V Worcestershire (Friendly) @ Taunton 4 April 2007

The first chance to see the new line-up...well we don't really.  Langer will arrive on the 10th (so the earliest we'll see him is the Middlesex game ) White gets here on the 13th and Charl???  Well he sort of got here but then had to go back to SA because his visa was the wrong shape or something and he has to re-apply.  He will get here but when depends on the bureaucrats in Jo'Burg and the pedantic "twits" (I'm being nice) at this end.  So we see some of the stars and some of the other people wanting first class cricket this year get a chance to show us why they should be in the line-up at the expense of others.

The side is captained by Andrew Caddick   

and the 12 who play in this flexible friendly are;

Edwards, Suppiah, Francis, Hildreth, Blackwell, Parsons, Durston, Spurway, Phillips, Trego, Caddick and Woodman

We won the toss (according to Bill!) and decided to bat.  I didn't see the morning session and arrived at the ground at about 2:00 in the afternoon.  Some things have changed. The pitch looks very good although some of the slight hill to the middle seems a little 'flatter'.  The Colin Atkinson was the only section open although the main office is now established in part of the old shop at the bottom of the Ondaaatje (along with a Recuitment Agency Office!).

The main talking point of the morning seems to have been the fact that Exmoor Ales are no longer available on tap at the main bar.  Marcus T was seen in the nets having a bit of batting practice and looking fit and well.  He may be seen on Sunday it seems in the Devon one dayer but no-one seems totally sure and Steffan Jones in full Somerset regalia was about the place.  He also will be seen in the game on Sunday.

Anyway back to today.  Neil and Arul open - not something we will be expecting to see often in the first half of the season a number of people remarked but they got the game rolling against a Worcestershire side including Solanki, Smith, Batty, both Alis and Hick as well as a couple of bowlers who gave us a good hiding last season Sillence and Price.  It looked a strong unit.

And off we go in a one innings 100 over a side (I think) game over 2 days.  The objective is to bat out today, score big and then bowl them out tomorrow. That is the plan but Arul snicking one at 41 wasn't in it!  He goes for 14 and Mr Edwards is joined by John Francis with a whole load to prove after last year's disaster of a season.  They move it along at quite a pace and neither of them look at all troubled by the Worcestershire attack.  Tractor (Birthday boy today!) mentions that the ball doesn't seem to be coming on to the bat and wonders whether that is because of the work done on the pitch.  We probably won't know for a while yet.

However, it doesn't seem to be bothering Neil E who is producing his usual early season performance that is then usually ignored by the selectors.

He goes past 100 at 208 without further loss.  It does start to look a little pointless as Frank (no longer 'Junior' because 'Senior' is no longer about) joins him at 265.  The opposition are getting nothing from the pitch and are just trundling in to be run fodder.  The openers are really belting the ball about but you start to think whether this is the point of a friendly with 12 a side.  Shouldn't they 'retire' and let others have a go?  Then again, they may not get many chances this season if things go to plan and anyway, John

  goes for a very good looking 133 at 309 to usher in James Hildreth.

I don't know whether there has been something said, but Hilda doesn't seem to want to hang around and dob the odd single.  It is hard to identify the speed of the scoring because the Stragglers scoreboard only seems to think we've had 18 overs wwith a score i the 300's but we do see James clearing the short boundary or smacking the ball into it with alarming regularity.  341 at Tea heralds the return to the crease of Ian Blackwell as Edwards comes down with some mystery illness on a very creditable 136. But he doesn't stay long as he misjudges the line and leaves the field with only 8 to his name at 334. In comes Keith Parsons to stake his claim to a number 7 or 8 spot and the two Somerset batsmen pile on the runs in the late sunshine.

Hildreth passes 50 at 386 and KP joins him at 448 as the Worcester men toil. 

 A big Hildreth six brings up the 500 and his own century but they continue to add up the score finishing on 548 for 4 as Keith makes a play for a century before the end of play and falls 6 short on 94.  What does it tell us?  Well the Stragglers side of the wicket is still a batsmen's paradise and today the bowling was distinctly "early spring trundling".  Edwards looked composed, Francis looked in confident mood and Hildreth and Parsons were decidedly devastating in the late overs.  Other than that it was a nice day and the place looks ready for the season.

Tomorrow we look at the sharp end of the bowling, we get our first long look at Ben Phillips and we see what Trego and Woodman have to offer.  It is interesting that Sam Spurway was picked for this game..it will be equally interesting to see who geets the gloves in the other friendlies.  Who is in the selectors eye for the 18th of this month.

I may not get to much of tomorrow so if anyone feels like giving us the lowdown then please do and I'll spruce it up and plonk it on.  The season's gates are open...and off we go!

I wasn't there for the second day but we won the game with a spirited bowling effort from all concerned and the top honours being shared by Andy Caddick and Peter Trego with 3 apiece.  An early run out for leg spin prospect Michael Munday was another highlight with two wickets to him before Worcestershire were all out 100 plus runs shy of the total and with an hour to go.

Full second day report on our 'sister' site...the official one

DAY 2

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