By Grockle
September 14 2003

Francis, Blackwell, Andrew and Hildreth put up a fight as we take on Derbyshire in the last 2003 one dayer. Valiant but another close failure. Was it a good game - well we've certainly seen worse but we ought to have had it I think Last Sunday. It's Derbyshire. We won the toss and batted. Coxy is out but here and Wood and Gazzard open. Cork v Gazzard - wide, four, wicket - 5 for 1. After 5 it's Cork getting bounce and movement Somerset are 12 for 1.

It's 31 after ten but we lost Burns LBW after 8.2 and in comes KP. 50 up at 14.2 but bye bye Mr P who pulls one to mid-wicket. 50 for 3. In comes Blackwell but we've only added 5 three overs later.

By 20 it has moved on to 75 but all Blackwell's shots are to fielders for the odd one. It's all a bit slow. Woody reaches 50 off 60+ balls and three figures comes in 24 overs. It's moving on a bit! 104 at 25.

Blackwell starts to move and we've reached 138 by 28 as he moves to 44 pretty quickly. Wood goes for a good 58 at 140 - showing his one day ability out comes James Hildreth. Blacky's 50 comes off 42 balls and with a bat raise to Phil Frost before anyone else. Up comes 150 off another boundary.

But Blackwell tries too sweep once too often and is bowled for 60 at 163. The final score is being revised downwards now. Dutch is caught wit the score on by one and 200 is looking good.

Gareth Andrew comes to join Hildreth. With 10 overs to go it's 175 and the boys are accumulating. But Andrew goes LBW at that score. In comes Johnson. He keeps quiet for a while but then skies one at 181. In comes Frankie with 7 overs to face and not a lot to come. He takes us to 200 with 10 off the last two balls of the 39th.

Cork returns aand goes for 4. Ali joins the pace attack at the Old Pavilion. 209 at the end of 42. 215 at 43. 227 at 44 with a six into the OP. Hildreth brings up the 50 partnership but Cork bowls him next ball for 27. Nixon smacks a six and four off the last 2 balls and we end at 243. All we gotta do is get rid of De Venuto!!

17 at 5 overs but they don't look in too much trouble I'm afraid. 43 at 10 but although they're not getting away, we're not taking wickets and De Venuto and Harris can go berserk at any time. Francis has a job on his hands as he comes on at the River after 10.

50 up in the 10th and an ominous 10 off the over. Dutch on at River End after Franky's one over. What's all that about? 59 without loss with 12 gone.

Gate goes, caught by Blackwell for 22. 66 for 1 but the Tasmanian is still there. Francis changes ends for the 13th. De Venuto goes to 50 off 41 and we need him out badly! 78 for 1 at 15 overs.

The 100 arrives and at 20 overs they're on 110. Blackwell comes on at the OP for the 22nd but the runs keep racheting up.

Where are the tactics? No pressure, everyone on the boundary and Derby taking between 4 and 6 an over. Finally we have some individual brilliance and Stubbings is C&B to Dutch with an excellent stretched one hander. 148 for 2 off 29.

182 for 2 in the 33rd and it's all a bit flat when Francis returns to the attack. They need 5 an over. Tex is shouting, Tractor is shouting and De Venuto or Hewson are peppering the boundary. 54 off 11.

We finally tempt one to flip to the rope. Wood takes Hewson 190 for 3. In comes Luke Sutton and he returns one run later caught behind. Harris should see them home though.

De Venuto goes to 100 off 103 balls and they go to 198. Harris gives us hope by hammering one to Johnno for the second C&B at 206. In comes Cork. He spoons it 210 for 6 with 34 to get off 5.4. Ain't this fun?

And it gets better as he bowls Welch first ball. Frankie on at River End. Dumellow takes 10 off his over 223 at start of the 42nd. 20 off 4. On comes Nixon and off goes De Venuto for 113 caught behind. More and more fun!!

We've got 7 minutes for 2 overs. 236 at start of 43rd needing 7. Nixon off a short run. 4 to win off 8. Frankie gets the last. Derby need 3. Then they need 1 off 2 balls. The batsman hits 6 and we lose by 2wickets.

Was it good? Well it wasn’t a victory and we did not perform at all well with the bat. The middle innings field placing strategy was strange to say the least. Some good bits. Simon Francis with the bat, James Hildreth, Johnno with the ball and Blackwell finishing off his week with some style and a daft shot. But it had potential against a side with some of the same problems as us and we went home better than if we’d had a real heavy defeat.

Cricket is over in Taunton for another year. We don’t hibernate and the messageboard is open 24/7 until the next season of fun and frolics. I’ll review the season and our own performance in October but I’d like to thank all those who have been here for this one. The reports on the AGM’s will be most interesting this year watch out for them in November and December.

If you have anything to put in then mail it to me and I’ll use it if I can. If you hear any mischievous rumours then let’s make sure that Mr Anderson hears them here first and we’ll keep the Somerset fires burning until we meet again in the sunshine of April 2004 bright eyed, bushy tailed and full of hopes for glory. Winter well if you’re going into hibernation. Keep it here if you’re not.