Somerset
And so we enter ECB No Man's Land - The Metro50
By Grockle
July 20 2024
With the pause in the Blast and no 4 day games until early September we enter the period of the domestic season that the ECB would rather we didn't talk about. The 50 over Metrobank Cup that counties continue to play while the manufactured 'format' the central authority wishes we wll would love goes on elsewhere using our playing resources to supply its artifical sides with the incentive of money and pretty much little else. The benefit (though not one planned by the ECB despite their protestations that it is) is it lets many of the present 2024 Second XI T20 champions side get first team experience in a white ball competition.. Who have we got and what can they do?
Metrobank 50 Days
After two preparation games against our local National sides at Truro v Cornwall on Sunday and at Exmouth v Devon on Tuesday we start our 50 over campaign at home next Friday against Kent. The squad will, of course, be without most of our Blast sqaud who will be at their second jobs or injured. Paul Tweddle will once again be the Head Coach and Sean Dickson will be taking up the skipper role as last year. There will be no Banton, Lammonby, TKC, Abell, Green, Gregory, Overton, Meredith, Baker, Ball, RvdM and Will Smeed is sidelined by injury from HIS second job andwill probably be rehabbing anyway.
So that is what we don't have. But what about our squad? Is it weakened beyond being in contention? The problem with this competition is that the ECB has no concern about how their needs for their 'flagship' domestic tournament to keep the TV punter happy affects the balance of the county sides. Some counties are hardly touched by the voracious appetite of a competition with no capital investment in playing resouces.
Others with mode healthy developmental programmes or more money are hit much harder leaving them with smaller and probably younger playing squads. Somerset would fall into this category but how badly are we affected?
From our usual 'first' team squad we can definitely (at the time of writing though the ECB allows players to be tempted away at any time an injury happens in the city games) call on Jack Leach, Andy Umeed, James Rew, Kasey Aldridge and Josh Davey. Shoaib Bashir is England and nobody seems at all sure about how we stand with Migael Pretorius who was signed up to the endof the 4 day Phase 1, then extended to include the two CC games in July and isnow being named in squads after his contract seems to have ended but then is not picked to appear.
Others are floating between the two levels Somerset representation and have appeared in both. Lewis Goldsworthy has been a significant part of Leicstershire's games in the past month or so on loan from us. He has returned but one has to ask for how long and whether he is part of the rest of our season or is on his way to the Foxes permanently is a question that will be answered in the next few weeks one would expect. George Thomas has stepped in for the injury to Will Smeed and has made the position his own to such an extent that it is questionable whether Smeed will simply return to that spot when he is fit again. Ned Leonard has stepped up to first team games more sporadically but he does have that experience and Alfie Ogborne has made an appearance.
Others have made names for themselves in our seconds games and at U19 international level to an extent that makes them players at theedge of moving up a level Thomas Rew, Josh Thomas and Archie Vaughan certainly come into that category. Another who should has circumvented that stage and will be working for someone else in August. We all hope Sonny Baker is used by his franchise side because it would be a tragedy if he warms a bench when he would be a bowling star in our 50 over side on a regular basis.
For some other,mostly younger, players this is the great opportunity to show what they can do. Fin Hill and Joe Heywood fall into that category though Fin was a significantpartof theside that won the Seconds T20 Cup last week.
So, a squad of somewhere around 14 ish will be the body of the squad with Goldsworthy and Pretorius by means certain welcome if available and Smeed and Meredith as highly doubtful 'wildcards' should injury release the Tasmanian back to the county or injury rehab make Smeedy healthy before the end of August...both pretty much non starters to be honest.
Batting wise, Andy Umeed's phenomenal performances in this competition last season not onoy got him first team crickeet but will probably mean he will open for us again in 2024. After his excecllentform in the last week or so, one might expect his partner to be George Thomas as it is a role he has been playing in Blast side that has just qualified for the Quarters. One would expect Goldsworthy, Dickson and Vaughan to make up 2 of the next 3 and the Rew brothers to close up the top six and share the gloves. Josh Thomas and Finn Hill will be looking at that number 7 'allrouder' spot though they might be pushed down the order by Kasey Aldridge looking to be part of the batting as well as the bowling. Josh Davey seems to have been struggling for consistent fitness and the corresponding nagging line and length this season. He may be looking to consolidate his position by leading the bowling attack in the next month. He would love Pretorius to join him I am sure and the side could certainly use his back 5 batting but that is yet to be confirmed as a possibility. He is not playing against Cornwall presently. Ned Leonard and Alfie Ogborne will be looking to make up the rest of the seam attack while Jack Leach is our spin option.
I have no information on Joe Heywood though I am aware he has played as both a bat and bowler in second eleven games this year and so is probably within that 'allrounder' category with others.
As a side it has a balance of experience and youthful enthusiasm. It has people who could hold their own in any white ball side and those who will surprise even the most capable and experience county pro. It has internationals as junior and senior level and it has an exciting profile that may very well do batter than we expect. Somerset will certainly NOT be pushovers in this year's matches and we're not really sure what they are capable of if they gel as a playing unit.
The MetroBank 50 is not the 'dead end' nothing of a competition the governing body hoped it would be. It is more than just a 'seconds' event some think it is. Those who come will be surprised by the quality and we have a side that is certainly worth coming to follow. How balanced the games will be depends on the effect of August on other counties. I hope the balance allows those debutting to show what they can do and not what they have not yet learned. It needs to allow young professionals to lift their performances, not try and salvage something from an unfair pairing.
The thread below will allow for other people's thoughts and add anything I've forgotten or missed. We will be following the divisional games and further should there be any Somerset involvement. Here's to a warmer and satisfying August one day season.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:26:18:22:58 by Grockle.
Scrap the 100 !
Big names away at the Hundred include Millfield-educated Daniel Bell-Drummond, Sam Billings and Zak Crawley .
George Thomas, Andy Umeed, Lewis Goldsworthy, Sean Dickson (capt), James Rew (who will keep wicket), Archie Vaughan, Alfie Ogborne, Kasey Aldridge, Josh Thomas, Josh Davey, Jack Leach, Ned Leonard, Joe Heywood and Riley Meredith (with the proviso that he is not available until after the 3rd Test and the return to Notts of Joe Root)
Paul Tweddle went out of his way to further confirm that Migael Pretorius is not 'currently' available for 50 over games.
Thomas Rew will be on youth international duty I think and it seems that there are arrangements for franchise players not involved in their side's matches on a regular basis to return to.their county under certain conditions... it didn't work for us last year but who knows in 2024.
Here is the County website preview of the Group Stages
[somersetcountycc.co.uk]
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:24:20:43:46 by Grockle.
Grizzers
I would have liked to have seen Miggy P in that squad but the bowling attack have pulled 2 games back from quite disappointing batting performances against our National neighbours so we can expect from this group.
Suppose we'll see on Friday. Hope Umeed has a good second season. Hope James Rew takes a role. Hope Lewis shows us why we need to actively push to get him resigned. Would like to see the Thomas brothers move up and Jack show his class
Plus the batting and bowling of Kasey and the absolute enthusiasm of Alfie at taking on more responsibility. Sean Dickson has had a strange season of highs & lows but he has a job to do here and not a lot of time to get it going but he has played with all these guys because of it so... Somerset expects Sean ððž
Migael Pretorius replaces Coetzee in Test squad against West Indies. [www.cricket.com]
Edit - Grockle, you beat me to it.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:25:10:54:35 by Mike TA1.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:25:12:28:24 by cricketjerry-mouse.
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