v Kent CC1 @ Taunton Tuesday 20 July 2010

Scorecard

Commentary

Nathan's Blog

Day 1

Kent won the toss and chose to field first on a morning that started at 11;15 (to the surprise of many coming in from my side of the town).  The conditions had to favour the bowlers and it was unlikely that the conditions at 11:00 were going to do anything but deteriorate during the day - sunshine was not going to be the order of the day UI would suggest.

Buit we are back in the BIG competition and we need to get ourselves sorted quickly because this is the one we really want.  The Pro 40 and the T20 are just window dressing.  You are not seen as a complete county cricket club without a Championship and I would suggest that we have rarely been closer to that as a possibility than this year after our short format break.

The side for today is much as it would be expected to be;

Trescothick, Suppiah, Buttler, de Bruyn, Hildreth, Kieswetter, Trego, Kartik, Phillips, Thomas and Willoughby

We welcome back Arul after a bit of a break to his number 2 slot, Jos Buttler seems to be preferred as the number 3 (no place for Nick Compton) and Craig Kieswetter gets the gloves and a chance to get himself back into some form - something that has been eluding him for most of the season except for the T20 World Cup.  Ben Phillips returns after a rest on Sunday, Charl Willoughby returns to the strike bowler spot that his VC steps down from and Kartik also returns after resting the thigh injury that he carried for the first 60% of T20 tournament.

Khan (River) and Cook (Old Pavilion) open for them and the ball does wiggle around a bit but Marcus and Arul settle and we pass 50 in the 12th with both men scoring at roughly the same rate.  Unfortunately the captain does not hang around much longer as he falls LBW to Stevens in his first over from the River at 64.  Arul looks like the gap has done him no harm and we now need him to settle back into his opener mode as his new partner Jos strides out. 

 All seems right until we pass three figures just before lunch when the wheels come off well and truly.  Suppiah seems keen to drive when it is possible and chooses to do it to one that isn't possible!  As a result he pops it to Denley at point off Cook in the 23rd and we are 101 for 2 and out comes Zander.  He hasn't even got himself settled before Stevens catches Buttler in two minds neither forward or back and Van Jaarsveldt says thank you at second slip - 101 for 3.  It gets no better two balls later with Hildreth in the same frame of mind snicking one low to Jones off the same 'dibbly dobbly' bowler and we are 101 for 4!

Is this a product of the change of format?  The change of weather conditions?  The quality of the Kent bowlers?  The unpredictability of the Taunton wicket?  Well there seems to be a lack of true application - maybe it is because of a format change.  The pitch is slow rather than 'minefield-ish' and the bowling is tight.

We survive to lunch which Craig heralds in with a superb cover drive to the scoreboard corner 105 for 4 and a bit of chatting to do about how to play after the interval perhaps.

After lunch Khan looks lively at the OP and ZdB is still looking to settle himself.  He gets quite a bit of playing and missing.  We are being very cautious indeed.  Unfortunately Mr Kieswetter doesn't operate at too high a level of caution and spoons one from Stevens to Bandura for 6 and it is 'Nelson' for 5.  The young man's season continues in roughly the same vein. 

Peter Trego, (our last recognised batsman?) joins Zander as the bowling attack continues to make our batting lives very difficult - though it is really hard to explain why.

Nice to see Tractor back from his travels to Chesterfield to see cricket.  Also we are joined on this occasion by LoL making his yearly trip to Nirvana.  It was also nice to say hello to oldboy for the first time and I am reliably informed that Grizzzly has been sighted on the ground - though not yet by me.

It isn't however presently going to plan!

There is no hope on the horizon either as we continue to try and re-create the abject batting of Sunday.  Admittedly, Khan is getting some seam movement but nothing particularly alarming.  It is enough though for Trigger, who follows one moving away and is snatched up at second slip once again to take us to 116 for 6.  He is closely followed by Ben Phillips who doesn't follow one moving away!  He simply wafts at a straight one and snicks it to Jones.  118 for 7 and the sparse crwod starts to pray for heavy and prolonged rain.  Alfonso Thomas comes out to partner the stubborn but uncomfortable ZdB but nothing here suggests any of our lot will be out there for long I am afraid.

The rain thankfully comes in large amounts at 2:25 and an hour later the covers are still on.  It's dark all around the place and pretty touch and go whether we see anything else today.  122 for 7 with Zander on 7 and his vice captain on 4.  We've presently lost 6 wickets for the grand total of 21 in 60-ish balls and it can rain for the next three days for me based on what I've seen up to now :-) 

Day 2

Dawns a little brighter but there is a whole bunch of work to do to get the county back into this match.  The crowd is about the same but the weather is drier and a little sunnier.  Zander is looking to push it on against Cook (River) and Khan (OP) and moves to 25 with some aggression.  Unfortunately, Alfonso has a marginal decision about whether a ball was a 'bump' one or not as Van Jaarsveldt catches one that may have come off the ground when Alf hit it.  No doubt about the catch but the umpires consult on what it came off.  They decide the bat and it is 154 for 8.  He walks off not particularly amused by the decision and Kartik takes his place, prepares and 'heads' Khan's first delivery (a bouncer) over the slips for four to the CA Pavilion.

Zander looks to get us past 200 with some good stroke play and solid defence.  Unfortunately he looks to carve Cook to the Caddyshack at 192 and snicks the ball to Jones 192 for 8.  Good defence and daft aggression but he did make a very valuable 44.  In comes Charl and mayhem could very well ensue.  He takes a daft single off the first ball he faces and Coles looks to throw the stumps down, misses all three and he gets 5!  Kartik looks to throw the sink at the ball before CW goes.  But that is not the case and the lefty reaches a Khan ball to swipe it for four and take his county over 200.

Willow goes to double figures and prompts a change in bowling as Treadwell comes on from the River. This is playing into Charl's  hands because he deals with spin better.  Unfortunately Kartik doesn't and is caught behind trying to cut.  205 all out and our number eleven carries his bat for 11.

Thank you Zander for giving the score some semblence of decency...but it is not impressive at all and we have to bowl damn well to make them worry about this game.  The one aspect that will affect the game more is the rain and as the players leave the pitch the rain starts to fall heavily.

Play starts again at 12:45 after a bit of rain and some limited cover work.  Denley and Northeast face Charl at the OP and Ben from the River.  Northeast merits four slips but there is no early breakthrough.  After four overs the sides leave the field for lunch with 29 for no loss to Kent and some deep thinking required by the home side.

After lunch Charl continues to Northeast from the Old Pavilion while Ben Phillips  has the River end berth to Denley.  The sun has pierced the cloud but showers throughout the afternoon are predicted and at 1:45 we have just been told that it is belting down in Portishead - not sure which way the wind is blowing so that may totally relevant or irrelevant information but it does not look settled by any stretch of the imagination.  This could be a good thing as the afternoon is possibly mapped out as Northeast's first scoring shot after the break is a glance off an edge along the ground which evades FOURTH slip to go for four!

However, there is something there for the bowlers and after Phillips has roughed them up a bit from the River Charl gets Northeast playing down the wrong line and snicking the ball through to an ecstatic Kartik at 35 for 24.  Jones arrives at number 3 and he helps Denley push the score past 50 at the end of the 13th.

Trigger is on for the 14th but Denley takes a liking to him and puts two deliveries out to the Somerset Stand in his first and there is a double change because Alfonso comes on at the OP for the 15th and simply carries on his T20 level of accuracy going for 1 and causing the batsmen all kinds of problems.  Unfortunately Pete isn't doing that at the other end and after another over he is replaced by Kartik.  He takes on Jones - who puts him on the Botham Stand roof with an excellent straight hit.  However, our man has a brain and he gives him a little bit of air on the next one, catches him in two minds and then catches the return 'plop' before running whooping down the wicket.  It's 76 for 2.

Van Jaarsveldt is next in and facing a nagging vic captain and a tricky spinner.  He isn't in for long as he plays around a straight one from Alf and is judged LBW (he isn't impressed by the decision) after hitting one boundary in a two ball life.  82 for 3 and a danger man has gone. 

Kent are now struggling against some very good bowling from both ends. Alfonso has a very good LBW shout turned down and then what looks like a done and dusted catch behind turned down.  Denley and Blake survive although Blake looks so out of touch with things one wonders where the county got him from.  It is Kartik who benefits as he gets past Denley's bat and has him LBW at 87.  The base of the Kent reply has gone, Blake looks like a rabbit in the headlights and Stevens comes in as their main hope of getting up to 200 and beyond.  At 3:00 the score is 98 for 4 and the game is looking far more interesting than it was at lunch.

The 100 comes up with the introduction of Ben for the 26th (I personally don't understand this as he replaces Alfonso after five dangerous overs).  The cloud is starting to close in and it is starting to get a lttle more oppressive.  However the fun continues as Blake (who has looked completely out of sorts with MK) finally manages to place the ball in the hands of a fielder (Jos Buttler at short leg) and it is 114 for 5 just before the end of the 30th over.

Treadwell joins Stevens and this is all looking very interesting indeed.  Rain can stay away and we'd like a spell after Tea if we can manage to remove the Stevens bloke.

My wish is granted with the re-introduction of Willoughby for the 32nd over.  He has Stevens trying to thread the ball through the infield but Trego is there and takes a very good low catch at point to remove the man at 126.  In comes Coles for Kartik to have a play with but it is a bit of a battle as Coles open his shoulders on more than one  occasion deposting the ball past the scoreboard refreshment hut for one huge six.  At 159 in the 40th over however our man wins as he bowls the new man for 23.  Bandara comes out with 10 minutes or just one over to deal with before the break.  It seems to be the longer of the two periods,

They don't survive until Tea as Treadwell pops it up to Buttler and Kent leave at 164 for 8 with Mr Kartik with 5 for 46.  Off to radio commentary - have a chat if you are about.  

A long session with the last ball being bowled just before 6:45.  But a very satisfying one from a Somerset point of view as the last two Kent wickets went in no nonsesn quick fashion.  Bandara didn't hang around because Thomas was too good and too fired up for him and he went caught behind at 172 followed very quickly by Khan to the same man after a mere 4 balls.  Kent all out for 172 and we have a 33 ball lead and 31 overs to play before the end of Day 2.

Marcus and Arul got to work making sure they did not lose wickets during this period.  The captain scratched around for a considerable while on 3 while his partner took most of the scoring on himself.  He took the strike and blunted the efforts of Khan (straight from his early discussions about becoming a Somerset man next season), Cook and Coles.  No sign of Stevens which surprised many, no effort from theman to influence his captain by doing exercises and  when it seemed little was happening it was Treadwell who got the nod.  Balls did nove past the bat and Arul was guilty of the odd 'waft' and it did for him in the 13th over just before we passed 50 when he 'wafted' one to Jones from Coles.

But the batsmen did their job.  Nothing daft.  Hit the very loose one.  Don't scramble.  Plenty of time.  Jos Buttler came in at number 3, a real indication of the confidence of the man himself and his county's view of his ability.  He was so confident that at times his skipper had a word about goind after the young man Coles who put a few juicy wide deliveries his way which didn't need hitting but tempted Jos to have a go.  He did not hit anything thank heavens and the two men put on a decent partnership of 79 before the unpredictability of Bandara (long hops followed by jaffas followed by leg side followed by off side) found Jos missing a straight one (high to me however) and being adjudged LBW with 42 to his name and 124 on the Somerset second innings sheet.  Banger had by this time passed 50 with a mixture of patience and huge boundaries (6 fours, 2 sixes and 70 balls).  Alfonso was sent in to play out the two and a bit overs left and did so without incident.  We ended the day on 128 for 2 with the Boss on 59 and his VC yet to score.  161 ahead and in a commanding position - a really enjoyable and long days play and something to look forward to...

Day 3

The rain started at 10:45 and stopped just after 12.  The Players have taken an early lunch at 12;30 and they are drying the ground out (lots of surface water on the outfield) as I type.  It is brighter but not by much and play before 3:00 will be very lucky.  Hoping for a 'non' damp squib.

But my hopes are dashed.  It rained again at 12:40 and wet everything that had been dried.  The ends of other strips are underwater and the covers are saturated.  They are going to inspect at 2:30......bated breath is not necessary because it will rain again before then.

Lots of inspections today.  3:30, 4:15, 5:00 and then ........ inspection at 5:30 and the game ends at 5:32.

Day 4

Interesting morning.  We start on time and the discussion in the box is when will we declare.  General consensus is 12:40 givng us about 6 before lunch at the Kent openers.  That means 120-ish this morning, Marcus  and Alfonso seem up to it, especially the VC who has been given leave to 'welly'.  The 150 arrives halfay through the 35th - mostly from the allrounder's bat.

The ball is moving about and Khan is looking like someone they should keep an eye on.  Banger smacks him to the Somerset Stand and that seems to make Kent think and they introduce Bandara at the River end ion the 38th  at 176 for 2.  The Somerset men are pushing it along though and the skipper flat bats one from Khan straight to Treadwell and leaves the field for 80 with 190 to his side.  We surprisingly then send in Zander de Bruyn when most people would have expected Trigger.  He finds Khan a definite handful and is nearly caught off his third ball.  Alf continues to swipe the ball but misses a particular swipe in the 40th and is bowled by Bandara for 30 at 194 for 4.  In comes Hildreth?  No Peter yet?

The 200 arrives in the 42nd and then ZdB shows that he is more than an 'accumulator' by hoisting Khan into the cemetry with the next delivery to double his score of 6. James is taking a little longer to get himself sorted and has simply moved to 4 as we end the 43rd on 209.

Then Hilda puts the boot down and starts to pepper the boundary taking us over 250 in the 48th with a six followed by a four off Bandara  after 48 overs we have 289 in the bank and James has gone to 36.

Treadwell arrives to bowl the 50th as we near a 300 run lead and the expectation of a declaration.  ZdB hits a double to take us into the third century.  The prediction is 12:30 OR 75 overs left with JH just four runs from a 50.  Marcus is on the balcony for the 52nd with James looking for a 50.  But he top edges a reverse sweep and is caught behind for 48.  In comes Craig ?  Why?  and things get even wierder when Peter arrives when ZdB is caught behind the next ball when the ball lodges in Geraint Jones' pads and is prised out!  Pete dispatches his second ball for four and we expect the declaration to come at the end of the 53rd...not really sure about the pooint fo sending these boys in?  But it isn't over as Peter skies one to Bandara and out comes Phillips (along with the 12thman with instructions).  290 for 7 at the end of the 53rd.  No declaration and.....what the hell is going on?

The 54th starts and CK is off the mark with a boundary from Treadwell.  He brings up the 300 with a straight driven four.  He finally declares on 301 at 12:35 leaving them 335 to win off 70 overs.

The four overs before the break show little.  Charl and Alfonso give little away to Northeast and Denley and they finish the session with 12 up for no loss.  After the break, the anticipation is for the introduction of Murali Kartik but before that the Kent men have to avoid anything silly agains our 'leftie' and Ben Phillips who opens from the River.  The run rate is about 2.5 and therefore they have 26 after 10.

Kartik is introduced for the 14th with Kent on 36.  2:10 for anyone checking.  The game starts here...or ends here.

Well we start with a maiden and that is followed by Alfonso Thomas taking over at the OP.  Kent are wary of the spinner and playing and missing like there is no tomorrow against Somerset's adopted son.  The ball is moving after passing the bat and jagging back off the pitch and the VC looks the more dangerous at the start of this phase of the game.

However it isn't until the 21st over that we get anything, luck has been with the visitors until that point when Thommo does through sheer athleticism what fate won't allow him to with the ball.  Denley looks to knock one out to the inner field and is wonderfully caught and bowled by the man in form.  1 for 67 - is this the start of the rot?

Jones is in at number three which says lots about the Kent line-up.  After him there is Van Jaarsveldt and Stevens and a lot of blockers, nurdlers and bowlers...can we get through the fragile frontline before the Tea break?  It does look possible as Kartik starts to get into his rhythm and cause both batsmen problems with pace and flight and pitch.  It is a case of another wicket falling beinf inevitable and after some staunch defence it is Northeast who succumbs popping one up to Arul Suppiah (who may have an influence on this game with the ball yet) in the 26th with the score on 77.  This brings the opposition skipper to the crease and a vital phase of this game starts with two relatively new men at the crease who may well be the last of the visitors really recognised batsmen.

One question is who will spell Thomas to keep him fit and roraring in.  In the 29th we find out that Willow is the first to take on that role as he returns at the OP.  Whatever he does, he does get their boss to belt one out to Buttler and 94 for 3 breathes new life into the innings and sets up my after tea commentary to be very enjoyable hopefully.

I won't be able to give you any written stuff on the rest of this but if you want to get the audio up then I'll try and reply to Grockle comments during the final session of this absorbing game. 

Blake has arrived at the wicket - he looked all at sea in the first innings so he will probably save the game for his county.  However, MK is getting turn and bounce....... whoopee.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon
• Tweet

Related Articles:

• Room at the Top?
• Into the Arena

Somerset Poll