Weather wins in the end
v Worcestershire (FPT) @ New Road Sunday 27 April 2008
No squad information at the moment from the official sources but you have to assume certain things will already be in place for Justin Langer for tomorrow. He also has a number of problems from theform displayed by his players during the last week.
Who opens with Marcus? It has to be Kieswetter again doesn't it? He didn't push the score along against Hampshire but he's coming into this game off a very quick 42 off two England bowlers.
Justin at 3 and Hildreth at 4.
Who bats at 5? Well that has to be de Bruyn surely. They aren't going to write about him being there and then not play him in the position they've already identified as the one they want him to fill.
That means John Francis will stand down for this game and Ian Blackwell will stay at 6 - possibly he might come in earlier as his form seems to be awesome at the moment with 3 50 plus scores in 3 games!
So...7 to 11? Well no Caddick so who will be the 4 men who will provide the bowling? Willoughby must be one. After last week, one would expect Phillips to be another. Ian would be the only spinner if the 4 were seamers so Munday, Durston or Banks might have a say for one place and Mark Turner must be in with some shout after the excellent three wickets at Old Trafford.......
Alfonso Thomas? I don't personally think so yet. He might need a week to show us what he has. But he needs to show something special to offer a competitive threat to our young surprise package. What price a place for the Welshman Jones? He did nothing wrong last weekend - except maybe not take enough wickets.
I think the surprises will come in the bowling although if the top 6 aren't those mentioned above .....now that would be a surprise!!

What are the chances of this today without loadsa rain as well? Well it's a bit miserable on the Channel coast!
The Game
Well they've started on time but which teamsheet we go with depends on who we hear or read first. According to Somerset Sound it is an unchanged side from Old Trafford but Cricinfo say different!!
Looking at the scoresheet, it seems that Steffan Jones has replaced Mike Munday and Wes Durston is in for Mark Turner. We've won the toss and have decided to field with Willow and Jonah opening the bowling.
Captain Solanki and wicketkeeper Davies open for the home side and the latter is the first to feel the Jones' venom as he is caught by Langer witht he score on 20. The first Ali soean't last long as he succumbs to one that moves from our lefty and tickles one into the grateful Kieswetter gloves of green. 35 for 2

However, Solanki is the danger and he is still there. What's more he is now joined by Ben Smith who has belted us about before. But niether of the danger men stay long as first Smith is LBW to Steffan and then the big one as the Royals skipper is caught behind off Willoughby
The lefty isa bowling like a dream, taking names but not giving away wickets and when Ben Phillips arrives, we say goodbye to Mr Moore who has yet to add to his side's score. It isn't going well for the men from the West MIdlands!! You could say it's all going "Pear Shaped"

Batty and Mitchell put up more of a fight and we eventually have to turn to...

And the man Hildreth has a part in cutting through the Worcestershire batting line-up. In the above he's just got Kabir Ali but before that he took out Batty at 96 (caught Phillips). Ali went next ball - there's been a number of two wicket spells in our games so far.
Enter some newbie called Andrew. Wonder where he came from? Seems a bit of an allrounder and looks like he knows which end of a bat to use because he puts on 22

Eventually Ian Blackwell gets in on the wickets and we say goodbye to our ex-teammate and wish him good luck in his future...against other people.
The rain came 10 runs later and it didn't stop enough for the game to continue. One point each but Worcestershire on the rocks at the time of the end....superb bowling from Charl (9/5/14/2). Good support from Phillips and Blackwell tight and wicket taking. Backup from Jones and Hildreth less tight but more wickets with Trego the only one without a stump to his name.
We had this one. But the weather beat us.

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