v Derbyshire at Derby ToteSport 2 Sunday 23 May 2004

Shock horror.  Somerset win toss!  Somerset decide to bat!  Somerset lose their first wicket at 125!  Somerset hit over 300 in 45 overs!

Well today went quite nicely then!  A side with lots of bit and bobs annihilates Derbyshire in the way that we were destroyed by Yorkshire a couple of weeks away.  A truly phenomenal innings by Carl Gazzard of 157 off 136 balls with 14 fours and two sixes was the backbone of a very good batting performance.  Support from his captain Burns, who made 73 off 63, was vital but the young wicket keeper kept going after he lost Mike and only Keith Parsons really did anything else but keep an end while he made hay.

Once we'd completed our innings and set them 317 we then took them out piece by piece.  Andy Caddick started the systematic dismantling with Gait for 8, skittled, then Botha for 4, caught behind.  Moss was run out with less than 40 on the board and Derbyshire were simply playing for pride.  This time though we didn't even allow them that.  The dangerous Adnan was also run out - much sharper field performance by the side today.  Blackwell  had Sutton stumped before they got to 100 and then Parsons  ran through the rest.  At 127 - Welch caught Gazzard.  At 131 - Hewson caught Gazzard. At 146 - Sheikh caught Dutch.  At 186 - Dumelow caught behind by Turner.  Then finally, at 202 -  the fighting Bassano (85) caught McLean.

Storming stuff.  Parsons  5 for 39 off less than 7, Caddick 2 for 23 off 6.  We win by 114 and Gloucestershire lose to Hampshire while I am writing this. 

Today all is right in my cricketing world.  On to Taunton and a win in the CC2 please!

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