"Kooka Notts" 2 four days with this lot and this ball


By Grockle
June 29 2025

Lewis, Migael and Josh are not in for this game while Sean, Kasey and Archie are.  Josh may have a niggle, Migael is being 'rested'? We won the toss and have picked Archie so it's a twin spin game.  It's "Kookaburra Key Experiment" month and we play Notts twice with this.  Let's hope it performs better than it did in Birmingham 

CC1 v Nottinghamshire  Taunton Sunday 29 June 2025

The second game of this year with the 'Australian' ball after the slow march that was Edgbaston.  We see it twice against this opposition as the middle phase of the Championship sees us play Notts here and at Trent Bridge at the end of July with the 'Rob Key' experiment ball (nope I don't know why this continues on English wickets either).

Somerset won the toss and have decided to bat - which suggests we may have picked a spinning wicket which is also suggested by the team selection;

Dickson (not in the original squad), TKC, Lammonby, Abell, Banton, Rew, Vaughan, Overton, Aldridge, Henry, Leach

Josh Davey is not playing, we think that he may have a niggle.  They may be 'resting' Migael who bowled very well in Birmingham but he was bowled into the ground in the second innings.  Kasey is in and needs a performance and Archie is in so they may hope for something from the pitch.  Again it didn't happen all that much in Birmingham.

We are on the pitch at 11am as Dickson and TKC face Abbas first from the MT.  KTC takes 5 from him and then Hutton opens from the River. At 10, Sean comes down the wicket to Hutton and misses a straight one.  He returns to the dressing room for 0 at 10 for 1 and Tom Lammonby is in a little earlier than he was last Sunday.

It doesn't get better as Lammonby wanders down the wicket and flips the ball to Kishan off Hutton for 2.  He's caught behind and we are 22 for 2. In comes James Rew at 4 again after doing this at Birmingham.

On we go but as we think that things are settling into stable batting progress, TKC slightly misjudges an Abbas delivery and gets an edge to Kishan to leave the field at 46 for 3 for 31.  Not a great start as we pass 50 in the 16th but with 3 bats back in the hutch.  James Rew on 10 and Tom Abell on 2 with a resetting job to do both sides of the lunch break as Hutton and Abbas continue.

The bowling change comes with the 18th as Liam Patterson-White comes on with spin from the River end.  It will probably be a double change as both Hutton and Abbas have bowled first spells of 9.  He goes for 2 and  Lyndon James does take over at the MT from Abbas.  

The 50 partnership between Rew and Abell arrives at 96 from 81 balls with 7 fours as Farhan Ahmed comes on to bowl from the MT.  His prep before the run up is very strange - almost "slip fielder is told he has to bowl".  The 100 arrives just before the bats walk off for Lunch.  Abell has 17 from 56 and Rew has 41 from 62.

Patterson-White starts the afternoon after a very pleasant and 'festival' like lunchtime on this "County Cricket Sunday".  After him Abbas is back at the pavilion after his 1 for 24 first 9 over spell.  The score moves on as our keeper looks at an individual half ton appearing on the horizon.  Tom Abell is there is the usual supporting role but he has found it very hard to get the ball off the square for more than one game and is in dire need of a ininngs with a bit more 'expansion' in it.  He looks solid but can't cut the shackles presently.

After the 40th over of the innings the score has not exactly belted along to 112 when Hutton returns to replace Abbas from the Marcus T.  Abell breaks the chains and straight drives him to the boundary for four.  It goes under the covers in front of the pavilion and the Notts bowler had to walk all the way to the boundary to find it under the blue tarpauline before walking back to his mark.  At the end of the over, Rew moves to 49 with a flick to the Somerset stand rope.  He moves through with a single from the spinner at 123 for 3. A 50 from 86 balls with 8 fours.

Ahmed changes ends to the River.  With 50 overs left in the day, the score has moved on to 138 for 3 with a current partnership of 92 and the two Somerset men are looking to push the score on against the young spinner.  James returns to the Pavilion for the 49th and Rew drives one back which James keeps hold of and the 99 run partnership does not reach three figures at 145 for 4.  Rew walks back with a score of 58 C&B'd James 

In comes Tom Banton another bat in need of runs.  At 156 Tom A moves to 49 before he takes the single from James to go to a 126 ball 50 (5 fours) at 157.  The over ends at that score.

In the next James over Bants is dropped in the slips on 2 at 163 by the guy who then comes on to bowl at the River - Liam Patterson-White.  The next problem however is an ususual one because as we move towards Tea the ground suddenly becomes inundated with gulls who collect n the outfield and are disturbed by anything going alng the ground.  We did wonder what the umpires would do but we carry one as if they aren't there.  At 179 however the cricket takes over again as Patterson-White gets Abell caught behind for 64 from 166 (down the legside once again).  We weren't sure but Tom walks.   In comes Archie Vaughan as Abbas returns to the pavilion end just before the Tea interval.

The interval comes at 185 for 5 with Vaughan on 4 and Banton has 12.

Hutton starts the third session of Day 1.  The theory abut the gulls is that there is a plague of flying ants or some other insects out there because after being cleared by the spectators they have returned 2 overs into the thrid session in some numbers.  Meanwhile Somerset move towards 200 though few pairs have looked particularly comfortable during the day.  Archie brings up the 200 along the ground to the Caddyshack.  202 for 5 bringing him to 12 while Bants has moved to 18 when James returns for the 69th at 204.

For the 75th of the day Ahmed returns to the MT at 224 for 5  The 50 partnership arrives at 216 and the two men then move on and get us to the first bonus point at 250 before Archie chops at one a bit close to him and he is caught by Haynes off the bowling by Abbas for 35 at that score.  In comes Kasey with a job to do.

In the 87th Abbas is having trouble because it seems the plague of insects that attracted the gulls were flying ants and he pulls up twice trying to finish his over - they are all over the place.  With the aid of a bit of water he gets the job done wth Aldridge still to get off the mark while his partner is 2 from an individual 50 from 100 balls at 260 for 6.

Hutton is bowling from the River end.   Bants gets to 50 with a double from the 3rd of the 88th.  It has come from 103 balls (5 fours) and is probably his most settled innings since the record Worcestershire innings.  He hasn't looked out of form but the runs simply have not come since that flood of them.  Now the job is to be there in the morning - to survive the 8 overs left in the day's play.  That probably means 'mentoring' Kasey while he gets off the mark (somethng he has yet to do).  That happens with a glanced shot down to the Botham for two in the middle of the 89th.

Patterson-White is back at the River.  With 5 overs to go we have 269 for 6. James comes back to fnish the day off and we seem to  have learned that the job is done toda and the objective is to be there tomorrow morning as both bats take few chances.  Patterson-White bowls the last (96th) at 272 for 6 with Kasey on 4 (34) and Banton 56 (124).  He takes 1 from the fourth and Kasey scrabbles two from the fifth.  They finish at 275 for 6 with Bants  adding 1 and Kasey adding 2.

A good attritional day with Notts bowling well and Somerset losing it and getting it back on a pretty regular basis.  We should be looking at a score over 300 before we end and 350 should be within our sights given where we are now.  An interesting day and another interesting morning tomorrow.

Day 2

Loadsa kids in the ground for the enxt couple of days - great to see - I think its about 2 to 3000 invited in for this game.  We look to push this score on to the mid 300s before we ask Notts to come ouot and chase it.  Banton  and Aldridge saw the late attack off last night and come out to face in glorious sunshine this morning against Abbas - who bowled extremely well from the Pavilion end all day Sunday and Hutton who asked questions from both ends throughout Day 1.  It is Abbas who tastes early blood in his second over of the morning (the 99th)  when Kasey (who had added 1 to his own score) finds one zipping off his defensive stroke to McCann at second slip and Somerset are 286 for 7.

This brings the skipper to the crease in the form of Craig Overton with the first job of helping the man with the runs to move the score on to 300 and then, with a bit of luck and a prayer or two, progressing to that 350 plus score that this strip probably needs for a competitive game.  

They achieve the first objective in the 103rd over from Abbas as Overton pulls the ball to the fine leg boundary which is stopped by a great effort from Hutton... not a chance but a good defensive parry.  It is probably too late to move on by 50 runs in the 6 overs left to the 110 over line so we probably have our quota of batting bonus points for this game with 2.

Nevertheless the pair look to push it on in the hope they may get close and they reach 330 by the end of the 110th.  Almost as a sort of "Right that's it"statement, Hutton geets the second of the 111th over to come in and he catches the skipper LBW in front for 24 from 36 at 330 for 8.  Tom Banton is on 82 and he is joined by Matt Henry with about an hour before the end of the first session.

The number 10 starts quietly as Notts bring Patterson-White into the attack.  Henry decides he has had enough of a look ant he deposits the spinner quite a distance into the Hildreth to go to 8. 

Then a decision by Banton, who backs himself to get the specific stroke right, to reverse sweep does not come off and he is caught by Abbas at backward point (placed for that stroke) for 84 from 178.  He does play it well but he did not need to do that then!!  He should have hit it straight as he was seeing it like a football.  He gave them that one I'm afraid.  340 for 9 and Jack is in as the last man.  The point made on the livestream is that Banton was dropped by the bowler on 2 and so he made the best of the lluck he had.  There was a hundred there for him and he simply did not make them GET his wicket.  However, he needed some runs in the middle so 84 of them is a good thing for us.

Mattdef Henry seems to have decided to hit out as he moves to 16 from 16 with consecutive fours from Hutton in the 115th.  Jack will happily support him if he fancies this as a single takes the score to 349.  Henry under-edges a sweep to the Somerset boundary to take the score over to 353 off the spinner.  He then slogs a one bounce four straight to the Botham over the bowler's head.  He then doesn't quite get enough on one to the Hildreth but Joe Clarke spills it on the boundary as they move to 360 for 9.  Leach deftly glances one behind him to the pavilion rope showing he is a bat. Notts look to tempt Henry with spin at both ends as Ahmed comes on from the Pavilion.  His first is belted into the Ondaatje for a six and runs come from the next as Ahmed takes cover to one that comes back at him.  Henry has moved to 35 from 23 while Jack simply defends.  Ahmed continues with the 119th and his first is glanced down to the Botham for four.  He then takes the single to move to 41.  That is where it stops however as Jack sends a leading edge back to the young spinner.  He goes for 6 at 379 all out.

A little spell of about 15 mins before lunch for Notts to face isn't too bad either.  Slater and Hameed worked the problem and professionally took their county to lunch on 14 for 0 against overs from Matt Henry and Jack Leach.

In the afternoon Grockles was not at the game for other reasons and so the rest of the report for Day 2 comes from the scorecard and the livestream.  One could say it was a "Kookaburra" afternoon.  Leaving the game at the lunch interval you could have been forgic=ven for thinking the afternoon session might be exciting and might take the game to an intersting position by the start of Tuesday.  Just after the return to the middle with 10 overs completed, Henry got one past Hasseb's bat and Rew took the catch at 38 of which the opener had made 24.  As the commentary said, there is a lot of similarity between the efforts of Henry and his countepart Abbas... though the Kiwi is a yard faster at least.  Exciting start to the session.

However, it took another 20 overs and the addition of 66 runs before another breakthrough when Archie Vaughan got another past McCann into the keeper's hands at 104 for 2 with the third ball of his first over.  Not a lot was happening in the session before Tea which came some 7 overs later at 124 for 2 (39 overs).  While all that happened, Slater had moved onto 65 (118 balls) with his new partner Clarke on 14 (from 28).

So what was expected after the interval?  Not much it seems and pretty much what was expected actually happened!!  In 32 overs after the Tea interval and 71 in the Notts innings so far, the last wicket of the day came in the 46th with the return of Jack Leach to the attack who had Clarke driving at one and offering a leading edge to the hands of Overton as the only slip.  The score was 143 for 3, Clarke went for 18 from 47 and his partner was up to 80 from 137.  Haynes replaced him.

From then on, the only real thing was that  Michael Slater got his 100 with a four in the 57th over from 171 balls at 171 for 3.  The ton included 14 fours.  From there until the day ending 14 overs later, Notts added 45 runs to move to 214.  Haynes had managed 34 from the 66 balls he faced and Slater had moved to 116 from 224 balls faced.  They trail Somerset by 165 runs so they are 15 from avoiding the follow on!! This game is a day from avoiding the boredom of another Day 4 with this idiotic ball choice.  We have 2 more of these before the "August of Franchise Joy". 

We have to hope that tomorrow makes this fixture more than just a couple of sides turning up for a four day knockabout without the chance of any kind of result.  Scores elsewhere about the place suggest we didn't have a bad day of it!!! 

Day 3

Jack Leach opens the day from the River and it becomes a double spin opening when Archie comes on from the pavilion.  With a Haynes four in the 75th Notts save the follow on at 229 for 3.  It's not exactly spitting this morning I'm afraid.   We are waiting for scoring targets and Leach gives Slater his arm ball and gets an outside edge as the bat plays inside it and he is bowled for 124 at 235 for 4 (345 balls and 12 fours).  In comes Kishan with Haynes on 48.

The 50 comes up off 92 balls at 244 and that is followed by a Kishan hook for six into the Hildreth stand.  This results in a search for another ball so it probably cleared the stand and splashed into the Tone.  Which is a bit of a surprise as the ball was the new one (80.5 balls)  So maybe they only have one new Kooka?

The new one is then delivered by Leach looking to get something from this one as the 250 arrives in the 82nd.  Archie is replaced by Henry for the next one and a very good one it is to.  Meanwhile Kishan is taking Jack on at the other end.  He definitely is not averse to hitting out when the opportunity presents.  Maybe Leach should check whether he knows one situation from another and will hit out when it isn't warranted as well?

We all thought that Jack had Kishan at 270 for 4 when the Notts keeper seemed to snick it behind, the umpire however was not as impressed and the game goes n with four wickets down and Kishan still there on 22.  Craig takes over from Matt in the 90s with Haynes moving slowly forward and Kishan still willing to take the ball on.  The spin continues with Archie coming n for the 94th at 281.

The 50 partnership arrives at 287 with Haynes on 70 and Kishan producing the boundary down to the Hildreth that moves him to 29 (from 53) and the partnership to 52.  The 300 arrives in the 98th as Haynes reaches 79 and Kishan has 33 off Vaughan.  The Notts pair both seem to be keen to target Archie for quick pre-lunch runs but he is fighting back and showing some steel against the aggression.

Nevertheless at Lunch Ishan Kishan has reached 50 from the last ball of the session moving to 53 from 83 (4 fours and 2 sixes) and cutting the Somerset lead to 57.  Haynes has 81 from 154 and Notts are 322 for 4.

After lunch Notts pass 333 in the 106th over with Vaughan changing ends and Kasey getting a run from the River.  Archie has bowled 25 with 1 for 79.  Kasey has bowled 9 for 54.  The 100 partnership (102 from 173 balls) arrives during the over as Haynes moves into the 90s with a four.  Kasey stands with hands on his head as Kishan gloves it down the legside.  It carries to Rew but he doesn't get enough glove on it and it is grounded with the Notts man on 60.  9 times out of 10 and all that!!  At 108.4 overs Notts are 4 away from the next batting point and to add insult to injury Kishan is dropped again by Craig Overton at first slip on 65.  You would bet on him holding that but he didn't.  Kasey gets something back as he holds Kishan on 347 in the 110th so no next bonus point!! Little victories, though we only get 1 bowling bonus point at the same time.  An excellent aggressive over from the young Somerset bowler.

Inevitably the 350 arrives at the end of the 111th over with Haynes looking at a century in four runs time which he gets with the first ball of the next. 11 fours and 1 six in his 176 century at 354 for 4. 

At 373 Jack gets another wicket as Kishan is caught by Tom Abell off an inside edge onto the pad and caught at short leg for 77 after a good aggressive innings off 83 balls.  Notts are still behind so it is another small victory.  In comes James to face the rest of the 119th.

There is a bit of light at the end of the Kookaburra tunnel as Jack starts to get a bit of turn before the Tea interval though Notts have finally moved ahead at 382.  However, at the same time we see the desperation of the position as we move to the left hand of Tom Lammonby from the pavilion for the 123rd in search of variation.

The 127th over brings up the Notts 400 off Lammonby via the bat of Haynes (113) with his partner James on 18 and with half an hour to go before Tea and about 40 overs to go in the day the books are being opened to check the highest scores Notts have made against Somerset.  The highest is in the 580s but the second highest is just over 100 runs away from where we are now at 518.  Both are probably in the realms of possibility given that Notts will be looking to bat this game out and declare on a single score in the hopes of bowling Somerset out without having to return to the crease sometime towards the end of Day 4.

Kasey is back on to bowl the last over before Tea and the sides walk in for the break with the visitors on 431 for the loss of 5 wickets.  Haynes has 128 from 245 balls and James has reached 34 from the 56 he has faced.  There are 32 overs left in the day and little hope that Somerset will be batting tonight based on the last session's pyrotechnics!!

Matt Henry starts the last session of Day 3 and the score moves on by 2 before CraigO gets the ball at the MT. With 30 overs to go in the day, going at 2 runs an over, the Notts score will be somewhere near 500 by the close of play and who is to say it won't be for the loss of 5 wickets as the ball is doing very little of anything.  It's a sort of replay of Birmingham last week.

The 450 arrives in the 142nd over with 26 to go so Notts are on target for that 500 by the end of play target.  Haynes is moving towards 150 and James must be looking for a 50.  The current partnership is 77.  Present bowlers are Matt on 97 for 1 from his 24 and Craig with 64 for no wicket off his 22.  The schoolkids have all gone home and the long suffering local suport are settling down to watch this day out.   The sun is out, the sky has high cloud but is mostly blue and there is Sweet Faith Arkwright happening to move this game on at any kind of pace with 4 sessions left of the contest.   

James reaches 50 first from 87 balls with 7 fours at 467 for 5.  Jack is back into the attack with 20 overs to go to add to his 45 overs 6 maidens 3 for 99. James makes that 100 runs with his third and Jack Haynes goes to a maiden 150 from 187 balls with 15 fours and 2 sixes (he has adjudged NOT LBW without scoring today!!).  The 100 partnership arrives with a crisp four from Haynes to the Ondaatje to move the score to 475.

Haynes tries a sweep and misses the ball and is caught in front LBW for 157 at 478.  Jack gets 4 as Liam Patterson-White arrives to partner James.  If anyone wonders, Patterson-White got a first class hundred a couple of weeks ago!!  Archie is also returned to the Pavilion end to hopefully tie the new man down. as the lead passes 100 at 480.

At 483 Archie has Patterson-White dragging his foot out and some sharp work from Rew stumps him, given out by the square leg umpire.  In comes Hutton to hold back the Somerset fightback!!  The Notts spinner is out for 1. 

With 10 overs to go until the close, Notts are within 12 of the 500 runs with 3 wickets left to fall. 

And guess what?  They do!!  Notts do make it to 500 for 7 but Archie and Jack keep to their task and with the help of each other and the very safe hands of Craig Overton they finally get results.

At 504 for 7 in the 162nd over  Jack gets one to move and take the edge from Hutton and it is pouched by the skipper at first slip.  Hutton goes for 12 from 38 and the Somerset spinner has a five-fer for 121.  504 for 8 becomes 509 for 9 4 balls into the 163rd when Ahmed, the new man, looks to drive a delivery from Archie which is caught in the covers by... Jack Leach.  James has 66 but out comes the last man Abbas with 4.2 overs of the day remaining and a lead of 130.

The first ball of the 164th ends the innings after some discussion about a very low catch taken by the Somerset skipper off Leach in a repeat of the 8th wicket.  Abbas is happy it carried and the replay confirms it.  Notts are all out without enough time to get Somerset in to face again tonight (effectively one over left).  Jack finishes with 6 for 121 and the day ends with the visitors innings!!  

BUT it doesn't (nearly missed this).  The one over left has to be faced so TKC and nightwatchman Matt Henry come out to face 6 balls from Patterson-White.  Henry faces the over (quite rightly).  He cuts the second ball to the boundary.  Not necessary but if the ball is loose enough?  Unfortunately he tries to do the same to the fourth ball when it isn't there to cut and he is bowled!!

Thrown the wicket away then Matt when all you needed to do is see the day out and let us go in with the psychological advantage?  No?  Well it's done now isn't it?  Somerset finish at 4 for 1 and the Notts players go into tomorrow feeling positive.

Day 4 will starts with Somerset 126 behind with 9 wickets left and a day to make something of this game win lose or save it.  The win is highly unlikely.  The draw is very possible though the ball seems to be starting to turn and the loss is still on the cards until the end of Wednesday's play.

See you in the morning!! 

Day 4

Dickson joins his new opening partner for the start of the last day after that strange last over on Tuesday night.  Somerset are 4 for 1 with 96 over to be bowled today some 126 runs shy of Notts first score.  Abbas and Patterson-White are the new ball attack in a very sunny (wasn't earlier but is now) but sparsely attended last CC1 day.  Patterson-White is getting some turn this morning with a bit of bounce as well.  For the doom and gloom mongers - the lowest score Somerset have made against Notts at Taunton is 62 in 1931 :-) 

There is a little bit of a breeze today to add to the conditions and there is some bounce coming from somewhere to add to the woes of the home side.  After 5 overs the partnership is still the same and they have moved the score on to 15 without further loss.

Patterson-White bowls his quicker one (it's a fair delivery any time) and he has Dickson with a ball that turns off his back pad and he is found LBW stuck in the crease for 6 at 18 for 2.  Lammonby comes in, leaves the first one which goes past his off stump by a coat of varnish.  It's not going to be an easy day for the home side people.  Get the prayer mats out and watch for Patterson-White best figures against us of 5 for 41!!

10 overs down and 28 for 2 on the board with Lammonby on 7 from 14 and TKC on 11 from 22.  At which point Tom Lammonby holes out pulling to the only fielder in front of the Caddyshack on the leg side. Ahmed was the fielder... the only fielder so one would like to ask "Why play THAT shot on THIS day".  Patterson-White has 3 for 17.

In comes James Rew and we need one of his long innings today of all days or this game could be over around the middle of the second session.  The conditions create a bowling change as Farhan Ahmed replaces Abbas for the 12th over from the Pavilion after having seen what the spinner has got from the other end. 

At 15 overs and courtesy of a huge TKC six which bounced off the third level 'garden shed' Media floor in the MT Somerset have moved to 48 for 3.  We go to 54 with another even bigger TKC six which put the supporters in the higher stand on the MT in danger.   It's interesting to watch how a spinner who as been 'lamped' a couple of times takes the situation and whether they come back or not because it is highly unlikely that TKC will stop if he thinks the boundaries are there.  Ahmed nearly has him caught trying to cut a ball not there for it which goes to the slip but NOT off the bat in the 16th and it ends at 59 for 3 with TKC on 33 from 36. 

Another one takes TKC to 45 (from 44 balls)  and a 50 partnership from 52 balls.  That six went over the top of the Commentary box into the Jack White car park!!  About 4 minutes later the ball arrives in the commentary box having been retrieved from under a white van!!  After 20 overs it is 79 for 3 with Rew on 15 from 32 and TKC on 46 at a run a ball.

Hutton replaces Ahmed from the MT for the first time today.  He holds the batting side to 1 and keeps TKC under 50 for a little longer (hopefully). He goes past that score and Somerset are 112 at lunch without any more wickets going down.

It doesn't continue that way however as another Somerset bat insists on playing those  'chance' shots.  Rew looks to sweep Patterson-White (who has 3 wickets at this time), he fails to connect completely and top edges the ball to Clarke to be dismissed for 43 at 124 for 4.  It came from 86 balkls with 5 fours but we could have done with him staying around and making twice that!!

In comes Tom Abell - does he ever arrive at the crease with not a lot of responsibility on his shoulders?  He helps his partner move the score past the Notts lead and we start to accrue a total that Notts have to get at just after 2pm with some 58 overs of the day to complete if necessary.   

We go past 150 with a glanced Abell four in the 44th.  Tom A goes to 11 from 24 while Tom KC is on 79 from 111 balls.  Patterson-White has bowled unchanged since 11am (22/3/4 for 72) and probably could do with a rest.  Unfortunately TKC has taken a huge liking to young Ahmed and has hit him for the three largest sixes we've seen here.  Notts seem to understand this and are looking to try out McCann from the MT their 20 year old spinner in the hope he can hold things and they can reset around him perhaps.  He does a creditable job with his first, going for a tidy 1.  Meanwhile anything short to TKC is still going miles as the other spinner finds out in the 47th as the ball is lost behind the Hildreth!!

The 50 partnership (104 balls) arrives at 175 for 4 with TKC confidently sweeping for four and moving to 98.  Ahmed is back on at the pavilion and they are trying to tempt TKC to go for it on 99.  He waits and then he slams the ball into the Ondaatje with two bounces for his best 100 for the county.  7 fours and 4 sixes, 139 balls to 104 at 182.  A calm, confident and surprisingly patient innings from a man with all the ability in the world but not always the best shot selection. 

James finally replaces Patterson-White at the River after a marathon 29 over spell unchanged today.  4 for 94 isn't a bad return though to be honest.  James goes for 1 from his first also.  A slow move towards the 200 score takes place with the main question being whether we will make it (from 197) in the 3 overs left before the interval.    The answer is 'NO' because we go off with 34 overs left in the day at 197 for 4 with TKC on 115 from 164 balls while Tom Abell has 19 from 86. 

The 200 arrives in the fourth over after the Tea interval and the general concensus is starting to be that there will be a hsake of hands sometime around 5pm with the sides taking the 8 points for the draw plus 3 bonus points for us and 4 for Notts.

Before then though there is the possiblity of TKC getting a Somerset best as he puts Patterson-White on to the roof of the Botham to go to 121 looking for a score over 130 which he got at Edgbaston a week ago.  Presently 50% of TKCs CC1 innings in 2025 have been over 100!!  Almost Trescothickian in his pomp!!  He equals his best in the 70th with a swept four and then passes it with a single 2 balls later to move his top score for Somerset to 131 and rising.  The partnership between the pair is presently at 95 and Tom Abell has moved to 21!!

Ahmed moves to the River end for the 71st and his first ball finds the boundary.  A single brings up the 100 partnership at 224 for 4.  TKC hits another massive six to the Somerset stand off Ahmed (the 5th) moving himself into the 140s.  McCann is making it a twin spin effort now as he comes on from the MT as the lead passes 3 figures.

And now it is 'jokey' bowling time as Jack Haynes comes on to bowl - it seems he doesn't bowl 'that often'.  His speed is just over 40 miles.  Kashin comes on to bowl at the other end - keeper bowling, you can't beat it!!  Though he does look a bit more like he's bowled before - Haynes?  Not so sure.

They shake hands with TKC on 147 from 196 balls (11` fours and 6 sixes) and his partner finishes with 24 from 126.  A draw at 4:50 with the score on 238 for 4.  The stand was 114 and no one got too much from the a second Kookaburra experiment.  Only two more to go - Whooppeef'ingdoo!!    

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"Kooka Notts" 2x4 days with this lot and this ball
Discussion started by Grockles.com , 29/06/2025 11:08
Grockles.com
29/06/2025 11:08
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Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:06:15:19:20 by Grockle.

Grockle
29/06/2025 11:11
Once more we'll close this thread to comments and kleep them to the other thread already started. This will simply be for updates on the play and then it'll be merged after the game.

(Sm72)

Grockle
27/06/2025 12:40
The strange Rob Key obsessed 4 day games using the Kookaburra ball continue in Taunton on Sunday ( think we play Notts twice with this static cloth rag thing).

We've got to hope our wicket gives more than the Birminghham hybrid strip did. We'll have to ser.

Sunday is County Cricket Day across the country... did people know that?

Nothing yet on squad news. Don't expect any huge changes to be honest though Lewis Gregory may be back in charge.

(Sm72)

Somerset LaLaLa
27/06/2025 21:06
Free tickets at some grounds Leicestershire, Sussex and for kids Glamorgan

Farmer White
27/06/2025 22:02
I received, from recollection, a Somerset CCC members email ('Match Preview' or similar title) and a reminder, indicating that members are entitled to two free tickets for the first day of the match (Sunday) which I successfully obtained by clicking a link in the email and 'purchasing' in the normal way but was not charged.

Farmer

cricketjerry-mouse
28/06/2025 16:52
Lewis Gregory returns to captain Somerset in the Nottinghamshire county championship match tomorrow. Kasey Aldridge is also added to the 11 players on duty for the championship draw against Warwickshire.

Squad: Davey, Kohler-Cadmore, Lammonby, Abell, Banton, Rew, Vaughan, Gregory Aldridge, Overton, Pretorius, Henry, Leach.

Nottinghamshire will be without paceman Dillon Pennington, their leading wicket-taker last summer, who is serving a two-match suspension following a disciplinary hearing during the Yorkshire match in midweek. His place in the squad of 14 is taken by Brett Hutton.

Squad: Hameed (c), Abbas, Ahmed, Clarke, Hayes, Haynes, Hutton, Ishan, James, McCann, McKerr, Montgomery , Patterson-White, Slater.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:06:28:17:04:09 by cricketjerry-mouse.

Grockle
28/06/2025 21:40
Not sure who would make way for Kasey unless there is some rotation going on

He seems to have some kind of reputation for his work with this ball (has he really?)

Can't see there being any change with TKC or Josh Davey if they did do that then why bother? It hasn't been a disaster to be honest so one would assume it will carry on

#Tom Lammonby has pretty much identified himself as the number 3.

Can't see reasons to change Tom Abell, Tom Banton or James Rew and Lewis will return at number 7.

So unless they rest Craig, Matt or Migael KA will miss out.

He may still not get in if they go with the twin spin option in which case both Archie and Jack will be in

(Sm72)

Scrumper
28/06/2025 22:58
Davey could be rested with Gregory and TKC opening. Maybe rest Migael as well.

Railboy1
29/06/2025 10:16
Suspect there will be some pressure from down south to rest Matt.

Wiltshire55
29/06/2025 10:19
Maybe, but if we still have Championship ambitions, surely we won’t rest our best bowler in a game we have to win.

Grockle
29/06/2025 10:41
No Lewis it seems. We wn the toss and are batting first. Both Archie and Kasey are playing. Sean Dickson is in Josh Davey is not.

Dickson, TKC, Lammonby, Abell, BAnton, Rew, Vaughan, Aldridge, Overton, Henry, Leach

Josh didn't bowl much in the second innings in Birmingham so maybe he has a niggle. Sean Dickson was not in the announced squad.

Game is on for 11 but the weather is very overcast and we have probably put them on a spinning deck.

(Sm72)

Loyal of Lhasa
29/06/2025 10:54
Shock! Horror! Win the toss and bat? Declare at 500 at lunch tomorrow.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:06:29:10:55:42 by Loyal of Lhasa.

Grockle
29/06/2025 11:12
Wew think we've out them on a spinner.

We shall see.

(Sm72)

Nailsea_Fizz
29/06/2025 11:46
Batting on a muggy morning against a good attack, lets hope the sun comes out soon.

TKC hitting the middle so far, poor old Dickson never looked happy.

Great crowd.

Grockle
29/06/2025 12:15
TKC got a good one and was looking composed. Sean simply missed a straght one it seems. Not sure that Tom L had to play at the ball he got but whatever the case we are 3 down the wrong side of 50. Not where I'm sure we wanted to be.

Tom Abell and James Rew with a job to do and Tom Banton needs runs today to keep this a game we are in early on.

(Sm72)

Grockle
29/06/2025 13:05
100 for 3 at lunch probably not where they would have liked to have been but we build from here??

(Sm72)

Grockle
29/06/2025 15:55
Larger than usual gull pitch invasion just before Tea but they've let the people on the pitch so they have allfound other places to be!! Must have been a couple of hundred at least in groups all over the outfield.

(Sm72)

Mike TA1
29/06/2025 20:31
Somerset v Nottinghamshire 1st day photos

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/c6b0237a-d7c1-4200-8746-5a5269d1ec21.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Kohler-Cadmore ct Ishan Kishan bld Mohammed Abbas

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/0bb77300-aa09-4ff2-805a-2c3ddb99edfe.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Banton 4 runs

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/cda5cd60-44db-4775-a03d-2b2389c02fbb.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Banton

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/dc38bc44-7420-43ce-bda0-29afbab5e123.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Sean Dickson lbw Brett Hutton

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/88bb7979-243e-49fd-847d-0fb82b4c1b0d.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
James Rew c&b Lyndon James

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/91fe9b47-1a9a-4bf7-9ae1-8059ff68e599.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
James Rew 4 runs

The day ended up better than we thought it was going to at one point.

Somerset LaLaLa
29/06/2025 20:35
Looking good. Plenty of ways to score big, but when they bat Kooka Notts will make our bowlers toil. New (type of) balls please

Grizzers
29/06/2025 21:01
Enjoyable, if slightly soporific day.

Not sure what was behind the omissions of Messrs Davey & Pretorius, but we batted pretty doggedly, without ever dominating.

Good to see Tom Banton get a score, the moreso perhaps as it was distinctly un-Bantonesque. (How he bats in the heat wearing a sweater is beyond me !).

Lammers sometimes reminds me of Gower. Supremely talented and makes batting look so easy at times, yet at others, prone to soft dismissals.

Notts bowled with great discipline, which we’ll have to mirror in the heat tomorrow.

Grizzers

wsm fan
29/06/2025 22:35
3000+ crowd today.

Yet on June29 that was the last day of 1st xi cricket on a weekend this season (unless we get our home T20 quarter final on the Saturday slot)

sfwithers
30/06/2025 09:35
Is this the return of the dibbly-dobbler?

I watched a chunk of this on the live stream and those bowling speeds...

[www.theguardian.com]

Grockle
30/06/2025 10:10
Info ref probable reasons for ommisions are on the frontpage, gleened from pressbox info. Not 'facts' (though we tried) but highly probable suggestions.

(Sm72)

Mike TA1
30/06/2025 19:53
Somerset v Nottinghamshire 2nd day photos

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/95c6fc09-abd8-4e7b-92a2-8008d2e39b4d.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Matt Henry 6 runs

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/18910e64-7c51-49eb-9183-13dfeb5c2cd7.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Haseed Hameed ct James Rew bld Matt Henry

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/cc522993-dd31-41d7-86b9-c3194f1551dd.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Craig Overton leg glance 4 runs

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/784bcc4a-a555-4518-a4ca-5999fdf55cbf.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Ben Slater

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/2783ef6f-3c30-4a68-b7f4-a176b94a8e23.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Ben Slater 4 runs

Hard work bowling, spin has done us proud, are we a bowler short, Matt and Craig can't do all the work.

Bagpuss
30/06/2025 20:44
This match is the Somerset-styled "Festival of Red Ball Cricket" and whilst I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment, the <actual> red ball in use does not need celebrating and I wouldn't be surprised if after these four midsummer matches the bowlers collect any remaining examples from the Caddick pavilion storecupboard, march them up to the top of Glastonbury Tor and sacrifice them to the cricketing gods.

Grockle
30/06/2025 22:34
Wasn't there for most of the play today. Looking at the livestream in the evening and having been up to Edgbaston last week I can't say I was sorry to miss the "exciting cut and thrust" of Day 2!!!

The weather says hot and sunny for 2 days. The score says unless there are some real surprises tomorrow we need a gambling declaration to make a game of this and I can't day I expect that to come and this will peter out into another "Kookaburra" draw

Thanks Rob Key and I hope I am wrong by 1pm tomorrow afternoon!!

(Sm72)

Des Platt
30/06/2025 22:44
Spot on Bagpuss. Pity that some of these Kookaburra games are at outgrounds too where you may get non regular supporters along. I hardly think they will be enthralled but maybe that is the ECB’s idea.

I have certainly given up my plan to go to Cheltenham for Gloucester v Lancs.

Grockle
01/07/2025 11:14
Follow on saved people!!

(Sm72)

Shepton Paul 2
01/07/2025 13:11
Notts 322-4 at lunch, just 57 behind. From the commentary I’ve heard this morning, I get the impression they could easily be 6/7 down, not that we’ve dropped catches but just not got decisions our way. Is that fair?

Grockle
01/07/2025 13:40
There was a call against Kishan which was 'close'

(Sm72)

dilly
01/07/2025 15:04
I wonder what the hundreds of school children who have attended the match over the last two days make of the game of cricket? Let us hope that it has not put put them off for life.

Grockle
01/07/2025 15:14
Well they certainly won't be remembering the sound of the clatter of wickets.

(Sm72)

Somerset LaLaLa
01/07/2025 17:13
Good practice using this ball for the Ashes. And how many who will be selected for Australia are playing in this round?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:01:17:14:05 by Somerset LaLaLa.

Grockle
01/07/2025 17:16
As someone suggested on Twitter;

If you want them to practice with this ball then why not use it in the Tests v India? (Well besides that fact that the Indian bats would love it!!) (Sm22)

(Sm72)

Grizzers
01/07/2025 18:33
Sigh.

Mike TA1
01/07/2025 19:23
Somerset v Nottinghamshire 3rd day photos.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/96a26999-feb5-44e2-a2f9-98a13d79205a.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Jack Haynes shout for lbw not given – One of many lbw shouts not given, I counted about four shouts from Jack.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/73ac3f59-7a16-4327-979d-d73d11c5f9ce.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Jack Haynes 100

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/e8354f95-9082-452d-9b36-5200cc5da19c.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Jack Haynes 50

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/9b512be7-9204-41c1-a998-d5acdeb3bc12.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Ishan Kisham

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/9157f724-7566-4210-adf8-ee63fb5ee70e.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Ishan Kisham near miss – Craig doesn't miss many so maybe this wasn't a chance!

Uphill battle tomorrow for Somerset.
On another note I was surprised Notts missed out on another batting point, was Haynes playing for his 100?

Farmer White
01/07/2025 19:29
By the sound of the endless cacophony of chatter from the Priory Bridge Road and Ondaatje Stands which reached the top of the Trescothick Pavilion I am not sure they found the cricket overly distracted them from enjoying themselves!

Farmer

Grockle
01/07/2025 21:10
They seemed pretty happy at lunchtime

(Sm72)

Bagpuss
01/07/2025 21:34
If the ECB think that the thing that will help England win the Ashes in Australia (let's face it, that's what this is about) is for England's bowlers to develop the skills required to take wickets in Australia with a Kookaburra ball, they should've taken a group of current and potential England bowlers - of pace and spin - and some batters, a keeper or two - out to Australia in Dec/January to play in the conditions that England will play the Ashes in, on the type of pitches that England will play the Ashes on. Instead they've tossed the ball to the counties who mostly are having to make the best of bowling with a potato on slow, flat pitches with little in the way of bounce and outfield that don't roughened up the ball enough for reverse swing (in retrospect, the Taunton outfield may look lovely and green but maybe it would've been better if the groundsman had mislaid the sprinkler for a few weeks before Nitts arrived).

Oh, and if Team England are really serious about winning the Ashes down under rocking up in Oz a week before the first Test and playing a 14-a-side warm up match, an exhibition 50 over match and about a dozen rounds of golf might nit be the best acclimatisation.

Grockle
01/07/2025 21:48
Ref not getting the other batting point Mike. That was all down to Kasey Aldridge who held Kishan in check with an aggressive 110the over which did not allow him to get Haynes on strike or get the 3 runs required.

#It's all in the Day 3 report (Sm101)

(Sm72)

wsm fan
01/07/2025 21:55
Rumour is he didn't know the rules about bonus points, hence the lack of urgency when on 347 in that 110th over.....

dilly
01/07/2025 21:58
Yes, in regard the school children, being out in the sunshine for a day is better than Double Algebra (or whatever they are taught these days) but it wasn't the cricket that enthused them, I'm pretty sure.

Grockle
01/07/2025 22:15
Ref the bonus point.

Kishan hadn't been backward at scoring forward but he simply didn't get the chance for most of the over whether he knew what was going on or not. They took a single off the first ball and his partner had plenty of time to come down and tell him if they thought he didn't know.

(Sm72)

Somerset LaLaLa
01/07/2025 23:21
The contest for the bonus point was perhaps the most exciting over of the day. And we won it!

Railboy1
02/07/2025 00:06
So how many opening bats have we now deployed this season?

Grizzers
02/07/2025 10:26
Too many.

Grockle
02/07/2025 11:01
Well Dickson and TKC was number 27 first innings opening partnership since Banger retired. Not sure how many more are added as 2nd innings pairings with bowlerz holding the line at the end of a day.

(Sm72)

Grockle
02/07/2025 11:25
Patterson white is getting the ball to move and bounce this morning... could be a very nervous first session for the home side!! Dickson has already been fooled and left his back pad in front of middle stump and Lammonby nearly saw his off stump go to his first ball.

(Sm49) Squeeky bum time people!!

(Sm72)

Nailsea_Fizz
02/07/2025 11:33
Difficult to see us getting passed Tea at the moment.

A very fidgety morning ahead.

Grockle
02/07/2025 11:45
Doesn't need to be 'fidgety' if we play shots like Mr Lammonby. "Tom see if you can put it into the hands of the ONLY fielder on that side of the ground when we need to BAT ALL DAY!" What's more, "try it with a pull shot".

They may be facing dual spin all day at this rate.

(Sm72)

Grizzers
02/07/2025 12:02
I love watching Tom Lammonby bat, but that's twice in this game that he's given his wicket away.

Arrrrghhh.

Grizzers

Grockle
02/07/2025 15:15
That's the best ton TKC has produced for us - class and confidence when required.

He has adapted the way he bats from the "accept I play one way" days.

(Sm72)

Grockle
02/07/2025 15:18
Patterson-White has bowled unchanged today 29 overs 3 maidens 94 for 4

(Sm72)

Nailsea_Fizz
02/07/2025 15:54
Tea and beyond, fine knock for TCK.

Marvelous stuff.

Grizzers
02/07/2025 17:21
Yes, excellent concentration and patience by TK-C, plus James & Tom A..

Kudos also to our bowlers for toiling and sticking at it through the intense heat of days 2 & 3.

The ECB on the other hand, should once again be sent to the corner of the room to wear the dunces hat, for their ridiculous Kookaburra 'experiment'.

Grizzers

Bagpuss
02/07/2025 17:37
If the ECB need further evidence of the folly of their midsummer madness, just send them the video of Sam Curran at the Oval bowling left arm spin (spoiler: I don't think Jack Leach has anything to worry about).

Mike TA1
02/07/2025 18:47
Somerset v Nottinghamshire 4th day photos

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/2413a90f-1edd-400b-a152-1747e47d535b.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Lammonby ct Farhan Ahmed bld Liam Patterson-White

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/014d2a8d-eef5-40be-87a3-751a9efc0869.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Kohler-Cadmore

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/ab1fe8c3-9745-42f4-b290-591cfa4a8af5.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Kohler-Cadmore 6 runs

https://hosting.photobucket.com/91744cf7-1a04-40bb-806b-5cac706c25f9/e2f94bb1-6a18-4373-bd65-504c85a07e16.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
Tom Abell

Shot selection!! Draw was better than losing.

That Bloke With The Dog
02/07/2025 20:54
A big well done to TKC. I particularly liked his decision to target Farhan Ahmed early on. We saw yesterday how Leach and Vaughan eventually ran through Notts, simply via the huge number of overs they were able to get through. TKC took the decision to smash Farhan out of the attack and put paid to that danger. Plus, runs were important today, not just taking up time. We had to get a lead, and TKC vs Farhan was always going to provide us with a few of those runs.

A tremendously clever and measured innings by TKC.

Devonboy70
02/07/2025 22:09
Well played TKC . Perhaps the selectors will finally realise that Sean Dickson is not the answer at the top end in a CC match . I know that that’s what the intention was when he came to the club but how many times does it take for them to realises . Bring back Andy Umeed , he’s had few opportunities this season .

Railboy1
02/07/2025 23:48
Surely if we have given Will Smeed a red ball contract the time has come to see if he can contribute in this format. Suspect the Kookaburra would have suited him in a similar way to TKC.

Grockle
03/07/2025 10:54
Ben Green, Lewis Goldsworthy, Jt Langridge, Josh Thomas, Jake Ball, Alfie Ogborne, Andy Umeed all have red ball contracts as well. I'm sure some of those players would also benefit from the Aussie version of the red ball.

Question is, who do you drop to put them in and are they ready to play the game in the role you want them to? There is at least one opener spot up for grabs but there is also a change in the type of ball coming at the end of the season.

Is Will any more ready to take up the challenge than he was before he went to a white ball contract when he was playing more cricket and still wasn't a red ball option?

No problem with giving him a go WHEN he is going to be an asset in the team but you would hope the selectors would want to give him a decent period of time in the position they pick him for (though it doesn't seem to always be consistently applied at Taunton - loadsa Sean, not so for Andy or LewisG Jr, loadsa Kasey not so much Ben G)

We lose a whole lot of people in August and they tend to come back damaged or knackered so I'm sure there will be a Will Smeed Championship appearance before the end of the season.

There's probably more of a case for us to get a contract on the U19 England captain and get him into a side perhaps? Thomas Rew is going to have an eventful August one would expect IF the franchise harpies don't nick him first.

SStill the bigger question is probably - When the internationals go (Henry back to NZ and Meredith to the Franchise) who is going to bowl in the September CC1 games if Overton and Davey are knackered or crocked? And what about next year? Where is our NEXT seam attack coming from?

When is a good area of speculation and whether he will be good at it is also a debate.

(Sm72)

Shepton Paul 2
03/07/2025 11:14
It’s great that we have a number of players of whom some are saying “give him a go” - Umeed, Goldsworthy, Green, etc - probably some even think Dickson should have more chances. That’s how it should be.

Personally I’d give Alfie Ogborne a go soon, ahead of Aldridge and Davey for example.

Grockle
03/07/2025 12:02
We are going to have to give some of our young bowlers 'a go' soon because the domestic first team regulars we presently have in the side are looking at little threadbare around the edges in terms of wickets. No criticism of the workload or the general tightness of the product but the stumps aren't flying as much as they did and we possibly need an injection of 'young blood' to take the pressure off and start a revival of domestic based skittling.

BUT... we have 5 'backup' (with the greatest respect) seam options.

We are loaning out Jake and we probably won't keep him after the summer (though we may very well use him quite a lot in August and September hence the loans) simply from an age point of view (though it's not a deal breaker for us is it?).

We are loaning out Ben and that is working well for him and Leicestershire but what does that mean for his future at Taunton. Again we may ask a lot of him in the back end of the season but why should he look at continuing in Somerset into his next contract?

We are using Kasey as a fourth seam option but from a consistency and progression point of view is he any further along as being seen as a successor/option for our present frontline attack? He will again get opportunities in the last months of the season to be prominent but has it gone well up to now when that has been the case? Has it gone well often enough?

Alfie has been 'dallied' with but not used extensively. He has given glimpses when used and has been doing well in the seconds but what does that tell us? Is he doing well in the seconds because he hasn't made the level jump or do we need to use him more in the firsts to confirm the jump has been made. We've had a number of guys come through who have not kicked on, have left and have then done 'OK' at CC2 counties. Is Alfie another one of them or a 'diamond in the rough'? We need to find out and pretty damn soon I'd suggest.

JT was introduced and got a tapping from Pritvi Shaw and Pujara to a lesser amount in 2023, was injured in 2024 and seem to have come back stronger and wiser so the question is what does that mean to his future with us and when do we introduce him if he is a prospect? Is it a second go in the Metro50 and re-assess? If 'Yes' what is the timeline for that re-assessment and how confident are we about the prospect of some successful development into a first team weapon?

I'd like to point out to the 'whataboutists' at this point that Sonny Baker ,prospect though he was for us, has not been all that prominent for his new county hardly having played because they are keeping him in cotton wool or he is too fragile to risk. Desperately sorry though I will be if he does not crack on, I'm not sure we have not dodged the bullet of trying to keep him on the pitch like Johnno in the early noughties.

Unless I'm missing something then. After Craig, Josh and (for this year) Migael there's no certainty for the medium and long term prospects in our seam attack.

A definite new ball attack including Ogborne, Aldridge and Langridge towards the end of 2026 is highly unlikely given the present situation. We will probably say goodbye to 2 of our 5 backups in the autumn/winter and unless the plan is for a slow ball attack in the form of Leach, Vaughan, Goldsworthy and Thomas (one assumes Bash will be on his way to some other county whether he is still an England prospect or not after Oz) is on the cards we are 'lacking' in definite seam prospects to replace our older stalwarts in the next 1 to 3 years.

Might we get a bit of Meredith in the late 4 dayers? He was supposed to be in for our Metrobank contest but was 'drafted' to the alternative semi T20.

Not sure if you can read from the general tone of this that my personal optimism about our bowling prospects over the next couple of years is not exactly high. Very happy to have impressions 'reset' by the last few months of the season but can't say I've seen many signs for hope from the present rosta up to now in 2025.

Not sure what plans for 2026 are but without a large investment in something international or from another county I am not full of hope to be honest.

I really do hope I'm doing the guys down un-necessarily I really really do (Sm147)

(Sm72)

Grizzers
03/07/2025 21:18
Yes, our future pace and seam bowling resources are far from clear.

I'd like to see Alfie given a chance and possibly JT.

Not sure whether Kasey or Jake will be on our books beyond the end of this season and whilst our future bowling cupboard isn't bare, it is perhaps looking a bit uninspiring at present.

Grizzers

Farmer White
04/07/2025 15:37
For the record, here is my report on the Final day of the Nottinghamshire match, entitled Clinical Kohler-Cadmore

[farmerwhite.co.uk]


Third day, entitled: Different gravy focusing on Ishan Kishan's innings:

[farmerwhite.co.uk]


Second day, entitled Battling on:

[farmerwhite.co.uk]


And here is the report on the First day entitled, Somerset battle:

[farmerwhite.co.uk]

Farmer



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:21:23:53:46 by Farmer White.

Bagpuss
04/07/2025 19:28
Well we could be seeing one or more of those bowlers sooner than you suggest because as far as I am aware Matt Henry has played his last Championship match this season and after tonight's match v Glamorgan will play two more Blast matches before his departure on July 9th.

Could Riley Meredith be persuaded to play the Championship match at Trent Bridge and then against Durham at HQ? I can't imagine he's chomping at the bit having seen how the last two rounds with the Kookaburra centre stage have panned out.

Grockle
04/07/2025 20:31
Riley was possibly available for the Metrobank but was 'drafted' so he will be in the country at the end of August so it's possible. Matt Henry may return if we make the Blast Finals day so who knows with him as well?

(Sm72)

Bagpuss
04/07/2025 21:45
It's the two Championship matches in July that I was talking about - v Notts starting on the 22nd and Durham on the 29th.

There may be all sorts of overseas players around after the h*ndred who might be persuaded to hang around for a few red ball matches.

Grockle
05/07/2025 10:43
Riley may be available according to the club

(Sm72)

wsm fan
06/07/2025 06:08
I bet you he doesn't!

Grockle
06/07/2025 11:34
Yep think you are probably right. With an Aussie season on the horizon Tasmania became very 'tetchy' last time we thought about it.

(Sm72)

cricketjerry-mouse
07/07/2025 18:02
Re the comments on this thread about Somerset`s pace-bowling resources looking a tad thin for the tail end of this summer and for next year, is it worth looking round for possible candidates from other counties who are out of contract at the end of the season?

Two who come to mind - and with useful county championship experience already - are Glo`shire`s Zaman Akhter and Ajeet Singh Dale. Both, incidentally, are English qualified.

Dale is 25, and was Glo`shire`s second-highest wicket-taker last year, and Akhter a year-older, their third highest in 2024, can bat a bit and has represented England Lions..

Glo`shire may well hold onto them with new contracts, but it does show there are 17 counties out there with useful players on their staff who will be out of contract.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2025:07:07:18:11:20 by cricketjerry-mouse.

Grockle
07/07/2025 20:55
Yep we have a number of decisions to make, some of which may be take out of our hands at the end of the season.

We may have to look elsewhere for resources because if we have them in house other than those we know about, they will be too young for immediate relief. They older 'prospects' have to stand up or we have to look for others. Some of our present resources may decide they have more opportunity elsewhere and will look there.

We have a period of bowling transition coming at the end of the 20's and we need to prepare for it.

(Sm72)

Bagpuss
09/07/2025 10:45
A move to Lancashire had been expected for Ajeet Singh Dale, although some doubt about this has been voiced since the departure of their coach, Dale Benkenstein.

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