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Warks and Winning Ways?

First View
By Grockle June 14 2008
Another debacle at Cardiff and we return to Taunton with a 'must win' situation against the Brummies. Not what Justin wanted I'm sure!! Some changes but nothing huge so the usual suspects get the job. Arul Suppiah makes his first appearance of the year and as Wes Durston keeps his place we have a bigger spin presence than has been usual.

v Warwickshire Twenty20 @ Taunton Saturday 14 June 2008

Welsh Scorecard

Didn't report on this because I missed the whole thing. I've linked in the Welsh comments for those who want to now how wonderful we are at this form of cricket at the present time.

Scorecard

The side is much the same.  Bit more spin is about it.

Trescothick, Langer, Hildreth, Blackwell, Kieswetter, Trego (Francis was named), Suppiah (Banks was named) Durston, Turner, Thomas (Jones was named) and Phillips

We won the toss and are batting with Langer and Trescothick opening - well it's been successful up until now!  The crowd is nce more sparse wth the Botham stand less than half full although the scoreboard seats have a few more in them.

Langer takes the first from Chris Martin and smacks the second for four but he isn't the "explosion" we need in this tournament.  He takes 5 off the first and pinches the strike to take Woakes first ball as well.  It's 9 at the end of two.

Marcus is dropped on 13 at 22 by Trott - simple would be an understatement and we all hope he'll make the Bears pay.  But it's not exactly belting along as the 50 arrives at the start of the 8th with the two of them about even on the scoring front.

The crowd is much more vocal today...especially the "Give us an OOO Give us an RRRR what have you got..." crew and the massive bunch of "Noddy's" (must be 50 of 'em) in the 'Shop' stand.

Only 53 at the end of the 8th but things move on a bit and by halfway we've done a little better and it's 77 without loss.  But then we get into worry territory as Justin gets his behind before wicket and Botha takes the first.  In comes Hildreth in no real form at all at 78 for 1.  A couple of forward defensives tend to suggest that little has changed in the mindset of the young man and it doesn't look too hopeful for a big score unless Banger takes a liking to Ian Salisbury who comes on at the OP for the 12th.  We should be in treble figures by now but it doesn't look all that likely at the moment. 

The crazy thing is that the crowd seem to think that we are doing quite well as JH gets off the mark off the 5th ball he faces. Marcus is going to have to put his foot on the gas and does by sweeping the next for 6 but that puts him under pressure and the next men in on tenterhooks (both Blackwell and Trego are padded up).

Botha removes Hilda for 1 with a good reflex catch off his own bowling.  Ian Blackwell comes to the crease and takes a single off his first.  We'd love a big game from both of the men at the wicket now and we need it because this is not a defendable score at the present as we move into the 90s at the end of 13.

But that partnership is not going to happen as Chris Martin returns at the OP and comprehensively bowls Ian for 2 with his first ball.  1 for 3 and Trego is the replacement.  An aggressive, confident and full swing of the bat greets his first ball but it's straight to the fielder, as is his second (different fielder admittedly) but his third at least pierces the infiled and while it is eing picked up by the sweeper on the boundary, Trigger get off the mark.  However, that birngs Marcus in to face Martin and he joyfully 'yorks' him on 48.  Craig Kieswetter is given the job of getting this one out of the mire at 92 for 4 at the end of 14.  Excellent over from Martin though.

Still not past 100 at the start of the 16th.  This is dire!! No boundaries and no real indication of there being a boundary.  Both batsmen seem keen to score but they seem to do very little but drive and nurdle taking singles and that isn't enough for this game, especially as our bowlers seem to leak runs.  The 100 arrives with the ofurth ball of the 16th and the only people happy are the Waricshire Bears and 65% of the crowd who seem blissfully ignorant of the fact that this is yet another awful batting display.  Cris Martin finishes with 2 for 26 off his 4.

Four overs to go.  Well Craig is gonna go for it as he puts a six into the River but after that it's singles again plus a well run 2 and a 4 at the end....117 and more of a smile but it really has to be too much too late surely.

Pete gets a full toss, looks to bury it but doesn't.  Trott takes the boundary catch and Trego departs for 8.  Wes  replaces him and in comes the 'swing and hope' mentality.  Craig fails and is caught in the deep.  At 17.5, Wes looks to defend a ball (why) and is clean bowled - where is the plan in this innings.  Where is the panning in this campaign? Arul comes in for his first pitch in any game with the firsts and gets a boundary immediately (bit fortuitous but four is four).

It's getting really dark here at 4:00. It happened on Wednesday as well when a cloud deposited itself on top of the ground and stayed there.  The same is happening again.

Arul tries to push it, hesitates, Phillips starts to move and the hestation leaves Suppiah in the middle of nowhere with the ball already in the keeper's hands. He makes an effort to get back to the non striker's end but Carter doesn't even have t take the bails off because the keeper's throw is a direct hit and its 128 for 8.  Phillips gets a ful and straight one from Woakes and we may not make 130 as Turner brings up the rear with 4 balls to go.

Ball 1 - single, Ball 2 - single (130 up), Ball 3 - they go upstairs as Turner looks for the second and it's 131 all out with a ball to go. Hands up all those who think we'll win this one!! All 10 wickets gone in 55 balls and between 78 and 131 in a 'thrash it to death' game.  Three batsmen in double figures.  Five batsmen with more than 5!

Twenty20 is not our tye of game this year it seems!

 

 

 

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