Somerset
Full house for Derby Fun
Kirby on fire again?
By Grockle et al
June 29 2012
A full Taunton ground for Somerset v the Bristolians this afternoon. Temporary seating in place and the regulars queueing for their seats at 3:00 this afternoon. Peter Trego is down as twelfth man for this evening but the side is still pretty well supplied with names than some squads earlier in the season. No Craig Kieswetter but many others are here and Marcus was in the nets at the start of the afternoon for those with hopes in their hearts.
v GLOUCESTERSHIRE @ Taunton Friday 29 June 2012
The published side at 3:00 this afternoon is;
Levi, Compton, O'Brien, Buttler, Morkel, Hildreth, Suppiah, Gregory, Thomas, Dockrell. Kirby with Peter Trego down as the 12th man.
With Trigger most likely out for this game it is hoped that along with the continued development of Steve Kirby as a short form bowler, Lewis Gregory can re-capture the form with which he announced his short game credentials in Bristol last year when he took 4 for 15 (beating Taylor of Glos by one run as he took 4 for 16 in the same game).
Both Hamish Marshall and Muttiah Muralitharn are named in the Glos side at either end of the list (I'll leave it to you to decide which is opening the batting!)
The place is filling up with about 90 minutes to go and although the weather is behaving, the clouds are biug and dark and we can only pray they continue on their merry way before they drop their load somewhere else in the South West.
A little rain delays the start by 10 minutes but we start at 5:40 with Somerset winning the toss (the side is as posted with Craig Overton acting as number 12) and deciding to bat first and Levi opening with Compo against Saxelby. 7 after the first, all from the bat of Levi, but when Fuller starts the next Levi continues with the 'smack it out the ground' policy and skies one which Marshall runs around and gets both hands to. 7 for 1 after 8 balls prompts the arrival of our new number three Kevin O'Brien.
A patchy third over settles Kevin in with a few scratchy attempts to work out where his feet should be resulting in him getting it sorted and dispatching balls 5 and 6 to the boundary. Nick follows suit by putting Fuller's first ball of the fourth into the Old Pavilion but at the end of the same over O'Brien sticks one high and handsome straight down Howell's throat on the Caddyshack boundary and departs for 8 with his side on 30. Jos Buttler replaces him and dismisses his first ball to the scorebaord boundary for four. As the 5th over ends Compo departs caught behind from Saxelby for 21.
39 for 3 after 5 overs with Buttler and Hildreth now meeting in the middle. Norwell takes over at the Old Pavilion and has Buttler dropped by Batty off an inside edge with his second ball. Dropping Jos Buttler on 1 in the 6th over of a T20? Will Gloucestershire look back on that later as a game changing point? Well Jos immediately makes them pay with a 5th ball six into the Ondaatje and 47 for 3 after 6.
On comes Murali from the River. Hilda looks to sweep him first ball, up it goes and he is caught behind for not much. 47 for 4 and in comes Albie to face the Sri Lankan, he's off the mark immediately. The little man is bowling well but Jos picks his fifth and puts him over the rope to bring up the 50. We finish the 7th on 53 for 4.
Ed Young takes the 8th to try and keep up the press. He does it as well going for a very good 3 which is followed by a second MM overwhere we only manage 2. The Glos' spinners are certainly doing their job.
What is more they continue to do so as the internet dies in the press box. At 10 overs it has moved on to 67 for 4 but with the 2nd ball of the 11th Morkel puts Murali into the scoreboard car park. Unfortunately Jos tries the same going up the wicket to Young, misses it and is comprehensively stumped for 23 at 80. Arul is in by the 4th ball of the 12th and manages to move the score on by 1 by the end of the over. However, Murali hasn't finished and bowls him leg and middle before the end of the 13th with the score staggering to 83 for 5.
The Sri Lankan finishes on 20 for 2 off his 4 and without Lewis really moving the score on all that much, Young finishes the 14th and his spell on 18 for 1 off his allocation.
With the two men cutting the score down to 38 runs off 8 overs, Gregory and Morkel have a job to do as a welcome boundary takes the side to 99 off 15.4 overs but the rain is belting down and the light is truly appalling. It doesn't stop Albie taking Somerset to three figures with a straight Old Pavilion six. With four overs to go, the home side are 106 for 6.
Norwell takes the 17th and gets Morkel to try a long ball to the Trescothick Stand, he doesn't get all of it but Cobain does get all of it and we are 106 for 7. Alf comes to the wicket , he hits his first straight and manages to knock Lewis' bat out of his hand, a sure fire 4 is just a single as Gregory finishes the run sans bat.
After 17 it is 'Nelson'. Norwell finishes with 26 for 1. Fuller takes the 18th and will probably finish at this end if we make it to 20 overs. An over the shoulder beamer gives us 6 runs and Fuller a warning. A second full toss is pummelled to the boundary by Lewis. The third (also a full toss) goes into the Caddyshack without bouncing and Fuller has gone for 16 off two legal deliveries (and they were only just). The welcome relief of a single puts Alf in front of the bowler. This calms everything down although an excellent straight drive is only saved by being so good it takes the middle stump out. His sixth ball means the skipper steals the strike, which we probably didn't want. 129 with 12 balls to go.
Saxelby takes the 19th and the captain gets off strike first ball. Gregory looks to get on with it but a fourth ball bouncer sees him glove an attempted pull to Batty and it is 132 for 8 with 8 balls to go. He doesn't move the score on so Thomas faces the job of moving the score on off Fuller from 132, he takes a single from the first. Alf runs immediately and George struggles up the other end for a single. Now the Boss swings the bat and manages a 'clunky' single. Dockers guides another single and the guys then produce a well run 2 so Alfonso faces the last ball which is 'heaved away to take us to 140 for 8. Not great - get Marshall early and hope I think!!
The Reply
Starting with Thomas followed by Kirby against Marshall and Howell gives us a good idea what Glos are capable of and by the time Gregory has finished the third over the opposition have managed 7 an over and that continues with Steve's second. That means they will win some time after the 15th so Alf introduces George for the 5th with 28 on the board. That becomes 32 after one ball as Marshall simply helps a long hop on its way but the next two balls are not so certain and Marshall ends up n his backside trying to avoid the third. Thommo takes the 6th as they move to 38.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:07:01:14:13:39 by Grockle.
Albie Morkel not bowling either but may play as batsman anyway.
There was some talk on main site that he might play just as a batsman if deemed fit enough to run between the wickets but not bowl.
There was also some talk about O'Brien possibly batting three. But as Morkel is in the side, then I think I would assume that he would bat at three, rather than O'Brien?
Of all the matches... I currently work in Gloucestershire, not looking forward to Monday
Very bad day at the office.
Bet Brian Rose calls it "A wake-up call"
Effort, commitment, die for the cause, put your body on the line, um no actually in most cases just turn up and do your thing.
Been Somerset since the Botham days and that is why we aint won nothing and are not likely to this season again.
Look at our bowling figures and wonder and then wonder again - Alf is the tops - er no actually. Best performer got only two overs - oh heck I give up -55 years of supporting Somerset - why am I surprised every ** year - answers on a postcard please to HQ !
( TIC )
Today there was no flair or bounce or great concern. James's wonderful knock against Glamorgan would appear to have covered over some serious problems. Our bowling lacked any penetration and I'm afraid Alfonso did not seem to have any answers. His own bowling was as poor as it has been most of the season, and whatever other changes are made on Sunday, surely Pete must come back in Alf's place.
Amazingly, I don't feel that Gloucester were that great, but they certainly deserved their bragging rights today.
Lewis Gregory came out best in the bowling department, where two batsmen had identical figures, Nick Compton and Lewis Gregory both with 21 runs off 15 balls.
Not many photos to chose from today.
Lewis Gregory hitting six runs.
He then got a top edge off Ian Saxelby and was caught by the wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty.
Jos Buttler got caught out of his crease and was stumped by Jonathan Batty off the bowling of Edward Young before he could get his bat down.
Benny Howell hitting six runs off George Dockrell
Arul Suppiah moved across his crease only to be bowled behind his legs by Muttiah Mulalitharan.
He's not performed yet but club love him and he will be captain for next 3 games for sure.
Awful performance tonight, poor in every department, but one loss from 5 isnt too bad is it!? 10 points from 14 i think we'd all have taken.
2 wins from 3 and we definitely qualify, most likely in top spot and a home quarter.
Yet again we appear to have underestimated weak opposition. With Warwick and Worcester also winning today, qualification from the group is no certainty and I am sure the size of the defeat has dented our net run rate.
Today sort of reminded me of the very first season of 20/20 and our first home match against Glos. There was that touch of arrogance when Caddick landed his helicopter in front of the C.A.Pavilion before the match and we ended up being humiliated by Glos losing by 10 wickets and they had 10 overs to spare!!!
I do hope that our team have had a massive "spanking" from Brian/Andy et alia after the game and that we see a very big reaction on sunday against Worcester.
If Sir Alex Ferguson was manager of Somerset, hair dryers would be flying and every squad member would be reporting at 8am tomorrow for four hours of disciplined practice.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:06:29:22:52:55 by cricketjerry-mouse.
which players qualify for the description and for what reason?
My understanding of the term in its pejorative rather than literal sense is that it refers to people in leading positions who make unreasonable and bad-tempered demands on those around them. Well that sounds just like, for example, James Hildreth to me!
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:06:29:23:02:49 by Loyal of Lhasa..
Has become mediocre in T20 ever since he went to IPL garbage.
He seems to be trying too much these days, slower balls, slow bouncers etc, Kirby has done well largely by keeping decent line and length but with few slower balls mixed in.
Agree very odd decision to bat first, as it turned out we batted in cloud/dark/drizzle and fielded in mostly sunshine, but that was our own doing!
Levi was most definitely caught at extra cover NOT mid wicket, toe ended a drive that Marshall did excellently to chase after and take diving catch.
Need to bounce back now with a win Sunday and things will look much better again.
Think this over reaction is because we are so not used to losing at home. Think i am correct that we did not lose one home one day game at Taunton all last year, and had until tonight one 3 out of 3 T20's this year.
Add this to 3 staight T20 finals day final appearances and last 2 Lords 40 over finals and things can't really be that bad can they.....
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:06:29:23:11:47 by wsm fan.
I think that, statistically, Alf was our least economical last season, too.
He did a brilliant job vs Afridi in the super over vs Hants, but then got carted vs Leics.
well let's hope they did get the hair dryer treatment for that. That twice they have done it Taunton this season. How many times does it need to happen. Question for you all. What will trego be thinking about being dropped for essentially obrien. I hope to see the reaction to that Sunday . Out of the system now, onwards and upwards.
Alfonso..can someone tell me where the 'Great' Alfonso tag came from because it is sadly missing at the moment!I am going to keep banging the drum for the youngsters..where is Meschede, Barrow the Overton twins..weren't they serving us pretty well just a couple of weeks ago.They only know one way, give their best each time they pull on a Somerset shirt..hmmm...some clear thinking needed on Somersets part.
If so it was the abridged version as Alf says there was just a 'quick meeting,' afterward.
Ps Is Sunday's game on the box?
Quote:cricketjerry-mouse
If Sir Alex Ferguson was manager of Somerset, hair dryers would be flying and every squad member would be reporting at 8am tomorrow for four hours of disciplined practice.
Do you mean something akin to this Jerry?
[">www.youtube.com]
I do not think that Andy Hurry’s demeanour in the Somerset dressing – room is somehow on a par, do you?
So after a night's sleep a few observations:
Very bad day at the office, and to be fair there have been quite a few of them already this season.
Very strange decision to bad first given the conditions (and the fact that we have successfuly chased totals recently). In this day and age the captain is only part of that decision making process so lets not blame Alf - indeed i believe him to be only a junior partner in that coalition.
Our top order is not working, i'm happy for Levi to tee off from the outset, that's his job and it is bound to come unstuck from time to time. But Compo is not the right partner and O' Brien not a number 3 (and Trego has been no better). I hate seeing Jos walk to the crease in the thied over.
Lewis Gregory will prove to be the best of our crop of youngsters (classing Jos as already established). Looked good with the bat until a freak dismissal and was our best bowler.One of the few encouraging aspects of the night.
Our bowling looked very average and worryingly, Alf was the worst of the bunch.
What was with the heavy roller between innings?? Never seen that before in limited overs and assumed it was not allowed. Certainly blunted any teeth our attack might have had.
20/20 is dictated by very fine margins. Had Levi's shot gone another foot squarer, a foot less high or if anyone other than Marshall had been at mid off we could well be here praising another wonderful victory.
And finally, how sad was it to hear the Gloucester players chanting and singing so excitedly in their changing room as if they had actually achieved something! Is the limit of their ambition so low these days that a victory over Somerset represents the pinnacle of their season?
It does make you wonder why, and it worked in flattening out the pitch to make batting easier. If Gloucester thought an extra rolling of the heavy roller was needed why did we bat first?
Especially when given no chance against the "mighty" Somerset!
Even the best teams have an off day now and again. Win tomorrow and i'm sure we'll all be happy again...
Forecast appears ok with possible showers later in afternoon.
Its been chucking down in WSM since before dawn and still is, bonus being seeing all the T4 attendees walking to the beach in it!!!
The one certainty is that TREGO will be picked IMO!!!
Interesting take on BR's column in Independent this morning - everybody in early this morning for "practice?". Implication that decisions will be made on selections then.
If any of the Friday team other than Alfonso are asked to step aside, there will surely be questions in parliament! Sorry chaps but he IS the weak link at present IMO! My guess is that the temptation will be to take the cowards way out and drop Gregory or Suppiah, as they will not be expected to kick up a stink themselves (but plenty of us would on their behalf!).
Whether he should we can debate but no way he actually will be, none.
He was totally unimpressive on Friday !!!
Fear though that it will be Lewis who misses out.
My shout would be Compo, just can't see him as a T20 top order player and is a pure batter. Again though he seems a fixture for our selectors so can't see anyway he'll miss out.
Perhaps Alf will conveniently pull a tweeny weeny muscle somewhere this morning which COULD affect his bowling, so have a little rest?
Quote:old boy!
So we pay O'Brien lumps of cash to carry out the drinks?? Don't think BR's bosses would think much to that!
Perhaps Alf will conveniently pull a tweeny weeny muscle somewhere this morning which COULD affect his bowling, so have a little rest?
I totally agree with your comments re Alf, but sorry, I for one never thought that O'Brien was worth lumps of cash in the first place, especially if he was to be picked ahead of Trego, Gregory or the Overtons. So far I think I am right, but he will probably play today and score a 100 !!!! But that is cricket
There are already over twenty people outside the St. James street entrance waiting to go in.
Quote:Mike TA1
There are already over twenty people outside the St. James street entrance waiting to go in.
Runners and riders for the Old Pavilion Handicap Steeplechase?
Trigger playing would have made no difference unless he had done something with the bat... They were never going to defend 140 unless George had a blinder and that was pretty clearly not going to happen after the fifth over.
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