Somerset
Notts or Nowt?
Compo In Benno Out
By Grockle
July 29 2010
Another of those 'must win' games starts on a breezy but warm Thursday in July. Nottinghamshire played when we didn't so we have a "games in hand" thing going on. Nick Compton is back in for Ben Phillips. We chose to bat at the toss backing our batting prowess against a strong Notts attack...may be a bad decision....read on.
v Nottinghamshire CC1 @ Taunton Thursday 29 July 2010
A bit late into this one I'm sorry to say and I missed both first balls of both sessions so I have to apologise personally to the captain and Mr de Bruyn for their respective demises!!
We won the toss and chose to bat with an eleven that comprised of;
Trescothick, Suppiah, Compton, de Bruyn, Hildreth, Buttler, Kieswetter, Trego, Thomas, Kartik and Willoughby
No Ben Phillips who is fit but has been rested in favour of spin while Matt Wood is in the visitor's starting side while Neil Edwards is here but not playing. As someone pointed out, Notts have picked all their seamers while we seem to think it may have something for the slow men. Notts cannot call on the skills of Ryan Sidebottom who injures himself playing football before the start of play, this after they lost Mulaney yesterday to the same dastardly game!!
The wicket is way over on the Somerset side probably only just outside the minimum boundary length. Half the Gimblett is covered by sight screens with a respectable size crowd in the ground.
The first session suggests they may have got some of it right as the Boss tries to flip the first ball to leg and is bowled for nothing!! Not a great start.
Nick Compton probably didn't want to be in second ball but there he is facing Pattinson. He does quite well but doesn't stay around long enough to push his case for permanance. The same bowler has him caught in the slips by Hussey before we pass 50 (44). Some good shots (3 fours) but still not convincing. Zander de Bruyn is the next man in.
Shreck, Pattinson and Adams are giving us quite a torrid time, lots past the bat especially from the River and it is slow going for the batting side. It gets worse when the ball does something that Arul did not expect and he is left looking down at the crease as Hales takes the catch and Adams reduces us to 77 for 3. Notts have the morning and we may have chosen the wrong option. Hildreth is at the crease and our two 'accumulators' look to re-stabalise up to lunch.
We go in at 126 and I miss the first ball back after lunch so when I look at the pitch Zander is no longer there!! First one and he plays all around one from Pattinson (or so I am told) so work starts straight away for Jos Buttler. Part of the reason I know this is that Pete Trego is in the dining room in black training kit and suddenly moves at pace towards the door. Whates are required Mr T!
Is this going to be a problem for us? Well it isn't the start we wanted but James starts to look to get the balance back and after facing 63 balls he passes 50 with 7 fours while Jos supports us and get to 200 in the 47th with Hilda looking in sublime touch.
This brings spin into the game seriously as Patel is introduced for the first time in the session and he gets spin off the pitch in his first afternoon over from the OP.
Jos joins his partner with a half ton in the 54th over off Franks at 233 for 4 (61 balls 9 fours and a six). He celebrates by hitting his 10th four with the very next ball. Great recovery with a pretty speedy 117 partnership but now they must push on.
Push on they do while Notts start to toil a little. No matter what they put in front of these Somerset men they seem to be able to deal with. 250 is passed as Hildreth looks to three figures and it comes off 128 balls with 13 fours. The Tea interval arrives with us in a much better position than one ball after the lunch interval. From 126 for 4 we are now 280 for 4 and the opposition must not relish the fact that a certain Kieswetter and Trego are waiting at numbers 7 and 8!
The spectators get to go on the pitch at the interval for this one - why is that not allowed in other games? Why are championship games the only time you get to see a kid with a bat playing on a cricket pitch with his dad? Isn't that part of the whole thing? One young lad is being bowled to by his dad and is pulling and sweeping him to the Gimblett Hill with alarming regularity. Good job the youngster has excellent technique becuase he is playing with an illegal hard ball - but he's keeping it on the floor so the only problem is that the regular smacking into the boards keeps some of the members awake!!
After Tea its more spin and more runs. It is to be hoped that our spin boys will make more of what is there because the two batsmen seem pretty unphased by the occasional spin of Hussey from the OP and Franks from the River. We pass 300 in the 70th over with the majority coming from the seemingly huge bat of James Hildreth.
JH passes his best score for the season with 132 off a swept four to the Somerset stand. He follows that with a sweep the other way to bring up a 200 run partnership with Buttler who is looking odds on for a hundred of his own until he charges down the pitch to Patel and is bowled for 88. Great innings, 210 stand but a poor finish. They have however taken this game back and 336 for 5 with Craig Kieswetter striding out is where we probably would have liked to have been on the first day.
Notts take the new ball with 347 on the board (10 to CK 142 to JH). First ball from Pattinson sees Hilda spanking the ball to the Somerset Boundary....unfortunately straight into the hands of Wagh. 142 brilliant runs but possibly a shot he will regret and Pattinson strikes again!! Peter Trego walks out to join our keeper at 347 for 6. He brings up the 350 with a streaky boundary shot just over the despairing hands of the leg gully fielder and the complexion of the game changes once more.
Quiet it remains until Trigger decides to lash out a little with 10 overs to go and takes Adams for 16 to move us towards 400 and him to near equality with his partner but Shreck is keeping them both honest at the other end and the progress to the next batting point if slow. The 50 partnership arrives at 398 with 27 each to our two but we have to wait until the 92nd over from Patel before we move over the mark with a late cut four to the Trescothick stand from Craig.
There are no more worries or mishaps from then on and the day ends with us in the prime position at 423 for 6 with Craig K on 43 and Peter T on 36. Both need a decent score to set them up for the rest of this season. Let's hope it comes tomorrow in the form of a couple of triple figure scores and a big total that allows us to have a double go at the East Midlanders!
Shakey start but a very satisfying finish.
Day 2
With 500 plus the objective it is important that our two expressive batsmen, express with caution and rack up the runs. The first target is 450 and maximum batting points although Trigger tries hard to lose his wicket early (according to those who saw - I was late) the boys pass 450 in the first hour. They are also neck and neck for the first to pass 50 and it is too close to call (at least Cricinfo don't call it) but they both pass the milestone around that 450 figure - suggesting that PT may have been sticking his particular neck out but has also been doing the most of the scoring. Craig's came off 90 odd balls with 6 fours while his partner's had the same number of boundaries but only 67% of the balls faced.
Nevertheless, Trego's spell at the wicket comes to an end first with 54 to his name at 460. Alf is next in and helps our keeper take the score to 489 before he misreads a ball from Patel and is bowled for an excellent and hopefully confidence building 73 - he took his time and picked his shots and showed his patience. Kartik joins his bowling colleague looking to move us on and at 12:21 the VC sweeps the ball to the Somerset boundary off Patel to bring up the 500 and take his own score to 20.
Shreck is on at the OP and he has Kartik lbw with his second ball which ushers in Charl and the usual fun. He steps to leg (surprise) and deftly steers the first between the two fielders for four - no slouch our number 11! He then drives the second and takes the single as Patel sweeps to stop another four. Alf is then bounced by the Cornishman but jumps up on his toes and guides the ball over the slips for a second four before sublimly driving the man for a third four to the Frosty Shed End. Brilliant stuff from the tail.
It doesn't last though as Willoughby is caught by Shreck off Patel at the start of the next over. 517 all out with 71 left in the day.
Great recovery, the wicket is suggesting help from the spinners and we hope to get among 'em early today. Half an hour at them before lunch is the starting point
Before lunch we have a bit of a punt at them (Wood and Hales) with Kartik taking the last over before just to get a feel and to give them a little taste before the sit down and think about the afternoon. Notts make 15 and we all look forward to the next session.
After lunch it is the Willoughby and Thomas show for the first half to three quarters of an hour and they reach 40 off 11 overs of tight questioning work from Somerset. Then Murali is introduced at the River and one run and four balls later Marcus takes the one that gets past Hales' bat and the visitors are 41 for 1. Wagh takes up his place while Charl gives Matt a really torrid time from the OP. The ex-home batsman plays and misses at the first four before getting some bat on the fifth (and a round of applause from the crowd).
17 overs in and the spin man is getting the ball past the bat regularly while our 'leftie' holds up the other end. Banger is not employing a gully for his spinner which is a bit of a surprise given the way the ball is behaving and he puts Pete Trego into the attack from the pavilion for the 18th. It is in fact Trigger (wearing Max Waller's number 3 shirt for some reason) who makes the next breakthrough as he has Wagh trying to guide a ball to leg straight to the waiting Zander de Bruyn 48 for 2.
There is a mix of emotions in the crowd. While wanting to see Notts skittled for as few as possible, they also would like to see Matt W get a decent score. He is tentative and has had his own chunk of luck this afternoonbut warm applause greets his 50 out of 75 (off 87 balls with 9 fours)
Worryingly, Kartik then leaves the pitch just after the skipper puts on the dual spin option. Arul bowls one from the OP and then while Thommo takes over there he starts a spell from the River. Will he overshadow his team mate? Well it is a promising start as he has Woody caught in the slips by the Boss for a good 72 at 119 for 3. Another one before Tea would not go amiss and after that today's info will be curtailed as the Kerslake and Bird show moves on to the radio and audionet at about 4 o'clock. Hussey takes over as Patel's partner hoping to take them through to the interval but it isn't easy out there and Arul has Patel in all sorts of trouble
Tea duly arrives at 128 for 3 with 29 left tonight if the light holds - it's a bit grey here.
Apres Tea and Day 3
Well I started the post Tea session in a highly optimistic mood and ended the day in despondent fashion not too hopeful for our Championship fortunes. My shoulder is not the greatest yet and that hurt but watching Kartik and Trescothick discussing the growing partnership of Patel and Reid in the last hour and the spinner changing ends to try and change the position was not a good thing.
Charl, possibly put on simply to get Suppiah to the OP after he bowled the last one before Tea at the River, started in great fashion removing two Notts batsmen in his very first over with wide-ish deliveries that went away from them. Hussey first, Brown with two to his name two balls later. We were all waiting for the River end change and the spin onslaught and weren't really expecting the damage to come from the seam at the Pavilion. Patel and Reid were under the cosh almost immediately and did very well even though they were becalmed at their respective ends with their only runs coming almost entirely from boundaries.
Nevertheless the boundaries were coming and although Patel looked to be tempted a more than on occasion to be the attacking batsmen he is, he also showed remarkable patience and curbed his natural instinct and kept his captain company. As the session went on they looked more assured and we looked less effective. There was a change of ends using Zander to swop personnel around but it lasted only one over and then there was a return to the pace men at the end to see what they might be able to do. Some inventive field placements kept the stuff fresh but a big partnership and Notts session to end the day.
We therefore started the third day needing a breakthrough with 278 for 5 a score we did not want to continue. they needed 368 to avoid the follow on but the Notts skipper and his partner had looked well set the night before. Enter the Mighty Willoughby!!
At 287 and after aggressive bowling from the start of the day, Reid nibbles at one and Craig ends the skipper's resistance. At 297 Thommo decides his opening partner has had it far too much his own way and catches Patel in front four runs after the little spinner reaches a valuable and very effective 100. But the lefty is not finished. Adams looks to be set when he is caught behind at 332 and then our man wraps up the tail, Franks LBW 7 runs later and Shreck clean bowled two balls later with no addition to the 339.
Charl Willoughby in the morning 6.3 overs 0 maidens and 4 for 26 giving him 6 in the first innings ( 22.3 3 maidens 101 for 6)and more to come as his Boss enforces the follow on and four balls later Matt Wood is walking back after driving at a CW delivery but missing it and finding himself in line. Notts 0 for 1! They manage to survive to 28 by the lunch interval
But will it spin in the afternoon? We think so as we start Alf from the OP and the spinman from the River. It does when Hales deposits a snick into the keeper's gloves off the meastro with 41 trying to drive the ball and Patel's heroics of the firsty innings do not continue into the second as he also tries to drive one that is moving away - this time from Alfonso and is returned to the pavilion for 1 and 43 for 3 has members of the box negotiating their time tomorrow - do they need to stay because the result is a forgone conclusion and there will be little cricket tomorrow.
Well it is now 2:40 and Notts are 81 for 3 with Wagh and Hussey looking in Reid and Patel mode, dealing with the ball with little difficulty. I really do not want to be commentating on this game at 4:00pm tomorrow afternoon but it is yet far from over I would suggest.
It gets a little closer though when ZdB gets Wagh LBW at 93. Arul is not badly injured, he bumped into the board an hurt his knee but he is now back on and seems to able to bowl and bat according to the trainers. The hundred arrives for the visitors in the 32nd over and as a celebration, Marcus re-introduces Charl for the 33rd.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:08:03:12:42:08 by Grockle.
They play football like we did at one time, I saw one of their players being helped off the ground. (Say no more)
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com] It bothers me when the TV is here. We warm up early and end with a kick about. Most other sides start with the kick about and then go to their skills. So.... when the TV starts, the opposition are seen doing their skills work while we belt a football about.
As for Matt Wood, if Notts look at his career FC record at Taunton, then they might consider a horse for a course...
OLDBOYBA!
High light grey clouds with blue patches, the sun should come out. The breeze is cool at the moment, if the sun comes out it should warm-up.
Clear bright and dry at Bicknoller Towers this morning but with cloud cover.
For those who do not leave the forum for anything else, there is a link at the top of all pages to the Richard Huish weather station and webcam about a mile from the ground if you want to look at what the weather is doing at any time.
It's the one that says "Weather Here" alongside our Grocklee's picture (Jos Buttler for those a little slower this morning) :-)
Obviously they won't know their way around the site yet, your post will help them.
Lets hope the boys do the business, it will be difficult as Notts are a good team playing well also, but we are too.
Enjoy your day..wish it was me!!!
[www.cricketcommentary.co.uk]
Pity that the greatest living Englishman fell first ball, but he has at least broken a sequence of scores agaist Notts of 99,98,97...
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Does this decision reflect a real lack of faith, on the part of BR, in ALL of the back-up bowling options?
I asssume that the fact that we opted to bat indicates that we are hoping for turn as the game wears on (despite a poor forecast for tomorrow) in which case, surely, Munday or Waller would have made more sense?
Still, at least Pete should get a good, long bowl for once?
Is that not when it would be best to bowl...at least theoretically
I wonder if Matt Wood will be a worry (to go along with Hussey) in their team, given his record on this ground?
I'd suggest that the extra batsman logic would carry more weight if we had an extra batsman available that was actually in form!
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Get it sorted......it could be costly!!!
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
BJ and Peter Trego
Loyal of Lhasa and Emperor Hildreth
All six should be saluted.
except I've realised now that it's not our master doing the commentating.
(and there's always Bobstan and Bramble...)
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
And by a nice coincidence Hildreth has just reached 6500 in 104 matches.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:07:29:16:34:46 by Loyal of Lhasa..
If it is a flat-track, at least we will be picking up full batting bonus points, by the looks of things.
And no, LOL, we certainly do not need Pietersen.
Hang on in there James !
Grizzzly
Well done James. Must have been a delight to watch.
Grizzzly
Nevertheless, a fine innings.
Presumably Suppiah is going to bowl a lot of overs in tandem with Kartik when they bat? Otherwise the selection of one seamer fewer than usual makes no sense.
Hope the pitch is going to produce plenty of spin ...
Spin for the slow blokes - we have a better one than those presently on show.
Sun is out and the work is hard in the third session but CK and PT are not making light work of it so it is hard for batsmen and bowlers.
I agree though - lots of work for our spin pair when this comes to an end.
We are looking to expand the number and variety of commentators and some new guys are getting slots when and where while the 'old lags' who are always here take a little less limelight.
All the more time to talk to people. Good to see and chat with Bagpuss, Wickham and of course the new Longroom Member this afternoon.
The latter has bought a more upmarket version of the fashion item know as the 'short' from the SCCC fashion house for future matches now he has new levels of status!!
The nearest I've got to Titus is seeing his dad come out of the betting shop - and those occasions were a good few years ago, Dr J.
I mean LoL.
It has obviously been a great day's cricket - for Somerset at any rate.
I noted that at least four of the six wickets fell to the first ball of an over. I think that probably calls for the termination of four contracts (but in, say, fifteen years from now).
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
With Somerset batting I am going to show the batting skills of our batsmen.
It was good to see Craig Kieswetter getting more like his old self with his batting, this was 4 runs.
You will notice in several of the photos that Chris Read never closes his mouth, I hope he is not a vegetarian there is a lot of flies about.
Jos Buttler never stops to amaze me, what a great future he has.
An effortless six by Jos Buttler on his way to 88.
The boundary count for his fifty was 9 - 4’s & 1 – 6 that shows how well he played.
We mustn’t forget James Hildreth his form that we all hoped for is still good.
James Hildreth being congratulated by Jos Buttler on reaching his hundred.
I couldn’t leave out Peter Trego, this shot always look easier that it is, a fine leg side glance down to the boundary for four runs.
You must have had a very happy day and I only wish I could have been there to enjoy it with you.
I'd like to be there even more on Friday, as two Somerset-born men, Virgin and my very old friend Graham Burgess (I've only known him since May 1948), are to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. This is an excellent initiative, for which the club must be commended, as they must also be for honouring Eric Hill by flying the flag at half mast today.
They're not all bad, these officials and money men.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Quote:Mike BOS
Notts were out on glorious ground this afternoon.
They play football like we did at one time, I saw one of their players being helped off the ground. (Say no more)
My above quote from yesterday.
A quote from the match report from today.
Notts suffered a blow before play when Ryan Sidebottom suffered a knee injury in a warm-up game of football and had to pull out.
Ryan confirmed his own injury and they lost another player yesterday.
Having said that, Ryan was not named in the starting line-up for this game on the Notts website yesterday.
There was an amusing moment this afternoon when after losing Marcus to the first ball of the morning and Zander to the first ball of the afternoon some supporters (including me) clapped when Hildreth survived the first ball after tea.
I have that photo of Compton, at the time we said “what a shot to play first ball”. How long do we wait for him to hit form?
I missed the Hildreth dive there was a fielder in my way.
Happy snapping.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com] I've never understood "dynamic" warm-ups. At our club we sometimes play a "catch" game involving cricket balls whizzing about all over the place. Being a kill-joy and a wicket-keeper I always refuse to take part as getting one on the end of the finger just before play makes no sense to me.
Sidebottom may feel the same about football from now on.
Mike - shame you missed that collector's item - a Golden duck for Tres!
It was a very good viewing day on Gimblett Hill and great to see some fine batting from Hilders, Jos, Craig and BoBo. Good to banter too with MikeBos and BristolRob.
Need to kick on this morning and put them under consistent scoreboard pressure. Weather is due to cloud up so some swing may be along later. Some turn too for the maestro I suspect.
Present score 504 for 9 Kartik just gone LBW to Shreck for 7
Pete went at 460 for 54
Craig went at 489 for 73
Alf smacked the 500th run with a boundary off Patel
Charl marching to the crease!!
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Now can you send Read and Patel back to the pavilion...
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Time for Trigger to come on ?
Grizzzly
Read reminds me of Jack Russell,.... talented, but an extremely irritating little...........(insert expletive here) !!
Grizzzly
You can see why Notts are where they are. We did well against their 2nd team attack.
OLDBOYBA!
In his 15 Test appearance, his highest score is 55 against Pakistan at Leeds; and in 36 one-day internationals he has never reached more than 30.
Obviously it is more difficult in ODIs when you are batting down the order, as Read did on most occasions - but these statistics are still way short of the Gilchrist portfolio.
Looked good today, though, as befits a West Country lad educated at Torquay Grammar School and Bath University.
A Thomas knows how to bowl them and he knows how to keep them out.
Who would have thought we would see Willoughby play a classy shot like this and it went for four runs.
M Wagh beaten by the bounce from Kartik.
S Patel found out that Suppiah also was able to get bounce.
It was good to see Matt Wood back at Taunton.
Two from the Hall of Fame, Graham Burgess & Roy Virgin.
Here are some of my pictures from Day Two:
Love the one of Zander's sunglasses - very well 'seen'!
And the shot of Tres and Craig really sums up the mutual respect in the Somerset dressing room.
And what an important controlling spell by Kartik.
Well done, Charl ...
Very definite decision and at 0 for 1 after 4 balls can't really disagree.
Notts is a deep hole but with time to get themselves out. Arul has left the field with some kind of right leg injury - limping. May just need an ice pack one hopes
THANK YOU !
Giving up your time as you do is a great service to us exiles.
As amateurs you give of your best and I think the occasional jibes you receive here completely miss the point. It's like sitting at the county ground with two blokes following their team, And if the sound effects mikes are turned up I occasionally get to hear Tractrs' dulcet tones drifting by. That's priceless.
We've finally identified the boundary of the FM coverage - Taunton School on my side of the town. Wickes the builders towards the M5.
Well Captained MT.
Well said Streeter - echo those thoughts entirely.
Now, let's finish them off !
Grizzzly
What a thoroughly good cricketer our Vice-Captain is. He never seems to stop trying, and so often he plays a vital role as batsman, bowler or fielder. As in this match, all three.
Thomas is indeed a hero in every way.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Only joking!
Two for 64 from 26 overs will suit me while our quickies were strutting their stuff at the other end.
We had visitors this afternoon, and I had to sneak out to the computer from time to time to keep up with events at HQ.
What a pity about that Kent match and the rain. We should now be first, but I think we are 3rd.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Fantastic thrashing.
Wonderful contributions by many, especially James, JB, CK, PT, CW & AT.
That we beat Notts inside three days with very few runs from Marcus & with Murali taking only three wickets in the match, is tremendously encouraging & speaks volumes for the depth of talent in the team.
We appear to be 'peaking' at just the right time in the season.
Fantastic stuff.
Enjoy............!
Grizzzly
So another strong performance from Somerset, plus defeat for either Yorkshire or Notts at Leeds, would bunch the top three even further.
Incidentally, Nottinghamshire fast bowler Andrew Carter, currently on a month`s loan with Essex, has so far taken 4-22 in 15 overs in a Kent second innings collapse to 107-7 at Canterbury. Notts might have wished he was at Taunton instead.
Taunton now a ground where 4-day matches end inside 3 days and the pitches are a good balance between bat and ball? Perish the thought.
Excellent team performances all round, of course, too, and great leadership from Andy Hurry and MT; but Brian Rose also deserves some credit for laying the groundwork.
Much is made of the 'sacking?' of Phil Frost (remember he was officially made REDUNDANT) - considered the BEST groundsman in the country by his peers. More to come on that, of course, and who knows how wise or otherwise that redundancy may prove in SCCC monetary terms.
The BIGGEST factor affecting ALL wickets in the country is the banning of the heavy roller AFTER the start of the match.
OLDBOYBA!
Maybe there should be a new thread entitled 'Taunton is resurrecting Cricket' ?!
Grizzzly
Taunton is and will be a good ground to bat on; you don’t score 517 unless you have very good batsmen.
We won the match with very good batting and very good bowling also the weather conditions were good for bowling if you have the bowlers, this we have.
Somebody else said and other counties have said not using the heavy roller has made a big difference. Mind you the groundsmen still have to remember to use the small roller between innings.
Kartik was a very good signing, you can’t always get it right this time it was.
Having watched every ball of the game I can’t fault the team in any way.
Photos of the third days play in about two hours sooner if I can.
We gave James Hildreth four years to become the player he is this year. We can give NC a little more than 4 months.
An investement in WJD would not have lasted 4 years and some may say we had invested a decade already.
Sorry China but this pitch hasn't changed because Phil Frost is no longer in charge of it.
IF (big IF) investments in the winter have done this then they were discussed and decided by the groundstaff and management last year - you don't plan winter work in December.
The weather is different the roller aspect is different we have bowling options that frustrate batsmen and we have bowlers few on here really expected to be in this form getting these results.
Who is to say that these changes are not part of the plans made in 2009 but are a year late because of the poor summer last year?
We don't know
a) What Wes wanted and was offered or not offered
b) What Phil was like to work with or how much of this is down to pre 2010.
A change in a pitch doesn't happen in weeks or small numbers of months but more like years
However, the interesting thing this season has been that often the Taunton wickets seem to have contained something for the bowlers right from the off. That suggests some kind of radical change has occurred in the preparation.
Of course, I can't comment in detail because I haven't been at the ground and don't know the ins and outs. But the kind of cricket that has been played, and the way the wickets seem frequently to have surprised the opposition (and sometimes the Somerset batsmen too), suggests a major change of some sort.
But, I hasten to add, the team has been absolutely fantastic this season so far. The best and most consistent Somerset cricket I can remember, in all forms of the game.
And I for one am not complaining.
News of Arul limping off (and I see he didn't open the batting) reminds me: we have an amazing fitness record - praying that continues as well!
He was still limping when he left the field of play for the second time.
Somebody connected to the Notts camp was not very happy they lost two player because of football.
OLDBOYBA!
It has also occurred to me that you seem to be posting at 4.00 in the morning.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:07:31:22:07:11 by Loyal of Lhasa..
A Brown trapped in front lbw Thomas.
A Brown’s wicket, Thomas looks delighted.
The rest of the team also look pleased, should this be allowed there could be children watching.
Zander taking a catch to dismiss Read off Thomas’s bowling.
C Shreck didn’t last long Thomas made sure of that.
Even great players like Hussey can make a mistake in leaving this ball from Zander D.
I hope BO will forgive me for this photo of Pete unable to hold on to this difficult catch from Pattinson bowled by Kartik.
Edited uploaded one of my photos again.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:08:01:08:57:29 by Mike BOS.
My pictures from the superb Day 3:
OLDBOYBA!
It was a superb Team effort again and it is very pleasing that almost every member made a significant contribution.
We are now the most effective team aound and to have a real chance in every competition speaks volumes for everyone at the club from Brian Rose downwards.
Getting rather excited about the coming couple of months!
I think it was after Hussey’s wicket, when the next batsman came in the bowler was ready and was looking for the ball, everybody was looking around to see who had the ball, in the excitement of taking the wicket the ball was still on the boundary fence where it ended up.
Somerset batted, bowled and fielded extremely well pretty much throughout the match and thoroughly deserved their victory. It was a real team effort, with almost everyone making a significant contribution. A key factor, in my view, was that Kartik not only bowled economically, but was a real threat to the batsmen: this meant that, for almost all the time, the Notts batsmen were under pressure at both ends. Hildreth and Buttler batted particularly well – beginning their partnership at a time when the Notts bowlers had the upper hand. Trescothick captained proactively; and his boldness in opting to invite Notts to follow on was handsomely rewarded.
Congratulations to the team and to the management.
Marcus (Captain) Alfonso (Vice Captain), from where I was sat it looked like Marcus was discussing and telling Zander why he was taking him off and putting Charl on, I thought it said a lot for Marcus’s captaincy he could have just done it without discussing it.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com] Of the 13 players listed, only 3 have received no votes at all - and, of those, I'd say that Arul's month hasn't been too bad, while Craig and Nick didn't play very much during the month in question. Captain and vice-captain lead the way, but it highlights excellent all-round performance.
I think the team bit is really shining through - a look at some of the photos from Mike and I show a level of camaraderie and mutual respect which I think greatly exceeds that displayed by some other sides.
And many thanks for the kind description of me as a "splendid photographer" - it makes it all worthwhile when people say they like the photos.
I'll try and meet up with a few more Grocklites next time I'm down for a Championship match. So far I've met Grockle, Tractor and AGod and it would be good to say hello to a few others. It would be great to meet Mike BOS and maybe ask if he'd be kind enough to give me a few tips!
There was a photographer taking photos at the Phil Frost End (by the new scoreboard) I said to Wickham may be the is Paddedup, so he went and ask him.
When he returned he said that wasn’t him.
I almost always take my photos from the Somerset Stand as I like the side on views. Also you do a great job from Gimblett's Hill so there is little point in replicating the angle, from a Grockles point of view anyway.
Sorry to Wickham for the mistaken identity, but I don't really do the one day matches. I go to most of them but not with the camera. People may have seen me in my Biggles outfit, but I haven't worn that for a little while.
I know all of the regular professionals they are always willing to give advice if you ask them.
They were missing on Saturday I think they were elsewhere Grockle said something about Bristol City football, Alain Lockyer turned up in the afternoon he is a well known local photographer.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:08:01:21:53:44 by Mike BOS.
Thanks re the pro photographers - I have generally found them to be helpful elsewhere if you show some interest and ask a few questions.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:08:01:22:07:20 by PaddedUp.
IN SOUTH AFRICA THIS YEAR.
The fixtures are already drawn up for 20 teams only.
Somerset players involved K.POLLARD. MUMBAI INDIANS
Z.DE BRYUN HIGHVELD LIONS
It will be interesting as to who has first call and what ZDB does!!
Only saying what I'd heard - negotiations seem to be still taking place but if the fixtures are ot maybe that is old news because I don't see them including more than 2 English teams as last year.
And all.
Just to let those interested that I am back.
Very tired,but back.
This sounded like a superb perfromance,even from as far a field as West Wales.
And before anyone mentions it.
Yes,I was at the Glamorgan match when things became a bit heated off the field.
And no,it wasn't me.
Lovely to see you all.
Again.
Hope you're impressed with SCCC's performance in your absence.
(Co-incidental, I'm sure !!!).
Grizzzly
Nice to have your irreverance back!
Thanks for all the kind words,it can only be downhill from here.
Yes,the performances have been brilliant.
I've been driving everyone barmy with my rantings,all my Welsh cricketing friends now know just how good we are.
In fairness the general feeling over there is that we are the team to beat,the top dogs.
Quite a few were amazed by how "quickly" we turned things around from being bottom in everything only a few years ago.
It says a lot about how far we've come.
And the great thing is we're still improving,this side is capable of anything.
I think they'd even beat the England side in football.
Though maybe not the Welsh in rugby.
Now let the abuse recommence...
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I am impressed that it sounded a good performance from West Wales - was Tractor that loud?
Nice to see you.
Somebody did mention Tractor,though they rather unkindly described him as the big man with the cider.
His legend spreads fast,even Twmmi foreigner knows of him now.
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