon by the ECB before then and we may have to do without him for part of the summer. The question of who we replace him with and who backs up the batting and the bowling attacks is going to be a knotty one. Will it be the returnee? Trigger Trego is back with something to prove to a sceptical Somerset faithful. Has he learned lessons? Is he a more effective pace option? Is his batting at the level we need? Keith Parsons wasn't supposed to play first team Championship matches at all last year but did the usual thing - surprised everyone and more than held his own when on the pitch in all forms of match. He isn't expected to do it again this year but injury and performances will have to decide. James Hildreth may move into this category this year if the powers decide that he is worth some spells with the ball after some of his performances in the 20/20 in 2005 - a one day option only probably. Is Gareth Andrew an allrounder? His batting hasn't ever been really tested but he may have to compete with Trigger for the pace spot if he wants lots of first team cricket this year. Finally, what about Rob Woodman. We see him as a bowler, England see him as a batsman...what does Rob see himself as I wonder?
Allround Talent?
But that is only half the problem. Last season our spinning allrounders got us points on more than one 'sticky wicket'. What about Arul Suppiah? A proven Top 5 batsman and improving bowler who may not get the number three batting spot. Wes Durston who looks in fine early form with the bat and has taken wickets already in dry sunny conditions during the South African 'jolly'. Last but by no means least, Cameron White, a young man with a reputation to build, a spin variation we haven't had for a while and an Australian attitude to batting that has been described as 'devastating'. Why pay for him if we don't intend to use him. He could be the not so secret weapon on the Taunton strip and the difference between a high scoring draw and a win for our side. As the Spring turns into Summer, will we see him come into the equation more and more - is he really the 'Blackie backup' ? In my opinion there's no doubt about it. We expect big things from him. We should also not forget his countryman Dan Cullen, a more out and out spin option, attacking (I hope) and talented. He will also come into the deliberations more and more as the season progresses. The fact that he won't be here until the start of May isn't a problem given the nature of April wickets and the experiences of poor old SJ last year. He could be another Taunton match winner and an away game option of increasing importance as the sun starts to warm the ground a bit!
Will we turn to pace or spin in that middle order engine room? Well I hope we cut the cloth to suit and play the best people for the prevailing conditions but we can hope for everyone to make that difficult by all hitting form. One would expect the main fight to be between Trego and White while IB is about but there are others with a real chance and it's a healthy position to be in. I expect the spin card to be played at Taunton more often as the Summer progresses and injuries will also play a part in all this, as well as the effectiveness of the third seam option. The thing to celebrate is that we have some variations that will keep the opposition on their toes. Let's hope it all fires!
Wavers of the Willow Wands
As Zebedee has been know to say (or might have said) "and so to bats".
What is to be made of the front end of this line-up? While Marcus is recuperating and re-organising before his return to the frontline for the country, we have little to debate. He will open next week at least. With whom is a more difficult one. One has to assume it will be with his captain Matt Wood who is a definite in one of those three front places for the forseeable future after his last 60% of the 2005 campaign. John Francis is also the front runner for the other top three slot, probably at number 3. After that? Is Cameron White a top 5 batsman? I don't think so and as Ian Blackwell won't be playing against Glos, his place is further down the order. James Hildreth has been mooted as a candidate for moving up to number 4. Not in the Grockle household I am afraid. I think Arul Suppiah more than showed he could stand in the top 5 in the second half of last season and Neil Edwards has to make a play for one of these 4 spots early in the season if he is not to spend another year wallowing in the seconds. Both these players are options for that 3/4 spot and Edwards has to set his sights on an opening berth when Banger trots off to Lords in mid April. Ian may be looking at the Number 4 slot. I think he should look at Number 5 but it depends on what kind of 'willow waver' Mr White is. The Neil Edwards mystery is the one that may decide our front end. Whhat happened to him last season after being promoted to the frontline for the first half of 2004 and then being almost invisible last year? He has been in the runs in the warm-up games and may get a chance early. It is whether he takes it. If not we may be cobbling together a number 3 or 4 for most of the season unless someone surprises us all and makes that spot their own as Arul did last year. Wes Durston is looking like a batsman with promise at the moment, maybe that would solve more than one headache for Mr Rose and his selection committee
So what does that all mean? Well the Gloucestershire game has a team make-up something like this;
Trescothick, Wood (capt), Francis J, Suppiah (if fit Durston if not), Hildreth, White, Gazzard, Trego, Johnson (if fit Francis S if not), Caddick, Willoughby
In later games one would expect Edwards to make a play for the Banger position or Arul and Wes to fight to cement that 3 and 4 setup. I hold out little hope of the Swarthy Greek to be up to a Championship campaign and therefore there will be a fight between Frank Senior, Rob Woodman and probably Gareth Andrew on the outside rails to make a play for the third seamer slot before Mr Cullen arrives and makes all bets null and void on who will play at numbers 8 and 9. Remember also that the Mighty IB will return and expect his number 5 position which pushes Messrs White and Trego into the back end melting pot. Oh Happy Days! Where will Carl G bat I wonder?
And the one day against Kent? I suppose it depends on what happens in Bristol but you would expect the squad to include;
Wood, Francis J, Hildreth, White, Gazzard, Trego, Johnson, Andrew, Durston, Parsons K?, Willoughby? Banger? Blackwell?
Epilogue
Just like in those old Quinn Martin productions (like "The Invaders") there has to be an epilogue where all the strings are tied up and everyone leaves satisfied. Well not quite.
I expect more in the 2006 season because I have been given a taste for more. I expect a more confident squad to go out for a win from the start. I expect to see the variation we have built into the 2006 unit used to good effect. I expect to see something more than a draw at Taunton and a side attacking from the outset, pushing themselves, turning opposition twos into ones and keeping the other side in a quandary about what we are going to do next.
I don't want to see any of this midfield waving of the hand coupled with the expectation that the fielder on the boundary will run in to pick up the ball. I want to see whites with green knees and balls arriving less than 12 inches over the top of the stumps.
I want sensible batsmen building on scores of 20 and 30, losing their wickets expensively and showing some level of patience at the start of an innings. I want to see incisive line and length bowling and a killer instinct that treats the number 8 batsman as a man who is daring to stand on our wicket and must be removed. I want to see support for men who are struggling and for those who are doing well, a team spirit that makes us all proud to be part of it.....
And I want to see points, batting points, bowling points and winning points. In all competitions and on all grounds. I don't want excuses when it goes wrong and I want solutions when they are needed. I want to see selection on merit and the best side always taking the field. No ill founded arrogance, good sportmanship and a side who want to play for the county for more than the fact that they pay the wages. That's what I want.
I expect to be pushing for Championship honours. Anything below the top two is not good enough.
I expect a much better showing in the one day league - we should be a county other sides have to beat, they should have to sweat blood to do it and know they have been in a scrap if they manage it. I expect that to be an infrequent occurence.
I expect to defend the 20/20 crown with gusto but personally the first one above is the priority because we cannot command respect wallowing in the mid table of the second tier of the long game.
I'd like a trip to Lords as well please...and a win that I can be at.
We will have to see what the week brings. Have a good start to the 2006 Extravaganza and Happy Easter!!