By Grockle
July 4 2004
It was a long day and only Keith Dutch might have enjoyed it from a Sabre's point of view. Gareth Andrew and Aaron Laramann did some decent work with the ball but far too many let fly at the wrong ball with the bat and we tumbled to a 64 run defeat...it was a harder fall than that though!
v Worcestershire TSL2 @ New Road 4 July 2004
Well what a day this is going to be. Coming off a thrashing at Edgbaston, the young guns of the South West face a side that has already devastated them once this season in the C&G. In a side decimated by injury, Mike Burns has to look to his batsmen to put a significant score up for his bowlers to have a chance at. The attack of Francis, Hunt, Laraman and Hancock were woefully inadequate in the 20 over game so he has to give them as big a cushion as possible to bowl within. Given Worcestershire's batting ability it is a very tall order.
The squad is unchanged from the midweek one of:
Burns, Cox, Dutch, Francis J, Hildreth, Parsons K, Francis S, Laraman, Andrew, Hancock, Hunt and Suppiah
One has to ask where the victory is going to come from. The pressure on Simon Francis and Aaron Laraman to pull out something extraordinary is huge and probably too unrealistic. Even if the experienced heads of the captain, the Tasmanian and the one day specialist can conjour up some great batting feat, can the bowlers hold it together long enough to defend the total. If the Royals bat first, what kind of score will the guys be chasing?
This isn't sour grapes, this is a hugely inexperienced side. Thos Hunt is not ready and was never expected to be in this position. Hancock was not planning to be playng first class cricket today earlier this week. Arul has had little time to acclimatise after University cricket and Gareth Andrew has not been in good enough form to be considered for many one day games this season after impressing in some of his run outs in 2003. John Francis is showing promise and has put together two decent scores this week, with little help and it is good to see KP back in the fray. They have their work cut out today - keeping the game close may be all we can expect. A win would be a considerable achievement.
So we asked what the guys could offer? Well it wasn't a victory. They lost the toss - problem 1. The Royals wanted to post and not chase so our bowlers were immediately on the frontline. Two hours later at 103 for 1 it was obvious that they were playing a containing game not a 'bowl 'em out' aggressive one. Opting for an all seam attack is OK if there is variation but a whole bunch of right handed seamers don't tend to have that. Worcestershire batted well and we didn't bowl that badly to keep them to 5.2. Gareth Andrew was probably the pick although he got tonked by Bichel in the last over. 3 for 50? I've seen worse this year. Laraman returned the most impressive figures of 8 for 40 (5 an over and we're glad to see it!!) Hancock took a wicket and Francis Senior but that was it and they made 238 for 7.
It was a gettable total. A bit on the high side but the bowlers had done well given the situation and their inexperience. It was left to the experience in the batting line-up to get us going. So Burns going for 8 at 17 and Cox for 7 at 26 was not what was required. Hildreth helped Dutch (at number 4!!) steady the ship but he went at 64 and with KP going 5 balls later for the addition of a run we were all but finished.
Why play John Francis and bring him in at number 6? Why play Hancock at all unless you are going to use him as the allrounder he is supposed to be? Frank Junior tried manfully to support Dutch who was still at the other end, but he is not a stroke maker and after his 15, Laraman and Andrew arrived before we saw Hancock. All this time KD was up the other end trying to keep it together and get the score moving. We were 89 for 7 and the game was lost but he made 21 with the man from Devon and then a fighting 68 with Frank Senior before we lost it completely when Thos Hunt was caught for 1. Dutchy ended with 79 fro 71 balls and the capitulation was complete. A defeat by 64 runs.
The radio commentators were pulling their hair out as to what to do. I am sure the management don't relish the TV coming tomorrow to witness our embarassment. A quote from Somerset Sound
"Somerset are playing for pride now in all competitions...." I don't see much pride out there at the moment, except from those already cast off by the powers as at the end of their careers. Maybe if we all fought like Mr Dutch we might get somewhere!
On to Taunton and Glamorgan on Monday. Be there or be sensible!!
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