v Gloucestershire Pro40 @ Bristol Thursday 13 August 2009

Scorecard

The side under the control of captain Trescothick is;

Himself, Durston, Kieswetter, Hildreth, de Bruyn, Suppiah, Trego, Waller, Phillips, Thomas, Turner

So...Justin rests himself, Charl gets a breather and Wes and Mark get a run out before Saturday.

The weather looks great and Gloucestershire won the toss and decided to bat first.

WRONG DECISION it seems after a mere 4 overs.  Thomas opened the bowling and had Ali flipping one to Kieswetter with 2 balls gone and no score.  A better ball going away to Gidman 2 later had him snicking to the keeper and they were 2 down with nothing to show for it.  Not a bad start Alf!

Ben looked to get in on the act in the second over and although his last delivery wasn't as good as those of his partner, it was good enough to elicit an awful swipe from Franklin and the home side were 3 for 6 after 12 balls.  Panic was held back by Porterfield and Marshall and with the first bowling change in the 8th (Turner on for Thomas - wonder if he's carrying an injury or are they keeping him for later I wonder?) they got the score up to 23 without further loss.  A good start but Hamish Marshall is in the middle and that is always a problem.

He's still there when Phillips invites Porterfield to drive the ball and he sends it in the air to Pete Trego and in the 9th they are 27 for 4!!  Gloucestershire are being their own enemies and we are putting the ball in the right places.

But he doesn't cause us too much trouble as Ben continues his form of good fortune.  He miscalculates the speed of one from the tall man and he simply chips the ball to Trigger before they get to 50!!  49 on the board and we are into the back end of the middle.

It's still 49 when Turner gets in on the act and gets Taylor to guide one into the very safe hands of the skipper at second slip.  Excellent low catch and the Glads are in deep smelly mudlike stuff.  It gets no better for them either as Turner now has his tail up and gets Dawson in a mess with a great ball that he feathers to the keeper and it's 51 for 7.  Another good bowling performance with some daft shots from the Bristolians!

Ben is bowled through and then replaced by Pete Trego but he goes for 19 off his first (the 19th) and he then is partnered with ZdB coming in for Turner.  But Lewis and Adshead put up a spirited resistance after the mayhem of the first 15 overs and by the halfway point they've knocked a couple of boundaries and taken the score on to 86 for the loss of 7 wicets.  ZdB also goes for double figures so the front men have made the inroads but the second string are giving it away a little with 35 off 27 balls coming from these two.

They pass 100 in the 24th and the 50 partnership is up in the same over (the first for Max Waller) on the same score of 101. But MT brings back Alf and he sends Lewis on his way with his first ball caught by Trigger once again and Saxleby comes out to try and keep his end up with Adshead.  101 for 8...... The captain has a ponder and thinks; "well let's bring Marky back on and see what happens".  Well Saxelby doesn't keep it out and its 114 for 9 and he's got 3.  Welcome back Mr Turner.

Alf takes over the 28th and Adshead is looking to make shots.  He makes one.  It's the wrong one and Alfonso gets 4 for 18 as Ben Phillips catches the skier and it's all over for 116.  Brilliant work by the "ballboys".  Good defence from Adshead.  Turner  3 for 27 and Phillips 3 for 24 and we need just over 3 per over.

Lewis and Franklin start for the Glads and MT gives him grudging respect and a maiden while when Franklin tries to bounce Craig he gets swatted away.  But worse is to come.  His first ball to the skipper is sixed with no respect at all and he takes another two 'in the slot' fours from him before the over is ended.  15 for  after two.

Another good over from Lewis and then it's Kirby into the attack.  Gloucestershire have to use their big guns early or there won't be any later with these two on strike and it looks like the two bowlers will keep the score down.  It isn't too long before Lewis pounces and clips one bail off the stumps with Craig facing and a ball that doesn't move at all and goes straight through the young keeper. 

25 for 1.  James is next man in and facing Kirby and dealing with him.  By the end of the first 10 we are at 51 needing just over 65 to put this one away and march on to Edgbaston.  Kirby is replaced after bowling 3 overs for 5 with 2 maidens (why?) and then Hildreth is dropped by Kadir Ali at mid off - sitter.  When it isn't your day it isn't your day I'm afraid.  That seems to be the way it's gonna be Franklin gets Hildreth swishing to slip but Dawson puts it down and then Banger punches the ball back over the bowles head for 6 and goes to a 44 ball 50 with 8 fours and 2 sixes.  79 for 1 and it isn't going to be much longer as JH starts to belt the ball about as well.

With another six to end the 15th, MT takes his side to nearly a run an over needed (27 off 25) and even Kirby is going for double figures.  But Hilda won't see the end as he top edges a bouncer from Franklin to Lewis on the boundary.  19 to him and 90 ro his team for the loss of 2 wickets.  26 needed and in comes Zander  to work towards the end.

Lovely shot on the TV coverage saying "Somerset need 21 off 145 balls".  Even we can't throw this one away from here and we haven't been looking like throwing away leads like this in matches this season.  Dawson is on to see what spin can do and he heralds the 100 up in his first over (the 17th).

Then Banger takes his side home by driving Franklin for four and then flipping the variation ball next up over the keeper for another one.  It's 7 to win and a majestic performance by the captain.as he finishes with a straight six off Dawson.  80 runs in no time with very llittle effort.  Very very simple.  Very very effective and very very impressive with 68 runs from boundaries.

8 wicket victory and stonking stuff for a county without a bowling attack.

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