Somerset
Metro 50 Game 2 - v Durham at home
By Grockle
August 8 2025
The first home game of the Metro 50 competition with Somerset returning after a victory against Middlesex. They are bowling first today in a day/night game on a Friday because Durham won the toss and chose to bat first. In come Kasey Aldridge and Finn Hill for Jack Leach and Migael Pretorius.
Metro 50 Game 2 - v Durham @ Taunton Friday 8 August 2025
Somerset will bowl first in their first game at home in the 50 over competition as Jake Ball and Alfie Ogborne open the bowling against Borthwick and Gay.
The side is;
Lammonby, Vaughan, Goldsworthy, James Rew, Josh Thomas, Ben Green, Thomas Rew, Alfie Ogborne, Jake Ball, Finn Hill, Kasey Aldridge
There are therefore two changes as Migael Pretorius and Jack Leach are rested and Aldridge and Hill get a go at home - big chance for Finn.
After 2 overs the score is 8 for 0 with Jake tight with only 1 to his name and Alfie has 7 to his name though 4 of those are byes. It's a sellout beer and cider festival at the ground so a loud and 'happy' audience for this one and they get the chance to cheer early as Emilio Gay snicks one in the 3rd over into the hands of James Rew behind the stumps. 12 for 1 and Ball is off and running. Will Rhodes arrives to replace his team mate.
In the 6th over, Borthwick is cramped up by Alfie and top edges to Hill in the infield and he goes for 10 at 25 for 2 bringing the dangerous Ackerman to the crease. 6 overs down and Durham have lost 2 wickets. A decent start from the opening pair of bowlers with one apiece.
A shame that we cannot access the dulcet tones of Anthony Gibson this afternoon as the BBC have cut back on their commentary of the 50 over tournament - no longer the nation's 'comprehensive' sports media organisation. They are commentating every day as Charlie Taylor is quick to let us know BUT they are NOT commentating on EVERY games as they did. Another move towards marginalising anything that isn't the ECB's favourite in August!! Not impressed personally.
Rhodes takes the initiative in Ball's third over as he hits him for 3 consecutive boudaries but Ogborne strikes back by having Ackerman ajudged LBW with the second ball of the 8th and Durham are 41 for 3 with Alfie having 2 for 10 at the moment as Ollie Robinson comes to the middle.
Ben Green is on for the 9th to replace Ball and his first is an excellent maiden "on the money". Alfie finishes up the 'Powerplay' with Durham pushing the score to the 50 mark at 50 for 3. Ben takes the 11th and then Kasey starts his bowling afternoon with the 12th - he goes for 8 while getting his radar synched in.
It is Ben who gets the next breakthrough however. In the 15th he gets Robinson driving at a wider one and he is caught behind at 67 for 4. Mustard strides out and Robinson returns to the Caddyshack with 13 to his name. Ben Green shows how much we will miss him in 2026 with 4 overs, 2 maidens 1 for 8. Brilliant white ball bowling - should have been in our red ball setup this year and we have missed out.
As we move towards the 20th over, Green is proving to be very hard to get away and he is acting as a sea anchor on the Durham total. After his 6th over he has only gone for 10 runs and although Rhodes is pushing into the 30s, Mustard has only added 1 so far as the visitors are slowly moving to 73 for 4. Kasey is getting his eye in as well and starts his 5th and the 20th of the innigs with 0 for 14 to his name. The 'press' is most definitely ON.
With 20 overs gone Durham have only managed to add 30 runs to their 10 over score at 80 for 4. The Somerset bowlers have the initiative as Lammonby is introduced after the success of the lefty stuff from Alfie earlier in the day. He is followed by the first spin of the day from Lewis Goldsworthy. Other than a boundary that comes from straying down the legside, he keeps the pressure on as we move to wards the halfway point and Durham have yet to reach 3 figures. Lammonby doesn't make it any easier as he only goes for 2 and the visitors move to 91 for 4. It's 92 for 4 after the next Lewis over and the screw is tightened another revolution.
It is also working well for Rew because as these guys are keeping it tight he is not having to use his front end bowlers to hold the scoring and can look to bring them back later with bats under pressure. Lammonby takes a third to move us to the 25 over point and at less than a run a ball from it Durham are still not past 100 at 96 for 4. A score just over 200 should not win them this one so there is going to be a demand for the Durham bats to push this along as we mover past 30 overs and towards the end of their batting effort.
The 100 finally arrives in the 27th as Rhodes also goes to his 50 from 65 balls with 7 fours. In the 28th there is a distinct change in the manner of the Durham boys who start to look for boundary shots and push the score on to 116 but Tom and Lewis are still providing their side with valuable space as they keep on bowling and pushing the visiting bats to find runs against them.
124 for 4 at 30 means Durham have only added 44 runs to their 20 over total and the press is still on. Rhodes and Mustard must work to change this speed of making runs in the 30 to 40 over period if they are to produce a defendable total here under normal conditions. They really are struggling to find the boundary and must start doing so as soon as they can. Tom Lammonby ends his 6th over with 0 for 30. Goldsworthy is also in his 6th over as we move into the 32nd and he finishes that with 0 for 28 - also tight excellent figures. 138 for 4 and we see the introduction of Archie Vaughan for the first time this afternoon. He goes for 5 from his first and Durham move slowly towards 150.
Ogborne returns to the attack for the 34th as Rhodes and Mustard look to move their partnership from just past 50 towards a more substantial contribution to the overall final total. Somerset bowlers are still making it hardf and good Somerset infielding is frustrating the bats. It gets the better of Mustard who is cramped by the left armer and the top edge is pouched by Green in the gully. He goes for 38 and Durham are 145 for 5 with Drissell - our ex 50 over spinner - comes out to bat and we are into the underbelly one would say now. Good bowling from Alfie he put that one just under his shoulder and stopped him extending his arms. 147 for 5 at the end of the 34th
Rew brings Ball back to see what damage he can do to the new bat. They pass 150 at the end of his over and are 151 with 15 overs to go. Alfie is really asking questions though as he gets into his rhythm with two appeals in the first part of the 36th, both of which were pretty close and one given out by the radio pundits though not on the pitch. He has also gone up 5MPH from late 70mph into the bottom 80s at the end of the over. Durham push through to 156 for 5 with 14 overs left.
Drissell is most definitely looking to take on the role of getting Rhodes in front of the ball in the hope that he will push the score into the 200s and beyond 250. He has got the ball away but it has been really difficult to get the ball off the cut strip for nearly everyone else. But Drissell is also going to have to contribute if anything is loose and he does in the next over as Ball strays.
166 for 5 as Ben Green returns for the 38th and he holds them to 3 with deliveries that range from the mid 50 to mid 70mph. Kasey also returns as we move into the final stage of the innings and he gets some success as he gets Drissell caught by Goldsworthy off a leading edge at 170 for 6. Not a great ball and a subsequent 'not great' shot to a ball he could have left. He didn't and Coughlin takes his place. Drissell goes for 8 from 14.
11 overs left and 171 for 6. Theorteically thw 300 is still on but if they get there it will be bacause of 10 overs of batting the likes of which we have not seen this afternoon. Rhodes will have to do a lot of the heavy lifting to get this score past 250 but it is Coughlin who shows how it is done as he puts Green's next first ball into the Hildreth for six. He then put another straight to the Botham bpoundary without too much trouble and there's 10 off the over!! At 182 for 6 they simply need another 10 of those off the last 20% of the innings so get the score up to around 300.
Durham added 58 for the fourth segment of the innings which is an improvement but they need a very good last 10 to make anything like a par score at tauinton one would imagine though today's wicket does seem a bit on the slow side. Kasey continues with the 41st and Ball takes the 42nd as Durham move towards 200. 198 for 6 as Ogborne returns with present figures of 3 for 25 as he changes ends to the Pavilion end The 200 arrives from his first ball and it is 207 at the end of it.
Ball bowls his 8th from the River and passes 50 runs conceded with a Coughlin 'agricultural' slap to the gap between the Somerset and the Hildreth for four. They add another 10. Ben Green is brought back with the hope of tying the bats down as he has all innings up to this point he has gone for 25 from his 8 as he starts his 9th. All the bats have struggled to get him away today and it isn't changing Though Coughlin and Rhodes do go to a 50 partnership halfway thought he over. it's 224 at the end of the over and with 5 left Durham are still short of what would be called a 50 over par score here. However it does look llike a very slow deck so we maty also struggle to get our innings going.
Rhodes goes to a 118 ball 100 from the first ball of the 46th. The definitive innings of his county's performance today with 10 fours and it has been hard work for the man. He needs to go on until the end if they are to make something significant here. Rhodes looks to push it on and as he takes Ogborne on he finds Lammony out by the CA scoreboard and the Somerset man takes an excellent catch which was never easy. 228 for 7 as the centurion goes without adding to his 3 figures and out comes Killeen. Ogborne finishes his excellent work so far with 9 overs 4 for 37. Ball changes ends for his 9th - he has been moving about a bit today!! He will take this one, Alfie will bowl out next, Jake will take the penultimate and Ben will be tasked with finishing the innings.
With three left it is 237 for 7 and Coughlin goes big and finds Thomas Rew on Hildreth boundary. Alfie gets a 5 fer (his first one for his county) and is over the moon!! 5 for 37 at 237 for 8. Minto has arrived at the crease with no time to get his eye in so he gets off the strike first ball. He finishes with a wicket, a wide and 2 singles. He gets a great round of applause at 5 for 41. 241 for 8 with 2 overs to go and Jake Ball bowling out with the 49th from the pavilion.
Killeen and Minto will do their best to get this past 250. They are swinging for the fences but not connecting yet. Ball finishes wit 1 for 72 from his 10 and Greener takes the last one. He has been the pick of the bowlers in terms of economy rate though Alfie has taken the scalps. 247 for 8 becomes 248 for 8. The second ball is a single, as is the third which brings up the 250. The fourth is slapped over Ogborne to the CA pavilion for four followed by a single and the last is high up in the air and James takes the last. They finish on 255 for 9. Minto finishes on 10 not out Killeen went of 7 and Alfie gets the match ball for his 5 wickets. Ben Green finishes with 2 wickets for 39 from his 10.
Somerset will need 256 for their second win and Durham need early wickets if they hope to stop them.
The Reply
Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby start the reply against James Minto from the River end. Vaughan starts with a dot ball followed by 3 consecutive fours which means we start the second over with 12 on the scoreboard all the Mr Vaughan. Coughlin opens the bowling at the other end against Tom Lammonby who is off the mark with runs from the second ball he faces. He also finds the boundary in the first over he faces though. In fact he does it twice to the Soemrset Stand and Somerset have way more than they need from the first 12 balls with 23 for 0.
After 5 we have moved quite rapidly to 44 and it looks like we are playing on a different wicket. Killeen bowled the 5th but Coughlin nearly has Lammonby with the first ball of the 6th as the keeper gloves one diving to his right. He got enough on it to be classified as a definite chance and Tom was walking assuming he would take it. He didn't and on we go to 45 for 0 after 6.
The 50 arrives from the bat of Tom Lammonby from Coughlin's first ball of the 8th over. However, that is then end of his part in the match as he is then out playing on to a ball that comes across him and bounces into the middle stump from Killeen for 24 at 51 for 1. Lewis Goldsworthy joins Archie and gets off the mark to a legside guide for four.
The end of the 'Powerplay' sees the home side very definitely in control as they move to 62 for 1 with Vaughan on a 28 ball 29 and Golders with 10 from 8. The 12th over sees the introduction of Drissell who had some success here last time he played against us at Taunton in the Championship with a 5-fer I believe. His first is good as he goes for 3 off it. Killeen keeps nagging away at the other end having gone for a mere 10 from his first 4 with Lammonby's wicket as a reward. Durham are also looking to press in the second segment of the innings and after 13 overs we have only moved on to 69 for 1 and the runs have dried up a little.
Rhodes takes us to 15 and his leg cutter in the middle of the over does for Archie bowling him at the top of off. 78 for 2, Vaughan goes for 37 from 48 and in comes Captain Rew. Somerset need another 178 from 35 overs. But the pressure rises as Drissell has Goldsworthy backing away and missing in front. He is LBW at 78 and we have the Rew brothers in the middle again. Lewis made a rather scrappy 12 from his 20 and we now need a decent partnership to get this game back on the tracks we expected it to follow. Durham have pulled themselves back into this one.
By Luke Robinsonthe 20th the Rews have established a more stable situation for Somerset and have moved the score over the 3 figure mark to 101 with James on 17 from 16 and his younger sibling on 6 from 12. It's not back on track but it feels safer for the moment.
Luke Robinson is introduced for the 24th over as we move towards the halfway mark with Somerset ahead of the Durham score. They reach 120 at the end of the 24th a working partnership of 42. Durham are working hard to keep the home side below the required run rate but they need wickets to make that a relevant part of this game. With a rate required of less than 5 and a half, a couple of good overs will redress the balance at any time in the rest of this game. Scoreboard pressure is not an issue for this one at any time in the next 20 overs at least.
With 25 overs completed, Somerset have reached 124 for 3 just 4 runs from the actual halfway point, They are ahead of where Durham were at the same point with the loss of 1 less wicket. A late cut from Thomas brings up the 50 partnership with James contributing 28 and Thomas 22. It also reaches that halfway point to the desired 256. 133 for 3 after 26.
Playing for singles and then murdering the bad balls works for these two as they move to the county score past the 150 mark and their individual scores into the 30s. Thomas pulls Robinson to the NT Stand for a four that moves Somerset to 153 for 3 and a cut to the other side then takes the runs needed down below 100. His hand eye movement is very impressive and very very quick. This is followed by 5 wides as they get inside the bowler's head. Though to be fair it was a keeper error. After 28 Somerset have 162 and need 94 as Killeen is re-introduced to try to pull the game back Durham's way. But he bowls short and Thomas puts it away to move to 47.
Rew the Younger has to wait for his 50 as we move into the 30th over which is given to Drissell. The Durham bowler ties his brother down for most of it and he has to sit on 48 at 170 for 3 with 20 overs to go. The general rule is that you double the 30 over score by 50 and that would put the home side well over the top in this game. Rhodes takes the next over while Thomas calmly waits for his opportunity. He takes a single to go to 49 which puts his brother on strike and he pops a slower ball to Killeen in the field off the toe of his bat for 39 from 52 abd it's 173 for 4 as Josh Thomas walks out to bat.
The next ball faced gives Thomas his second 50 in this competition from 45 balls with 6 fours and a six. He has looked every inch the bat today. Now Josh needs to work with him to put this game to bed, he had a decent taste in the last game but has to show he can do it again and again and again. He's off the mark wityh a confident shot into the infield and we finish the 32nd at 176 for 4 needing 80 from 18 overs.
Rew Jr moves his 50 over career best past the old mark as he goes beyond his 51 score from the last game. with an aggressive reverse sweep that is all wrist. With 16 to go we have moved to 180 But that is the last full over for Thomas in the next over he decides to take Rhodes on (did he need to?) and he doesn't get enough of it so rather than hitting the bouondary he finds the fielder (again it is Kileen) and he goes for 9 at 187. In comes Finn Hill for his first innings of this year's 50 over facing Drissell in the 36th. We need 69 runs from 87 balls.
Drissell bowls out with 10 overs 1 for 32 - a good sollid spinning performance from the ex Gloucs man. Rhodes will now bowl out with the 37th and we'd lilke to see the back of him without any more trouble. He starts with 3 for 36. There is more trouble however as Hill is run out ball watching though it would have been a very quick single at the best of times but he leaves his crease and doesn't go back on Rew's call. Shame but a thing a new side has to sort out in the first few games. He simply wasn't looking. In comes Green at 189 for 6. At the end of the over they have moved the score on to 194.
Ackermann is introduced for the first time in the 38th over and we see the score stall at 199 for 6. There is still a game here if Durham can keep the pressure on and get a bit of luck. Coughlin returns for the 39th and provides his side with an over that only allows the 200 tp arrive to push the stress levels up a bit. 11 overs left and we need 56 as Ackermann continues. NOW the scoreboard pressure may begin to appear but Thomas relieves it with a six into the Gimblett. 208 for 6 and we need 48 in 10
Coughlin has 4 left and his first is the 41st. He completes it but he goes for 8 and we move to 216 for 6 needing 40 runs from 54 balls. Ackermann continues with the 42nd and they take a run a ball off him which is really all they need to do - there are no bonus points in the men's version of the Metro50. 221 for 6 means they need 35 runs from 48 balls as they face Coughlin again. He has bowled his heart out and probably deserved more than he has got tonight and he is still fighting for his side. By the end of the 43rd the score has moved to 225 meaning we need 31 from 7 overs. Back comes Luke Robinson for the 44th and Green thin edges him for an "almost four". Good fielding keeps it to 1. Ben once again takes the pressure off by gliding the ball over the infield to the boundary for four. He then does it back to back with a hook to the rope to move the score needed to 21.
With 5 to go they are 243 as Robinson is in again. They need 13 for the win and by the end of the over they have it in single figures at 250 so they need 6 to win in 4 overs. Thomas Rew has 84 from 81 and Green tops edges a four to move himself to 30 and then another striaght four to finish i on 34 not out with a total of 258 for 6 and a win by 4 wickets with 3.4 overs left in the game.
They made sure they won it rather than racing to win it so it took a bit longer but they made it look professional and well within their limits Thomas Rew is some player. Alfie Ogborne showed something we've been waiting to see. Ben Green showed stuff we all seem to know was there but the club seemed to forget about until it was too late and despite some excellent batting and bowling from Rhodes we were just too goo for the Durham lads today.
On to Lancashire on Sunday
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:10:18:05:00 by Grockle.
Please don't comment here.
Migael Pretorius is rested, but Fin Hill, James Langridge and Kasey Aldridge, who has spent some time this season on loan at Durham, are added to the team who opened the 2025 Metro Bank campaign with a six-wicket win at Middlesex.
Durham also started with a 51-success against Sussex Sharks, including a maiden One-Day century from wicket-keeper/batsman Ollie Robinson.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:07:21:46:00 by Grockle.
Very very grateful & also stunned at the level of professional, multi-ethnic expertise we have in our health service. They just get the job done and I don't have to stress about making sure my insurance company won't void my claim or where the money is coming from to pay for it!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:08:11:18:02 by Grockle.
Cricinfo actually had him as the player to watch for Somerset in this year's tournament; they were certainly expecting him to play in spite of his uncertain future.
"Player to watch: Andy Umeed has flourished in the 50-over competition over the past two seasons, hitting three centuries in 2023 and another against Kent last year on his way topping Somerset's One-Day Cup batting averages. Overlooked in other competitions this season, the 29-year-old Scot will be keen to reproduce the exciting form that launched his career with the club."
Another part of the ECB's "death by a thousand cuts"
Somerset bowling really tightly. Green, Goldsworthy and Lammonby all putting the press in.
Ben Green... we are losing a man coming into his own I'm afraid, it's the first time I think we've poorly managed a player and lost a real resource since 2000 perhaps.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:08:16:09:37 by Grockle.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
The collective potential of Messrs Rew is simply tremendous and we must certainly enjoy them whilst we can, before they are elevated to higher echelons. Thomas was a tour de force today. Not bad for age seventeen !
Add in a superb bowling effort by Alfie Ogborne and we have plenty to cheer this evening.
And yes, we will most definitely miss Ben Green.
A wonderful atmosphere at an almost full ground, basking in sunlight, aided by what must have been a highly successful beer and cider ‘festival’.
All in all, an extremely enjoyable day, highlighting the joys of County cricket.
Grizzers
P.S. Pleased to hear you are all fixed up Grockle.
(Edited as I had stupidly omitted to mention Alfie’s sterling achievement with the ball).
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:08:22:03:27 by Grizzers.
Lancs have also announced that Glo`shire seamer Ajeet Singh Dale is joining them on a three-year contract, but it doesn`t start until November.
That aside, it was a magnificent match and result; if those Rew lads played for Surrey they'd already be picked for The Ashes.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I find it far more restful, as far as watching Somerset is ever restful, to watch the live stream with the sound muted. I first did it for the Bob Willis Trophy during the pandemic. The reason then was that I wanted to develop my own view of proceedings before writing about them. I quickly found watching without the commentary drew me much more deeply into the match than watching with it, and the Somerset live stream graphics combined with my own knowledge of the game and players provides enough statistical information. When subsequently I watched a match that I would not be writing about, I reverted to the commentary. I found it distracting and muted the sound after about twenty minutes and have not used the commentary since if I am watching alone.
I do miss out on the match sounds of course (my own cheering and applause apart), and the insights you get from people like Trego. But, on balance, I wouldn't go back to watching with commentary, whoever is doing it, because I find watching without it is a much more, to use the modern term, immersive experience - or, as might once have been said, I get much more into the cricket.
Watching without the commentary won't be for all, I imagine not for most, especially for anyone who is trying to carry out other tasks while watching, but it works for me. It might be worth a try. It takes a bit of getting used to and you do have to stick at it for a bit. You also need to settle down to watch, just as if you were at the match, which is where I feel I am after about five minutes of watching.
Farmer
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I usually prefer to watch Somerset to Lancs on you tube as apart from the fact it is a division above, I find most of the Lancs commentators an absolute pain and much prefer Trego and co. However, I agree with Farmer it is better without altogether although I do miss sound of bat on ball.
LOL I totally agree about commentators to whom the game becomes more about themselves. I gave up to TMS because of that years ago. When chocolate cake became more important than the game, give me Benaud any day . I remember thirty years ago, watching on tv and mum listening to TMS in the kitchen, the much adored ( by some) Brian Johnston breaking into the cake discourse by describing a backward defensive as a forward defensive. The game had become incidental.
Still what do they know of cricket who only cricket know ? However, the same could be said about cake.
CJ M, on the Lancashire forum some people are claiming that 15 players are away at the hundred but I think some of them are Australians who have finished their contracts . Besides, I don’t count Livingstone, Salt and Somerset’s beloved Buttler as Lancashire players. Nevertheless,, I am sorry to hear of his sad family news as I posted on Lancs Forum .
I’m all for putting blame where it lies, but it seems that this is another example of the Beeb taking the flak for others’ shortcomings. It can’t really be news to any of us that the ECB isn’t enthusiastic to promote its own one-day completion against the money-spinning advertising-fest of six-and-out rounders.
A test for the camera in different light conditions.
Somerset v Durham photos.
Will Rhodes ct Tom Lammonby bld Alfie Ogborne
Thomas Rew 6 runs
Thomas Rew 4 runs – Somebody so young he has all the shots the same as his brother.
Scott Borthwick ct Fin Hill bld Alfie Ogborne 1 – two photos.
Scott Borthwick ct Fin Hill bld Alfie Ogborne 2 – What a hard catch he took.
James Rew
Haydon Mustard ct Ben Green bld Alfie Ogborne
George Drissell ct Lewis Goldsworthy bld Kasey Aldridge
Colin Ackermann lbw Alfie Ogborne
Ben Green.
At last I managed to post the photos.
I now know all the guys doing this and the knowledge they have at their disposal on a number of subjects is huge BUT the topic at hand is cricket in Taunton between two sides actually on the field at that moment.
I'm also looking to watch the game NOT the guys in the booth commentating on it that much. I know there are gaps in play & cutting to something else during drinks breaks etc is fine but it seemed excessive. I don't think they control that however, that's the media team directing I assume.
It also struck me, partly because of my present position and in the absence of the BBC that had I been a poorly sighted or blind supporter logging in last night I would have struggled to follow the game from the spoken word.
When we had our training in the period between the BBC sojourns into this stuff we were catering firstly for the blind audience and certain rules were instilled into us by our ex BBC commentator trainer about what info you give people to keep them in tune with the game. With visuals, some of that is dealt with but not all and they sometimes are absent from the livestream commentaries (Somerset is not the only culprit here and much less so thatn some others in my limited experience). Also not all people listening have the visuals in front of them. I'm accepting here that it is hard for a team working with visuals to find the balance between telling people what is going on and leaving them to see it for themselves and my own experience is limited, pre livestream & well over a decade ago so I am no expert.
The other balance is between commentating/summarising on the game & having a general chat with like minded mates while on video and we sometimes fall in the gap between a service (admittedly free) and a bit of a laugh on a Friday.
We are lucky to have the talented guys we have at our disposal but they have to keep their cricket hats on more and understand they are there for the cricket fans who can't be or need enhancement from them.
I'm also increasingly frustrated by trying to follow stats in Somerset's media.
Besides having to refresh and re-access the website scoreboard numerous times, the flip to advertising as soon as an over ends and not flipping back until the start of the next drives me to distraction. Coupled with the disappearance of the scoreboard summary immediately the game ends makes its existence almost pointless from an 'in game' point of view
I've found out it's moved from the Match Centre to the Results page literally at the end of the game but that shift is not seamless and we were left last night with NO visual, audio or statistical summary of the win from Somerset media for nearly 10 minutes!! We eventually got onscreen static data as the livestream closed down but nothing else and the result scoreboard online waa still not available. The was no match summary from the commentating team just visuals of the players coming off and shaking hands.
It's all in the details guys
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:09:14:12:16 by Grockle.
We even switched from the action last night to two men eating bananas. One of the sad aspects is that the commentary is so inept that you can almost hear Tom Curran mouthing `Somerset yokels`.
Surrey match screening includes `Refresh Score` and `BBC ball-by-ball radio commentary` options. Even just the former would be an asset for Taunton on screen.
For the present I would just like the ECB to ask themselves (which they certainly won't do) which did more for the future of English (and England's) cricket yesterday evening, the swiping at a handful of larger grounds hosting The Hundred or the disciplined performance of Somerset's young players (and Durham's) in the Metrobank match? Which of those more greatly deserves screening and commatating?
Thanks as ever for your photos, Mike.
cjm, I must stop thinking Christopher Jenkins Martin when I see your initials.
The scoreboard constantly showed everything except the scoreboard, when I wanted to see details of how the match was going.
Advertising (I know they have to show them, do it have to be so often) and then there is the screen telling people to buy drinks by a curtain time.
I stayed sat after the match to let the crowd leave because I struggle to walk between people, when the seating area was empty I got up to leave, when I got to the car park I had a job to get to the gate without evasion people. At the gate, there were about a dozen security people in black watching the large group. When I pasted them I said “I don't think they will be leaving any time soon” they laugh.
If it wasn't that it was a good game of cricket the day would have been spoilt.
And while not a straightforward chase the Brothers Rew did the job again. And yes, if they'd been Surrey players...!
(How the flip did Jamie Overton get picked last week? That's not a criticism of him - to put somebody with that little cricket into a game of such importance was madness. And the result sadly reflected that.)
Back to yesterday - it's a huge shame that Green is leaving and I can't for the life of me think why Umeed hasn't been selected. I haven't been following the story, but would that be his call, or are Somerset's management just being petty, cutting off their own nose etc?
Surely he'd want to play in the competition to get his face out there if he's looking for a new contract? And as Somerset's top scorer last year he'd surely deserve selection on that basis?
I accept entirely that Farmer White has his own preference for how he follows the livestream. The problem for me is that, watching much less cricket than he does, I need some help with identifying the players and for analysing the replays, I like the sound of bat on ball, the chat of the players and the hum of the crowd (it's probably a good thing I can't smell them). For me turning the sound off would mean having to watch every moment on the screen; my life is already full enough without being glued to a laptop screen for five or six hours a day; for me the livestream features in the background, to be there when I am doing other things, washing-up, ironing, reading, checking other websites and even contributing to this site. The cadences of the commentary will alert me to when i have to focus all my attention on the screeen.
Having watched livestreaming from various counties, I am confident that our Somerset camera operatives do as good a job as any in the land, but there are some aspects to be found on every streaming service including televised broadcasting that I fail to appreciate. I know I have bleated about this before, but I do not understand why the camera at the Trescothick End focuses on a fine hit by James Rew on the leg side suddenly flicks to a view from the River (not Botham!) End to show the ball apparently going to the off side. Try explaining that to a young person to whom you are explaining the rudiments of cricket. I want what I see on the screen to resemble what I would see - and look at - if actually sitting at the ground. So when Abell executes one of his delicious cuts I don't immediately run to the opposite end of the groud to see what happens next.
Another example of irritating camera work is when something significant happens, such as the achievement of a century; my first interest is how the players on both sides react to the event. When God created homo sapiens I think he deliberately ensured they were at their least attractive when in raucous mode; that certainly applies to cricket spectators, particularly in shorter forms of the game, and I would prefer not to look at them but to see, for example, how the wicket-keeper goes out of his way to congratulate a young man on scoring the runs that took him to a particular milestone.
And on the theme of crowd reactons (and this is not a criticism of anyone) I am always amused that when spectators catch a glimpse of themselves on the big screen they wave at the screen and not at the camera that has picked them out.
Time for a lie down now.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:08:09:18:01:45 by Loyal of Lhasa.
How pleased I was to hear the Somerset crowd give Will Rhodes a very loud, long clap when he was leaving the field for his 100.
Well done Somerset cricket supporters.
He bowled well as well.
Grizzers
P.S. Meant to say earlier, thanks for your continuing photo's Mike. Much appreciated I am sure by everyone on this board.
But what I really wanted to say is talking about football is where the cricket schedule has left us. This should be the height of the season... midway through a gripping Test series, red ball county cricket at a critical phase, white ball in the knockout stages with everyone chasing tickets.
Instead we have no Test cricket, the red ball tournament paused, the 50 over cup in its initial stages and the T20 final many weeks away. It is not surprising fans are distracted by the start of the football season with a bang. Instead we have the bewildering spectacle of the Hundred which at best is used just to fill time. Summers were better than this.
This was always the case but when in our booth they have to work out where their 'lanes' are and what is relevant and what is just 'mate' banter.
What interests them in the slack times on commentary and what interests the punters listening may not be the same and I'm sorry but the punter's must nearly always win out.
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