This is what seemed to be awaiting us today. Once that was bypassed were we up to this division? Bet your bottom we were!! So "Flintoff sank Somerset" did he....hmmm not from where I was reading he didn't. He did walk out to bat and then walk back in to get changed however.
Old trafford at 11:00 this morning was not a place where all that much cricket was expected. The start was delayed but the weather improved and the game started before noon with Somerset needing wickets after not showing much penetration with the ball in the 20 overs they had at Lancashire at the end of Day 1.
He was on at one end
and he was on at the other
But neither of them took the first scalp of the day after the home side had added a mere 6 runs to their overnight 60.
The man who broke through?
"Somerset's Mark Turner" who had Sutcliffe LBW at 66 and then removed the dangerous Mal Loye the same way at 84
One run later Charl got in on the act and sent Brad Hodge back caught behind off the second ball he faced. We were back in this game!! Stuart Law and Horton (who was certainly sticking to the task) pushed the score beyond 100, But at 122 Peter Trego decided it was time for his to prove his worth and we saw the end of Horton for an excellent 64, bowled through the gate.
So...out came the Mighty Andrew to face a ball from our Mighty Peter....and.....
2 balls, 2 wickets and Luke Sutton out of the pavilion to greet his old team-mates. His objective was to try and create a partnership with the other 'Lancastrian' Stuart Law. This worked for a while and the score moved on from 122 for 5 to 142 before we made another breakthrough. Michael Munday provided some very frugal bowling but it wasn't him who removed Mr Law. Once again, Mark Turner took on the mantle of 'premier bowler' and had Law caught behind.
The tail was exposed and we looked to capitalise on that. The other bowlers took up the challenge and Munday was next to get his first 2008 Championship wicket as he had Chapple LBW in front at 165. Then Phillips got his radar sorted and finished the day with a real flourish as he cleaned up the dangerous Sutton after a fighting 40. Luke had pushed the score over 200 but Phillips then sent Mahmood straight back to the hutch after facing one ball but failing to hit it or keep it off his stumps!!
No hat-trick unfortunately but a real comeback from the boys from the West. 3 were added before the end of play and we still have the remarkably dangerous Marshall at one end.
So...first order of business tomorrow? Get Anderson on strike and get this innings over with before they get the 17 that bring them level.
Turner returned figures of 17/4/53/3
Trego revitalised faith with 13/6/41/2
Phillips showed he is more than just a tight bowler with 15/5/31/2
Willow pulled one in with an economy rate of less than 3
Mike Munday added one with a rate of 2 per over and even Blackie got 5 overs in for a mere 5 runs!!
Are we ready for this level of game? Bet your bottom dollar we are. This is not our full side and we gave them a good seeing to today!! On to Day 3
Bet he's chuffed!!
Day 3
But we didn't get away with it because although we had shown the Lancastrians that we weren't some bunch of second division cannon fodder hitting above their weight, the rain beat us and stopped us beating them!! No play on Dayt 3 at all turned this game into an inevitable draw.
Day 4
Lancashire declared at the start of Saturday morning 17 runs behind us and invited us to bat again.
and we had the opportunity to have a bit of batting practice against a decent attack.
Marcus Trescothick got a few more. Unfortunately, Frank didn't and now will have to fight for his place at Worcestershire on Sunday with Zander de Bruyn available.
The skipper got a few (79). james Hildreth spent some time at the crease and Ian Blackwell hit his second 50+ of the game and that is really great to see. Trego didn't spark but Kieswetter got a decent 42 before we declared on 262 and the game came to a predictabole end in a draw.
8 points apiece was the best we could get but we have been to the front and will be marching on as a first division side. Lancashire were ungracious in this match but I think they may look at a trip to Taunton in a different light after this game. There ain't no points in the South West for free boys. Expect to fight for them when you head South.
I've just read the Lancs CCC site report of the day. Very condescending to the "country cousins" especially Paul Horton. Put me in mind of the comments before the 2005 20/20 final.
“Just imagine if we were playing well - they wouldn’t be able to live with us. If we can come back tomorrow and get anywhere near what we are capable of as a side, then Somerset won’t get anywhere near winning the game.”
With one wicket left, I don't think they should get very many.
I can't bear this attitude - 'they only did well because we played below par'. So condescending. I wonder how many teams this season will ensure that Lancs play below par. This game has actually made me far more confident about the season ahead.
"Watching Flintoff these days, after his fourth ankle operation, is like following the late Queen Mother. No report is complete without some reference to his health"
No doubt.. if the match ends up being washed out, then Lancs oh-so-loveable players will inform the media that "the weather robbed us of victory over Somerset."
Trego swinging the ball magnificently, just as Mr.Rose had hoped when he signed him so good for him!
Turner pacy and straight, looked as good as any of their 'big guns.'
Phillips got through well, not just economical it would seem.
Munday. Was the a toppie or a google? I only saw it on the small version but would suggest it went on. Nice to see JL (I think) was first over to congratulate him!
Willo reliable as the past two years - nuff said.
Some good catches behind the wicket too.
The fella 'presenting' seemed a little disappointed. Good! With the big man missing they probably thought it would be a walkover.
I'm really surprised that it's been swinging. It's not been humid and there's no river by the ground (that I know of?) so it's a been a real surprise for me, but a pleasant one.
If it keeps up, then we might hopefully be able to expect a greater number of wickets from Charl in their 2nd dig, too.
There's always something dislikeable about Lancashire...
maybe its the Freddie-ites
maybe its man u fans
maybe its glory fans
maybe its them never winning then moaning
hmmm... batting conditions figure to be really challenging after so long under the covers. I wouldn't be surprised if Lancs declare immediately, rather than poking around for a few overs.
The weather - assuming we start soon - has certainly favoured them, in that tomorrow is meant to be fine, so they won't have to start after the pitch has sweated for hours under the covers.
Then again, it is Manchester, so I wouldn't lay money on that (or on us getting much play today, either!)
Yes because they need to get at us or their obvious excess of talent will not be able to run through us and win the game with half a day to spare.
That is always assuming that the 'provincials' don't try and keep the teams off the pitch because they know they will quite obviously lose the moment they take the pitch with the glorious Red Rose heroes!!
Yep, 4:15pm start with the Guardian also predicting a Lancs declaration and predicting a brief window of barely tolerable light, before it all gets called off for bad light. Sounds an awful day, up there.
These wretched Lancastrians are jolly lukcy that their abject weather has probably saved them from defeat.
I think, Bloke, that a declaration on their part would make almost no difference unless we fear that Mr Anderson is going to unduly detain us?
The way I see it, they will declare on a not dissimilar basis to that on which JL declared at Lord's last year. Albeit, Lancs are obviously in the game and it was not obvious that 50-8 was in the game, but the logic would be 'no point scratching around in really difficult conditions; better to bowl.'
Only way that we can win it, Jim, would be to get bowled out reasonably quickly but to have managed to have scored quickly for the 50 or so overs that we were in and then rip them through them in 40 or so overs. It's a long shot!
Shame about the washout...going to worcester so if by any miracle, all the rain scoots past without drenching New Road, will do report and photos on blog and/or on here.
Have clubbed together some info on our new recruits now that Zander has had clearance:
Strange day. No idea what's been going on. But we go forward with pride and whatever the Mancunians say we gave as good as we got here and they would have had fun facing spin on thisa last day if day 3 hadn't been lost.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008:04:26:20:44:13 by Grockle.
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