I hope it's on. I've shelled out £25 for an extra ticket for Luke. Mind you, he reckons he'll be spending much of the day doing his GCSE coursework, so that he can go to the footie on Tuesday night!

How about:

Langer, Tresco, Hildreth, Blackwell, Durston, Keiswetter or (Gazzard!), Trego, Phillips, Willoughby, Jones, Banks.

Batsman short and bowler heavy. Don't personally expect Jonah to play - thought he would have on Wednesday if that was on. I think they'll have someone else at 3 - might even be John Francis. Won't be Gazzard - same reasoning as Jonah. Gotta play Kieswetter.

It has thrown it down all day today. Hope Frosty had the field covered and the drainage hasn't been affected by the building work.

I know Phil Frost has had to work today, so expect he's been clearing water all day.

We will win by 4 wickets.

If there's grass on the wicket, let's play cricket.

My money is on the weather winning the day.
I hope the barometer is wrong and a full days play is possible,it doesn't look too promising though.
Hissing down here at the moment and like the middle of Winter,absolutely freezing.
Wrap up warm.

The weather forecast suggests low cloud but no rain until about 7 tomorrow night and a bit better temperature. It has to be an interuppted match if tomorrow is anything like today has been - absolutely foul.

Think yourself lucky the weather over there isn't as crazy as it is here.

Last Sunday: Glorious cricket & BBQ weather. Plus 23C & loads of sun.

Today: Minus 11C & 2 Feet of snow.

Bonkers !

Grizzzly

Not bonkers Griz , just North American, on second thoughts , yep bonkers .

Very overcast and dull in Londonth is morning (Surrey v Middlesex- FPT) and the Oval didn't see any play yesterday in the Lancs game due to rain , ah well, should be a point more than we usually take from there !

Good luck with the weather guys and enjoy your day .

Sun is out here but very heavy and dark cloud over the Brendons. It's dry and clear but I wouldn't put my life savings on it staying that way.

Dry and Bright here.

I've checked out the radio coverage. Radio Solent are covering all Hampshire's games and I've linked through on the matcfh report page.

We have Foxtrot all info about any local coverage - I hope there is some on Somerset Sound but won't hold my breath.

APPLE (AM?) MUsgrove Park Hospital radio are covering from 2:00 but I think there is limited space so you may or you may not get on. (link also on the match page.

You'll need Real PLayer for the local stuff. Don't think you do for Apple. I'll be on later with team news - about 11:30 ish.

The ECB originally told Hampshire that Pietersen must be rested until the floodlit FP match against Somerset at the Rose Bowl on May 2. Have they changed their mind?

Looking at the format of this competition, it seems to me that worcestershire are favourites in our group followed by somerset and hampshire and then gloucestershire and Glamorgan. Granted anything could happen in a one day game but if it is 2 teams from each region it seems to me that this could turn out to be a decider for 2nd.Hmm perhaps i get ahead of myself in my excitement!

Well we're here and we're on so welcome to the first FPT game of the new season. It's dry and there aren't puddles so it looks like we might set off at the correct time. Team info will be on the frontpage as it comes in.

Good luck everyone,it's wet and cloudy here.
Fingers crossed.

Somerset team
PD Trego, BJ Phillips, ID Blackwell, JC Hildreth, PS Jones, JL Langer, ME Trescothick, WJ Durston, C Kieswetter, CM Willoughby, JD Francis


Hampshire team
BV Taylor, GA Lamb, N Pothas, SM Ervine, MA Carberry, JP Crawley, MJ Lumb, CC Benham, CT Tremlett, SE Bond, AD Mascarenhas


No Kevin Pietersen

Funny that - I just posted that on the frontpage - isn't it amazing. Ahh but you didn't know that Banks was down to play now did you!!

Commentary team have been making adverse comments about the new Somerset strip.
“Look likes pyjamas, the worst we seen today”

No Pieterson but they have Shane Bond

Big Jim, your boy (Pete) is taking a hell of a beating!

The comments about the strip are no more favourable in the press box. But we're stuck with it and at least they all have numbers that correspond and the correct names on their backs.

Yes, Grock, at Northampton last season we had Jason Brown wearing a shirt sayind "PANESAR" on it, but they couldn't fool me!

Early days yet Bobs.
I can feel a Michelle coming on.
Go get em Trigger.

Very surprised at absence of Banks. And at the moment it looks like an error from where I'm sitting.

... not sure this is the right place to read about your sexual fantasies, BJ.

LoL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:20:13:17:30 by Loyal of Lhasa..

More of a "go and have a think on the boundary Pete and we'll have a chat later on in the innings". Not an impressive start I'm afraid.

Great start from Phillips, though!

Strange bowling changes and a better return from Mr T as well...wierd but whatever gets you through the game I supose.

Fourth one down too!

Come on boys, keep it going. I'm happy for this one to be completely one sided ...

VtF.

hello all. sorry for my recent absesnce ive been rather busy. but good to be back into the season! i shall pop in every now and again. we are going well at the moment. lets keep it up

Good stuff, BoBo! Big Jim's faith never wavered for a second.

Grockle can you send up a couple of chairs to the commentary box (garden shed), as they say they only have one chair between three.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:20:13:33:08 by everhopefull.

Yo Ned good to hear from ya!

Welcome back Ned after a very long time. You must be about thirty by now. Hope you had a good cricket season.

LoL

haha na only 18 now, umm cricket well i quit this past summer. walked out on the club due to some disagrements between me and the club and yes didnt start up again

Hmm,

Interesting start to things from Mr.Phillips!

VtF.

You're far too young to give up cricket, Ned. You will have many year in which you will no longer be fit enough to play, so make sure you find a club in time for 2008/09.

LoL



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:20:13:45:56 by Loyal of Lhasa..

yes me and a few good mates i made down there are all hopefully going to move on and play cricket some where else next year. im still a bit angry at the club i was at though. i got told by some guy down at the club i wasnt good enough to be playing in the 1st XI even though i was the leading wicket taker and had scored the most runs in the team. not to mention leading wicket taker in the competition

Blackie on at 27 from the OP

If only Phillips had been with us all last season we might have won the first division as well.

BoBo will have to bowl his heart out to get those five wickets BJ promised us.

LL

Welcome back Ned, don't you dare give up cricket at your age, you're a long time retired!

I'm a bit surprised that JF's playing, would have gone with Banks or Parsons (remember him).

If there's grass on the wicket, let's play cricket.

Greetings, guys. Very plush in the EBC. I can even see Grockle sat in the press box, from the gents loo!

I concur about the strip. In fact it looks worse 'live' than in the pictures.

The joy of wireless internet connection.
I wonder if we're going to see battle between who can post first from the ground?
Nice to see you Ned.
Sexual fantasies LoL?
Control yourself young man.
Though if Michelle ever does want to pop over all she has to do is e-mail me.
She can spend an afternoon watching racing from Stratford.
What girl could refsue that?

The prospect of racing from Stratford will no doubt get Michelle champing at the bit.

"novice", "fillies", "hurdles", "handicaps"... there's a whole world out there that only people like BJ and his Michelle truly understand.

LoL

Grockle - i'm curious as to why you say that Craig will pinch-hit. Do you know that for sure?

I'm not sure there's much purpose in picking John Francis and then not opening with him?

It's not as though the guy at the other end is exactly a slow coach when our no.2 bats, either!?

... looks like a bit of a rout is going on. I just thought I'd mention it in the sure and certain hope that such a remark would provoke an unlikely wicket.

LoL

Careful LoL,that's my job.
As for racing terms I thought "fell fatally at the first hurdle"would be more appropriate.

Does anyone have any idea why BBC SOMERSET seems to be covering the Gloucs game!?

I can't see any point in doing so because, no doubt, they will lose in spinless fashion anyway.

Can't BBC Bristol cover the gormless Gloucesters?

I don't suppose there's any coverage of our game anywhere?

Really rather annoyed.

Grockles opening post .

"I've checked out the radio coverage. Radio Solent are covering all Hampshire's games and I've linked through on the matcfh report page."

[www.bbc.co.uk]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:20:14:57:46 by everhopefull.

When SS went over to Glos game I tuned to Apple AM

Now living in Saltford

Looks like a very good recovery on our part after breaking that sixth wicket stand (for which I take total credit).

Excellent bowling by Jones; that's what his figures indicate anyway.

LoL

Excellent finish from the boys it seems - Mascarenhas can hit a long ball and we cut him off in his prime. Then polished off the tail!

Unless overhead conditions are that bad (or Frosty has prepared a sporting pitch - seems unlikely) 220 would normally be considered under-par. They do have 3 international bowlers though so I'd say 50 per cent of a job well done so far.

Come on the batters!

BVI Grockle

Three run-outs! That suggests an extremely commendable performance in the field.

And it looks like Jonah has immediately responded to the increased competition for places created by the return to health of Phillips and the signing of Thomas. Well done, Steffan.

Next, we'll see whether JF and WD can make the most of the chances that they have been given, too.

The run outs were down to excellent fielding but also to really gormless running between the wickets (for third runs in two cases). For the Pothas one Marcus almost set him up and he just took the bait and lost his stumps - daft as a brush.

Wireless is great when it works. Little worried about being spied on from the ECB bogs though.

When it doesn't work it isn't so good. It seems to have dispersed my whole first half of this report into the ether with little chance of getting it back. Photos and all which is even more disturbing.

Oh and the 'pinch-hitting' scenario AG. I don't think Frank was planned to play. Omari was up to play as a second spinner - that didn't happen and Omari's batting hasn't been that certain so they stuck Frank in. Craig would have been where he was irrespective of Frank playing. In fact he didn't play the hitting role because Marcus and Justin lost it early. He didn't get out of second gear really and thanks to John working with Ian we got out of gaol. So I'm not sure the position is for him either. We still don't seem to have faith in a number 3 and so Langer won't open with Marcus - enter de Bruyn!!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:20:22:07:01 by Grockle.

Well done Grockle. It seams you have mastered the wifi system at the ground, but the official site has been having problems all day........ (or maybee they just couldn't be bothered!)

There was lots of typing going on and I didn't completely succeed in the sense that I lost the whole of the front half!!

But I do have some very good pictures that I'll upload in tomorrow from the Hampshire innings. My thanks to Alain for those.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:20:23:51:55 by Grockle.

Yes, Grockle, I think we need to make some kind of concerted effort to indentify and alternative number three, so that JL can open with Banger.

In terms of being really positive, having your two most experienced stars up front, would really fit the bill.

It's either that or see about JF or NE up-front, for me.

As I said, when the other opener is Banger, there would be no serious concern - for my money - about having somebody else a bit more sedate up there (unless the pitch is very flat indeed.)

Quote:

Grockle
There was lots of typing going on and I didn't completely succeed in the sense that I lost the whole of the front half!!
But I do have some very good pictures that I'll upload in tomorrow from the Hampshire innings. My thanks to Alain for those.

Is it fairly easy to upload pictures? I could post some of the ......... .... for BJ.

Wurzel,feel free to post what you want.
It's obviously important to you,you obviously feel the need to go on about it so go on post the pictures.
I'd love to see everyone sitting around trying to impress each other whilst looking out for the waiter to bring them coffee and biscuits.
Next time you go perhaps you can tell all your new chums that Somerset won.
They were the ones in the grey and red pyjama suit if they were wondering.

I managed to get a 90 minute pass to the cricket yesterday. Sadly the 90 minutes I chose were the ones starting at the point when Banger was out (edging to slips after a bit of a waft - surely not), to the point when Kieswetter was out on 49 (poor lamb). The cricket I saw was pretty turgid cagey from a Somerset point of view, and when I left I was certain we would lose. My joy at our victory was almost outbalanced by my irritation that I'd missed the best bits. Perhaps it was my presence on site that had brought about Somerset's struggles.

Tremlett looked in fine form, and frankly Hants look to have a good bowling lineup. It was a shame Kieswetter was out on 49.

For those that are interested, I sat in the Ian Botham stand for an hour or so then wandered around to a standing position between the scoreboard and Ondaatje Pavilion. I could see Tractor et al lurking opposite me, and words can't really describe how much I miss the Stragglers.

The issue with uploading is that you need to have a space on the net to point the site to to find the picture. There's no point in having them on your machine and setting up a link with that.

There are picture books that offer space. You upload your pictures to that and then point the post at them.

Anyone who has intersting stuff they haven't got space for can send them to me and I'll upload them onto the main site area but I'm not gonna be doing that for posts I'm afraid. I also think you can send them in private messages if you want to do that W. (Although unless things have changed BJ doesn't always get them).

BJ, I think you have a misconception of the EBC. Those people whom I spoke with yesterday, were no different to those in any other part of the ground, except there were no Jean's, as far as I'm aware. They all seemed to be extremely knowledgeable and loved Somerset cricket.

No Jean's??????
No Jean's.
How could they?

No Jean's what?

LoL

denims.

Does that Jean can't wear her denim dress into the paddock?

I suspect that it depends on whether (or not) she has nice legs, Jim.

If she does, a double-standard may be in operation.