Middlesex CCC

Dobell, who is a Somerset supporter, says Maynard out at Somerset.

[www.espncricinfo.com]

At the end of yesterday's play, I was hopeful that batting was getting easier. However, the fact Somerset appeared unable to push on this morning, and then Middlesex close on 40-3, suggests otherwise. The batsmen not out overnight as well as the players yet to bat have absolutely no choice but to find a way to survive, something which could involve batting positively, as apparently that has been a good tactic in this match. I would feel more confident if Nick Compton and/or Sam Robson were not out.

Due to today’s play finishing one ball into an over, there will be 96.5 overs available tomorrow. However, as Somerset are certain to bowl plenty of overs of spin, we are highly likely to have to face more overs than that if we are bat out the day. Therefore, the time will be a more relevant statistic than overs remaining.

I am delighted about Ravi Patel taking 12 wickets and a run out in the match. He has spoken to Kevin Hand about today.

Hopefully Warwickshire will beat Hampshire.

I am fearful I will return home from work tomorrow to the news that we have been relegated.

Hampshire will lose, I feel.

George Dobell has produced a report of today for Cricinfo. The report says that Middlesex have ruled out taking legal action for the points deduction incurred v Surrey at The Oval.

If we go down, then it would be due to a range of factors rather than simply due to that deduction, our poor performance in the first session of this match, and an inability to bat out tomorrow.

If by some miracle we do stay up which will be down to Warwickshire rather than our batsmen we need a complete overhaul in the winter, alternatively relegation might be a blessing in disguise and prompt Gus to dismiss the old guard and blood the youngsters.
I have been receiving nightly updates from a die hard regular at Taunton and the good news is it was still raining at 21:00 hrs tonight 20 odd miles from the ground so there could well be a delayed start tomorrow.
The bad news is he reckons our batsmen have not got the heart for the battle and do not seem bothered and will not last more than 2 sessions.
Up or down it will be interesting to compare last seasons averages with this seasons and how many 100's were hit last season to this.

Good luck to Middlesex at Taunton today. Let's hope, for both of our sakes, that there are no talking points provided by umpiring howlers which favour either side.

I wouldn't put too much money on a delayed start if I were you guys, however, though it is possible.

I have to say that I am surprised that Middx have ruled out legal action over the Oval, because the incident seems to have been handled in shambolic fashion by the ECB.

I'm pretty certain that, if it were Hants, Mr Bransgrove would not be accepting it so quietly.

Jonathan, you can bat on this pitch if you are good enough.

James Hildreth and Tom Abell manage to put together 100 partnership, the reason for Somerset's loss of wickets yesterday morning was because of going for quick runs for a declaration before lunch. It was a good thing they did with the rain starting earlier than forecast.

I hope Middlesex make a go of it today with the weather set to be dry, it is sunny at 8.30am.

I'm a bear for the day.

Having had a look at the gumph (is that even a word) I think I might be joining a secret society, or a masonic lodge.

It is full of comments like 'I'm delighted Adam Hose has decided to become a bear' and 'Ian Westwood will be a bear forever' and 'Will Porterfield will always be a true bear', so I'm not quite sure what I'm getting myself in to.

Maybe it's like joining the Tufty club, but whatever it is, I'm a bear for the day.

It took Somerset batsmen a long time to master the Taunton pitch, Mike, and they play on it seven times a year, so have had more opportunity to understand the conditions, and what is likely to happen.

Ravi Patel took ten wickets in this match. Think how many he would take if he played all his home games there? 10x7=70 plus a few away= about 90 wickets a season. And he normally doesn't get in the side.

I'm not saying Leach and Bess aren't good bowlers, but it grossly inflates their career averages, which might explain why Leach isn't on the Ashes tour.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 28/09/2017 07:40 by chunkyinargyll.

If, as has been reported, Keith Barker wants out of Warks then he may have an incentive to deliver a very strong final day bowling performance.

Edit: er, except for the fact that he is not playing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 28/09/2017 07:41 by AGod.

It's sunny hear at Taunton. I have to say this will be a difficult day for me. I would be surprised if we bat to lunch. I just hope Warwickshire make a better job of finishing Hampshire off than they did Yorkshire. I expect to be in train home to Paddington still not knowing our fate.

---

Barmy Kev
I'm only here for the tele

It is not a matter of mastering the Taunton pitch, Somerset's batting hasn't been good enough all season home or away.

The better side on the day nearly always win.

Come on the Middle

Come on the Bears

I think, MIke, there's an element of "pitch in player's head."

I think that's been an element in our Somerset batting this year (at home) and I think one could see that in the Middx first innings too.

One problem about a team's officials complaining about a pitch is that it can plant the idea in the heads of their players that 'gosh, batting really is impossible.'

In the Middx first innings, I thought that both Dawid Malan and Paul Stirling seemed to reject that notion in decisive fashion, viz the way that they approached things. They seemed neither unduly tentative nor fatalistic in their attitude.

In contrast, I thought that Adam Voges's attitude seemed poor. He spent the first evening shrugging his shoulders at the umpires as though to say 'this is impossible,' then waited all of five minutes on day two to sashay down the pitch and try and hit one over the top - I interpreted this attempt as a further indication of resignation viz the pitch (we have to try and smash some runs because there's zero chance of playing a long innings on this).

Middx fans are likely to see (if you watch on the live feed) that the track will be at its slowest and least responsive today. There might be occasional low bounce and I'm sure some balls will still turn but, overall, a fourth day Taunton track IS the type on which a team can dig in. In the most recent match, Lancashire batted for more than 100 overs in their second innings at Taunton (having made diddly squat in their first innings).

Because this is Somerset and we never do anything easily, I expect today to conclude with a frantic final half hour with the Watford Wall obdurately trying to block Jack Leach...

Good luck to all!

Well said, Adelaide.

I didn't know you could become a bear on a temporary basis.
[www.urbandictionary.com]

Quote:

MiddleToWest
I didn't know you could become a bear on a temporary basis.
[www.urbandictionary.com]

In that case, I'm not a bear for the day!

Delayed start at Edgbaston.

inspection 10.45

Edgbaston channelling the spirit of Uxbridge. Hopefully not too much of a delay.

What's happened to the Whale? If it's been swapped for a Hose that would explain the problem.


Adelaide