Off to the North East for game number 3. We have signed Charlie Cassell the young fast bowler from Scotland who just surprised the Omanis in a recent international by taking 3 wickets in his first four balls. Josh Davey also returns to availability along with George Thomas and so one would expect the debutants from the last couple of games and Ned Leonard to not play in this one. It is a strong Durham side in relation to Franchise Draft removals from the squad so this should be a decent test of the side's mettle after the loss in Southampton.
Metrobank Cup Game 3 v Durham @ Chester le Street Wednesday 31 July 2024
The side has a new bowling name as Charlie Cassell joins the squad for the one day cup. The Scottish fast bowler will play along with those 'ill' during the last game;
Umeed, Thomas G, Goldsworthy, Rew, Dickson, Thomas J, Aldridge, Leach, Davey, Ogborne, Cassell
Is the XI starting this game. We won the toss and have decided to bat first which seems a strange decision given the end result of the last time we did this but we shall see how things go. Andy Umeed walks out to face with George Thomas once more after his brother did the honours with a lot of credit on Sunday
For the first game of this season, we get to see how the batting copes when Andy is not the mainstay of it as he only lasts 5 balls before being caught behind by the younger Mustard without scoring off the bowling of de Leede. 4 for 1 with the only runs coming from the bat of George Thomas who is now joined by Lewis Goldsworthy a little earlier than usual. The two young bats get on with the job and produce an excellent second wicket partnership until a very very good over from Ackerman has Thomas completely bamboozled 2 short of a strong 50 and James Rew gone first ball with an equally excellent ball. The score has moved on to 123 by then though as Goldsworthy passes 50. He continues with Dickson who contributes a run a ball 37 before he succumbs to Coughlin clean bowled. The bowler then does the Durham thing of having Josh Thomas caught behind off the very next delivery and we are 188 for 6 with 8 and a half overs left and Lewis Jr heading for a well deserved century.
He does not make it as two overs later Coughlin strikes again having the Somerset man caught by Bushnell for 93 from 134 balls just short of the Somerset 200. Aldridge (24) and Davey (20) put up spirited defiance and with 1 from Alfie we reach 241 for 9 off our 50. It doesn't seem like a huge target but the wicket has been offering some movement for the slower bowlers and we have quite a lot of them so there is some hope as the sides change over.
The Reply
Lees and McKinney stride out to start the home side's response and they face the new 'new' ball attack of Davey and Ogborne. Both Durham men get a start and then both fall on the same overall score with Lees LBW to Davey and McKinney caught by Leach top edging Alfie Ogborne on 40. Cassell acquits himself well as first change bowling a very tight 3 overs for only 9 runs to support Jack Leach in top notch form.
He starts with Ackerman caught behind in the 12th for 4 at 48. He bowls Jones 4 balls later without scoring. Borthwick and de Leede put up some defence against him and Goldsworthy but it doesn't last and at 70 in the 18th he bowls de Leede for 12 and then traps Bushnell in front 2 balls later ripping the heart out of thDurham middle order at 70 for 6.
Borthwick and Mustard fight back and get the score to 3 figures before Umeed gets in on the act dismissing Borthwick for 35 due to an excellent diving catch from ..Jack Leach! At 103 Leach has Couglin caught behind and at 106 Mustard the same way!! Lewis almost aoplogises when he finishes the Durham innings by gets Drissell the same way 2 runs later and the game is over with a Somerset win by 133 runs and the Mighty Leachy finishing with career best 50 over figures of 10 overs 6 for 26.
A brilliant bowling win from a side looking strong in more than one way. KaseyAldridge didn't even get a bowl with the other wickets going to Goldsworthy to cap an excellent performance with 1 for 24 while Josh and Alfie bagged the others.
Back to Taunton for Friday against Lancashire and Sunday against Derbyshire with confidence sky high one would imagine and possible further additions to the squad as Riley Meredith may be available for the weekend fixtures. Green, Baker and RvdM may also come into the equation but don't hold your breath!!
The third league game of this year at Chester le Street.
Welcome to Charlie Cassell who joins the squad and probably plays as well 😁👍🏼
The named squad is
Sean Dickson (c), George Thomas, Andy Umeed, Lewis Goldsworthy, James Rew, Josh Thomas, Archie Vaughan, Kasey Aldridge, Alfie Ogborne, Josh Davey, Ned Leonard, Jack Leach and Charlie Cassell.
Is Josh named but won't play again? Is George Thomas back to full fitness? Will Kasey be tighter than he has been in games 1 and 2?
It'll be interesting to see which players miss the cut if the answers to those questions are No, Yes and Yes
We face Neil Wagner who was with us last year but not this. Play starts at 11.
Is Sam Dalling on the mike I wonder?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:30:18:03:52 by Grockle.
I could be wrong Grockle but would imagine it will be Anthony Gibson and Martin Emmerson on the radio. Sam maybe third commentator or doing Durham stream.
In terms of the Hundred we have 4 players that haven’t played in that monstrosity in Meredith (only replacement for Root), Baker, Green and Van der Merwe. Likelihood of having these loaned back to us for One Day Cup? Almost zero I think.
This is what frustrates me with the Hundred. Everything is on their terms with no consideration to the counties. They’ll quite happy take players from county last minute but refuse to release any back.
It's the lack of concern for the player's careers as well. We immediarely loaned Green, Goldsworthy & Bashir when it was obvious they wouldn't get first team games, sometimes for very short periods.
The ECB? Ahh bollix... they might be good elsewhere. No time for it and their hypocrisy
I’m not sure Lewis would want to renew his contract at Somerset if he has offers elsewhere where he is likely to get more game time. We aren’t good at showing faith in our local talent at times, which leaves is open to them leaving when they get an offer. I don’t get our recent signing, taking game time away from our local talent.
Rumour has it Baker is off too, which is incredibly disappointing.
Well Goldsworthy would have more chance elsewhere as we can cover the batting slow bowler berth in our sides. It's how much we want him to be honest.
Sonny hasn't been fit for 18 months out of the last couple of years but if he thimks he has a better offer elsewhere then good luck to him. Without commitment there's no point in him staying.
Leach is making life difficult for me as I seek to decide who is The Greatest Living Englishman, with Abell the other contender. At least they were both born in Taunton.
People will call me fickle, as I have passed the title from Rescothick to Hildreth and now to one - or two - of our current greats. That's my unreliable nature on display.
I'm appalled, LoL, that you have moved on from Harold Gimblett to T Rescothick. In any case this is a situation like naming stands. They must retire first, so no Leach, no Abell.
There are no rules, though I think there is a clue in the word "Living" - and I am so fickle I tend to expect the words "Still Playing" to be part of it. As you know, I have different rules when it comes to naming physical parts of the ground. There you have to have completed your earthly innings and so the only legitimately named part of the county ground is Gimblett's Hill, though I am still intending to mount a crusade to have the uninspiredly named Somerset Stand to be known in future as the Woods and Wellard Stand.
In Paradise I am expecting to see Hildreth and Gower batting together. I'll lt you know when I get there...
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