v Hampshire Pro40 @ Taunton Sunday 17 August 2008

Scorecard

Langer is keeping his cards close to his chest for this one but we have to expect the team to be along the lines of last Sunday's outfit who beat the Outlaws.  The weather is overcast in Bicknoller this morning so it is certainly not going to be sunny and dry out there - there will probably be showers.

Marcus Trescothick and the skipper will open - although there are those who think Justin should move himself down the order.  Zander de Bruyn, James Hildreth and Craig Kieswetter would also be expected to remain in their places from last week.  Wes Durston should stay in and Charl Willoughby and Alfonso Thomas must also play.  The three other places should be given to Arul Suppiah, Peter Trego and a presently under-performing Ben Phillips.  This is because Ian Blackwell is presently not being considered (will his performance in the four day game change that I wonder?) and Omari Banks seems to be a bit of a favourite with the selection committee (based on what I'm not sure although to be fair he bowled quite well last weekend).

I would pick Ian instead of Ben but then again I would bowl Trigger although that seems to be an outside option to the captain at the moment for some reason.  I therefore expect Ben to play - though he seems to be not yet completely fit.  If Omari plays at the expense of Trego or Blackwell then it is a travesty (he's neither a better bat than Peter or a better bowler than Ian).

We'll wait and see how it pans out.  Outside possibilities?  Mark Turner for the extra seam bowling if Ben isn't right?  The conditions don't favour Mike Munday but who knows?

Coverage should be on Somerset Sound as long as Forest Green Rovers or Yate aren't in action but I'm sure Radio Solent or someone like that will have sent someone along if not and if they haven't it might be Phil Tottle doing the commentary for them anyway.

Enjoy.  There'll be little in-game comment because I'm going along to this one as a spectator with friends.  But I'll try outdoor uploading if the rain doesn't get in the way.

Limited access to the net today so only the odd info I'm afraid. Somerset have won the toss and will bat. Wes does keep his place at the expense of Peter Trego and Jonah replaces Ben Phillips.  Banks is in as is Suppiah. There's a huge crowd for a nasty day and lots of 20/20-ish supporters in who aren't really sure who is who and who they are supposed to be supporting if anyone.

Our innings takes on a usual front end as Banger lays about himself with aplomb hitting everyone everywhere for what seems like ages but only actually ends up as being 5.2 overs for 25 (including 4 fours and 1 six).  Then he goes one too many and skies a catch and we is out.  But with 41 off the first 5 we look like we're going for something big.  The running order therefore changes and Craig Kieswetter is in next rather than Zander - I assume the theory being that the captain will hold up one end while the young keeper gets to play a few strokes and push the score along.  It might have been the theory but as we then take another 4 overs to get to 50, it doesn't seem to be the practice!

We have pushed it to 71 before CW looks to put one into the River and fails and it's 76 for 3 when Langer is judged to have been caught behind.  He doesn't believe it and neither does Billy Taylor when he finishes the over and comes over to field - he doesn't think it hit anything either from his expression.  Nevertheless he is out and de Bruyn and Hildreth have some rebuilding to do. 

For once Zander is looking to get the innings moving again and in trying to straight drive Taylor he is nearly caught and bowled - very difficult chance which the bowler does well to get a hand to.  But it isn't much of a problem as he snicks the next ball to Pothas on 87 and we are falling apart in the usual way we seem to have settled into for one day games. Wes Durston joins James for the second reconstruction of the innings.  But this time it gets into more of a rhythm and starts to build towards some kind of reasonable total with a partnership of 82 before Wes misses a straight one and is bowled by Balcombe.  With a score of 155 at 30 overs the crowd would expect a total near the 250 mark but the loss of Durston with less than 10 to go makes that almost impossible as we feel the lack of 'big' batsmen in the middle order.  Just when we need a heavy knock from Trego or Blackwell to move the score on at 8 or 10 an over, we get Arul who is in and out before anyone really notices for 4, followed by the other mainstay Hildreth trying to slog sweep a ball to get things moving again.

It's 179 for 7 and we have to rely on Omari and Steffan  to get us somewhere.  Jonah tries but is caught mis-hooking at 184.  But at least he got bat on ball which is more than Mr Banks can do!  In the last over, the only scoring shots are from Alfonso who takes singles to get the big hitting man on strike.  However, despite being bounced four times in the last over courtesy of Taylor (and the umpire).  Omari fails to connect with any of them and his six from the previous over is the only thing that contributes to getting us to a 197 target in a poor batting display from all but 4 members of this side.

It's cold and there is rain about but 197 is far from defendable unless we hit them hard and we hit them early!!  Once again the job has been left to the bowlers to get us out of trouble on our own ground.  Totally unimpressive and baffling that the selection committee can continue to put out an inferior side and expect to win games.

The Reply

Charl and Jones get the new ball to take it to the Hampshire batsmen.  The conditions haven't changed.  The light isn't wonderful and the banks of grey clouds that have been flowting around all afternoon look like they will drop something at some point in the proceedings.

We all get a little excited when Jonah beats Lumb for pace and he snicks one behind with only 17 scored...things are looking up! However, Carberry has been a thorn in our side before in one day games and he sets about minimising the problem with a solid partnership with Adams.  We have little to play with so it is good news when Willoughby gets some rewards for excellent accurate bowling with Carberry's wicket LBW at 68.  the problem is that to keep the score down, Langer has had to bowl the lefty through and when he finishes with 8 over 1 for 26 we are scrabbling around for someone else to look as difficult to get away and as dangerous.  Jones is getting up one head of steam but we need him at the end of the innings and so we turn to de Bruyn for a few military medium gems to break up things.  When that doesn't work Thomas is introduced and then Banks gets a go.  Finally it is him and the keeper who join forces to fool Benham with a quicker delivery which leaves him stranded up the pitch with the ball breaking the stumps in the hands of Kieswetter. By then however the score is 163 with lots of time and balls left.

Rain makes a brief appearance and the sides are off long enough for the score required to drop to 185 off 37 overs.  No problem at all really as they have about 10 overs left and a run rate of well under 5!

Resistance is still there from the Somerset bowlers.  Fielding is ferocious at times and the Hampshire batsmen don't find it that easy.  Alfonso keeps hope alive with the big wicket of Adams for 86 at 177 but it's effectively all over by the time Jones dismisses Dawson with another Exocet of a delivery snicked to the keeper.  The captain Mascarenhas does his job and wellies the first ball to the boundary for the inevitable win and we all shiver off home with too little surprise about the outcome.

Too few runs from too slow and deliberate batsmen with no flair or ability to increase the drive of an innings which rumbled along at far too low a level of activity. Suppiah and Durston going at over 6 an over in the spin department.  The aggression of Jones costing over 7 while only Charl, Alfonso and to some extent Banks held the visitors in some kind of check.

Even if the two allrounders not in this side were 'omitted' some time ago for under-performing, can I now suggest that their replacements have also performed below par and now we are effectively out of this competition we should look carefully at how we intend to turn our pitiful overall batting around.  I don't think anyone is covered in glory at the moment but we have a solid front and a bowling attack that can get some results.  But seriously gentlemen.  get this middle order sorted out.  Either play your best players of come clean, get rid and lets do something to rebuild core of our side before we return to some second division of the short game.

Woefully inadequate I'm afraid. 

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