v Durham LVCC1 @ Taunton Wednesday 10 September 2008

Scorecard

Day 1 was a complete washout

Play finally occurs at Taunton on Day 2 with some real debate about Justin Langer’s team choice and decision to bat.  The team first; Trescothick, Langer, de Bruyn, Hildreth, Blackwell, Trego, Gazzard, Thomas, Willoughby, Durston, and Munday. So, no place for Andrew Caddick on the run in to our first possible Championship title against the side standing third.  No information on any injury issue he seems to have been omitted – strange indeed.  No Craig Kieswetter who injured himself in the last game and hasn’t been able to get back to full fitness so…Carl Gazzard gets a first team start for the first time this season. 

Michael Munday and Wes Durston are both included so there must be some real hopes that the pitch will take spin – it seems it was during our innings – it had better if we are to keep ourselves in this one without our premier experienced strike bowler and without a seam replacement in the guise of Turner or Jones (Phillips will not play again this season I believe). Justin Langer opens with Marcus Trescothick (which seems the usual now that Neil Edwards seems to have been relegated to the seconds until 2009 at least) but Durham have popped along with some bloke called Harmison in their side so the full flowing first wicket partnership doesn’t get off to its usual start.  Langer stays around longer than usual and does the lion’s share of scoring in the first hour but at 45 he is bowled by Thorp for 31.   

Trescothick does not do his usual either and stick around as he becomes Harmy’s first victim 10 runs later leaving more than usual to our middle order. De Bruyn and Hildreth set about their task with some gusto and push the score on to a far more acceptable 3 figures before Hildreth is skittled by the England man at 115 and we see a promoted Wes Durston coming in ahead of his more ‘illustrious’ team mates at number 5. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t that kind of day and we are not going to put together huge partnerships as we bat like a ‘sack of ….’ As one observer of the day puts it quite clearly.  He is bowled by Wiseman at 150 and is replaced by Ian Blackwell for a while - well 27 runs.  He is caught behind off the other Harmison at 177 for a personal score of 10. Hopes now rest with Trego as he comes out to join the anchor of the innings and we look for a long and solid accumulation of runs with Zander holding up his end and allowing the free scoring allrounder to push the score to 300 and beyond.  So it’s a bit of a surprise when the aforementioned de Bruyn is easily run out going for the third leg bye!!  Stupidity at 180 for 6.  

Carl Gazzard hasn’t had much experience of this and will be a bit first team ring rusty.  It shows as Wiseman bowls him at 198.  It gets worse as Thomas is Harmison Senior’s second wicket – clean bowled – at 199 and although Munday puts up resistance with Trego to take us over 200 and into the teens, he falls to Harmison via the hands of Wiseman at 217 and it is the paceman who finishes us off by castleing Trego at 224 leaving the Mighty Willoughby not out 6.

A little less of this would have been good!

And if this is happening on this wicket for him then where the hell is Andrew Caddick?

Not the big bonus point laden score we hoped for. Not an innings taking up large quantities of time in a shortened game.  Not a score to worry the Durham batsmen over much and still 20+ overs in the day to go.  5 batsmen clean bowled.  Only Zander over 50 and then run out in such a daft manner.  Steve Harmison with 5 for 84 from his 17.5 and one of our five-fer bowlers nowhere in sight.  It does not look that good at Tea on Day 2. Willoughby opens for us and in usual style is too good for Mark Stoneman who goes without scoring with a team total of 3.  His opening partner Alfonso is pushing them at the other end and the visitors find it really hard to get any balls off the square in the first 10. 

At 23 for 1 and with the 12^th over starting, Langer turns to spin and brings on Ian Blackwell at the River end. He gets into his stride quite well but in the 15^th at 39 for 1 the umpires decide the light has deteriorated and they call an end to proceedings after a poor day in front of a decent crowd for the home side.   Surprisingly we come back out after about 15 minutes and Willoughby and Blackwell resume the “press”.  Thomas changes ends for the 17^th replacing Charl at the Old Pavilion end while Blackwell wheels away at the River.  However the Durham defence is solid and although they aren’t slashing it to the boundary, they aren’t playing and missing all that much either. 

Half way through the 19^th, the umpires decide the light has gone again and make the offer.  Off go the batsmen while the Somerset side sort of wander off eventually and they hang around at the entrance to their side of the pavilion with the umpires waiting for a change?  Could Justin have brought on Munday on at the OP instead?  Possibly but he didn’t and the players are off but we may not be finished with this day yet with a score of 45 for 1. with 5 overs of play tonight to go. Unfortunately the umpires don’t seem to think that things will improve and they tell Frosty to get the wicket covered and take themselves and the fielding side through the white sight screen and call it a day.

The omens are not wonderful for our Championship cause after today’s performance.  We started the day 5 points ahead of Durham and 4 behind Notts in this our extra game.  We ended it a point closer to the leaders but with Durham breathing down our necks, two points adrift. Ho Hum

Day 3 to come!!

Day 3

Day 3 and more of the same really.  A late start because of rain (11:30 before they got on to the pitch) and then runs as rare as hens teeth.  

By the time I get to the ground, the pitch is covered and an early tea is being taken.  The umpires inspect at 4:15 and predict a 4:30 start at 184 for 2 with Di Venuto on 95 and his partner Chanderpaul on 64. Why have I not mentioned the rest of the day?  Well partly because very little seems to have happened except that eleven blokes have stood around two other blokes from a different part of the country and every now and again the two ‘aliens’ have changed ends.  We’ve lost 19 overs so the score might have been over 200 had they actually been bowled but I wouldn’t have put my life on it. Langer’s great spin strategy seems to have come to naught.  Wes Durston (not our premier wicket taking spinner) has bowled 17 overs while Michael Munday (our big spinning hope) has managed 2.  Alfonso Thomas, Charl Willoughby, Peter Trego and Zander de Bruyn have all partnered him and Ian Blackwell as Somerset have strived to push the ball through but not a lot seems to have been achieved and this is moving towards a losing draw with a day to go!  Durham have their sights on 400 and maximum batting points while we don’t seem to have anything to stop them with and no points to gain unless something changes. 

Ian Blackwell starts the last session from the River and receives two full bodied blows over the scoreboard boundary from Chanderpaul from his first two balls.  They don’t get over 200 in this over but with the ‘incisive’ medium pace of Zander de Bruyn at the other end it is possible that they may get the two they need before the end of his next 6.   He only gives them the chance with the 5^th ball however while Di Venuto goes to 100 off 227 balls with 1 six and 10 fours off the last one – not exactly the fastest he’s scored in his career.  Such is the nature of this game. Thomas returns at the River for the 80^th and our “spin heavy” attack reverts to seam.  Michael seems to be simply a passenger in this game, he has nothing to contribute if he doesn’t bowl, he isn’t bowling and it is hard to see how conditions would change in order to make him a bowling change option.  Curiouser and curiouser! 

So close and yet so far!!

Charl takes the new ball from the OP in the 81^st as de Bruyn takes a rest.  220 for 2 with 15 to go in the day. Durham go in front two balls into the 83^rd with two consecutive fours off Alfonso Thomas which also take Shivnaran into the 90’s.  But he doesn’t get his hundred as he chops on to Charl Willoughby (50^th first class wicket guys) and gets us a BOWLING POINT at 233 for 3 for 93.  A little excitement and then the game returns to normal.  They move towards 250 and we look like we have no chance of a second bonus point with the little pill even though the South African leftie is bowling manfully, especially across the Durham captain Benkenstein.  Peter Trego is on at the River following detailed field placing discussions with his captain, which nearly get him a wicket with his first ball as Benkenstein is “nearly” plumb.  Unfortunately, “nearly” doesn’t actually count so the visitors move on to 250 in the 92nd over.  We made them work for it though.   

And the day ends with torrential rain some 10 balls before the official finish.  Durham are 41 ahead (265 for 3) looking for the magic 400 and we will toil away tomorrow until they get there and then survive the day to take our massive 6 points – anything else is either impossible or unacceptable.  Anything more would be a godsend and not particularly deserved. People were saying at the start of the season that Michael Munday could be the major decider on our Championship season.  That prophecy could still come true, through no real fault of the player who has taken such a small part in this game.  The local press are talking to Justin tonight.  I wonder what his take on today’s proceedings will be? 

On to Day 4.

Day 4

The visitors got their 400.  We didn't get our 9 wickets.  We got 7 with Thomas claiming 3, Willoughby 2 and even Mike Munday got in on the act with the wicket of  Wiseman C&B for 52. 

We then had to hold the line for the rest of the day and did so even though we lost Marcus for 6 in the early stages.  The captain took the responsibility and put in a century to put this one to bed.  Hildreth went later for a good 44 and we finished on a meaningless 181 but we secured the draw and some bonus points.

So we go to Scarborough 1 point behind Hampshire but with a game in hand on them.  Durham are 2 points behind us on the same number of games and Notts are one point behind them also on 14 matches played.  Very close and a win would be huge.....tactics being what they are at the moment from the County Ground planners, we'll wait and see what they come up with for the Yorkshhire game during the week. 

This one was absolutely baffling!!

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