No Quarter in Kent

So is everybody off on Wednesday TV or Live Wish I could be at Canterbury!! Have a great day Weather and result permitting!

WCG

Television for me.
Everything else is cancelled for the day.
Let's hope that doesn't include the game.

Work for me, with recorded highlights.

Are there any?

---

Quote:

Grockle
Are there any?

I don't know. I assumed there would be. I'll check.

If I found out I'll post the details.

No prizes for what I'll be doing wednesday or where I'm hoping to be friday to sunday subject to an early morning fitness test.

Working - so Sky Plus?

Sir Parkie, Mariella Fostrup and Felicity Kendall seem to think it's easy enough. Perhaps they'll record it for me?

VtF.

I'm at a meeting until 3.30. The plan is record it on Sky+ watch from 4-7.15 whicj will cover the 1st innings, go to another meeting from 7.30 9.30 and then watch the rest from 10 until 1.30,while keeping away , a la Likely Lads,from any hint as to the result!!. If it rains-no meetings Thursday.
I'm really waiting for the game at the Riverside before we start our August tour to Horsham Taunton and even perhaps a side trip to Lords.

I wish i could be there.....

Instead i'll be in my A-Level exams...

Although if it rains and is put back to thursday, i will try and get a last minute seat on the supporters coach, probably sold out though.

I'll be there in spirit, probably vodka.

---

Cricket's the winner.

I shall be at Canterbury and the met office rainfall radar looks clear. Bring it on!

There are still a couple of seats left on the coach to Canterbury, if anyone is interested.

According to the Kent CC website, the St Lawrence ground at Canterbury has been left completely under water by flash flooding after torrential rain this afternoon.

It says the ground staff worked throughout the storm in a bid to protect the playing area, but there is now considerable concern over whether play will be possible tomorrow.

Those travelling are advised to check the Kent website at 7.30am.

Fortunately, unlike the earlier rounds, there is a reserve day at the FPT quarter-final stage.

There are now pictures of the Canterbury flooding on the Kent CC website which are even more worrying.

Cheers CjM,the pictures are quite amazing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:03:20:43:23 by Big Jim.

For some reason it won't let me link.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:03:20:45:03 by Big Jim.

That is a lot of water

I hope they have one of those super mop things.

---

Cricket's the winner.

There was flooding on the local news tonight I can't remember the place.

We must have been lucky in Somerset (or parts) I was down Taunton this afternoon and never saw a spot of rain.

---

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:03:22:25:24 by Mike BOS.

It bucketed all day in Newcastle- I don't know what the Riverside is like for tomorrow

As it is televised I'm sure every effort will be made to get it on.
I've got a seat booked infront of the tele today at my daughters.The grandchildren were not too happy to find they couldn't watch cartoons when they come home from school today.

I think I've got up a tad too early but at least I've stopped them getting the remote and I've put my coat and bag over a front seat so got that reserved.

There may be a chance that I will be required to view new accomadation in which I'll live the next 30 years,God willing but that is not as important as this game is it?
The flat will still be there in 24 hrs but the match won't.As my first manager told me when I started work it's a matter of prioritising things in order of importance.

There is a good chance that I'll be changing my name soon as I've moved out of Bristol to within the old Somerset boundary although it isn't Taunton,but it could be in the town I refer to in my question on PQQ thread.

Let's hope that this is going to be the day I can have my first pear cider for over 6 months as a celebration drink.
A repeat of my birthday last year would be nice although I won't be able to consume that amount of alcohol again without putting my life in serious risk.
Got to watch the units.
What's that all about?

Cheers my Babbies and let's hope everyone either at the game,watching Sky or peeking cricinfo at work have a great day.
I'll be doing my exercises in front of the tele today and maybe doing a few miles on the exrcise bike rather than any other work outs.

Back to bed for an hour or so.Not made my thermos and sarnies yet!

The latest news from the Kent coach Simon Willis at 8.30am today was that the water had also got under the covers and the wicket was very wet.

He said they would probably have got the game on if it was only the outfield involved, but it was now very doubtful for today.

You'd better leave your stuff on the reserved seats for two days, BR, but pop out to see that new accommodation early today. You're sounding in good form and so I hope you feel that way as well.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Thank goodness for CJM. Having planned to go to Canterbury today, only to find out about the floods at Canterbury on this site. I have delayed departure. The Kent site reports the floods and advises those travelling to watch their site. So far there has been no news from any of the official sites (Somerset, Kent or Cricinfo). It's very frustrating.

Has the Somerset battle bus set off? Is the match going to be on today or tommorrow? I thought that with this internet thingy you would have lots of instant information but you dont (this is from someone who last updated his own website in February)

Oh well back to sitting in Limbo

Is Thursday a reserve day for this? Or does it have to be completed today??

May set back our preps for the battle with the Yorkies.

Hope they manage to clear it up in good time.

I imagine the team would have stayed in the area, after the Surrey game.

There is a reserve day, but sadly there will be no television coverage as Sky is committed to the Third Test at Trent Bridge tomorrow.

Thursday is a reserve day for this match but not sure if it will be televised Thursday due to the Test Match starting?

I have just tried to phone the office at Kent CCC to check on the status of this game, but they are not answering the phone - is this a good sign or a bad one?

I will be very disappointed if it has to be postponed - I went to a lot of effort to arrange to work at home today, but I can't do it tomorrow!

If the match is postponed until tomorrow Sky might provide the "Red Button" thingy.

---

Keep watching Sky we might get a recorded Somerset match instead!

---

This is a shame for Somerset as I am presuming the game will not be live on Thursday due to the Test Match.

Do we miss out on the Sky fee?

Beckenham tomorrow it is.

This interview with Mr Langer is fantastic.
He may be staying,he and his family love it here so much.
What wonderful news.
What a man.
Skipper,we salute you.

Very, very impressive 5 minutes on air from JL. I teach leadership as part of a post graduate management course and reckon I'm good at spotting outstanding leaders when I see them. For me, as an expat Ciderman living 250 miles away, I now understand better than before a major reason why my beloved county is doing so well.

Sounds interesting. Any chance you could tell us where you found it?

VtF.

It was a brilliant interview Vic,I'll see if there is a link somewhere.

It was a piece to camera on Sky Sports, filmed this morning and shown at 12.15 as the presenters explained the abandonment of today's game and its rescheduling tomorrow at Beckenham.

JL talked about his love of the club (and living in/around Taunton), his admiration for both the experienced and oh so promising young players (he ran through most of their names!) and his commitment to "the project" of rejuvenating SCCC. And then we went on to say the most interesting things about the state of English Championship cricket. He said that D1 has proved this season to be as intensive as Grade cricket back in Oz, something that he never thought in his wildest dreams he would see. "Players competing in D1 now are quite ready to go into test cricket", he said.

He ended by saying that he was going to have to make a difficult decision about returning next season, which he would love to do, but taking his family's needs into consideration. His daughter is due to start high school next year and he wants to be fair to her. Sounded 50:50 to me.

He was most complimentary about Andy Hurry and what he has accomplished at the club.
He reckons the attitude of the players is quite extraordinary,their professionalism is unlike anything he has ever seen.
He also stated that the Kolpaks were good for the game,allowing the best English players to compete regularly with the best overseas players.
He reckons that the cricket being played in division one is of a very high standard,as good as anything he has competed in in the past.He feels that the Koplak players play a part in this and the general improvement in English cricket.
It was a wonderful interview,he sounded quite in love with the County.
He has been an absolutely wonderful signing for us.
I'd love to see him with us for a few more years.

Let's not forget starting in 2009 he has a 3 year IPL deal.

"He also stated that the Kolpaks were good for the game,allowing the best English players to compete regularly with the best overseas players."

That's great, but there are fewer english qualified players in teams in a position to benefit.

Yeah, but those that lose out are the more marginal types of players anyway.

Let's face it, if there were many counties that genuinely had 6 or 7 or 8 accomplished English players of a young age, then few teams would have fallen over themselves to sign all these Kolpaks in the first place.

Point taken, but I disagree. It's the 'dropping into the deep end' of players like that which gets them into the position of being regulars.

At any rate, I make no secret of the fact that I would love Mr Langer to be part of the furniture in whatever capacity he so chooses.

Info from Nick Smythe at the ground today. The move to Beckenham may not save the game. Few there today held out any hope of better luck tomorrow. Does that mean a bowl out? Justin and marcus were in the indoor school today anyway practicing turning their arms over.

OOOOOEEEEERRRRR!

---

Toss of the coin I'm afraid.
A bowl out would be fun.
Who would be our Jimmy Osmond?

When is the draw for the semi's?

Quote:

Westcountry Wolf
When is the draw for the semi's?

At the lunch interval of tomorrow's Test match

Cheers

Two questions, Grockle;

1) Who's Nick Smythe??

2) Are you (via him) seriously saying that they've switched the game to a ground that is also currently under water?? Or is he simply saying that he's heard a bad forecast for tomorrow?

If I remember correctly Robert Key said the seconds are playing there (day two) and would have to stop their match to let the first team play there.

---

Which would tend to suggest that it's not currently under water!

Thanks, Mike

I've just checked on the Kent site and it is a four day friendly match.

[ww.kentccc.com]|u0|p191|n122|c59024|l0|g1|d0&pg=2nd_XI_Fixtures

---

One player who will not be at all happy with the switch to Beckenham is Martin Saggers.

When the Kent Seconds v Yorkshire Seconds four-day friendly match at Beckenham was called off at lunchtime today to give the ground staff time to prepare for the FPT match, Saggers had taken all nine Yorkshire wickets to fall.

Sadly at his age, the chances of all 10 is highly unlikely to occur again.

By the way, tomorrow`s match will be played on the same wicket. All 10 for one of our lads?

I spoke to the ground and thunderbirds are go for today.

I think that Peter Trego's absence causes a serious imbalance in our one-day team, though. I think Mr Rose will need to look for an additional pace bowling all-rounder during the winter as we have no obvious alternative. Indeed, the best alternative might be a 38 year old, Keith Parsons?

Perfect summer morning in South London today and Beckenham is not very far away.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

A sunny morning in South London.
Time to get the three wheeler van out and take it "daaarrrn the marrrkkiittt",watching out for the old Bill along the way.
I can just see LoL now,flat cap on,"come on ladies,pukka chinese dolls,real portaloo china.Two for a tenner,ya know it makes sense".
It conjures up some beautiful images,true England.
Have a great morning LoL.

We're off, they bat, 14-0 after 3.3.

Radio Coverage - there is a link on the BBC score page on the right hand side, and it is running now.

Thanks Bloke - am listening and trying to take wickets!

HiFolks. Where is the radio coverage?

Cheers

If you click the red button on the BBC site (that is underneath the Kent v Somerset in blue) you should get thru - I think its Radio Kent.

Good luck.

It is also on the front page that "Grockle" always put for our convenience.

Front page. [www.cricketnetwork.co.uk]

---

Time to get in the car, FE.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

What are the fielding restriction/powerplay rules in this one?
Under 4 an over would appear pretty good with Blackie and a looser field yet to come?
Can't fire up the motor yet, unfortunately. The pub worked last week though too, didn't it! Should I?

If we beat kent we are away to Durham.

Hot off the press.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:12:06:03 by everhopefull.

geordie moonraker will be pleased.

sorry, wrong thread



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:12:35:55 by bloke.

Somewhere in the recesses of my remnant of a mind I have a recollection that Beckenham was once Key's home ground. He seems to be enjoying himself there today. That statement is my way of getting him out.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Beckenham is certainly Key's home club, LoL, though I'm not certain this is being played at that club's ground...anyway, could do with getting him out!

With the same intentino I'd like to point out that KEY IS DOING REALLY NICELY AT THE MOMENT....

I'll try anything - maybe he'll be distracted by the thought that he could have done no worse in today's Test than the present incumbents.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Nice one LoL, it worked.

LoL,I could probably do better than some of those playing in the Test match.

Of course you could, BJ, but I'm the BEST[u][/u] at taking wickets.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:13:30:45 by Loyal of Lhasa..

You is da Gunvor bro.
Innit.

Somerset to chase 260 to win.

Considering how few wickets Kent lost, I'd have thought we did well to restrict them to 259. However, the picth may be difficult / outfield slow, so could be a tough target.

With their power hitting line up in the lower and middle order I was expecting them to score nearer 100 in the last 10 overs. At one stage they looked capable of 275-280. Well done the death bowlers, I say!

Hopefully the decision to pack the team with batting will be vindicated. I agree from another post that without Trego our balance looks a little strange, but let's hope the middle order (with perhaps Francis at 7 (!) although I would expect the order to be fluid with the hitters - Blackwell, De Bruyn etc. - being pushed down if we lose quick wickets) can bring us home. Never write this team off.

My god: I sound like a Caribbean expat version of BJ.

---

BVI Grockle

Rob Key suggested on Sky that Beckenham wickets are normally absolute belters, so hopefully we've done well. Willo was once again a great economist, with the others struggling a trifle.

I'm just trying to get hold of tufnell parka, who is at the ground with A God, to get an "on-the-ground" feel of where the balance lies in this one.

I've posted before to this effect, but Willo has been outstanding in the FPT this season. Very miserly indeed.

---

BVI Grockle

Quote:

tufnell parka; live from Beckenham
7/10 all round. We fielded well - virtually no extras. Will be tough but the look on our boys' faces when they walked off was steely determination

259 for 5? Gettable but we need a good start and the weather to keep bright. Wouldn't want to deal with a D/L target though.

---

Probably not gettable at 3.2 an over though!!!

---

tp suggests from the ground that we're recovering as well as Kent's good bowling is allowing us to.

I reckon if we can keep the asking rate below 6 until the change bowlers come on, as we have been so far, we aren't out of it by any means.

And 6 off McLaren's first will help!

You're right FE, That is a very good S/F draw for me but we have to win this one first. And... if we are the Saturday game I have a lot of diary juggling to do. Long way to go today folks. Durham tried their hardest to lose yesterday and didn't quite manage it(Gareth Breese anyone!!) so onwards and upwards

I'm going to be out of contact with any media between now and 11.00, so can the rest of you make sure our men do the needful over the remaining thirty overs (or fewer if poss).

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

goodness me Blackwell run out, good fielding.

---

stupid runout , blackwell, when theres no need to take chances and Kiewetter gone soon after, Well thats Somerset ,,trying to snatch defeat from victory



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:17:08:22 by averageside.

6 down, the money's on Kent now

---

Cricket's the winner.

And the M5 is shut southbound j18, so that's just about made my day

This competition is over for us.

Should we think about dropping Zander de Bruyn who didn't bowl today, and give Durston a go.

---

Unfortunately we chose our worst performance for up to now the most important game of the season. Congratulations to Kent who deserve victory We`ve been totally outplayed today lets focus on tomorrow quickly.

WCG

Pathetic Performance . From 165-3 to 222 ao. And all these overseas "stars" I'd rather lose with home grown players than pay lots of money to kolpaks and be defeated, the batting in one-day cricket this season has been inconsistent or even poor.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:18:04:10 by averageside.

Let's face it, several times this season our batting in one day games has been pretty ordinary, with one guy doing well to hold it together. There's no lack of effort, but so far we have been far from convincing.

I hope the guys have a safe journey home and can lift themselves tomorrow. One thing today proves is the value of travelling by coach.

Quote:

West Country Gooner
... up to now the most important game of the season.

Sorry fella, but for me this is no more tham a blip. Win or lose this one, EVERY, SINGLE championship game is, was and ever shall be more important than any one day bunfight.
On to tomorrow.

I love a bunfight, but prefer eating them.

A fifty over quarter Final in a national county Competition with a lords final , strange to call it a "bunfight". The true test of a good or great team, as in other team sports, is doing well and challenging in all forms of the game , leagues and getting to finals.

Totally agree FE.
Whilst every game is important the Championship is the one that really counts.
My main concern would be that we've lost that winning feeling(a song coming on there),so let's hope the boys continue tomorrow in the same vein of form that won us two on the bounce recently.
This is a blip,no more no less.
Back to business tomorrow.
Make it count.
Also well done and good luck to Kent.
I really hope they go on and win it now.

The match against Durham will be a good one if Durham play to their potential, but I would always support the side that beat Somerset.

Where has averageside been all season? Has he posted as many as three messages on any day, or has he/she deliberately waited till 5 June and our first defeat of the season, to get back on his hobby-horse?

Anyway, bit of a rubbish collapse this evening - I'd heard 168-3 coming home on the car radio and thought we had a good shout. Never mind, back to the major competition tomorrow. Have a good rant at them, Justin, then take it out on the Tykes.

Whilst I am as thrilled as anyone that we are top of CC1, most of the games, home and away, that I get to see are of the limited overs variety.

Although we qualified for the 1/4 final many of our performances were unconvincing and some disappointing, particularly home to Glamorgan.

However, SP, this wasn't our first defeat and I think your criticism of Averageside is a little unfair.

Sorry, you're right wurzel, it wasn't our first defeat - apologies. It just annoys me how quickly the moaners show up as soon as we lose a game. I'm not decrying the FPT as a competition (others can do that better than me!), nor one-day cricket in general, but I do feel the Championship is the main competition. I guess I'm just grumpy cos we lost - bah humbug.

It was our first exit from any given competition, so I think whilst SP's "first defeat" was technically incorrect, the intellectual thrust of his post was valid.

For anyone to blame "the Kolpaks" en masse when Steff went for 70 is palpably ridiculous!

I'm disappointed we lost, just not as disappointed as I'd be had it been a first class game.

I love championship cricket and am delighted that we are top However I believe every game to be equally important why should one be more important. The sign of a successful side is one that`s involved right to the end of the season.

Going tomorrow to my first cc day of the season.

wcg

Thanks FE - I didn't realise ANY of my posts had 'intellectual thrust'!

I think your post was spot on Shep.
There are,sadly,a very small number of posters who seem to be waiting for the team to lose so they can come on and complain about how rubbish we really are.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions of course,freedom of speech is a wonderful thing.
I just think we need to put things into perspective.
One defeat does not a bad side make.
We are top of the tree in the most important competiton in English county cricket.
Not bad going in most peoples opinion and I wouldn't swap it for anything.

Thanks, BDJ, me too!

Just back from Beckenham where it was a pleasure to meet TP and I also again encountered Tractor who was on his way BACK from Canterbury (!).

Impressions of the game?

I thought Kent won the game with the ball, more so than the bat. That's another way of saying that I thought their total should have been gettable.

The key moment was surely a silly run-out of Ian. It was Ian's call and there were two calls. The first one was a mistake and would have left Craig stranded, had Ian sent him back so the second call told him that Ian was going to sacrifice himself. Despite Craig's very well made 90, we might actually have been better served if Ian had been really selfish and done what a Symonds or Pietersen would probably have done (selfishly saved themselves.)

Once Ian went there was no-one left on our scorecard (with the possible exception of Jonah) that would be likely to be able to score quickly enough to take pressure off Craig.

The pitch was a little bit slow but the main problem was a really slow outfield. Of course, Ian is more than capable of going the aerial route, even on a long boundary (such as this one) but I'm afraid that Zander and JF and Ben and Alphonso weren't really going to be up to that job.

Charl bowled really very well. You can tell that from his figures. What you won't know if you weren't there is that Charl thrice lost his run-up (you go up-hill just before you bowl). In view of this disruption, bowling 10 overs for 24 was even more praiseworthy that it would, at first, appear. Ian bowled well too. Ben was quite good first up. Alphonso bowled Denly with a good one. Our catching was good and we gave away almost no extras.

On balance, I think we've been one player short with our 50 over side all season and, sans Trego, we were arguably a couple short for this one. Had we had Pete at number 7, we might still have won, even despite losing Ian.

The Durston/Francis role has been pretty much a non-contributing position in all games but one.

Our overall record in the competition was 3-3 and I think we were 4-4 last season. That suggests a middling 50 over team and I do not think that we yet have the belief in this format that we so transparently have in the CC.

Of course, the fact that Banger has played six times and not scored six times is incredible. It also makes no sense, given his overall CC form. Anyone any theories?

I'd certainly rather be eighth in the FPT and first in the Championship than vice versa!!!

As I asked last year; what difference would winning the FPT make to where we started the FPT next year? Answer - none whatsoever. It is the least important competition except the Twenty 20, and has NO BEARING WHATSOEVER as regards justifying our continued exsitence as a first class county.

This dichotomy between the CC and the other competitions in terms of priorities is almost certain to rear its head again in the next three weeks.

We'll be playing 20:20 and we would seem to have the following priorities;

a) do not sustain injuries to key CC personnel.

b) do not allow key CC personnel to lose form by being idle for too long.

c) do not over-work key CC personnel

and

d) do not allow team confidence to be eroded by losing a lot of games.

It doesn't take a genius to see some conflicts in these objectives. I think it's going to be a really difficult balancing act. We also have to think about the Pro40 competition too. For instance, what do we do with Banger? Do we rest him from 20:20 on the grounds he's not making any one-day runs anyway and to give his achilles a rest for CC purposes? Or do we play him in the hope that he'll play himself into one-day nick ahead of the Pro 40?

What do we do with key personnel like Ian and Charl?

Should we pick 4 or 5 of our key CC personnel for each 20:20 game and then rotate the rest of the squad in and out of the 6 or 7 places. Should we go with as much youth as possible for this compo?

To put it another way; ask yourselves who the holders are of each of the four competitions. I defy anyone to honestly say that the identity of the FPT holders comes more readily to mind than the identity of the County Champions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:20:37:12 by Frome Exile.

I think the County Champions are either Lancs or Hants, aren't they?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:05:21:32:24 by Grockle.

"Unfortunately we chose our worst performance for up to now the most important game of the season."

We got thrashed, at home, by Glamorgan. I wasn't at that game but we weren't that bad today and I've venture to suggest that we probably played very, very badly indeed to become the first first-class team to lose to Glamorgan this millennium in this competition.

Nice gag, AG.
But obviously my typo was a genuine typo, and I've felt honour bound to correct it.

Hants and Sussex, I believe.

The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

I am equally thrilled or dejected whenever we win / lose games, whatever the format.

I don't see much CC cricket as it's mostly during times that I work. Unfortunately, this weekend I am visiting my mother. I particularly wanted to watch Yorks, who always make for an entertaining game.

I believe the most successful team will be the one that does well in all competitions, as it has been proven that losing games, in whatever format, breeds lack of confidence and bad morale.

I hope that our boys can thrill us in 20/20, because I have been less than excited by some of our 1 day performances this season.

There's certainly a fine line between success and failure, nowadays.

Averageside has posted on other issues this season, but I expected to get the same ones saying "moaner" "negative" etc etc.Dont like the county having deserved criticism when the performance warrants it . I will go away and you can all come on here and agree with yourselves, makes the messageboard interesting then?

I don't think it's a huge secret, Beefy, that Mr Langer's over-riding priority is to win the CC for the first time. Therefore, I don't think you'll see SCCC go hell for leather to win the 20:20. I think we'll pick a young ish team with at least a handful of players who are not CC regulars. I too hope that they can play some entertaining cricket but I doubt that we're going to make this competition a priority.

p.s. how do you know that those that prefer the CC are 'in a minority'?? Is this based purely on attendances? If so, I feel bound to point out that the CC is not only played when you are working, but also when most other people are working, too.

Quote:

wurzel
The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

With the greatest respect, wurzel, you have no statistically relevant or significant basis for the assertion that those who view the Championship as more important are in the minority.
More people attend one-day matches; but attendance is not the only measure of support; neither is it necessarily a true reflection of even the attendees perception of importance.
What is without question, is the fact that if and when the great cull of counties comes, one-day pots will count for not a fig.

I believe if you asked the majority of Somerset members and there must be about 6000 (I haven't seen the figure for this year) what would you like to win the County Championship or a One day competition. I don't think there will be no question what the answer will be.

---

AG, very good point about the workers.

I merely suspect that 1 day cricket is more popular with the majority of supporters.

Even Test matches now have plenty of empty spaces, but this may have something to do with high ticket prices.

Most players love the 20/20 matches and if we make it through the group stage, I bet we'll be keen as mustard to win it. Winning any game breeds confidence.

Quote:

averageside
Averageside has posted on other issues this season, but I expected to get the same ones saying "moaner" "negative" etc etc.Dont like the county having deserved criticism when the performance warrants it . I will go away and you can all come on here and agree with yourselves, makes the messageboard interesting then?

You please yourself, but having been the butt of much criticism in the past, I now take it all with a pinch of salt and although I've lost about 3.5 stones in weight, I have developed a very thick hide!

Quote:

Frome Exile

Quote:

wurzel
The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

With the greatest respect, wurzel, you have no statistically relevant or significant basis for the assertion that those who view the Championship as more important are in the minority.
More people attend one-day matches; but attendance is not the only measure of support; neither is it necessarily a true reflection of even the attendees perception of importance.
What is without question, is the fact that if and when the great cull of counties comes, one-day pots will count for not a fig.

Perhaps Grockle could organise a poll?

Your quite correct FE, my only evidence is belief and from studying media comment.

Mike Bos, I'm sure that winning the CC or a final at Lords woould be extremely well received.

Wurzel your post's do create different opinions and discussions that what a forum is all about.

---

In Durham they can more easily remember the winner of theFPT .

The question is simple then.
A poll should be carried out asking all Somerset supporters which is the most important trophy to win.
The County Championship
Or the Twenty 20?
The poll will be carried out,of course,during the home T20 matches.Just to get a fair answer you see.


A month passes...............
The result is in........

99.9 thought the T20 was most important.

0.1 % didn't know what a poll was,or what day it was.

100% didn't know what the County Championship was.


Seems like a great way to canvass public opinion.
I'll be conducting a poll in the local slaughterhouse next week to see if the workers are for,or against vegetarianism.

Today was a great way to spend a day.
Firstly. A God - top man.
Kent deserved it today. We did fairly well - I would give us 7/10 bowling. 8/10 fielding, 7/10 batting.
Blackwell run out the key.
Kieswetter's innings was fantastic. Quick feet and a good eye. A very mature innings.
Nice little ground - friendly people, cider and sun.
Job done.
Apart from the result.
Oh well, top of the league,...

No point in putting a poll on here by your reasoning Wurzel...we're the majority of a minority it seems who are interested in the Championship.

Maybe that's why 7,000 people read the site every month...they'll pass over most of the stuff about the CC1 of course and only really read the massive amount of stuff about the 20/20 and the one day competitions.

Statistics of course must be wrong because the CC threads and discussions seem to show a larger readership than those about the shorter format stuff.

And we obviously don't record the hits properly because they massively shoot up as the majority of the membership start to read during the short format parts of the season and drop off when the boring stuff comes on...stupid the way it is recorded because it gives the obviously wrong impression that the membership keep on talking about all aspects of the game during all of it....must get that sorted out.

Must be something about the boring fact that we've won one day and 20/20 trophies in their short post war histories while we have NEVER won the 200-ish year old MAJOR competition in domestic cricket (did you know that I wonder).

What would a SOMERSET member want to win more than anything else? Was your first post actually serious? Have you actually ever talked to any of them?

---

I'm always glad to win anything- including the 20-20 but the top prize has to be the County Championship.

Congratulations not only to the Kent side for winning a deserved victory but to the Kent management for rearranging a major fixture at such short notice.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Quote:

Grockle
Must be something about the boring fact that we've won one day and 20/20 trophies in their short post war histories while we have NEVER won the 200-ish year old MAJOR competition in domestic cricket (did you know that I wonder).

And, quite significantly, IMHO, we are one of only 4 first class counties for whom that is the case.
To get there before Gloucester would be sweet.
To do so before Durham is a must.

And "Hear! Hear!" to LoL's sentiments above.

I asked for a poll for Grockles members, not necessarily posters. Many of the 7000 hits come from people who merely visit the site. My reference is to the usual suspects, such as BJ, Grockle, Tractor, FE, SS, LoL, BR.

It's worth a try Grockle, isn't it?

I enjoy any Somerset success, equally, but love to hear the Wurzels songs echoing around any ground, but this is most likely to happen in 1 day matches.

Quote:

Grockle
No point in putting a poll on here by your reasoning Wurzel...we're the majority of a minority it seems who are interested in the Championship.
Maybe that's why 7,000 people read the site every month...they'll pass over most of the stuff about the CC1 of course and only really read the massive amount of stuff about the 20/20 and the one day competitions.

Statistics of course must be wrong because the CC threads and discussions seem to show a larger readership than those about the shorter format stuff.

And we obviously don't record the hits properly because they massively shoot up as the majority of the membership start to read during the short format parts of the season and drop off when the boring stuff comes on...stupid the way it is recorded because it gives the obviously wrong impression that the membership keep on talking about all aspects of the game during all of it....must get that sorted out.

Must be something about the boring fact that we've won one day and 20/20 trophies in their short post war histories while we have NEVER won the 200-ish year old MAJOR competition in domestic cricket (did you know that I wonder).

What would a SOMERSET member want to win more than anything else? Was your first post actually serious? Have you actually ever talked to any of them?

Calm down, chill!

Two points:

1. I've got no problem with the team getting deserved criticism when its performance warrants it.

2. As with geordie above, I'm delighted when we win any match / competition / trophy, and grumpy when we lose. It's just that, with a decent amount of one-day success in my lifetime, I'd love it if we could win the County Championship. Over the last 40 years, I've spent more time at Taunton / Bath / Glastonbury / Weston and on away grounds watching one-day games than first-class games, but one-day success is more ephemeral, less of a lasting satisfaction, than is success in the Championship.

Quite splendidly put Shep!

Can't fault any of that, SP. And as others have said elsewhere, for those living outside the county (even as close as Dorchester) the idea of spending more time travelling to and from a match than actually watching it may start to pall eventually.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Quote:

Loyal of Lhasa.
Can't fault any of that, SP. And as others have said elsewhere, for those living outside the county (even as close as Dorchester) the idea of spending more time travelling to and from a match than actually watching it may start to pall eventually.

I doubt it as people travel all over the Country to watch football and rugby, often in far worse weather.

Am I incorrect in stating that your premise is that the majority of Somerset supporters do not see the Championship as the major competition for the county to win?

I would suggest that the evidence of the readership of this site is that one day and 20/20 competitions are NOT the major areas of interest. (There isn't another site to cater for this massive one day interest so even the old faithful posters here must be doing something right). Maybe you are in a minority instead W...it's definitely possible and probably not the first time

I'm quite calm by the way but I tend to write more when I read such absolute tripe year after year after year after year from the same source. John Fitzgerald only today stated that it's a good job we have put up the stands for the other games or we would have been pushed to accomodate the Championship crowd for Yorkshire's visit. (about 3,000+ as I look out on them now).

Maybe they got the game wrong because of the 12:00 o'clock start perhaps?

---

Let's hope the crowds keep coming, but the weather is lovely and most have the TGIF factor. Yorkshire are of course a top attraction. I wish I could be there.

My question for your readership, not simply the regular posters, is:

Do you prefer watching 1 day matches or CC 3 or 4 day matches?

CC4 for me

Four day County Championship cricket for me.
The other stuff is a by-product.
It's the real thing for me.

Three out of three from the serious cricket watchers so far. And to put it as diplomatically as I can, Wurzel, (I should clearly take lessons from BJ) the conversations I have had with the two others who have responded so far and with you suggest that they have a deeper understanding of this subtlest of games than some of the correspondents on this site.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

You don't need to be diplomatic LoL, I'm sure you do much of that at work!

The idea was for a poll, not a continuation of this thread. Voters can do so without registering and therefore anonymously. If it was just a thread continuation, I'm sure we all know what the result would be. It would be just as biased as the ECB 20/20 version!

I enjoy watching Somerset winning, though it means more to me if they win (or lose) a 4-day first class game rather than a one-day / half-day game.

Don't get me wrong, wurzel: I love one-day cricket and have enjoyed watching an awful lot of it (some of it unbelievably exciting - oh my Richards and Garner, Popplewell and Dredge, Jennings and Moseley long ago) - the first-class stuff just means more to me.

LoL, no-one has ever called me a 'serious cricket watcher' before.

While I enjoy the one-day games, I really find the 20/20 too short.

I too enjoy all the current forms of cricket, though I've only seen Twenty20 on DVD and probably would not enjoy the excessive noise (that adds nothing to the quality of the cricket). But I think it safer to say (it's virtually a truism) that the shorter the form, the earlier is it possible to predict the outcome - and I don't mean earlier in terms of time or overs, because that's obvious, but in terms of time or overs as a proportion of overall time or overs.

We can ask that great betting man, BJ, but I would wager that it is more often possible, for example, to predict the outcome of a Twenty20 match after ten overs than after the equivalent period in a four-day game, namely after one day.

4-day stuff in whites for me!

The whizz bang style is ok for attracting spectators and a quick fix much like a Mars bars. However, give me something more filling anyday.

I like to think it's because I have a ... a ...




longer concentration span, that was it.

VtF.

Don't forget your tablets, VtF

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

Is it your premise that the majority of Somerset supporters believe that one day games are more important to win than Championship matches?

I'm not interested in getting into your usual early summer debate about how much more you like one day than four day cricket because you only watch one kind so your view is baised anyway.

However, is the above premise the one you are sticking by? Because I'd love to get into that one...far more meat for the grinder. The other one has already been dealt with in more than one thread over a number of years.

---

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:06:15:26:51 by Grockle.

Quote:

Grockle
The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

Is it your premise that the majority of Somerset supporters believe that one day games are more important to win than Championship matches?

I'm not interested in getting into your usual early summer debate about how much more you like one day than four day cricket because you only watch one kind so your view is baised anyway.

However, is the above premise the one you are sticking by? Because I'd love to get into that one...far more meat for the grinder. The other one has already been dealt with in more than one thread over a number of years.

Autocracy rules!

Grodkle, you appear to be only interested in debate if the participants agree with your view.

What's wrong with a vote? Are you worried that more people might agree with me than you thought?

I have explained before, that although I am happy to sit and watch any game that Somerset play, my family aren't and I prefer to spend my time with them. They are happy to come to matches where they can see a same day result, so that suits me.

Quote:

wurzel
I have explained before, that although I am happy to sit and watch any game that Somerset play, my family aren't and I prefer to spend my time with them. They are happy to come to matches where they can see a same day result, so that suits me.

Not last time I sat with you, you weren't. You admitted you were bored with a passage of play that I found absolutely fascinating and you left early. Interestingly 99% of the rest of the spectators chose to stay and watch.

I know that to some extent each of us belongs to a self-selecting school of thought, but just because one believes one is 100% entitled to one's opinion (as is certainly justified) that does not mean that 100% are in agreement with that opinion.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Fair play LoL,that's a great response.
You most certainly gave that 150 % effort.
Excellent to see.
Good work.

Quote:

Grockle
The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

Is it your premise that the majority of Somerset supporters believe that one day games are more important to win than Championship matches?

I'm not interested in getting into your usual early summer debate about how much more you like one day than four day cricket because you only watch one kind so your view is baised anyway.

However, is the above premise the one you are sticking by? Because I'd love to get into that one...far more meat for the grinder. The other one has already been dealt with in more than one thread over a number of years.

Damn hard to vote on anything when you won't confirm the statement you want to debate Wurz (wouldn't want to get it wrong).

It's also difficult to debate any subject with someone who has the debate and then returns to the original premise over and over again to try and convince people that theirs the right view whether the debate has blown their original view out of the water more than once or not.

Why can't you simply answer the question?

Are you saying that you believe that the majority of the Somerset supporters are more interested in winning the one day games than the Championship ones?

It's quite simple.

I'm only asking for clarification so why are you pontificating on debates that haven't even happened yet (this year)? Was the statement a mistake perhaps?

Have you've realised the error and are now trying to move the attention away to something else? (Try the fine third man slant it's not been brought up in the last month or so)

You confirm the statement and I'll put the poll question up.

Oh and if you don't like autocracy then the same options are open to all.

---

[quote Loyal of Lhasa.][quote wurzel]

Interestingly 99% of the rest of the spectators chose to stay and watch.

[/quote]

You talk about me generalising! Did you count them?

Quote:

Grockle
Are you saying that you believe that the majority of the Somerset supporters are more interested in winning the one day games than the Championship ones?

No!

I refer the honourable gentleman to my earlier reply!

Of course I did; why do you think I bring my anorak to the cricket, along with my calculator? However accurate my calculations may have been, I have my own ears to assure me that you told me that you, the man who is happy to sit and watch any game that Somerset play, were bored and preferred to leave.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Quote:

Loyal of Lhasa.
Of course I did; why do you think I bring my anorak to the cricket, along with my calculator? However accurate my calculations may have been, I have my own ears to assure me that you told me that you, the man who is happy to sit and watch any game that Somerset play, were bored and preferred to leave.

As they say on Jerry Springer, whatever!

It seems that we'll never know on this site as the vote won't happen.

Is that list of posters still around? That was a good indicator of how many of the viewers actually posted.

I'm sure thast the resident statistician, FE, will be able to tell us how many regular contributors there are. I suspect that some are fearful of being 'shouted down' and so keep hidden.

Who is being "shouted down"?
You'll complain of being bullied next.
Grockle asked a question,that's all.
At least you could give an answer without getting all defensive.

The trouble with this forum is that the majority of posters are in the minority of Somerset supporters, who believe that it is more important to win CC games than one day matches.

So this means what?

What vote do you want then?

That one day is better than 4 day? (already debated to death in 2008, 2007,2006, 2005 - when did you start posting?)

Where was that in the original statement?

Are you prepared to allow an option that says "any cricket is good to watch"?

Or different cricket formats have different levels of interest for different types of supporters?

Or actually I like 20/20 better than one day better than 4 day

Or I like 4 day then 20/20 then one day

Or I love 4 day but not 40 over although I'd like to watch 50 overs

Or I'd like to watch 20/20 if it was 10/10 x 2

Or I don't give a flying copulation as long as we win

What is the vote you actually want? Better give me the responses you want as well so that it gets the right result for you

Sorry but I think personally that you typed without thinking and although it is your own view, you are no longer confident that a vote would have the result of the popularity of a Championship title coming below winning the FPT or the 20/20 Cup so the effort is now to change the emphasis of the theme or accuse others of brow beating you (we've been here before).

The number of posters versus readers makes no difference if the vote can't even be clarified (another spoiling tactic)

But it's there in black and bold Wurz and I can't see any other interpretation of that statement.

Why can't people just admit that they cocked up and stop trying to tie themselves in knots?

---

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:06:17:08:54 by Grockle.

More edits than loverboy and look what's happened to him

Is that all you have now Wurz....loverboy references tut tut - very poor spoiling tactics

In order to do an "LB" I have to wait until someone replies and then change the emphasis of the original post

You really are struggling to stay with this one aren't you? I'm having to edit because I'm watching cricket and writing a report and responding to this stuff at the same time. Sorry it's not perfect first time. The wonders of Wi Fi

Call it a day old boy or tell us all what the point you are trying to make actually is.

Just finding ways to criticise the actions of the people trying to get to the centre of your waffle doesn't actually put you in a particularly positive light I'm afraid.

---

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:06:17:42:47 by Grockle.

I could go on, but our spats are thoroughly boring for all the other multitudes. You concentrate on the cricket, I'm off to a football meeting.

OK then so no vote then. But this wasn't a 'spat' as you put it.

I was simply looking for clarification about a poll you wanted to start but couldn't work out what the point you wanted debating was.

So please let's not claim later that I stopped a vote being taken.

Enjoy the football meeting.

It probably is better that I concentrate on the cricket, it being a four dayer.

Have to admit though that today's cricket hasn't actually been that scintillating...but at least it was a nice day..and it's getting better as de Bruyn gets Rashid as I type!!

---

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:06:06:17:55:51 by Grockle.

That's a very good question you posed earlier LoL,I've had a bit of time to think about the answer and look at a few betting patterns.
Four day matches,using this season as an example have been very difficult to predict,even on the fourth day.
Of course,when it rains and little play is expected the draw is the obvious outcome.
I've watched a few "in play" markets in our Championship matches and the fluctuations have been incredible.
Take the Kent match.
At one stage on the final day we were long odds on.
When Kent looked like winning it was a case of "levels you devils",nobody had a clue what was going to happen.
When Steffan took those wickets our price contracted accordingly.
When Denly looked like saving the day for the home side they,even if only for a short period were favourites.
From my experience of "in play" T20 matches you do occasionaly get huge fluctuations,though in the main the market is pretty settled after the first innings.
Fluctuations only seem to happen with a low score in the first innings.
As a gambler T20 is a much safer betting proposition because the outcome is more predictable.
Don't forget I'm talking about "in play"markets here.
As a layer I'd plump for the Championship matches because you stand to make more by backing your selection,be it to win or lose.
Put simply T20 matches,to the "in play" gambler are much more predictable than a four day Championship match.
This is of course my experience judged on T20 matches over the last two seasons and CC matches over the same period of time.
Others may have found it different.

Thanks BJ. Surely there's a career for you as a home-based consultant for (or against!) the gaming industry. I bet you anything Ladbrokes would pay you a fortune to keep your mouth shut.

---

LoL

Sixty-one Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Or a gaming company would pay you a decent sum to move to a sunny tax-haven and assist with their online cricket spread betting schemes ...

See you soon?

VtF.

You know, it might be fun to have some kind of poll. So difficult to know what to ask as the central question though.

Are the tea and coffees in the Committee Room so much better than the EBC?

Is the EBC different to the ECB?

Does either contain well-off people who know s*d all about cricket?

Do we mention acronyms too much - EBC, ECB, FTM etc.?

However, I'm an idiot so I just hope I don't press the wrong button and elect George Bush ...

VtF.

The advent of sites like Betfair will eventually make bookies a thing of the past.
They also enable sad fools like myself to watch betting markets like never before.
But,if any of the off-shores fancy giving me a job they know where to find me.
I just hope they tell me where on earth that is.

I am not sure why this is even being debated,one day things are fine but the County Championship, (the County Championship), has to be the main prize, we have never won it!

I must admit that I had forgotten that Glos had also never achieved this, I thought that WG would have "fiddled" one during his time, but that will be the icing on the cake this year.

If Mr. Langer et al. win the CC this year then he should be given the freedom of Hatch Beauchamp, Donyatt, Cheddar (a global name), Hewish, Nempnett Thrubwell (another global name), Butcombe etc. etc. and all points between (including Watchet).

Jim you are lucky to have all those bookies on line. I used to like a bet but all on line bookies are blocked here in Thailand. The only betting allowed is tote betting on race courses in Bangkok and Chang Mai which are run by the government (soon to be ousted by the military as the prime minister is a puppet of that crook Thaksin)
The only things we bet on is how many cobras we will see on a round of golf or how many lizards run across the bar walls in a night.

I've found the posting on this thread to be akin to playground bullying. Just my opinion.

It's all moot anyway, Murph, because when we win the CC, I'm sure Beefy will be thoroughly delighted.

That's true enough, AG.

Just felt I had to throw in my tuppenyworth...I'd like to see Somerset win the CC more than anything - however, if Somerset got to the final of a one day (FPT or 20:20) then I would go and watch, whereas I wouldn't neccesarily attend a CC match.

I just want to win, and win again!

I would hope that if we're in serious CC contention then everybody here would do their utmost to attend at least one of the potentially pivotal contests towards the end of the season. I've certainly put a red-ink ring around the late season home game with Durham as potentially decisive, although we are still at an early stage in the season, at present.