The Somerset Reply

This is going to have go on in very small bits because the wireless connection is all over the place!!

Marcus Trescothick opens with Kieswetter against very tight and aggressive bowling from Bond and Mascarenhas.  It starts slow and continues in that vein.  We've only hit 12 after the first 5 and as 8 came off boundaries from the VC it looks even slower.  After Marcus hits another masterful stroke, he wafts, snicks and is caught at a very wide slip (set for a very wide ball).  We're one down for 16 after 5.4

Justin Langer strides out to sort out the run rate.  He doesn't.  We've fumbled our way to 29 by the tenth and then Tremlett replaces Bond at the River and his first act in anger is to trap the skipper LBW for a majestic 2.  30 for 2 and it's looking a long way to 222.  Hildreth is the next man in.

It doesn't get any better when Taylor and Ervine take over the bowling.  We can't get it off the strip and when we do we find a fielder rather than a boundary board.  There is no change of gear as we pass 43 in the 15th.  The 50 arrives nearly 5 overs later.  Hildreth does look to drive the score on but in doing so he drives at a ball he doesn't hit and is clean bowled by Ervine at 73.  By this time Mascarenhas has finished with excellent figures of 10/0/26/1

Ian Blackwell is the next man in and we hope that there might be some kind of charge.  Hampshire seem to think the same because they return Bond at the River end and he succeeds by clean bowling Craig 1 short of a 50 but it's all too slow.  91 for 4 in the 29th and in comes John Francis to sort out the problem.

100 arrives at the start of the 33rd.  It's still on but looking less and less likely. As I say that of course, they start to push the score along a little.  Francis sixes one end and Blackwell boundaries at the other and we reach 132 in the 37th so we need 90 off 13....gettable if Blackie looks where he is hitting it (he belts one to Lumb which just falls short of his outstretched fingers.

Still not convinced I'm afraid as we move to 138 at the start of the 40th.  A four takes the boys to a 50 partnership.  John looks quite confident, the first few overs weren't the problem they were in some of the friendlies but it is down to IB to get us there if we want to win this one.  John gets him on strike and Blackwell hits the woodwork around the ground and we could be home.  With that he puts one into the OP seating and we need 70 off 10 overs.

161 at 41 with Blackwell  going to 50 off 41 balls with 1 six and 6 fours to his name.  Sean Ervine returns at the OP and we all hope that the red mist doesn't come down and destroy this. Enter John Francis to offer the sensible boundary to offset Ian's sheer venom.  We need 51 off 8 with Lamb bowling at the River and then 48 off 7. 

The 100 partnership arrives in the 45th and it is a true partnership with Francis giving as much to it as the big hitting allrounder at the other end. We are at 196 with 5 to go.  26 to win...we can only lose it from here as Tremlett returns at the OP.  We are in front of the D/L for the first time and the rain has started to spit.  Tremlett offer up a full toss and Blackwell says "Thanks" and sends it to the boundary and the score over 200.

Meanwhile it is also good to see his partner walking up the wicket to the same man - good to see some confidence in the man's demeanour.  Then Blackie hits him over his head and we need 16 off 4 with Bond returning at the River with loads to do.

Bond tries to bounce him out and gets hit to the boundary, he tries to think him out and Ian cuts the inner field wth a gentle chip past the mid wicket man. He takes him for 11 off the first 5 balls and then farms the strike to meet Chris T at the other end.  But JF stops that happening and he will face the youngster needing 4 to win this one.  he does put Blackwell on strike needing 3 though and he tries to launch it into orbit, misses and nearly loses his wicket - play sensibly my friend.  Tremlett then bowls him a jaffa and Blackwell relies with the winning boundary.  We win with 14 balls left.  Ian is 86 and John is 48 - a 132 run partnership and a great comeback from a very poor position.  Well done to both gentlemen and 2 points in the bag for a 6 wicket win.

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