I put the success of last season down to one word.
Kentish Townie.
Perhaps make it two words then.

Nice to be back again,something more sensible will follow later.

'Toast' certainly helped put the butter on our bread last season!

But the Captain was the principal catalyst for me. No one was allowed to coast during the season. Our body language was always good, players were supporting each other all the time and that all helped players reach the high standards required.

Many individual players made significant contributions but they were not in isolation as sometimes in the past. Peter Trego's unexpectedly good year also helped greatly.

No-one could have a bad game and be sure of retaining their place. We had very good players in the Seconds clamouring for first team places.

In Div One I am sure we will do well. However I think it will be beyond expectations to be winners of the that division next year. But I would love to be wrong!

I think it's good for us to be without this site for a while occasionally. It makes us appreciate even more than normally the work that Grockle does.

Thanks, Grock.

James, I'm not thinking of breaking the habits of a lifetime and posting anything sensible - apart from the above - and I shall be most disappointed if you do.

That's fair enough Bobs,message understound loud and clear.
The problem is that when that grumpy old thing from Tibet,Bogota or wherever else he is gets back on he'll be picking on me,or bullying me yet again you see.
I have to try and please him now and again or he'll spit the dummy out.

Back to business.
In my mind there were a number of reasons for our success.
Justin Langer brought more to the table than just class and ability.He instilled a professionalism in the team which we haven't seen for many years and with that came confidence.
From the first match onwards you could see a belief in the players,they were playing as a team.When the top order would occasionally fail then there would be a degree of confidence that somebody lower down would step up to the plate and accept the responsibility.It was here that the likes of Blackwell,Hildreth and Trego excelled and for the first time in many years we looked like the real deal,head and shoulders above any other team in the division.
I'm sure Jimmy Cook was a positive influence on some of the younger lads,let's hope he can be around for many years to come.
We have a wicketkeeper who has the potential to go right to the top and who looks like the natural successor to Rob Turner.No worries there.
In the bowling department I believe that in Willoughby and Caddick we have the best new ball attack in the country,ably backed up by Steffan and Trigger who for many remains the most improved player of the year.
I really believe we have the potential to win the first division and challenge for honours in all competitions.
We do need another pace bowler to give us some back up in that area should injuries occur to the big two but otherwise it's a case of more of the same.

I'll add to this over the next couple of days. Sorry about the downtime. It happened as I updated and I've spent 2 days trying to find out why there is an automatic de-activation but no hurry to re-activate when work has been done. It seems you can't add to a story in segments but have to change the front story entirely to fulfill the requirements...but not always!!

Ahh well.

I think the effect that JL had on our slightly long-in-the-tooth Kiwi was the key to it.

There's little doubt in my mind, that Caddick was somewhat more fired-up this season, than he had been for a few seasons.

I think he believed in what JL was selling and that belief translated into him rolling back the years and helping to ensure that JL was able to deliver on what he had promised to sell.

With the greatest respect to Caddick AG he has been our most reliable performer for many years.The man is world class,simply the best.
For me it was the effect on the rest of the players that made the difference.
You only have to take a look at the before and after effect with many of the team to realise that something significant happned last year.
I liked the Langer/Caddick combination from the outset,failure was not going to be an option.
Whatever happned I'd like to think that we're only just starting on the adventure,that last season was not just a one off.
Back us to win the lot,you won't go far wrong.

Poor Ben Phillips excepted, we managed to keep a relatively free physio's bench - which in turn bred consistent team selection, and team spirit.

I think all previous posters on this thread have made excellent points. Many have said in the past that AC's "character flaw" is a disproportionate need to feel respected , wanted, loved. Clearly the respect JL has for him is significant and genuine, and that, along with elevation to the Vice Captaincy may have made a significant contribution to his success this season.
And the work ethic of Andy and Justin (and Marcus) has clearly had an effect throughout the squad. If I were a youngster, I don't think I could fail to be inspired by how much three guys who've acheived so much still seem to give everything every day to be better still.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007:11:23:14:55:56 by Frome Exile.

A great post, FE.

I'm sure we all have this need to be "respected, wanted, loved", it's just a matter of degree.

Your last paragraph gets to the nub of the success of the team. Peter Trego has talked about the inspirational effect that Justin Langer had on him, and I'm certain it was the same with others, too. We also cannot doubt the Marcus Effect on his younger opening partner.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007:11:23:15:11:09 by Bobstan.

Grockle, perhaps the ever present BJ, could become your assistant?

Wurzel, but Botham is first in line.

I for one am missing his presence in the posting.Even if we cannot agree on the Long Stop fielder......well that's what we called it at school, many years ago.

I'm sure Grockle would agree that there is no first in line and indeed no need for any assistant.
If the site does go down for a short period then it makes us all the keener for its return because return it most certainly will.
If Botham choses not to post Eh then that's up to him,we're all adults and should be able to tolerate somebody else not agreeing with us and telling us how important we are all the time.

I thought we all needed to be 'respected and loved.'

Couldn't give a monkies to be honest AG.

You are quite right BJ it is "up to him".

My comment was made to bring a little light relief, Botham did offer to be a moderator some time ago to help Grockle out.
It is Grockles site, and he has made it plain he does not need any help so be it.
At the same time, I have noticed a little less tolerance on your part to some of the postings of late.

Going back to the title of the thread, It is great to see that not only have we had success on the field, it has also been achieved off the field with pre-tax profit of £51K.
Many have said that the club should not make a profit,and maybe reduce the prices of membership. But without the cash we will not achieve success on the field.

If we had had a pop concert, we might have made an extra £20K.

[www.somersetcountycc.premiumtv.co.uk]

I wonder if we stopped making digs at certain individuals, maybe a few more people might be prepared to join in these debates!

I believe the term is tolerance.

How you interpret postings is up to you Eh,I wasn't being exactly serious either.
If I thought everything I wrote was being annalysed then I'd really start to worry,you're starting to sound like my wife.

Nobody has had a dig at anybody else Wurzel,my comments are directed no individual just a generalisation.
In any debate people will disagree,that's the whole point of it.
All I'm saying is that if you don't like that then don't enter into the debate.
During the course of the year this board is filled with debate and banter.
Some enjoy it and continue to use it,others don't.
The choice is theirs.

Then maybe you should listen to your wife a bit more BJ.

That's what she tells me too.
Let's not be too serious,you should know by now that like some others who use this site I like a good wind up.
If it gets misunderstood I really am sorry.
Really I am.

For possibly the first time I find myself agreeing with Jim in that's it's good to stir up some controversy. And I'll continue in that vein.

2007 was a year in which the club was taken by the scruff of the neck by a world class player who led by example and injected toughness and belief.

He brought fine seasons from established players such as Trescothick and Caddick and helped bring on tyros like Edwards, Hildreth and Trego. We expected to win and we did.

Other players foud it harder to adapt. Wood's lower key style was not appreciated and he left as did Spurway. Initially Blackwell's style didn't seem to fit either but he bounced back and had a decent season.

We were very fortunate with injuries. Our opening bowlers had to play well and they did. Very. There wasn't a Plan B. Soon our back up seamers will be tested. Phillips and Turner will be important names next year.

You do yourself an injustice KT,we have agreed on quite afew things over the last few years.
I enjoy the cut and thrust of these boards as it's usually well thought out interesting,I do tend to get a bit flippant when something ridiculous is said but that's just me.
You're also spot on about Turner and Phillips,their role will be vital next year.
I also hope Steffan is able to prove that he has the quality to cut it at the top level becuase he too has a big role to play.
If the back up seamers fail then we will have problems.
There won't be too many teams rolling over and playing dead next year,we have to be at the top of our game at all times.
I'm sure the lads are more than up to it.