v Sussex FPT(S) @ Taunton Sunday 29 April 2007

I reported on this game but had to use an old story so here is the link

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v Derbyshire LVCC2 @ Taunton Wednesday 2 May 2007

Scorecard

Losing a toss and being put in the field was not helped by Simon Katich and the rest of his team putting on a gargantuan score after Caddick had them at 0 for 2 taking the wickets of Weston and Taylor both LBW in the first over!! But after that there was no stopping them.  A 150 partnership for the 3rd wicket was followed by a double hundred, 3 other tons and 3 50's before they declared on 801 for 8 two thirds of the way through Day 2.

Good news was that no Somerset bowler went for much over 4 and Charl Willoughby  bowled 31 overs at 2.74.  Unfortunately the wickedts didn't exactly tumble regularly and only Caddick got more than one (3 for 150 in 35 overs).

We took our place at the crease and moved towards the follow-on target of over 600!!  Wagg and Dean were not keen on us reaching this milestone and reduced our first innings to 107 for 4 by the end of the second day.

Day 3 started with us having a mountain to climb and only a draw to work towards but guided by Cameron White, our only centurion (138), the second half of the batting line-up fared better than the first as Trego, Keiswetter, Durston and Turner all passed 50.  We were 497 for 9 at the end of play and fell for 530 on Day 4 a mere 272 behind!!

We followed on, only Derbyshire could win and to do so they had to bowl us out for less thatthe above.  Second time around Trescothick went relatively early but Edwards and Langer set up shop and put on a hundred.  The captain went past a personal ton with the help of Hildreth and when we reached 309 with no possibility of them getting the other 6 wickets, they called it a day and took the bonus points.

v Ireland FPT(S) @ Taunton Sunday 6 May 2007

Scorecard

Didn't get to this one either but it was nice to welcome the Irish to the South West after their heroics in the World Cup.  They had beaten Pakistan and we needed to remember that.

Langer won the toss and we chose to bat first and post a score. Langford-Smith got Banger early (36) but our Australian pair took charge and put a 142 run partnership together before Nantie Hayward opened his account for his adopted country. Hildreth kept his captain company while he passed 100 again and put on 85 before he fell to McCallan.  Kiestwetter didn't stay long being run out for 2 and it wasn't until Justin had accumulated a personal score of 132 and Somerset were 307 that Langford-Smith got his second.

The rush to 50 overs didn't bring loads more runs and three more wickets but we finished on 341 for 8 and invited the visitors to chase it!

Ireland were without the help of their top three batsmen early as Charl Willoughby ripped the top order out for 41 and effectively ended this as a real competition because Botha was not going to bat.  The middle order made a good fight of it, especially the wicket-keeper Wilson who passed 50 and McCallan and Langford-Smith who both took their scores over 30.

However with Willoughby taking 5 for 33 in 8 overs and Keith Parsons weighing in with 2 for 49 in his 10 the run rate and time got the better of the visitors and they wer finally taken out entirely some 128 runs short of our score at 213.

A good win and two more points. Let's hope someone falls foul of the Irish and that they happen to be above us in the table when it happens!!

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