v Deccan Chargers CT20L @ Hyderabad Saturday 10 October 2009

Scorecard

Free TV coverage on Eurosport UK 2 Channel 411 on SKY

The last Langer extravaganza starts here in front of lots of mad Indians!!  The side announced is;

Trescothick (yay!!), Langer, de Bruyn, Kieswetter, Suppiah, Trego,Hildreth,Waller, Thomas, Phillips, Willoughby

Hopefully the front end will be flexibly used - The start put on by Banger will be the main determinent of the game from our point of view.

Facing the likes of Gilchrist, Laxman, Vaas, Symonds, Edwards,Styris, Sharma and Rao will be a challenge and Langer will have to maintain the pace of a batting innings better than was the case in the pro40.  He will open with Marcus and then use CK later for the big push.  Arul will move up the order while James H will move down.  The introduction of ZdB is also crucial.

Bowling wise, Charl and Alfonso should feel at home with nearly every other main South African player in this competition somewhere!!  We need a good game from Ben Phillips and the support of Peter Trego and the medium pace of Zander will also be crucial.  BIIIIIGGGGG game for a certain Max Waller. If nothing else comes from this tournament,  the chance for young players like Max, Craig and Pete to compete against the higher calibre of cricket professionals is a great opportunity.

Deccan are at home...but then again 50% of their side isn't even Indian!!  Then again they did win the IPL so we have it all to do.  More at 3:30....

This game is under floodlights totally and the crowd looks big and pro-Deccan - nothing better than a cauldron type atmosphere to see what our boys are made of.  Though it has to be said that our bowlers and top batsmen will have been involved in this kind of high intensity game before.  Trescothick, Langer, Willoughby, Thomas and de Bruyn have all been involved in international competition before - though not necessarily in the warm humid nights of the sub continent.

The commentators suggest that the pitch is full of runs and is rock hard.  Justin has won the toss and decided to bowl first because he says it's worked for them up to now.  The crowd seems happy that Deccan will face first - I'm worried!  But we don't know much about this so it's all to play for.  JL looked happy and was very complimentary about his side.  Vaas won't play for the Chargers.

Laxman and Gilchrist will open and it's down to the Somerset batting guys to chase down whatever the Chargers put in front of them.  Good to see the county badge on the TV rather than some 'Sabres' logo.  We are Somerset.  We are a county.  We are not some mish mash of players who meet to play a tournament.  We are a team irrespective of whether we lose to this bunch.  This is a team building exercise,.  This says we are seen as something more than just an English side.  We have international credentials and it's time to show we believe it ourselves.

Marcus is on the pitch!! - Brilliant to see and worth the event on it's own!!

Charl to open against the man he faced not three weeks ago at Taunton - VVS Laxman - on a huge ground half way around the world in front of about a 60% capacity crowd.  Laxman is off the mark with the first.  Great to see Blackacre Farm Eggs  on the shirts and not covered over with bits of masking tape!!  Lots of chatting and buzzing in the field and almost the first wicket off the last ball of the first as Laxman hits one in the air to mid off and just out of the reach of Phillips.  10 off the first.

Thomas to Gilchrist for the second over and the ball nips back in to the ex-Aussie wickie first up....late swing is a good sign for the man of the moment.  He has Laxman playing circumspectly and flashing hard as well.  17 for no loss after two.  This tournament has big scores and batsmen going for it.  Good bowling ALL the time is needed.

The commentators reckon we have about 24 thousand in the ground and they are making a lot of noise. The commentators think that 180 ish is a decent score on this pitch.  BIGGG ask but probably good that we have decided to chase.  Somerset look very sharp in the field - let's hope that continues. 

But it doesn't as Gilchrist shows what he's made of and takes 16 out of 17 off Charl's second over and end on 34 after 3 - 200 plus total at this rate of 11 and over!!  Welcome to the big boys T20 CW. This is worrying...unitl Alf steps up and gets Gilly top edging one into the air to Marcus who pouches the ball and is VERY up for this.  Faster ball (143 Kps) and it's 35 for 1. In comes Suman. 

The fastest 50 of the tournament is up at 11 an over in the 5th - Charl is still on after being murdered in his second over but he holds them to 10 and 51 for 1 25% of the way through this.  Can we chase 200+ down?  Well if you wanted to put your faith in our main ability it would surely be in our batting.  But 8 fours and 1 six in that front end will make the job very difficult.

Phillips is on for the sixth and goes for four clipped by Laxman off his first - welcome Benjamin!  nevertheless Ben has his own statement to make as he gets Suman caught behind by his new captain for 6 and it's 59 for 2 with Symonds in at four.  Laxman is flashing at the ball, out of character but getting runs.  Symonds is away though with a guided four off his first to take his side into 63 for 2 by the end of the 6th.  End of the Powerplay.

Trigger comes on for Willow and goes for 10 and then Phillips has Symonds flashing and nearly going to Trego who stops the ball but has the ball bounce just in front of him.  The rate is still very high though but Phillips  is still asking questions.  Lots of comments about Trigger's tattoo on the telly.

Wicket 3 to Trego! Andrew Symonds goes for 8 caught by Hilda as he tries to smash it over the infield.  80 for 3 and the rate is coming down to about 9 but Laxman is still there.  Marcus reckons this is a 180 pitch but why oh why is he wearing TWO caps?  Phillips nearly has another as Sharma flips one between a wide first slip and the keeper while the commentators are talking to Banger.  86 for 3 after 10 and the pick of the bowling is from Phillips up to now.

Then we get the important one - Laxman to the big man Pete Trego!  That is a real wicket and great cricket - beautiful slower ball.  4 overs 19 for 2 to him and 10 dot balls with only singles coming in the mid sector of the innings.  The press is on and the pace is off the ball as Zander is in to Scott Styris.  Sharma isn't getting the ball onto him and with 14 overs gone it's been pulled back to 99 for 4.  Good work by the middle men.

In comes Willoughby for the 15th (hmmm?) and up comes the 100 with a straight drive from Styris.  Good straight bowling from the guys with a good number of yorker length balls to keep the men in their creases.  Three quarters of the way in and it's 106 for 4 - much better than you would have predicted after the first 5.

Styris breaks out though with a huge straight six off Zander but once again his middle pace is harder to get away although Sharma also smashes him over the covers.  These two are looking to push the score on but in doing so Sharma finds Thomas coming in from the boundary and it's 118 for 5 and Zander also does his job.  In comes Rao - one of those promising Indians who seems to have gone off the international radar after being sold as one of the new stars of sub-continental cricket. 

Thommo is back for the 17th and is still looking dangerous and they aren't getting them away.  Singles are fine and Alf is bowling a good length.  But who will bowl at the end?  Long length to Styris and it's on the toes and given out LBW 121 for 6 and this is a really really good pull back from a big start for the opposition.  Can the batsmen finish this one off?  They've shut the crowd up that's for sure.  In comes Singh.  Looking at the replay, Styris was a bit unlucky (going down to leg) but who the hell cares?

122 for 6 after 17.  Thomas 17 for 1 off 3 and Zander will finish his lot with Ben to take one of the last 2.  Rao sixes ZdB and then takes a boundary off the next but our man comes back with a really good Yorker and finishes with 34 for one wicket.  (27 came off his last 2 with only 7 off his first half.)  136 for 6 and 150 is on.

Phillips takes the 19th - big over for us - and Langer sorts out his field.  First ball is fired straight over his head for 6 by Rao.  Better second ball goes for one.  Ben gives him a yorker and knocks his off stump all over the place.  143 for 7 - really good third ball to the tail ender.  In comes Fidel Edwards. 

Ball 4 is hit off his toes and he takes the single to put Rao back on strike.  Phillips got some swing on that wicket ball.  Rao tries to hit another out of the ground and goes to Hildreth 144 for 8 and bye bye Rao.  7 balls left as Ojha arrives at the crease.

The last ball is a single and Thommo will deliver the last 6 with 145 up and two new men at the crease. Ball 1 to Edwards for 1 - squirted off his hip.  Ball 2 - left handed Ojha - single to midwicket. Ball 3 sees Edwards smashing the ball for four through extra cover.  Good hit and 150 on the board. Ball 4 Edwards tries to pull him and misses.  Ball 5 is 'chinese cut' through to Craig. Last ball is a wide so it isn't the last ball but Ojha is run out at the non striking end and it's 152 for 9.  Harmeet Singh is in and they run a single 153 for 9.

The commentators don't think that is enough.  They've done really well.  Excellent bowling from the boys after a shaky start good lines and good length with some really good pressing from Trigger and Zander in the middle and some good work by Ben but Alf looked wonderful.  Good solid fielding as well - not something we've seen in other games.  I'm happy with that but we need a good start in our innings.

Here we go Edwards to Trescothick - a no ball full toss and the first warning as it comes out of his hand.  Langer gets his first run off some tidy fielding which breaks the stumps.  Edwards is bowling at 152 Kps!!  But his short ball is just flipped over the slips for 4 by the Somerset man.  Fidel is banging it in short to our man.  ball 5 is driven for four by the Mighty man. 12 off the first one.

Singh is looking for swing at the other end and his first is full to Banger. He keeps the ball up for half an over and has the opener watching.  Then he gives him a loose one and gets flipped for four.  Unfortunately though he has another abll to come and Marcus gets a top edge on that one and a skier is taken by Gilchrist!!  DAMN! And what brain decided to send ZANDER in at 3!!!  Don't you lot learn anything from the Pro40?  Langer and de Bruyn do not push on!! Though he does flip the first down the leg side for 4!!

25 up after 3 with a pretty poor second over from Edwards. Harmeet Singh is on for the 5th with us at 35 for the loss of one.  Justin has gone into this one with the policy of 'hit it or get out' and Zander is following his captain's lead. they push the score on better than they have in the past but just as they get to 50, Zander goes t an excellent catch from a retired wicketkeeper who would keep some of the international blokes out of their sides if he was still playing.  It was a big edge and Gilchrist was across and diving to catch the ball from Singh. 50 for 2 and in comes Craig.

Then Singh bowls to the skipper and he golf shots him to the mid on fielder and goes for 15. 51 for 3 and a minor collapse with Singh having 3 for 17 off 3 overs.  Ojha the spinner is in to our wickie. 54 for 3 after 7 - up to the rate but two new boys in and the crowd getting up for it again.

Wierd part of this game is the commentators talking to the umpire who is not at the stumps!!  How is that allowed while the game is on?

Gilchrist seems to have decided that the slow men are getting the results and his spinner and medium men are knocking the score down - 4 off the last over so 58 for 3 with 8 down.  Kieswetter is taking the men on coming up the wicket.  He does it again and mistimes it to put it into a H.Singh's hands on the boundary. 59 for 4 and the commentators are saying we look shakey.... how right they are!  Peter Trego is in.  OOOOOEEEEER has panic taken hold?

60 for 4 after 9 as Arul sixes the slow man into the crowd....calm Mr Suppiah, only hit the bad one. Styris is on for the eleventh with Somerset about halfway there at the halfway mark.  We need 80 from 57 so the pressure is really on for the young guys but Pete  sixes him when he bowls on his toes.  10 from the eleventh takes us to 81 for 4. Deccan wdere 89 for 4 at this point so this is a good even contest - we certainly haven't been outplayed in this game.  Now the TV is talking to Symonds - he thinks we are under more pressure than they are and he's right as Trego skies one and goes for 12.  Oh dear!

In comes James Hildreth and this one isn't over but we are the team that has to win or lose it now.  It is in the balance.  90 for 5 after 12.  In a one day game you'd still put your money on the batting side needing 64 off 8 - 8 an over guys!  It gets difficult if one of these two goes and it is now raining!

Ohja flights one and Arul skies it to Styris!!  We needed him to manage the end of this innings but he has gone and it's now a problem as Phillips arrives at 93 for 6 after 13.  61 off 7 is a BIG ask for JH and the tail.  if we lose this we'll have thrown this away.  Phillips walks past a straight one and is nearly stumped.  Good work from the keeper Gilchrist again!!  To add insult to injury Phillips snicks one to the boundary past the keeper next one up.

He then goes to a really soft dismissal flipping one straight to Symonds. A very poor and soft dismissal brings Thomas to the wicket with 55 needed from 36 balls, rain falling and us well behind on the D/L.  We have thrown this one away and asking the last few guys to make this one right is not on.  Rao is bowling but it is pretty immaterial to be honest unless James and Alf pull something really special out of a very deep bag!  Personally I see no hope with this game even though we are 108 for 7 with 6 to go.

Having just seen the Phillips dismissal again, the look of disgust on Ben's face was just what it should have been!!

We need 40 off 30. The story is on the scorecard.  6 scores in double figures, not one over 20!!!  Steady drizzle and a six from Thomas to keep us interested in this one.  James then fours it to take us to within 2 runs of the D/L total.  123 for 7 after 16.

Fidel is back on for the 17th.  James is facing.  It's a no ball and Fidel is taken off after the ball goes well over Hilda's shoulder for the second time in the game (the first ball to Trescothick was the same).  Styris will finish the over and it gives Gilchrist a problem if this game goes to the wire.

Its 26 from 20 and it is James Hildreth who will win this one for us if we win.  130 for 7 and that Fidel removal seems to have taken the edge off his side.  Can we do this?  Do we deserve to do this?

.......who the hell cares!! Let's just get it done.

131 for 7 23 needed off 18 balls and Gilchrist brings in Symonds - his 9th bowler - bowling slow medium.  22 off 17. 21 off 16. 20 off 15. 16 off 14 - glided four to Thomas. Cool heads please lads!!

16 off 13. 14 off 12 - great and brave running for the two.

Max is sitting there ready to come in and Singh is coming on to finish this game one way or the other.  Take it easy guys please!!

Singh to Hildreth. 14 off 11. 13 off 10. Thomas flips the ball to the boundary over the infield. 9 from 9. Bouncer! 9 from 8. 8 from 7.  Near bondary Leg byes! 50 partnership! 5 from 6!!

The Somerset guys were screaming for the ball to go for 4!!

Still an over to go though and 5 runs needed.  Scott Styris for the last over.  2 wickets left.

Hildreth on strike. Styris bowls Hilda!! In comes Max Waller - who would be this young man?

Long off and Long on come in to save the single.  Max's only objective?  Get Alf on strike.  Doesn't connect 5 from 4!!

Up in the air! Styris takes the catch. Max goes! 5 from 3. In comes Charl!! But Alf crossed so there is still some hope!!

Alf fires one to the boundary!!!!!!  Game tied!!

1 from 2. DOT BALL!!!

1 FROM 1 Well played Scott Styris but Alf hits the ball for FOUR!!!

AHHHH Jesus!!!!  You Beauties!!!  That was absolutely brilliant.

ALFONSO THOMAS

MAN OF THE MATCH!!

What did the local press think?

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