v Glamorgan @ Swansea Wednesday 2 June 2004

Well we're into the meat of the season and where are we?  We have four draws and a defeat in the Championship and we go to face Glamorgan at Swansea after a weekend of one day games we'd rather not dwell on.  Mike Burns has problems in a squad that had loads of competition less than a month ago and he goes into this one with strike bowler problems and a middle order that probably isn't what he would have planned to have.

Back comes Richard Johnson it seems and it may be Edwards who misses out in favour of a middle order filled with experienced all rounders in the form of the Two Keiths.  Simon Francis isn't in the frame but seems fit after playing in the C&G on Saturday - this seems to be a form issue and that is worrying with Aaron Laraman probably out until after Bath.   

Glamorgan are never easy and this will be another test in a week of tests for Somerset.  Early season 'yips' are one thing but we need consistent performance to establish a campaign and we don't have it at the moment.  Swansea IS going to be the start of better things!

Day 1

Or is it?  We won the toss and thought we were up for it but it seems we weren't.  3 for 16 in less than half and hour is not what we needed.  Kasprowicz and Harrison had our number it seems!  Burns and Hildreth stopped the rot and James went on to produce a good 61 off 58 balls but few stayed with him until Blackie got to the crease - he is the man with the patience this year it seems! (who would have thought that?).  Dutch and Johnson helped the score along but we really only limped along to a final first innnings of 229 before the end of the first day.  It's not good enough and immediately puts us on the back foot away from home.

It got worse when Matt Elliott - the mercenary Australian international (have bat will travel) took a shine to our bowling once again after his demolition at Lords a couple of years ago.  We got our first at 53 thanks to McLean and our second 180 runs later with Glamorgan in the lead - what is that about?  It seems like we allow one batsman per game to get away from us and put on a big hundred.  This time it was Elliott (157).  Hemp added 66 and others put on 20's and 30's but we didn't get into our bowling stride until they were past 300.  Then good news.

Nixon McLean got his radar working and took 3 quick wickets on his way to 4 for 91.  AND joy of joys!!!!  Richard Johnson got in on the act taking a very welcome 4 for 86 off his 23+ overs.  Lots of wood but too late.  We cleared them up for 388 but that's a load of runs (159) ahead.

End of Day 2

No wickets before the end of the day and some good solid plus 50 run scores was what we needed.  Peter Bowler going for 2 with 8 on the board was not!!  Mike Kasprowicz shouldn't be doing this to us.  We've seen him before, we know what to expect and we have shown before we know how to handle him.  Why can't we do it?

Edwards is well aware of the pressure on him as he tries to get past 20 but today wasnn't the day he turned the corner and he also went for 15.  2 for 28 became 3 for 28 two balls later and we have a huge wall to climb to even get a draw out of this one.  The Welsh will be rampant and we need such a heavy stand from Jamie Cox and captain Burns followed by really solid, sensible and steady batting from the rest of our line-up if we are to provide a score that will make a game of the Dragons' second innings.  Hard job.  We don't seem up to it but we are all willing to be convinced that this is the first day of the rest of Somerset's season and hope is still there.  Don't let us down boys!

The end is Nigh!!

Cox and Burns at least put us in the frame.  Their half centuries (Cox - 50 and Burns - 54) and their 97 run partnership at least showed the rest how to do it and that it was possible.  Blackwell came in with his side needing a calm and patient innings.  HHis captain stuck around for the start of it but went at 152.  It was up to Turner (partnership of 50) and Dutch (partership of 64) to stand with him past 300 and towards a total that Glaamorgan had to think hard about.  Blacky went past three figures and then Johnson helped him push it to 131 before Croft had him caught by Hemp. Caddick and McLean wagged again and the bowlers put on another 46 before Nixon was last out.

That gave the bowlers something to bowl at and made Glamorgan fight for it.  That was satisfying but not really ever a contest after Hemp and Elliott had put on 109 after Wallace had partnered Matt E to 49 (scoring 5 himself!) for the first wicket.  Elliott was the last wicket.  Dutch took it but the Dragons reached the required runs (212 at the end of the game) without further loss.  A loss by 7 wickets wwith Elliott's fist innings 157 the difference between the sides.

Not a 20 pointer but not a complete defeat.  We did fight, we just didn't win.  Is this the start of the fightback?  On to Hove and let's find out!

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