Somerset
Warwickshire Day 3 - Pure Theatre
By Farmer White et al
May 8 2022
Somerset come flying out of the blocks after three disappointing games before this one. Home again where they nearly hit Essex for 6 but Warwickshire don't escape by one wicket.... they face a Somerset batting and bowling onslaught that they just can't cope with. Here is Farmer's take on the last day....
County Championship 2022. Division 1. Somerset v Warwickshire. 28th, 29th and 30th April. Taunton
Somerset. T.A. Lammonby, M.T. Renshaw, T.B. Abell (c), T. Banton, J.C. Hildreth, S.M. Davies (w), L. Gregory, C. Overton, J.H. Davey, J. Leach, J.A. Brooks.
Warwickshire. R.M. Yates, D.M. Sibley, W.M.H. Rhodes (c), A.L. Davies, S.R. Hain, M.J. Lamb, M.G.K. Burgess (w), N.J. McAndrew. C.N. Miles, D.R. Briggs, O.J. Hannon-Dalby,
Overnight. Somerset 458. Warwickshire 197 for 9. Warwickshire trail by 261 runs with one second innings wicket standing.
Final day 29th April – Pure Theatre
There are moments in a cricket match which stick in the memory for years afterwards. Craig Kieswetter, on returning from his ultimately career-ending eye injury, depositing the first bouncer he received into the flats at Taunton. Ian Botham, with the scores level, blocking out the final over of the 1983 Nat West Cup semi-final at Lord’s to ensure Somerset won the match having lost eight wickets to Middlesex’s nine. Pure theatre. There was one such moment on the third day of this match. With a potential washout forecast for the scheduled final day, Warwickshire were approaching tea, still 134 runs behind Somerset’s first innings total, with their second innings sixth-wicket pair beginning to look a little too comfortable for comfort, at least from a worrisome Somerset supporter’s perspective.
Then, having aborted his first attempt, Jack Brooks prepared to deliver the first ball of a new spell from the Trescothick Pavilion End. While Brooks walked back to his mark, Tom Banton, in the off side inner ring, began a slow rhythmic handclap with his hands swinging metronomically in front of his knees. Then Craig Overton, in unison, began swinging his hands together, also in front of his knees. Matt Renshaw picked up the beat. Then, someone in the Somerset Stand joined in and the clapping spread across the stand. As Brooks ran in, the stand, clapping as one, raised the volume. The nearer Brooks got to the wicket the louder the clapping became. Pure theatre. With the clapping at its peak, the ball was delivered a foot or so wide of off stump. Playing his part in the scene to perfection, Burgess followed the ball and edged it to Davies who took the catch moving to his right, one knee touching the ground as he went. What a cheer went up then. Brooks set off in celebration towards the Somerset Stand, pursued by every one of his team mates as if he were the subject of a hue and cry. As he was engulfed, the cheers around the ground subsided into astonished laughter which metamorphosed into an animated buzz of expectation for now, with Warwickshire six wickets down, there seemed every chance that Somerset would finish the match before stumps were drawn.
Two balls later, again accompanied by rhythmic clapping, now from all around the ground as if the audience at the performance had joined in, Brooks again ran in. As he approached the stumps, the pace of the clapping picked up and the volume rose. Danny Briggs, who had replaced Burgess, came forward in defence to a ball angled in on off stump. The ball, adding to the drama, cut away off the pitch and found the edge. This time Davies needed only to move a foot to his right for the ball to thud into his gloves. Again, Brooks was hurtling towards the Somerset Stand with his team mates pursuing and engulfing him. Again, the crowd erupted in applause which metamorphosed into open-mouthed, astonished laughter and subsided into a buzz even more animated than before. When Banton went to the Somerset Stand boundary to pick up the helmet he had left beyond the boundary, he raised his hands above his head and applauded the stand. It had been as if those Somerset days of yore when Botham and Co strutted their stuff had come to visit, theatre and all.
Those two wickets reduced Warwickshire to 115 for 7, still 136 runs behind Somerset’s first innings total. Five overs later, Brooks prepared to bowl the last ball before tea to Nathan Mc Andrew. The clapping had subsided after Sam Hain, who had batted since the fall of the second wicket early in the morning session, and McAndrew restored some sense of order for Warwickshire. But, with an innate sense of theatrical timing, the crowd picked it up again for that last ball. In ran Brooks, the Somerset Stand began to clap, and the rest of the ground picked up the rhythm. As Brooks closed in on the wicket, the rhythm accelerated and the volume rose. Brooks attacked the stumps, McAndrew got behind the ball, defended, not well enough, the ball flew off the edge towards Renshaw’s midriff at second slip. Warwickshire were eight down. Brooks was celebrating, the team again in hot pursuit. The crowd was cheering, the heart was racing and the stomach churning at the prospect of the first Somerset victory of the season. Pure theatre.
After Somerset had overwhelmed Warwickshire on the first two days, the third day had started with Somerset needing one more wicket to end Warwickshire’s first innings. I entered through the Brian Rose gates and stopped in front of the Somerset Stand to exchange greetings with a man clutching a mug of cider. “Sit exactly where you did on the first two days,” was his stricture for the avoidance of a Warwickshire revival. “I hope you have remembered your seat number.” That meant a return to the north face of the Trescothick Pavilion via the Lord Ian Botham Stand and the Caddick Pavilion due to the closure of Gimblett’s Hill, and the prospect of sitting in the arctic conditions which normally prevail up there in April.
As I emerged from behind the Ondaatje Stand, I came across a familiar face, one I had not seen since before the pandemic. Smiles and greetings were exchanged and of course, Somerset’s start to the season had to be caught up upon. No serious conclusions were reached but the conversation kept us going until the end of the Warwickshire first innings, two overs and 12 runs later. Batting did look rather easy for numbers ten and eleven until Josh Davey, running in and bowling as smoothly and as accurately as ever despite his two heavy tumbles in the delivery stride on the second day, forced an edge from Oliver Hannon-Dalby’s defensive push and Warwickshire had ended their first innings with a deficit of 249.
The announcement, “Somerset have enforced the follow-on,” brought a loud, relieved cheer laced with feeling from Somerset supporters around the ground. The poor forecast for the fourth day and an almost universal feeling among cricket supporters that captains are far too cautious about enforcing the follow-on no doubt fuelling the cheer, those who watch generally being more adventurous in their view on declaration decisions than those who carry the responsibility for making them. On this occasion though, the decision was more clear cut, for it offered Somerset the opportunity of winning the match on the third day and not having to risk the weather on the fourth.
I emerged at the top of the Trescothick Pavilion in time to hear the announcement, “To open the bowling from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End, Craig Overton.” It brought another loud cheer, for he is the formidable cutting edge of the Somerset pace attack. Opposite him bowled Davey, that unrelenting examiner of technique. After seven overs, Warwickshire were 11 for 2, still 238 behind, and the cheers were soaring. Alex Davies had edged Davey low to Overton at third slip for nine. Dominic Sibley, who batted tightly for half an hour for two, then edged Overton low to Abell at fourth slip. The ball was speared in on off stump, Sibley tried to keep it out, and Abell bent low to take the catch just above the grass. It was a start such as dreams are made on as Prospero might have observed.
With Yates and Hain now at the wicket, Gregory and Brooks took up the attack for Somerset. The buzz from those first two wickets pervaded the atmosphere and the Somerset players constantly shouted encouragement, “Come on. Build it up again,” one call for the application of pressure. Neither Gregory nor Brooks gave an inch. After 14 overs Warwickshire were 19 for 2, barely a dent in the 249-run first innings deficit. “They’re going nowhere boys,” someone shouted, and the crowd applauded their encouragement whenever a sharp piece of fielding prevented a run.
At 21 for 2 in the 16th over, Brooks, from over the wicket, targeted the left-handed Yates’ off stump. Yates, poorly positioned, attempted to pull, got under the ball which hurtled endlessly skywards. Lammonby, at mid-on, sighted it, watched it, adjusted his position a little straighter, moved back, hands rising towards the ball, edged further back, waited as breaths were held tight in every corner of the ground, all sound extinguished, and still he waited. Then, sparking a mountainous cheer, took the ball an eternity after it had left the bat. For drama, let any theatre match such a wait in such a situation.
After three wickets had fallen so quickly, the curious thing about watching the next phase of the Warwickshire innings was that batting did not seem unduly difficult, at least from the safety of the stands. The bat was occasionally beaten and there was the occasional thick edge, or one that ran along the ground, but nothing that really threatened. Hain, in particular, and Rhodes settled to firm defence. Rhodes did twice find the boundary, driving Brooks and Overton, and Hain neatly glanced Overton to the Lord Ian Botham Stand in the over before lunch, but defence was the watchword, and the lunchtime score was 45 for 3 from 25 overs.
With perambulation replacing circumnavigation until Gimblett’s Hill is re-instated, I took a gentle amble around as much of the ground as I could during the lunch interval. Despite walking along the front of stands rather than behind I saw none of those faces from before the pandemic that had yet to reappear. It is an odd feeling when people you knew only at the cricket, and who were at the cricket more often than not, do not reappear when the cricket does. Part of the Gimblett Levels had disappeared too as the large temporary stand awaiting the onslaught of the Vitality Blast T20 competition took the space of some of the benches. The benches that remain are still popular as the erstwhile residents of the Hill seek temporary homes.
I watched the first over after lunch from behind the covers store, my usual post-lunch way station as I mistime my return to the Trescothick Pavilion. It is impossible to get from there to the top via the stairs during a change of ends, and I am not yet in need of the lift to reach the summit. The trip from the covers store to the top is always an anxious time if Somerset are batting because of my propensity to take Somerset wickets while I am behind or in the stair well of a stand. In Somerset’s innings in this match Davies had been my victim. It doesn’t work for opposition batsmen it seems, for Warwickshire were still three down when I reached my seat.
As the afternoon session got underway, batting looked uncomfortably easy. Doubtless it wasn’t. The bat was beaten from time to time. Once, Hain drove Overton straight and hard, “Catch it!” someone shouted with more conviction than is often the case. Overton, like a greyhound out of the traps, dived headlong down the pitch, arms outstretched towards the oncoming ball. He took it, but from the lack of reaction from Hain and the umpire it must have been caught on the bounce. It was an exceptional effort. When Overton hit Hain on the pad, the appeal was unrequited. For the most part though, the ball was played carefully in defence or left.
In the first 17 overs I watched from my seat after lunch the boundary was reached off the bat but twice. Hain drove Brooks through the on side to the River Stand and Leach through the off to the Colin Atkinson Pavilion, but those strokes were 14 overs apart. In the first 20 overs after lunch only 44 runs were scored. It was solid, determined defence and the attempt to take more wickets was beginning to feel like drawing teeth. With the weather forecast hovering in the background, seven wickets still standing, Hains and Rhodes looking relatively untroubled, and only 46 overs left in the day with Warwickshire having already consumed 45 in their second innings, that age-old cricketing equation involving time, runs and wickets gnawed increasingly at the mind.
And then, with tension beginning to bite, Warwickshire’s resistance was dealt a double blow by two pieces of cricket so magical they might have been rejected by the director of a play as too implausible for inclusion. Jack Leach had bowled six of the 20 overs since lunch without appearing unduly threatening, although he had conceded only ten runs. Then, to the left-handed Rhodes, he flighted a ball on a line 18 inches outside off stump. Rhodes raised his bat to the horizontal to let the seemingly harmless ball through. It dipped perfectly into a footmark, turned sharply and tickled the off stump. As he left, Rhodes tapped the disturbed stump with his bat as if checking it were real and not some illusion.
Rhodes had batted nearly two hours and 30 overs for his 29 runs. Hain meanwhile had batted over two and a half hours and nearly 40 overs for his 43 runs as they fought to keep Warwickshire in the game. Now, within an over of Rhodes’ departure Hain fell to the second piece of magic and an excellent catch. At the start of the over, from Gregory, Abell moved Overton to a short, slightly backward square leg. The sort of unorthodox stage management an avant-garde director might indulge in. Gregory bowled short, once bouncing Hain so accurately he was forced to arch his back and flick his head back to avoid the ball, the ground breaking out in applause in response. Off the penultimate ball of the over, Gregory bowled short again, Hain swivelled and pulled the ball off the middle of the bat straight to Overton whose hands moved swiftly to catch the ball in front of his chest. An hour and a quarter of determined defence since lunch had frustrated Somerset. Then, within five minutes, those two pieces of magic had done what magic does and transformed the situation. When Overton took that catch everyone in the ground erupted into cheering in the same split second. The initial sound was like a whip being cracked. Immediately, it became a huge roar that eventually subsided into extended applause. Pure theatre.
Warwickshire, 89 for 5 in the 47th over, tried to regroup in the form of Burgess and Lamb. Forty-four overs, a rampant Somerset side and a crowd scenting a Championship victory stood between them and the not unrealistic prospect of salvation from the weather on the morrow. “Come on lads,” rang out from around the field as the Somerset team urged each other on. Burgess and Lamb responded more positively than their predecessors, both driving to the boundary as the Somerset bowlers stretched their length in search of movement. A flowing cover drive from Burgess and a spectacular square drive from Lamb, both off Gregory, among the boundaries. Singles too were taken more often as the ball was pushed into the gaps and the thought of drawing teeth again crept into the mind as, in half an hour, 26 runs were added.
And then, with tea approaching, came that rhythmic clapping, those three wickets from Brooks, the tumultuous Somerset cheering, and a Warwickshire score of 121 for 8. Suddenly, the Warwickshire innings was teetering on the brink of extinction. The umpires offered Abell a 15-minute extension of the session. Again, the match settled down. Lamb and Miles each drove to the boundary. The crowd tried to encourage the bowlers. “Come on Brooks,” someone shouted, perhaps trying to re-ignite the atmosphere which had surrounded those three wickets. The rhythmic clapping briefly broke out again but the huge leg before wicket appeal which followed resulted only in two leg byes and Somerset had to take tea with those final two wickets still intact and the final curtain yet to fall.
When the players came back, Lamb and Miles began to make progress, Miles belying his lowly position in the order, although I doubt anyone believed Warwickshire would get near the end of the day. I went to the Trescothick Pavilion Terrace and watched an over from Brooks from above the umpire’s head. There was no sign of movement and no apparent threat. Overton replaced Brooks and bowled in tandem with Leach. Still Lamb and Miles went on, taking the Warwickshire score beyond 160. Miles pulled Leach to the Priory Bridge Road boundary while Lamb drove Overton to the Trescothick Pavilion End, steered him through third man to the Garner Gates and pulled Leach to the Somerset Stand.
And then, suddenly, it was over. Overton beat Miles to applause and shouts of, “Come on!” Then he forced an edge which Renshaw took millimetres above the grass, diving low to his left at second slip. An over later, Lamb tried to launch a delivery from Leach into the Somerset Stand. The ball went through the stroke and left the off stump quivering. There was a huge cheer and a standing ovation, triumph and relief mixing as Somerset completed a victory of overwhelming proportions, ended a run of seven successive defeats and lifted themselves off the bottom of the table, just. “How do you lose seven on the trot and then win like that?” asked the bemused text. I suspect you don’t unless you are Somerset. Such exasperating contradictions are but part of the patchwork of Somerset’s cricketing history. And yet, we will all be back for the next match, hoping as always for a victory, and perhaps some pure theatre.
Result. Somerset 458 (M.T. Renshaw 129, T.B. Abell 70, T. Banton 57, O.J. Hannon-Dalby 5-89). Warwickshire 209 (S.R. Hain 54, N.J. McAndrew 47, J.H. Davey 3-30) and 167 f/o (S.R. Hain 43, M.J. Lamb 40, J.A. Brooks 4-44). Somerset won by an innings and 83 runs. Somerset 23 points. Warwickshire 3 points.
You can read more from Farmer on his website using the link here
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon08/05/2022 17:46
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:13:12:13:04 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:02:08:49:39 by Grockle.
I mean we might be down Coverton and Davey and will almost certainly be down Gregory, so…
I'm not quite sure yet where I'll be sitting - is Gimblett's Hill currently out of bounds due to the refurbishing work?
I found this, from six years ago. Back then, we gave him pain killing shots into the area of his back that had a stress fracture then we assessed him as to whether or not he was able to bowl pain-free with the jabs.
So… maybe it was the same thing again? We did the test yesterday and, if he passed it then he can keep bowling (but maybe would still need yet another procedure at season’s end) and if he fails it then either he plays the rest of the season as batsman only or he goes straight off for yet another op? Difficult not to feel very sorry for the guy:
[www.somersetcountycc.co.uk]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:26:07:22:04 by AGod.
Possible solutions;
1) Dry home pitches and VDM.
2) Pick an extra batsman, without considering the bowling, meaning Davies at 7
3) Give Ben Green a regular role, whether at six or seven?
4) Kasey Aldridge time?
5) ?????????????
Update on Tuesday - nothing on club site this morning. Is there a statement elsewhere?
Until that is the case can we please not use speculation as fact BEFORE it is stated officially.
Speculate by all means but don't post as if your view of how things are IS FACT when evidence of that is not present yet.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:26:10:03:11 by Grockle.
9 matches 10 innings 2 not outs 389 runs HS 107 Ave 48.62 1x100 3x50
That is a score of 50+ per 2 completed innings.
That placed Gregory sixth in the averages of players who play for current first division teams and who played five or more matches in 2021.
By way of comparison in 2018 James Hildreth was the last Somerset player to score a thousand Championship runs in a season with stats of:
14 matches 26 innings 2 not outs 1089 runs HS 184 Ave 45.37 3x100 6 50
That is a score of 50+ per 2.7 completed innings.
In 2021 Gregory replaced Hildreth for the final match of the season and played as a batsman only. He scored 68 and 31, top scoring in a Somerset first innings of 389 and equal top scoring in a second innings of 154, batting at seven in each innings.
Farmer
Viz these pitches “wrecking,” our batsmen.
Well, funnily enough, last season the home games did not go well for Tom Abell but I think that was a pure chance thing because there was little evidence, last season, that players were undone by batting at Taunton. Appearing below are the home averages for sometime members of the Somerset top six in 2021 and (in parentheses) are their overall averages for the season;
Banton: 24.14 (18.84) - so better at home
Lammonby 20.33 (19.60) - a wash
Abell 24.20 (39.50) - so Abell much worse at home
Hildreth 21.60 (22.80) - a wash
Bartlett 28.42 (24.86) - slightly better at home
Davies 40.55 (31.70) - clearly better at home
Goldsworthy 20.60 (21.21) - a wash
Overall? These figures provide little support for the idea that there is something wrong with our pitches that really undermines our batsmen.
Note: According to the umpires NO COUNTY produced better pitches than Somerset in 2021 - so congrats to the Somerset ground staff.
ECB Pitches Table of Merit
1. Somerset 5.57
1. Derbys 5.57
3. Warks 5.50
Glamorgan, Durham, Hants and perennial culprits, Essex, were assessed as producing the worst tracks.
Conclusion? If Tom Abell had a poor time of things at Taunton last season, Tom Abell was to blame NOT our pitches.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:26:21:08:54 by AGod.
Consider first innings scores for the first 5 wkts at Taunton last season:
Somerset 110 Vs Gloucs 160
Middx 239 Vs Somerset 188
Somerset 43 Vs Hants 110
Somerset 206 Vs Leics 177*
Notts 194 Vs Somerset 72
Lancs 201 Vs Somerset 65
* The only one of six games in which the Som top six outperformed the oppo top six on the same Taunton pitch.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:27:08:40:00 by AGod.
[redballdata.blog]
Surrey are top (35), Somerset second from bottom (24). There is also the comment further down that Tom Abell's average would be increased if adjusted for his home county.
If anyone finds comparable data for 2020 & 21, it would be very interesting
312 + 149 + 309 + 156/2 + 357 + 117 + 268 + 209/6 + 206/4 + 360 + 409/7, 311, 88/2 + 461/9 + 475/7 + 448 + 107 + 181 + 373 + 32/0 + 90 + 314 = 5732 / 177 = 32.38 runs per wkt at Taunton in 2021.
2020 is not worth looking at as there were only two games!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:26:22:11:23 by AGod.
One obvious problem with that? Most of our averages would still be very poor even if they were 7% higher!
We’ve had many guys averaging around 25 or so in recent seasons. Add 7% to that and you get…… (drumroll please…) an average of 26.75.., still ruddy awful!!
Temp. stand completed. So is the River Stand.
The 14-man Somerset squad for this match is: Tom Abell (c), Tom Banton, Jack Brooks, Josh Davey, Steve Davies, Ben Green, Lewis Gregory, James Hildreth, Tom Lammonby, Jack Leach, Craig Overton, Matt Renshaw, Peter Siddle and Roelof van der Merwe.
I assume it’s that rather than that we have decided there’s nothing wrong with him. But maybe the “fitness test,” was an appointment with a specialist who cleared LG of having any serious injury. Let’s hope so.
One could also assume that as the policy under 'MM' didn't work particularly well they aren't doing that again.
Hypothetically of course because I don't think we know until we see him in action tomorrow. If of course he is picked from the 14
Assuming Renshaw, Abell, Banton, Overton, Siddle, Leach and Davey are all likely to be in then you can perm from the others to get your eleven
Anyways, assuming that Lewis is fit enough to play a full part (I.e all-rounder) in the side, then I guess probably the only debate that management might have among themselves might be Davey or Brooks.
They will presumably pick:
Renshaw
Lammonby
Abell (c)
Hildreth
Banton
Davies (w)
Gregory
Coverton
Davey (or Brooks at 11)
Siddle (9 if Brooks plays)
Leachy (10 if Brooks plays)
If Lewis cannot play a full part, then Green or VDM presumably come into the equation.
I know Josh was supposed to be “sore,” after the Oval, which is slightly worrying because his workload wasn’t that high, but I assume that’s just been declared part of getting back into the swing of things. I think we need to get him back as fully functional well before the ECB start to restrict Craig again.
I guess that Peter is not going to rest because, if he were, then I guess we might have put MDL into the squad unless management have 100% given up on him as a red ball option.
Was quite suprised when the whole commentary team in the last game were all shocked that I rated Josh Davey as more than a 4th seamer in our line up behind Cove, Siddle and Gregory.
Ahh well... still ahead of our other 4th choices I'd suggest.
The other question is possibly whether there is a place for Green or RvdM as the batting allrounder
It'll be interesting
I don’t think that will happen again unless they are expecting swing and, with a chilly Easterly forecast and sunshine, swing seems doubtful.
There’s a school of thought that both LG and JD are much more effective with the new ball than old, though.
If LG and JD are seen as 9/10 with the new ball but only 6/10 with old, whereas Craig and Peter are also seen as 9.5/10 with the new ball but 8/10 with an older one, then I guess we could still get the non-Test bowlers up front.
The explanation we got was that Cove had been out for a game and they wanted to have 2 bites at Cook and thought Siddle might have a but of inside info on the Essex man. Also weren't sure if Siddle was gonna work opening so they checked 2 things at once giving him a chance at both ends.
Take all that how you like. Think they'll open together from now on especially as Gregory and Davey will both be coming back to full fitness if they play.
In LG’s case, it would seem unlikely that his back will ever cease to be a concern?
Yes hope Josh's 'soreness' was good soreness and it shows he's back to fighting form.
Ahh well it's a bowling morning in Bicknoller. Grey & overcast.
Scorecard leaves Brooks RvdM and Green out with Lammonby and Renshaw opening and Banton at 4 Steve bats at 6 ahead of Gregory
Too often have we heard Somerset captains, on electing to bat in potentially tricky conditions, saying:
“We thought that, if we could just get through a tricky first hour then it would flatten out nicely and be good for batting on.’
I’ve heard Tom say similar on many occasions, such as at North Marine Road last season… suffice to say, it’s not worth taking that gamble!
This is more of a consideration if the speculation about levels of bowler fitness are a consideration. Bat first and give the bowlers a bit more time. However, the way we bat in dodgy conditions suggests that 'bit more time' will have more emphasis on the 'bit'
At the point that VDM brought up his ton, such had been the extent of the earlier damage done to our batting that WASP still showed a 62% chance of the Brown Caps prevailing!
No Siddle it seems Brooks plays
Siddle has a 'stomach strain'
Warwickshire won the toss and are fielding
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:12:26:52 by Grockle.
Well that would seem to confirm that management have very little faith in MDL. We know the guy is fit as playing the seconds. Oh dear.
A rather large miss, I’d suggest, based on his performances so far albeit he was possibly due a rest anyway due to his large workload thus far.
Q&A session for members with Gordon 20 minutes after the end of Day 2 in the MT Pavilion. You'll need membership cards to get in people.
So get your questions ready or get a member to ask your question if you can't be here and we'll see what comes out of it.
A question appearing here is 'Why pick |Jack Leach?' He probably isn't going to take many here and RvdM is a slow bowler who has his eye in with the bat and might give more to our fragile batting in this game.
I like Jack and he is a solid number 10 but RvdM has the chance of getting some very valuable tailend runs.
Hmmmm Suppose, like very many other things. We will see.
Gregory had a sore and stiff back last week.
After the Oval, Jason Kerr said LG would be given a fitness test and “if he passes, that’s fine but if he doesn’t he’s likely to be out for quite a long time.”
So that certainly suggests that LG had an issue they were really concerned about.
Anyway, the first 5 and a half overs don’t seem to have prevented any insurmountable difficulties. Sometimes the ball swings more after the initial lacquer has worn off but it may be “too cold to swing,” out there, anyway.
Sorry AG the teacher in me would have seen that every time I passed the post.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:12:32:12 by Grockle.
15 gone and… James Hildreth and Tom Abell are.. sat in the pavilion, but before their innings and not after!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:12:05:04 by AGod.
So many oppo fans were fooled by Marcus’s leave into thinking he’d played and missed. Renshaw’s leave leaves no room for any such doubts.
Having made an excellent start we must show focus and ruthlessness with no daft giveaways to precipitate a collapse at any point.
Even allowing for the fact that Warks have been less than stellar with the ball, the pitch does not exactly appear loaded with menace. So BIG first innings score, please!
Great six from MR!
Lammonby 4 away from 50
100 partnership up with a Renshaw boundary
Even if they hadn’t won the toss, they’d be unhappy with their complete inability to bowl dry. There was a lot of buffet stuff and we took advantage of almost all of it.
It doesn’t look the sort of track where a batting side should lose many wickets quickly. So I suspect Tom A will already know that the most probable route to success is a big first innings score to create some scoreboard pressure, and then bowling dry to back that up and hope for some mistakes from the oppo. We’ll also be hoping for some sort of help for Leachy later.
Before that? Must be relentless, ruthless and remorseless for the next few sessions. One would think that they are unlikely to bowl as badly again in any subsequent session.
The umpires rated them the best in the country!
So Somerset’s bowlers *earnt* their figures and the batsmen simply weren’t good enough. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:13:32:39 by AGod.
Quote:AGod
There was NOTHING wrong with the Taunton pitches last year, Hamez.
The umpires rated them the best in the country!
So Somerset’s bowlers *earnt* their figures and the batsmen simply weren’t good enough. Let’s not pretend otherwise.
The umpires rate them highly because they frequently get an extra day off.
Tom Abell will be looking forward to batting on this deck for once with Lammonby already looking much better than he has at home in recent times.
Abell apart, none of the other members of the top six did any better away from home than at home, whilst Banton and Davies were both worse on their travels.
Equally, those SCCC pace bowlers that had good overall figures also did well away from home.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:15:01:11 by Grockle.
Abell leaving so that he can go and score 1k runs a season somewhere else and be picked for England. With Lammonby to follow.
Overton continuing to take wickets at an average of about 10 at home whilst looking bang average (at best) for England.
In any event, there’s no great difference between this pitch and those produced for home games with Surrey, Hants, Leics and, indeed, Lancs and Notts last season.
Now do you send in Banton or Hildreth?
and to be fair Hannon-Dalby worked damn hard for that wicket
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:16:30:28 by Grockle.
Davey, Gregory and Brooks need to do much, much better, than the likes of Rhodes, Miles and McAndrew have done, in support, thus far.
It would be shocking if Leachy were not significantly more effective than Danny Briggs has been.
The worry would be that this may prove one of those tracks that just gets flatter.
I’m 99% sure that we’d have done better *today* with our bowling than Warks have done, but if the track gets progressively flatter then it might prove tough to take wickets on days 3 and 4 etc.
Matt Renshaw's century was the 4th in 6 home games for Somerset
He did play once here for Kent as well
Played well, as he usually does Vs Warks.
Wafty Hidreth dismissal again?
A good win for the twos.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:28:17:59:43 by AGod.
If we go on to 450 and then bowl anything like then the losing run should finally be over.
And hopefully we can have a good go at actually trying to force a win.
Thank you groundsman!
It is only one game but all the top four have progressed so is THIS our top 4 going forward? Renshaw, Lammonby, Abell and Banton?
I know there is already Twitter demands to give Tom the red bsll gloves but as we've extended Steve"s contract and we possibly have another batting keeper in the wings is there a reason to rush that when we can bring James Rew on and build towards a stronger 6.
There is SO much to benefit from a comfortable and confident Tom Banton if Lammonby and Banton are clicking into place this could be very special. But it's still early days for anything but a little optimism.
This is more like it- the scorecard tell the story.
Tom Lammonby hitting his 50 plus another 4 runs.
Good opening partnership.
Tom Abell hitting 4 runs, a good knock, was hoping for a hundred.
McAndrew, this is a new one for me, I can't ever remember seeing a player wearing (0) on his back.
Matt Renshaw does have one weakness, going for the wide ball, forgiven after his knock today.
Best bowler today without a doubt Oliver Hannon-Doby, some of his balls ever beat Matt Renshaw bat (just)
Now for some good shots from Matt Renshaw, this is his 6 runs.
James Hildreth 4 runs, played some good shots before not keeping a ball down and being caught in the covers.
Tomorrow we must go for maximum batting points, I am not concerned about going for a very large total, and ending up a high scoring draw.
Are spectators allowed on the outfield now?
Really hoping we can build confidence from here, get maximum batting points, then put Warks. under pressure pdq.
Good to hear we produced a good batting strip as well, albeit our bowlers may have to work hard.
Grizzers
This, I think, was from lunchtime onwards.
Swing is a notoriously fickle mistress, though Gregory and Brooks are, perhaps, more natural swing bowlers than anyone in the Warks’ bowling ranks.
Any “nibble,” off the pitch probably relies on a little bit of moisture underneath and how long that will remain is anyone’s guess.
There was also a bit of turn for Briggs, once Renshaw had finished mauling him. Whether that will persist likely depends on whether it was due to damp or dryness. If the former, there will be less turn as the match progresses, if the latter there should be more turn as the match unfolds.
Tom Banton beginning to look a red ball player, I wonder if we can do the same with Will Smeed?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:09:37:08 by Whome.
However, if I remember correctly their experiments took place in a flaming wind tunnel, not in the middle of a cricket ground!
This must be news to guys like Gregory and Brooks!
[www.espncricinfo.com]
Edited to add that, reading further, supposedly if a ball swings at about 80mph it will always be “contrast swing,” and never conventional swing.
Supposedly conventional swing is optmized at about 70mph and impossible at 80mph. Anybody that bowls above 90mph and swings it will always be getting reverse swing, and never any other type and so-called “contrast swing,” can be attained at a range of speeds.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:10:54:10 by AGod.
Anyway, the Somerset bowlers will be on at some time today, hoping for after the lunchbreak myself but who the hell knows.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:11:19:10 by Grockle.
Obviously, teams want to bowl accurately. But, sometimes, more priority will be given to not giving runs away than to anything else: Bob Woolmer was notorious for this when in charge of SA… he would often instruct his bowlers to “hide,” the ball outside off-stump.
Why “dry.” Because it refers to drying the runs up, an expression used by Josh Davey in this piece:
[www.thecricketer-staging.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:11:22:37 by AGod.
He seems to have gone *completely* brain dead? I mean what was that?
Starting to think the bloke must have something on his mind!?
Not sure what that hits as he isn't playing T20 but there we go
Quote:Grockle
Renshaw named in Sri Lanka squad for June and July..... whoops along with Marcus Harris going on the A tour
Not sure what that hits as he isn't playing T20 but there we go
Matt only in A squad which has dates of June 8-24 so just misses Surrey red ball June 12.
He was never signed for T20 & no suggestion anywhere we would use him.
We have our 2 Overseas sorted for T20 being Peter & Marchant 💪
It was pretty clear pretty early that this was not a T20 issue. We presently have 2 for that tournament - will we use them both? Who can say. So it isn't drastic and hopefully the 'Renshawness' might have rubbed off on a few by then
I understand it's a calculation but after coming second so often I am still amazed that we don't make more of a concerted effort to gain bonus points on a regular basis
In some ways, then, we should feel more optimistic now that at COP yesterday (with the proviso that we bowl better than they did yesterday).
458 - what we wanted but it came from different places than expected
I suspect that par on this strip is around 400.
I didn’t see much swing this morning.
Miles certainly got some seam movement with the still newish ball.
I’d prefer to open with Cove and Davey, anticipating more seam than swing. Maybe 6 overs apiece, if all goes well.
Then a brief look at the two swing bowlers in tandem and then, if they don’t get it to swing in their first 3-4 overs, on with Leachy. There is some turn in this deck today. And I think we want to get Leachy into a rhythm, ASAP, as I think he will need to take a number of wickets for us to be able to win the game, as opposed to drawing it.
To be fair, Brooks’ third ball was a very good outswinger.
But then we get the default one buffet ball per over from Brooks - a ball so poor, in this case, that most club cricketers would have smacked it for four.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:14:11:49 by AGod.
But it is the pretty normal criticism of him. "four ball an over" It has been the BBC commentator criticism and you can't argue with it. He had got it under control at the end of last season and his figures were looking healthier but here we are, we 4 overs in and all the runs are from the River.
Can't "tie them down" if you let them off at one end.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:14:13:20 by Grockle.
Brooks? Well if there’s another four ball in his fourth over then Tom should surely give somebody else a go.
Good - we’ll take it!
Agree completely with earlier comments re our long-standing apparent apathy towards bonus points. Have never understood why.
Time for a few wickets to fall now.
Grizzers
Get him off, please, Tom.
Very poor bowling.
Wind your neck in Sibley, you were bang to rights!
Seen nothing, so far, to suggest I was wrong to say that Cove and Josh should have been the new ball pairing of choice.
Equally, I still think an early bowl for Leachy seems wise.
Lewis looking OK and so is Josh
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:15:05:08 by Grockle.
If only he had been ready, alongside Craig and Peter, Vs Essex!?
Rain forecast for Sunday, possibly all day. Can’t afford to waste time batting again!
Gloucs destroyed by Jamie Smith. He did look a very good prospect at the Oval, last year. But if rain on Sunday at Bristol then Surrey have - one assumes - batted far too long.
Hants Vs Lancs looks a humdinger of a contest.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:29:16:36:12 by AGod.
Presently 332 behind
They’re talking about moving him up as a wake-up call for Gregory and Coverton.
If that’s the rationale? Put Leachy above Davies because if anyone needs waking up…
More 99s than they can shake a stick at etc!
Quote:AGod
Wear them out on the swings, BJ!!
More 99s than they can shake a stick at etc!
Job done
Jack plugging away at one end and little for Jack Brooks at the other - a change of bowler may have something but it has slowed down to a crawl. Hain seems set as the 50 partnership comes up
Tom Abell coming on to try and break this up
Biggest differences in this one so far:
A) Renshaw batted far, far better than any Bear.
Two SCCC pacemen have bowled very well Vs only one for Warks. A) Sunday’s forecast is poor
Even if that weren’t the case, Warks are miles behind and
C) There is no prospect of a marked deterioration in this surface.
So no way should we waste, say, 50 overs by batting again!
Quote:AGod
The key thing, now, is not to make the Negative Nelly mistake of not enforcing the follow-on:
A) Sunday’s forecast is poor
C) There is no prospect of a marked deterioration in this surface.
So no way should we waste, say, 50 overs by batting again!
Agreed, get them back in. It's a no brainer.
Another good day for Somerset, shame we didn't take the last wicket to stop Warwickshire getting their first batting point. (we can still do that tomorrow)
What a pity Tom Banton did not play the ball off the bowling of Craig Miles.
Michael Burgess ct Steve Davies bld Craig Overton
Matthew Lamb ct Matt Renshaw bld Lewis Gregory
Lewis Gregory bld middle stump by Oliver Hannon-Dalby
We were all worried when Josh Davey went down (twice) when bowling.
Should Jack Leach bat before Craig Overton? He knows where the middle of his bat is.
Danny Briggs lbw Jack Leach, he was not happy.
Two photos next, the same wicket.
Alex Davies ct Craig Overton bld Jack Brooks.
I wonder what will happen tomorrow!!
Quote:Hamez
Finally we put out a good pitch and credit to our openers cashing in. I'm sure the top 6 will be feeling much more confident though Coverton might not be as happy when he has to bowl and isn't guaranteed a five for.
Craig gets wickets on anything because he is VERY VERY good.
The best county bowler in the past 3 years without question. Gets wickets at home AND away.
Another top class effort today going at under 1 run an over on what our batters made look like a road.
If we were talking about declaring to leave Warks a run chase today then one could understand that caution may be the better part of valour.
But if we don’t enforce the follow-on here, then we are saying that we think there’s more than a minuscule chance of the following chain of improbable events occurring:
A) Warks, following on, score 400 at 100 runs per session
The forecast is wrong and there’s a full day tomorrow
C) Warks bundle us out for less than 150 in the final two sessions.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:11:01:14 by Grockle.
Otherwise? Do we think the deficit is too high and are gong to allow them to decrease it? Oh well he's got the wicket 209 all out apologies Jack. Somerset have enforced the follow on.
Home commentators worried as Renshaw rushed off.
Follow on ENFORCED! Thank God!!
Brooks tightens up, dramatically, and then gets the reward as bowling dry helped to produce an abysmal miscalculation from Yates.
Well done, Jack Brooks!
Thank you Warwickshire and Mr Yates
Today: Trego and Tresothick
What a treat for all of us!
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Looking good for a 3 day finish.
Worked yesterday
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:12:51:10 by Grockle.
I think we need another three wickets in the next session, to stay on course to finish this today.
Might, possibly, get back second half of season, I guess.
Has he been bought for the franchise drivel or might we see him in the 50 over again?
They seem to have free reign as part of their 'bung deal' with counties
Davey from the MT - changed ends
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:13:45:09 by Grockle.
There was some talk that, this year, the ECB might want those not in given Blundred XIs to actually be released for the 50-over stuff, but we’ll see.
Certainly many who are probably in contention will not have played Royal London since 2019 if then
We need another breakthrough to lift the spirits again, I fancy.
Trigger was spirited in to 'master of ceremony' the Q&A on short notice yesterday afternoon so Gordon will be on his mind. Did he mention the soup?
Soup was, indeed, mentioned.
That ball from Leachy was, though!
Love the Hain giveaway too!
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
We’ve just ground them down and they haven’t shown the heart or focus to stick it out.
The Brooks celebration the polar opposite of Leachy’s!
But that’s a really good ball, just now, to do for Briggs!
Well done, Brooks!!!
Whatever your view of the Brooks extension to the contract, part of the reason is that 'contribution' to team spirit aspect that he undoubtedly brings. Is it enough? Not for me to say but it is there.
But it’s “end columns,” that should count.
Peter Trego claimed Brooks “had been a great signing,” but said little about his actual performances and followed the “great signing,” comment with “he’s settled in really well.”
It’s all a bit odd, really.
I don’t consider the move from Yorks to have worked out well for SCCC at all.
However.. this performance, today, has been a marked improvement in terms of accuracy and consistency and he has got his reward. This is how we need JB to bowl, regularly.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:15:50:42 by AGod.
The Aussie should have been forward but… that pitched leg and middle and swung away sharply!
Certainly wickets sand run rates are a major parts of the equation but its not all that a senior professional brings to the game or the side If you are not taking wickets but your presence gives confidence to those that are then you are contributing.
It shouldn't be the 'Luke Wright' England 'raison d'etre' but there is a place for it
He needs to be tighter but he is taking significant wickets and this is a progressively better performance than his last run out. He's earned his match fee
And as an observation, there aren't that many 37 year old bowlers who would be having throwdowns with the bowling coach during the Tea interval when they have the opposition some 130 runs and 2 wickets away from an innings defeat. You get the idea that he may want to have a go for the five-fer perhaps?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:16:25:05 by Grockle.
I switched on the tv to see Warks three down and after about an hour switched off as nothing much was happening.
Fortunately inquisivity kicked in & I switched on again to see Jack & Lewis breakthrough.
Terrific effort from Jack B. , whose enthusiasm for the game certainly isn’t waning with time.
Would love us to wrap this up today.
Grizzers
The idea of going through to tomorrow and waiting in hope for the weather to allow the end of the game to happen is NOT something most of the staff here are looking forward to.
So they bring Craig back
Not 3 day wicket we batted and bowled well and they simply didn't
Some pride and confidence restored.
And, I assume, off the foot of the table.
OHD apart, they totally failed to support Rhodes’ decision to field.
And then there was some pretty moderate batting from them in both innings.
Cove and Davey excellent first innings, the rest not so much then everyone came to the party in the follow on.
Renshaw a brilliant, forceful innings. Abell solid. And some good signs, hopefully, for the other two Toms.
Steve needs to sort his batting focus out and the bowling unit as a whole will be aiming to emulate the second innings effort of giving very, very little away.
We owe them for last season when they fluked a rain-ruined draw from 350 Vs 28/6
Virtually (no. not completely !) perfect in all respects and such a massive, massive improvement on the last seven Championship games. Must be a big relief to everyone, including yes Messrs AH & JK.
Really hoping that gives us a huge lift & we can carry the positive momentum forwards.
Grizzers
P.S. Hopefully the team can find the lyrics to 'Blackbird' buried somewhere in the dressing room !
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:17:12:46 by Grizzers.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Good to see Sonny Baker having a work out on the pitch during the Lunch interval. Mainly exercises, and run up practise, but with no actual bowling.
He was in the Long Room on Friday, and said he hoped to be available for some cricket in mid summer.
Hopefully, unless there is some crappy England game in two weeks’ time then Cove will be allowed to play at Bristol as England will hopefully factor in the fact that Cove will have a week off from playing immediately before the Gloucs game.
There should be points deducted for producing pitches that give bowlers zero chance/hope.
Ollie Pope fans were doing cartwheels because he actually made a few runs away from the Oval, but I think Gloucs 443/2, Jordan Clark’s second career hundred and a double ton for Jamie Smith put Pope’s 80-odd in its proper perspective!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:18:43:51 by AGod.
Agod has obviously never been a dressing room where team spirit can often make a difference. Hopefully Brooks will continue this form.
And, as Victor said yesterday, in county cricket, the way you take wkts, most of the time (as a team) is to stop the opposition from scoring.
If Brooks can bowl as he did in the second innings, then he can contribute to the team efforts to bowl dry and help himself and his teammates to wickets, as a result.
If he goes round the park for 4-5 an over, as in the first innings both here and at the Oval? Then he’s not really of much use.in winning cricket matches.
With MDL seemingly frozen out, Craig potentially subject to ECB interference and Lewis’s back a potential worry, we may need Jack Brooks to play a number of first team games so let’s hope he bowls - in those games - as he did in the second innings here.
Quote:Whome
... we all moan and criticise when things go wrong ...
You should be aware that some of us don't.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Third and final day of the match, there is nothing like a win like this to put a smile on peoples faces.
For a while Jack Leach held one end up while wickets were taken from the other end, Sam Hain managing to avoid touching the ball.
Oliver Hannon-Dalby didn't look like he enjoys batting, Craig Overton reminded him that a short ball on the neck can hurt.
Nathan McAndrew trying to hook a short ball from Jack Brooks, he did not connect.
Next two photos, same wicket.
Michael Yates ct Tom Lammonby bld Jack Brooks.
Going for a big hit, skying the ball for a long time, well caught by Tom Lammonby.
All the bowlers were on the mark today, Josh Davey just missing the bat of Alex Davies.
Alex Davies was well caught low down by Craig Overton off the bowling of Josh Davey.
Craig Overton 4 wickets in the match and 4 catches.
Jack Brooks 5 match wickets.
The rest of the bowlers took wickets.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:20:53:16 by Mike TA1.
Do you have specific information on this ECB impending 'interference" in how their contracted player indulges in his cricket?
Where is this medical info on Gregory's back problem for reference? He seemed OK... is the problem also impending?
Thank heaven's we have time to look into these massive issues.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:20:43:47 by Grockle.
Great photos as always Mike, that one of Overton's catch is astonishing.
Cove isn’t contracted to us. The ECB decide when he plays, not SCCC. If they decide he needs rest? He won’t play. Not rocket science.
Everyone knows LG has had numerous back problems. As recently as last Monday he had a “make or break fitness test.” *You* were all full of “not sure he’ll bowl again,” when he got injured playing for Trent Tripe last year. There’s no reason to suppose his issues have magically gone away for good.
MDL? You’re expecting him to play red ball games are you? I think many are not.
Anyway, what a glorious day in the sun it was for an enthusiastic crowd. And well done to the coaching staff, to whom I'd given so much stick. You have to give the management credit for such an effective and relentless effort from the lads.
As I mentioned before this game, when others speculated on Gregory's issues ref his back pre season your reaction was 'not gonna be any kind of problem. It's happened before'. Maybe it will be maybe it won't... all in the future huh?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:21:39:42 by Grockle.
When I said that I didn’t see why folks should suddenly be saying LG would be finished with bowling, I simply said I didn’t see why that should be so since he’d had similar issues before. I did not say the injury would never again flare up or cause him to miss games.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:30:22:10:32 by AGod.
Actually they aren't 'interfering'. They can decide what happens. Craig and Jack work for England. Rather they 'allow' them TO play for Somerset... they may be illogical about it but....
Secondly because they DID 'interfere' does not mean they WILL 'interfere'. If something happens once it does not necessarily mean it will happen again exactly when you expect it to to create the maximum disruption to what you want to see go.badly.
Ref Lewis no you are right you didn't say that. You simply patronised those that did suggest that possibility.
Anyway I understand where we are now Cheers
On another cheerier matter... my computer's forecast tells me that it will rain almost without a break in Taunton on Sunday. It would be good to receive a report late in the day from Mike, telling us if that is what actually happened, so that we can be all the more pleased that the SWarwickshire demolition took only three days. No photographic proof will be required - we can take Mike's word for it.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
The only way that won’t happen is if, at some point this summer, they decide that they are not going to renew Craig’s contract for next year and
, thus, lose interest in controlling him this summer.
Jimmy and Broad returning should, hopefully, reduce the chances of Cove being absent to carry drinks. But - if they want to continue with Cove’s central contract into next year - they will continue to monitor his workload and will intervene anytime they think he needs a rest.
Viz the future of Cove’s ECB deal.. I don’t think the ECB really have a clear post Jimmy and Broad plan. They must have realised, by now, that Woakes cannot be trusted overseas. They know Wood cannot play successive Tests. They know Archer and Stone are brittle. And Robinson seems to have developed fitness issues too. At this point, Craig is very possibly the only guy they have with a strong fitness record.
I love to watch Renshaw when Somerset are in the field - he’s clearly the clown in the slips alongside the two serious old men at keeper and 1st slip. For those of us who are too old to play any more, it’s great to see youngsters actually enjoying what they’re paid to do.
A grand day out.
Clearly still loves it & for a quiet, reserved individual the buzz of his team taking wickets still gets him going.
He has plenty of knockers on here but we will be a poorer team when he does chose to call it a day.
Our classiest batsmen by a mile. Understated, can play all types of bowling & just accumulates quietly.
His 80 odd at Ageas was the only score of note.
With a bit more luck he will give us many more contributions this season too 💪
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:01:08:37:44 by Nailsea_Fizz.
He tried to get a replay on the live stream of one of Craig's catches, it was when Sam Hain was caught by Craig I think, like my photo Craig did not appear in my photo (out of shot) or on the live stream.
Good job he has bucket hands, though, for that ball came at quite some rate of knots.
[twitter.com]
It’s uncanny how many of us there are.
Sadly, we can have no impact of the next round of matches starting on Thursday.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
It was rather strange to hear Jack Brooks dismiss the end of last season as something that was really only a consideration for our opponents, the media and (something else which I don’t remember). And I think the magnitude of our team’s celebrations was more congruent with a team that felt as though it had lost 7 straight games than one that had somehow dismissed last season and so was only feeling that they had lost three in a row (and one of those three with a hopelessly depleted side).
The optimistic way of looking at things is, I suppose, to try and dismiss the end of last season, to definitely dismiss Hants as the product of an absurd level of depletion and then to focus on the Essex loss having been very narrow and to take the Surrey game on the basis of the formal result - only a 3 wicket loss - even though 3 wickets were taken when the contest was all but over.
To be realistic, though, while it is entirely realistic to dismiss the Hants game and neither the Essex nor Surrey results were that bad, individually, I don’t consider it to be at all realistic to simply dismiss the last stanza of last season. We played those 4 games without Overton and Gregory .. and it is very likely that there will be other games this season where we will be without those two again.
We gave a very good performance Vs Warks with a near full-strength side (missing only Peter) but the league position remains precarious and it is imperative that we build on this Warks win by hammering fellow strugglers, Gloucs and - more specifically - it is imperative that we win the games when at or near full strength because it’s very difficult to feel confident in our prospects when there is more than minor depletion in our ranks. Hopefully, Cove will be allowed to play the next two, and we will win both.
Anthony “It must be such a relief after losing 7 in a row?” (Or words to that effect)
Jack “yeah, we haven’t really gone back to last year. That’s for the media and opponents chirping up about it.”
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:01:19:25:59 by AGod.
He basically said that, during his career he’s often had somewhat expensive spells but then often kind of countered that with wicket-taking spells and that it’s the latter that has been lacking in his time at SCCC, perhaps because he’s not been fit etc.
I hope, though, that Jason Kerr continues to impress on him that this isn’t really a trade-off that we ideally want even if he does take wickets. No.. we want the whole attack operating as it did yesterday - making run-scoring like getting blood out of a stone. Because, if you’ve got 3 of 4 seamers bowling accurately and then Brooks comes on and offers tempting deliveries through straining for a wicket (be it full, or wide or short) then Brooks might get a wicket or two doing that (or the tempter might be hit to the boundary) but when Jack Brooks also joins the accuracy party - as he did yesterday - then not only is Jack himself likely to pick up wickets through lack of scoring pressure exerted (as with the Yates howler yesterday) but he also helps our other seamers to get wickets.. they all help each other when they operate like that!
Against Hants and Essex we didn't have that luxury, at the Oval we fell a few runs short in the first innings but came close. It would look like we've turned the corner now and ditched the losing streak. Providing we also have most of our first choice bowlers, unlike the first Hants game we should feel pretty confident after the week off
Please don't waste your time writing more about how you listened to it was the only way to interpret it.
it's a waste of tapping time if you are doing it to make me realise the error of my interpretation.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:05:01:22:45:12 by Grockle.
We must make sure we win the vast majority of our games when that is the case.
Some good coach speak from Mark Robinson:
“It wasn’t lack of effort, it was that our skill acquisition isn’t where we need it to be.”
"Oi! Sibley! Your skill acquisition is not where you need it to be."
"At least I've acquired the broadest skill set in my own family, Overton."
Renshaw's century and a day of glorious Somerset batting.
A day to gladden the Somerset heart
Link:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
And the second day:
Somerset take control
Link: [farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:02:09:23:08:31 by Farmer White.
More Somerset headlines
- Metro50 Game1 - Welcome to the next stage - Notts at Welbeck
- Blast Finals Day Semi 1 - It's Northants Again!!
- Blast Quarter Final Here We Go at Headingley
- Blast Game 12 - Simple Beat the Pears!!
- Women's Blast Game 12 - Fanx Tara Towie
- Blast Game 11 - Northants Part 2 - Gregory Back?
- Women's Blast Game 11 - Blazing Away\!!
- Blast Game 10 - Derby to the Wire as well
- Women's Blast Game 10 - Down to the Wire v Essex
Somerset latest threads
- Metro50Game 3 - Sunday v Warks
- Poll: 2026 Best Blast Player
- Poll: Best CC1 Player Part 1
- Metrobank 50 Game2 - Home Derby
- Members online forum - the future of SCCC
- Metro50 Game1 - Welcome to the next stage - Notts at Welbeck
- Blast Finals Day Semi 1 - It's Northants Again!!
- RIP the GREAT Gary Sobers
- Metro50 NOT "Developmental" by choice
- Blast Quarter Final Here We Go at Headingley