v Gloucestershire 20/20 @ Bristol Friday 7 July 2006

Scorecard

Theoretically it is still possible to envision Somerset in the semi-finals.  Realistically, all we can do is harvest some pride from our final games and influence the make-up of the teams who do qualify.  This is a major pride based game.  Having hammered the Gladiators in the first match of this year's competition in the manner of true champions, we have under-performed since while our rivals have recovered from that savaging to become contenders.  Tonight on their turf we need to show them that the Taunton murder was not just a flash in the proverbial but an indication of who is the dominant 20/20 unit in the South West.

For this to happen we need some self-belief and more 'canny' 20/20 tactics.  Cameron doesn't seem to have got his head around the stategy and tactics of this alien shorter version in the way he seems to have mastered the individual batting aspects.  We are too conservative in our bowling options and not willing enough to trust some of our occasional bwolers who did such a good job for us last year.  He has not been helped by having to carry the batting almost single handed (with able assistance from Justin Langer).  The home grown boys have been far too cautious for far too long and left us 30 to 50 short in most games. The bowlers, when called upon to produce, have been too wayward and predictable.  Too many opposing batsmen have been allowed to get too comfortable and too many oposing bowlers have no pressure on them because of the nature of the totals we are working towards.  All that has to change.

The side shouldn't change too much one would imagine.  Assuming everyone who played against Northants is fit, I personally would expect the same side to start.  I think Peter Trego showed enough aggression with the bat to start tonight, although his bowling needs more precision.  Gareth Andrew may well be relegated to 12th man once again as long as Richard Johnson is fit to start.  Commentary is on Radio Gloucester at 6:30 and if anyone wants to give us a run down on how the game pans out then please post on the forum and I'll integrate it into my own thoughts later on this evening.

My initial thoughts were almost right but Somerset have gone for the pace option, including Gareth Andrew at the expense of Wes Durston.  This is an error in my humble opinion.  Adding another bowler who may go for many doesn't provide another seam option, it compounds the problem.  It also weakens our batting.  Surely the more sensible option would be to keep Wes in but use Hildreth as another seamer.  If Gareth is in because he is a more penetrative player with the ball then that is justified, but in that case surely the man to stand down, as it has been all season is Peter Trego because we would still have the batting of Johnson to compensate for his loss.

I can't say I'm expecting much.  Gloucestershire are hungrier than we are and have lots to play for.  They feel confident in their own backyard and will believe thay can chase down anything we put up.  That requires an immense performance from us to alter the self belief and that particular commodity is not something that has been particularly obvious in our side for most of the season.

Maybe tonight is when that changes....hope so because it is becoming difficult to report on how we lost this one evening after evening when the same problems seem to be obvious game after game.

Well we came we saw and we made 200 for only the second time in the competition I think.  But unfortunately we batted second and they made 227 as our bowlers all (except of course for Charl Willoughby) went for double figures per over.  Three overs of spin used and three bowlers of the 6 used bowled out.  Justin Langer missed a half ton by 1 and Peter Trego again showed he's a useful member of a 20/20 with the bat (47) but the tail didn't wag and White was one of three run outs which suggests either Gloucestershire had their fielding hats on last night or we were a bit panicky.  But the theoretical chance to qualify has gone I would imagine and we are doing that all too familiar "playing for pride" thing in our final games of the first phase before we concentrate on the next event - the 40 over competition.

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