Somerset
A Chill Start - Hampshire CC Match 1 Farmer's view
By Farmer White
April 14 2022
Farmer's reports have been part of the site for a number of years now and though our esteemed reporter has cut back on the late night writing frenzy to get things done by the end of the day his reports are still well worth reading in retrospect. A more relaxed view of life still provides us with some gems so whenever I can I'll put them on the front page so the largest number of people get to look at them. Thank you Farmer... long may they continue
County Championship 2022. Division 1. Hampshire v Somerset. 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th April 2022. Southampton.
The following were unavailable for selection by Somerset. Matthew Renshaw (with Australia), Lewis Gregory and Jack Brooks (ill), Craig Overton and Jack Leach (required to rest by England), Tom Banton, George Bartlett, Josh Davey and Sonny Baker (injured).
Hampshire. J.J. Weatherley, I.G. Holland, J.M. Vince (c), N.R.T. Gubbins, L.A. Dawson, B.C. Brown (w), J.K. Fuller, F.S. Organ, K.H.D. Barker, K.J. Abbott, Mohammad Abbas.
Somerset. B.G.F. Green, T.A. Lammonby, T.B. Abell (c), J.C. Hildreth, L.P. Goldsworthy, S.M. Davies (w), R.E. van der Merwe, K.L Aldridge, P.M. Siddle, E.O. Leonard, M. de Lange.
Toss. Somerset. Elected to bat.
First day 7th April – A chill start
Whoever designed the transport system did not envisage Somerset supporters travelling from Somerset to the AGEAS bowl. When I came here for the experimental round of pink ball Championship matches in 2017, I came by car. The journey was 100 miles. It took five hours. The A303, alternately dual carriageway and single carriageway, was trying to do the job of a motorway in West Country summer traffic. This year, for the first Championship match of the season, my railway journey seemed to have been designed around randomly laid stretches of track which, by chance, happened to meet each other here and there. I can report that Romsey and Eastleigh are not stations where you would want to spend an extended layover, although Westbury has friendly staff, a small buffet and toilets that are open. Fortunately, the trains ran rather better than the plan to which the track had been laid. Sixteen, 16 and eight minutes were the extent of my connection times, and all four trains ran perfectly to time.
Hedge End station is where you end up. Two platforms, a bridge which was less rickety than it looked, a ticket office (closed when I arrived there) and a telephone number to call for a taxi to rescue you. I have been making excursions to anywhere in the country where a county cricket ground has been pitched for some years, and so I do not set off without preparation. My trains were timed to get me to Hedge End in good time before the rush hour set in. “It’s a 35-minute wait for a cab, at least,” the response to my call, “It’s school run time,” the explanation. School run? It’s half term in Somerset. Not in Hampshire apparently. It would appear that Local Authority co-ordination has similarities to the railway layout between the two counties. And taxis? For the school run? When I was at school, for those of us on our estate, the school run consisted of us running home from school on our own legs, and the school buses that took those who could not make their own way, or lived too far, looked like they had last seen service on the Western Front. Now, it seems, it’s taxis. Things must have moved on since the 1950s.
I am not entirely without luck. “Hang on, we have someone just doing a drop-off near you. He can take you to your hotel on the way to his next pick-up.” A bit like some of those trains that had got me that far I suppose. Five minutes later, the cab swept into the pick-up area, and I was on the last leg of my first odyssey of the season. I swept into the hotel lobby, most hotels I stay in don’t run to a lobby, at least not one that it takes a route march to cross. I am not sure my three-hour wind-blown hair, resembling the random rail network I had just negotiated, my unruly case and backpack which had resented the journey from the start, my lop-sided Somerset scarf and rebellious anorak, both of which always come as they are, were quite the normal fare for the hotel, but my bank card worked at the first attempt, and I was in.
The hotel Wi-Fi worked a treat too, but all that did was take me to the team news. Hampshire at full strength, Kyle Abbott, Mohammad Abbas and Keith Barker to the fore. Somerset’s team sheet meanwhile looked like a map of the rail network I had just negotiated. Matthew Renshaw is still with Australia. Craig Overton and Jack Leach have been rested by England. Somerset did not win a Championship match in 2021 without Overton in the side. Tom Banton has fractured his finger just as his red ball form seemed to be improving, Lewis Gregory is ill, and Josh Davey, second only to Overton in impact with the ball in 2021, and Sonny Baker are injured. All, except Baker might have expected to play. In the corresponding fixture in 2020, Overton, Gregory and Davey took 18 of the 20 Hampshire wickets and Overton and Gregory scored over 100 of Somerset’s first innings runs in a ten-wicket win.
Then to the morning of the match. Bright sun, high white cloud and the wind that had demolished my hair the day before had been re-invigorated overnight. Somerset had lost two more players too. Jack Brooks had fallen ill, and George Bartlett had injured his shoulder. The team that took the field were the last eleven squad members standing. Had the entire squad been fit and available it is probable that only five of those who actually took the field would have done so. It was a daunting prospect against a Hampshire side that looked to be at full strength.
It became more daunting still when, after a calm enough start against Mohammad Abbas and Keith Barker, Ben Green played defensively to Abbas and edged the ball towards the feet of third slip where it was intercepted by Liam Dawson diving across from second. The Somerset supporter sitting behind me winced and put his head in his hands. It was precisely the start which might have been predicted for an inexperienced opening partnership facing one of the most experienced and skilled new ball attacks in the country on their own ground. When Tom Abell got behind a ball from Kyle Abbott and edged it straight to Joe Weatherley at third slip, the score was 19 for 2 and the enthusiasm that walks into a cricket ground alongside every supporter on the first day of the season was being sorely tested before the first hour was out.
The morning was bitterly cold, and the day became colder still as it progressed. It did not stop the usual first match of the season chatter as supporters who had not seen each other since the last match of the previous season or before began to exchange winter stories and news. They were soon into their stride as the chatter became a buzz and eyes and minds turned to the cricket. Somerset minds hoping, hoping for a partnership and some impetus to an innings already disabled by the loss of those two wickets and that was creeping along at just short of two an over. Hampshire minds waiting, waiting for another wicket as Abbas, Barker and Abbott kept up the pressure, finding the spot, giving the batsmen no respite. The wind may have been arctic, but the summer game was in full swing.
Tom Lammonby had driven Abbas straight for four to the Hotel boundary in the third over. It was an exquisite stroke of unruffled power which had swept away the winter sleep from the eyes, but after 18 overs Somerset were still only 35 for 2. Such progress, or lack of it, against such bowling leaves the batting side’s supporters with that uneasy feeling that a wicket is coming. In the 19th over, with Lammonby on 11 after 61 balls of intense defence it came. Another defensive push against the lesser pace of Ian Holland saw the ball find the edge of Lammonby’s bat and the gloves of Ben Brown. It may be anecdotal, but the evidence from my memory has Lammonby failing to move on when he embarks on a defensive start of virtual immobility. When Lewis Goldsworthy, the coming batting hope of 2021, was late in defence to Abbas, he was struck on the pad and Somerset were 46 for 4, still scoring at less than two an over. The weight of Hampshire’s pace attack was telling against Somerset’s still inexperienced young batsmen and on the minds of its experienced travelling supporters. Changes in the structure of first-class cricket are being mooted and county’s performances in the 2022 Championship may be even more important than in most seasons.
The experience of Steven Davies perhaps showed as he began to work the ball around, once neatly dropping the bat on a ball to guide it past the slips for two. Davies has played many determined innings for Somerset, often guiding the innings through difficult phases. His start raised the hope that he might be preparing another such rescue. If so, the hope was spectacularly undone on the stroke of lunch by Barker. Davies shaped to leave a full ball. A replay shows it pitching perhaps a foot or more outside off stump and cutting in so sharply it hit the stumps full on. Balls are rarely truly unplayable. This one was. Somerset were 61 for 5 in the 31st over and Davies walked off without waiting for anyone else. “Oh dear,” said the Somerset voice behind me, head too numbed to fall into hands.
At lunch spectators were invited onto the outfield to gather in front of the big screen to watch and join in a tribute to Shane Warne, one-time Hampshire captain, and to pay tribute to him with one-minute of applause. The applause, shared by those who had remained to stand at their seats, was warm, wholesome and undiminished for the entire minute. It was as effective as the silences usually held on the deaths of cricketers. Perhaps it was more suited to Warne’s live-life-to-the-full personality. In any event, Hampshire supporters paid a worthy tribute.
And then a reminder of the two years just past. A chance meeting with an old work colleague as I circumnavigated the ground. He had recently recovered from COVID. “Not a nice experience. Pretty unpleasant. Not something you want to have,” his verdict. But the conversation soon turned to the cricket and Somerset’ poor run at the end of last season, now seemingly continuing into this, although no easy solutions were forthcoming.
Somerset’s prospects looked brighter after lunch, at least for a while. We were treated to an innings from James Hildreth in which the 37-year-old, as cricket writers used to say, rolled back the years. It was a true classic of timing, grace and placement. He had begun during the morning, at the fall of Abell’s wicket, with a neat push past midwicket for two. As the batsmen at the other end fought to protect their wickets from some hostile Hampshire bowling, Hildreth played as if the bowlers were there to serve his purpose. My notes record drives of smooth perfection through the covers, midwicket and square, and a cut of crisp power square of the wicket, all to applause from a Hampshire crowd otherwise cheering and applauding their bowlers on. By lunch, as three wickets fell at the other end for 42 runs, Hildreth’s bat had added 30. As so often when Hildreth is at the top of his form he seemed to be playing on a different pitch.
After lunch, with Roelof van der Merwe playing positively at the other end, Hildreth began by driving Abbott square through the off side to the boundary. “Shot!” a Hampshire supporter shouted. For the next hour Hildreth’s artistry, in consort with van der Merwe’s pugnacity, dominated the scene. Smoothly struck, perfectly placed singles and twos kept the score moving, studied defence kept Hampshire out, and boundaries, particularly square of he wicket, lifted the Somerset spirit. Ian Holland was cut crisply through backward point for four to bring up Hildreth’s fifty from 88 balls. James Fuller was driven square, again to the boundary. A clip off his toes for three off Holland, slowed by the outfield, was a joy to watch as it, along with the others slid across the grass like a putt across the smoothest of greens.
Van der Merwe meanwhile, playing less aggressively than is the norm for him, was not entirely without the idiosyncrasies which can epitomise his play. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” was an early call which cajoled Hildreth into a single. One of his four boundaries came from an inside edge which teased the keeper as it flew past his diving glove. A late cut for two was fashioned by the bat dabbing sharply down on the ball as if it had just irked him. An uppercut cleared the slips and ran down to the Hotel boundary. “Only Roelof could try to stop a collapse with an uppercut over the slips,” said the message from the online watcher in South America. There was too, solid defence and a cut for four backward of square which brought applause from around the ground. In the end he was defeated by a ball from Fuller which cut in sharply from outside off and bowled him for 28 made in a partnership of 73 with Hildreth. Uplifting it may have been, but the loss of most of Somerset’s top order in the morning still cast its shadow over a score of 134 for 6 and the cheers of the Hampshire crowd reflected the dominance of their side.
Hildreth, still playing on a different plane, continued as if he had not noticed the happening’s around him. Two balls in succession from Abbott, when they came into contact with Hildreth’s bat, flowed apparently unhurriedly to the boundary, one cut through backward point, the other driven through the covers. Against Fuller he came forward, body in perfect balance as his initial movement transformed itself seamlessly into a stroke from which the ball flowed off the bat bisecting deep midwicket and long on as it went. It was a stroke which Hildreth plays to perfection, his equivalent of Trescothick’s cover drive. A glance off Fuller for four brought forth praise from a Hampshire supporter.
It was as if Hildreth was playing with powers conferred on him by the cricketing gods. And then, as if the gods had tired of their creation, he was bowled by a stunning yorker from Dawson. Dawson’s first ball of the season. It was so startling it demanded to be viewed again. Match highlights revealed Hildreth being deceived by significant curving drift into him. It was a piece of bowling artistry to match Hildreth’s batting. That amount and shape of drift on a first ball rendered it the second truly unplayable ball of the innings.
Somerset were 158 for 7 and from there, there was little respite. Peter Siddle in his first match for Somerset resisted for a while, finding 16 runs along the way in a 21-run partnership with Kasey Aldridge but then, suddenly, the final three Somerset wickets fell for one run, two to Barker and one to Dawson. A final score of 180 left an uncomfortable, swirling reservoir of anxiety in the pit of the Somerset stomach as the players ended the innings by walking off for tea.
By the close of play, that reservoir had deepened considerably as Joe Weatherley and Ian Holland took Hampshire to 109 for 0. Worse, they had seemed virtually untroubled. The few Somerset faces I saw as I left the ground were looking grimly into the distance. The Somerset bowling had appeared to have no threat in it, unlike the Hampshire bowlers who had kept the Somerset batsmen constantly under pressure. The 21-year-old Aldridge and the 19-year-old Leonard had a tendency to drop short, using the bouncer when there was little evidence that it unsettled or tested the Hampshire batsmen.
By the close, Weatherley, benefitting from the greater proportion of the strike, had 65 to Holland’s 41. He had had some luck, beginning his innings with two thick edges, one running to the boundary for four off Siddle, by some way the pick of the Somerset bowlers. He had too edged Abell just wide of third slip for four before responding by steering the next ball safely through the same area for three. From there, his innings was an exhibition of controlled defence and decisive attack. The nagging accuracy of Siddle was met with a straight bat. When de Lange gave him some width, he cut, once square and once through backward point, both for four, persuading backward point to retreat to deep backward point. Leonard was driven to the onside boundary to appreciative applause and pushed with perfect timing through midwicket for four more.
Holland meanwhile seemed focused on rotating the strike which he did with some regularity, but where the ball presented itself, he took full measure, driving Aldridge through the covers and pulling Leonard through midwicket, each time for four. Siddle apart, the Somerset bowling lacked sufficient accuracy to make the batsmen play often enough to build pressure and gave too many opportunities for boundaries.
It was a dispiriting display for Somerset supporters, and for those watching from the stands rather than online it was an unpleasantly cold experience. The crowd began to depart after tea despite Hampshire’s dominance and the fact that they were batting. There is a tendency for Championship crowds to start thinning after tea but compared to the norm this was an accelerated departure. The weather, I suspect, was the main driver for this. Hunched shoulders and hands in pockets were the order of the day in the Warne Stand. My teatime circumnavigation, anti-clockwise for those who do not know me, revealed the frozen Warne Stand, with its back to the wind, was an oasis of summer in comparison with the temperatures on the far side of the ground. The seats there faced the full force of the northerly wind which had blown across the ground all day. It blew at such a speed it would have been impossible for a fielder to keep pace with the shadows of the clouds on the outfield as they raced across it. For the morrow, Somerset could look forward to chasing a match racing away from them at a pace to match those clouds. For Somerset supporters, it was a chill start to the season indeed.
Close. Somerset 180 (J.C. Hildreth 87, K.H.D. Barker 3-33). Hampshire 109 for 0. Hampshire trail by 71 runs with ten first innings wickets standing.
You can pick up more of this on Farmer's own website www.farmerwhite.co.uk or on our Hampshire thread.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:16:16:07:33 by Grockle.
We will not have Matt Renshaw who is in Pakistan or Craig Overton and Jack Leach who will be rested by the ECB to who they are contracted.
Peter Siddle will be available as most people who saw the liveatream interview in Taunton today saw.
So which 10 other players will join captain Tom Abell for the game?
We may be pretty sure that Steve Davies will keep wicket and that Siddle will have a place
Looking at the sides picked over the last few weeks one can assume that there is a place for Tom Lammonby in the side and that it will be as one of the openers. His opening partner is a little less obvious - George Bartlett Ben Green Tom Banton have all been tried along with the wicket keeper. Who will it be?
It's pretty likely that the skipper will come in at 3 and it would be a radical start t the season to not put James Hildreth at 4 though it certainly isn't certain that will happen
We should assume that one of those not used in berth number 2 will be up to be in berth number 5 with the man with the gloves at 6 unless he opens.
7 to 11 is an interesting puzzle. One slow man will probably be used and that on present form would be Roelof van der Merwe
It will probably be Lewis Gregory at number 7 - not using Goldsworthy today probably suggests he may have to wait.
The Aussie at 9 leaves 2 places for other bowlers. If Josh Davey is fit enough to play he will and may take 9 instead. If he isn't then one of the last two has to go to Jack Brooks for consistency. Who takes the last in that case will be interesting. I'd rather use Ned Leonard than Marchant de Lange but that probably won't happen.
If our 'Scot' is fit I'd put the headbanded one at 11.
Lammonby, Green/Banton/Davies, Abell, Hildreth, Bartlett/Banton/Green, Davies/Banton/Bartlett, Gregory, RvdM, Davey/Siddle, Siddle/Brooks, Brooks/Leonard/MdL
8 definites (bold) though position may vary and some options which don't include the wildcards of Kasey Aldridge and Lewis Goldsworthy
I suppose it will all be clear in 3 and a bit days
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:10:10:26:10 by Grockle.
Green
Lammonby
Abel
Banton
Hildreth
Bartlett
Davies
Gregory
Siddle
VDM
Brooks
I doubt last year's performances are first on the selection group's page after the build up this year.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:04:17:17:09 by Goonie goo goo.
Green
Lammonsby
Abell
Hildreth
Goldsworthy
Banton
Davies
Gregory
Davey
Siddle
Brooks
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:05:09:10:10 by nelliec.
Ned & Kasey were mentioned at the press conference. George B was sent to bat on last friendly day Goldsworthy wasn't though I'd hope he's a big factor this season.
The lack of penetration in the friendlies and Josh actually bowling and not being protected in the field may mean he's back.
The BBC forecast doesn't look too bad, are you looking at the pessimistic weather.com Grocks?
75% chance of light morning rain on Thursday
80% chance of rain on Friday
Morning showers on Sunday
Gonna be a bit of on/off. There'll be a game but it's gonna stop me planning a 4 day trip to watch it
Ben's stream will be good enough I think.
At least it makes the selection easier now Tom B is not in the frame any more. I would have picked him at 5
Lammonby
Green
Abell
Bartlett
Davies
Goldsworthy
Gregory
Van de Merve
Siddle
Brooks
Leonard
I expect Hidreth will play ahead of Goldsworthy only because of experience.
A happy new season to all Grocklers.
[www.ageasbowl.com]
My ticket, bought the previous evening, did not arrive until the next day when the ticket office opened (10-3 on non-matchdays at least).
Also for members, I understand that the receipt for your Somerset membership purchase should gain you access to members areas.
Farmer
On paper the attack is at least as weak as the one that featured in the horrendous final four CC games of last season, with Siddle replacing Davey the only change of significance.
If the rain doesn’t turn up?
I’d expect to lose heavily.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:06:14:38:02 by AGod.
We're doomed already.
Only AG could be so pessamistic.
Perfect 4 days per the BBC.
Grock will have to revive his planned trip & join Farmer & I.....
Roll on 11am ☀️🏏👍
Good of them to finally publish county previews though once the franchise draft was done.
Shame we are under strength but words like 'severely' ought to be used sparingly.
I'm presently unaware of Josh's level of actual fitness. I'm also happy to see Peter Siddle in Somerset whites. Lewis has to prove something and Jack Brooks is fighting for his season from Day 1 so there are things to be gained from maximum effort.
The batting has to show it has improved. Renshaw is only 1 batsman the rest also have to up their game and I'm willing to wait before i unilaterally dismiss any gains that might have happened since the Warwickshire game of 2021. I'm sad Tom Banton isn't available but he also has some way to go before he could be seen as a main cog in our batting line-up. Tom Lammonby has something to prove. Ben Green slso if he wants to open. George Bartlett has a very important season ahead and Lewis Goldsworthy may get an earlier than expected chance to make his case.
Of the rain curtails the match then so be it. If it doesn't then the eleven picked have to play the best game possible and we'll see how "severely weak" the result is.
Happy to go into a game AG has written off because he's more wrong than he has ever been right.
Anyway. Have a good 2022 season people Grockles will be there at the end all being well. Buckle up! I'm sure it's going to be a bumpy ride!!
Josh Davey also not available as he's still recovering from groin operation.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:06:16:02:20 by RadstockRob.
Is the squad for tomorrow
You'd expect Tom to be joined by Steve Davies (will he open?), Peter Siddle, James Hildreth, Reolof van der Merwe at least from the experienced set. Ben Green & Tom Lammonby in the batting most likely as openers with George and Lewis to bolster the batting.
Jack will most likely start and it would be good to.see Ned play but they may go.with MdL. Think that is a mistake but can understand the mindset with 6 out and little variation. Kasey may get a look in but Ned would be a better bet to me.
Green
Lammonby
Abell
Hildreth
Bartlett
Davies
Goldsworthy
van der Merwe
Brooks
Siddle
Leonard
Is mine but...puts pressure on Abell & Green. Not a lot of choice when the Devil drives...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:06:16:47:43 by Grockle.
As I said, Siddle for Davey looks the only real change from the unit that proved wholly inadequate in the final stanza of last season.
Ten years ago, Siddle for Davey would have been an obvious upgrade? Now? Well PS is, I think, about 37 and Davey has blossomed into a really good bowler. So, at best, it’s what the Americans would call “a wash,” I.e Siddle for Davey is neither a plus nor a minus.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:06:18:50:38 by AGod.
It's more serious now but until we see what happens we have no idea where this batting unit is in relation to last year's so the same prognosis applies.
If you weren't pessimistic we'd all think something was wrong and your obsession with refusing to accept things change is at least consistent.
But as I said you are not always right and I'm happy to wait and see. You don't get to say 'I told you all so' all that often.
Hope this next four days does not change that trend
It’s not my fault you hadn’t read it.
Same is why I said Siddle for Davey was the only difference between what we had at the end of this season and what we will have at Hedge End.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:06:19:14:13 by AGod.
But we go with what we have and we see how the cards fall.
AG - well done you
The same at the end of last season may not be the same as 'Hedge End' but you won't have long to wait and see will you.
Enjoy... many probably will more than you either way.
But I don’t think we would actually pick KA ahead of NL.
As for Marchant? If they’re not going to pick him when Cove is unavailable and Gregory and Davey are both hors de combat, then when exactly would they pick him?
I suspect, therefore that Ned will, sadly, miss out, but that it will be Brooks and MDL that join Siddle in one of the older seam attacks that SCCC will ever have fielded. I expect Abell/Green will be left to fiddle the 4th seamer role between them.
But what do I know. After all the ECB's track record of player management has been absolutely first class over the last few years.
Hasn't it ?
Grizzers
It has been a tough winter for the England boys but I think they probably know what is best for them.... maybe it should be their decision? Is that allowed?
You gotta hope they were consulted/included in the decisions
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:07:08:59:02 by Grockle.
May your match days be warm and dry, your Thatchers cold and wet. and your photos the perfect shot. Enjoy!
Farmer
It’s a MASH unit. I assume Brooks has caught whatever Gregory has.
WSM - De Lange will be playing this one, at least!
Anybody has a total number of players not available?
Quite surprising for the time of year.
Based purely on the colour of the pitch, one can certainly understand Tom’s decision to bat first.
If the pitch “plays its colour,” then our depleted bowling attack is likely to really have its work cut out.
You revel in any bad hour, session, day more than anyone I know.
The sun is shining, we are allowed back in fully.
Healthy crowd (for this place)
Great cricket hum in the ground of supporters enjoying live cricket.
Not even through 1 session yet let alone a day, maybe for a change see how the game develops hey.....
Much better if we actually succeed.
But, as I said pre-season, unless our first choice attack is regularly available then our season is much more likely than not to go as the tail end of last season did, I’m afraid.
It’s rather obvious “how this game will develop,” WSM, I’m afraid. Not a great deal of suspense involved, sadly.
More likely than not?
Somerset about 175(if we’re lucky) and about 175 and Hants, most likely, at least 300 first up and then an easy win batting last (if we even make them bat a second time)
Barker, Abbas and Abbott bowled well, as one would expect.
If you’re down as many players as we are, then you really have to hope and pray for stellar efforts from those few first choice players you still have available.
But Abell and Davies have made very few between them. Siddle will need a miraculous bowling performance to give us any shot. I really don’t think it’s a bad pitch for batting on at all. But it is slow and so is the outfield.
Wind prediction is spot on though.
A) The hue of the pitch
The fact we only have two experienced frontline bowlers playing one of whom, if we’re honest, SCCC don’t seem to really fancy.
I don’t think Tom got the call wrong. The pitch is not bad for batting on. Barker, Abbas and Abbott are better at bowling than our top six are at batting. And an argument can be made that it’s better for our first innings not to be taking place in response to what may very well prove an above-par Hants total.
Grockle - think the weather moved north a bit, hail stones in North Somerset.
Wrong sport.
But, no, you are wrong.
There’s nothing to suggest the call was wrong.
No use pointing at the scoreboard because Barker, Abbott and Abbas are simply better at bowling than we are at batting. And if our top six were batting against them with a big Hants total already on the board? I’d be willing to bet that scoreboard pressure would help cause carnage.
I assume MDL will bat in attack mode and so some entertainment might be forthcoming.
More or less as expected.
In terms of the top six at least they didn’t roll over with abject dismissals as per the debacle at the end of last season. Generally, we at least made them bowl us out.
I think Siddle will have to bowl incredibly well for us to make a game of this. From what I’ve seen so far, I think it’s a 275 or so par deck. But their top three bowlers are obviously accomplished performers.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I have also noticed we have a significant number of absentees at the start of this season.
Old Boy!
Clarence
Tom Seymour
Were the three I noticed Some just go elsewhere or simply stop but it would be nice to know that this is all it is.
As the years go on people have invested considerable amounts of time here so their absence is noticed and significant.
Well done yourself it's good to see.
Is there anyone else noticable by their absence?
Quote:AGod
Well, 180 all out.
More or less as expected.
In terms of the top six at least they didn’t roll over with abject dismissals as per the debacle at the end of last season. Generally, we at least made them bowl us out.
I think Siddle will have to bowl incredibly well for us to make a game of this. From what I’ve seen so far, I think it’s a 275 or so par deck. But their top three bowlers are obviously accomplished performers.
I'd suggest it's more than any scenario you expected AG
At least Hildreth turned up.
It's good to see Green & Lammonby have obviously worked at their defence. That was obviously what was going on in the friendlies. BUT it is little use sticking if it is at the expense of scoring any runs. Tom showed in the pre season games that he had a defence but he became vulnerable almost as soon as he tried to move the score on. The next job is to work on that transition.
The vulnerability to the moving ball is there and the wind did not help it stop moving.
As someone pointed out with the loss of Brooks we are down to bowlers we have. Only one I haven't seen is Siddle. Wickets were not their forte in March except for RvdM. Just gotta keep it tight and hope the pitch gives em something.
Haven't watched much this afternoon. Can't say the end of day score suggests we are going to find this easy. Hope the weather forcast for tomorrow is closer to the one from earlier in the week.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:07:19:27:23 by Grockle.
Quote:Grockle
Sorry LoL I think I deleted a post of yours trying to delete the one below it.
I have also noticed we have a significant number of absentees at the start of this season.
Old Boy!
Clarence
Tom Seymour
Were the three I noticed Some just go elsewhere or simply stop but it would be nice to know that this is all it is.
As the years go on people have invested considerable amounts of time here so their absence is noticed and significant.
Well done yourself it's good to see.
Is there anyone else noticable by their absence?
I'm still here on an old laptop, which has stored my info, but all my apple stuff won't let me log in and I can't remember my password. Email is my old work address and I've long since retired. Just tested Covid positive, so hopefully it wont be a brief reunion.
I've taken up a long awaited white ball membership in the all weather section.
If you’d asked me yesterday, it’s true that I’d have expected only 150 max, knowing how routinely ineffective our top six unit is, but then that’s because I suspected we’d see a green track doing all sorts (as for the equivalent fixture last season) but - in reality this pitch is far from loaded in favour of the ball.
I therefore asssumed you would be disappointed that you weren't able to say 'I told you so' which seems to be all you want to do nowadays.
Hildreth's performance today was the best part of Someset's day for two reasons therefore - he played well and he possibly made your day worse than you thought it would be. Yay!!
Never mind there's always tomorrow to moan about. I'm sure there will be things to pick on if it doesn't rain
When a team hasn’t won for yonks and has at least 9 players unavailable then expecting anything other than a heavy defeat would defy all logic, really.
Lovely day in the sun watching our team. (If a little windy!)
Great company, Farmer & Tractor in fine form.
For those writing us off after red ball day 1 of 56 sat Infront your computer screen watching the stream, glad you aren't here 😜😜
Quote:somerset blue
What is this, Bartlett dislocating his shoulder in the footy warm up today 🤦♂️
Please don't anyone confirm that!! 🤪🤣🤪
So, what a pleasure to be proven so comprehensively wrong today. A first-ball perfect yorker from a left-arm spinner was about the only way he was ever going to get out.
The other ten players though ... they looked like a second-XI coming back from a long lay-off. Has there ever been a pre-season for Somerset where the coaches haven't insisted that things couldn't have gone better, despite us being outplayed in every game? Just for once. I'd like to see us taking these games unfashionably seriously. No 'retired outs' - just try flat-out to win these matches, however uncool such an attitude might be, and see whether that helps when it comes to Game One in the Championship.
Jim would be predicting 10 wickets before lunch and a first innings lead.
Suggests a more off than on day but who.knows?
No more than 25% any hour per BBC.
Which if I have maths right means 75% it won't rain any given hour.....
Off to ground to enjoy day 2 ☀️🏏🍻
We had some posts a few years back about his first class runs scored. 17,738 at the end of last season according to ESPN. I wish the official site would update the player records. Hopefully the first of many good innings for James this season
I'm going out for a while now and expect great excitement while I'm away.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Quote:Grockle
This was the worst day forecast so the amount of cricket today may be limited. 99% prediction of rain (at this present moment!!) But although its predicted all day its only 50/45% each hour!! How does that work?
Suggests a more off than on day but who.knows?
Very simply: if there’s a 50% chance per hour, that’s equivalent to a coin flip.
If “the day,” for this purpose lasts 12 hours, then 12 straight coin flips would have to come down the same way for it to be true that the chance of rain at some point during that 12 hour period would be less than 100%.
The odds of getting 12 identical results in a row would be 0.5 to the power of 12… ergo the true chance of rain at some point is, indeed, 100% (with a little rounding up) if AND ONLY if the original hourly risk % was correct.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:08:12:35:10 by AGod.
Quote:Grockle
Probably a good idea to change your profile details before the old laptop packs up Botham
Dave, at Sports Network, has been most helpful.
Quote:wsm fan
I feel with your forecasters Grockle you would not watch a ball this season.
No more than 25% any hour per BBC.
Which if I have maths right means 75% it won't rain any given hour.....
Off to ground to enjoy day 2 ☀️🏏🍻
I'd travel to Taunton WSM just not going to waste time travelling this time of year to see away games unless I see something worth seeing. Not sure the weather was the determining factor on this particular game tbh
It isn't raining.
And doesn't look like it will rain.
So whatever percentage analysis you do to the power of some made up number is pure nonsense!
We have found a 12th Man to do drinks, assuming his teacher let him have the day off from school because he looks about 13 😱
As was said before the season began and as was already proven by the events of last season, we are not capable of competing unless most of our first-choice bowling attack is available, since it is the bowling that has carried us for years and our batting unit is simply not good enough.
When I expressed this view this was denounced as “pessimistic.” It was not. Suggesting that we might have to cope without first choice bowlers for much of the season might be so described, perhaps, but I made no prediction on that score. The only prediction was that our chances of being even remotely competitive hinged on having our first choice bowling attack regularly available.
This match is now the fifth successive piece of evidence strongly in favour of this point.
I simply said if the idea that the chance of rain every hour really was 50% (if that were accurate) then the chance of avoiding rain at some point in the day would be about 0.000000000001% (or something like that)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:08:13:02:39 by Grockle.
Quote:BothamQuote:Grockle
Probably a good idea to change your profile details before the old laptop packs up Botham
Dave, at Sports Network, has been most helpful.
He always has been
Quote:AGod
When I expressed this view this was denounced as “pessimistic.” It was not.....
In case you aren't sure about the definition of a pessimist AG,
'...the tendency to expect only bad outcomes; gloomy; joyless; unhopeful:...'
Think it fits whether the end result was right or not.
The analysis of your view was based on your expectation of an outcome NOT the actual result itself. Nothing good to.say and no belief in any possible positive outcomes is... sorry to say... a pessimistic view no matter how many paragraphs you now psot trying to show it in another light.
You rarely these days post with any kind of balance even when more balance than this situation exists.
But don't let me stop you taking up another half a page justifying yourself once more it's lunchtime... there's a bit of space in the game 😀👍
Quote:wsm fan
Well it hasn't rained since 10am.
It isn't raining.
And doesn't look like it will rain.
So whatever percentage analysis you do to the power of some made up number is pure nonsense!
Didn't do any analysis. Just looked on my phone. However, the general news of team selection had far more to do with allowing forecasts to convince me to watch the stream and wait until the Essex game.
Nothing I've seen so far has convinced me I made a bad decision to leave travelling to away games until later in the season if I fancy it. Each to their own
This isn’t merely some idea of mine though.
We haven’t won a match in this competition since May last year and the next time we win one we will have a full-strength or near full-strength bowling side (at least 3 of 4 first-choice seamers) on the park. Because this top six isn’t going to be the decisive factor in beating anyone at CC1 level (they probably couldn’t be the decisive factor in beating anyone at CC2 level).
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:08:13:52:44 by AGod.
I don’t know whether the Execrable Cricket Board have pronounced on the availability of Cove/Leachy? I don’t know what LG’s illness was so anyone’s guess whether he will be fit and it is surely fair to assume that Josh Davey, after very limited pre-season work, is unlikely to suddenly be both super fit and in top form as soon as our next match.
So… if there are question marks as to who will be available for the next one, and there surely must be, we can ill afford to risk the one true frontline pace bowler we currently have available (let’s face it, the club don’t truly rate MDL and he won’t be first choice if those mentioned in the above paragraph are fit).
Quote:Botham
Assuming all our bowlers are fit, who will our available spin bowlers be?
Whilst typing that, I missed the wicket!
More to do with having a 'miserable outlook' than having 'sensible alternatives'.
Things are looking up. Siddle AND Leonard both have wickets.... ahh optimism how I have missed you
Quote:Grockle
Jack Leach RvdM, Lewis Goldsworthy, Max Walker
Potential for Jack to be unavailable and Max is on white ball contract, so we could be struggling.
We'd still have 2 but the question us more about how good a bowler Gokdsworthy actually is
Are there any coming through?
Quote:BothamQuote:Grockle
Jack Leach RvdM, Lewis Goldsworthy, Max Walker
Potential for Jack to be unavailable and Max is on white ball contract, so we could be struggling.
We really are struggling if it’s Max Walker! Think he may even be deceased but when you get to my age you can’t remember who has died and who hasn’t.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:08:17:29:00 by Des Platt.
As Anthony mentioned earlier today the job will be to bat long and do nothing extravagent. There is still a definite job to do in this game.
Steve Kirby gave him a very long bowling session during the last friendly - over 2 hours but as someone said at the time it was not sure whether he was bowling to the batsmen or working on his deliveries.
Is it now in Somerset's interest to bowl Hampshire out? Should they tighten up and keep their scoring down while allowing them to bat into Day 3.
Movement of the ball and the bounce will be worrying for the second half of this game
He seemed to be getting a little tighter at the end of last season but maybe he's given up trying the bowling batsman role?
This definitely looks like they will declare after this one
Baker run out with a lead of 248. Game on
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:08:17:48:18 by Grockle.
Of course, we could be three down by the close, but maybe it’ll snow, like it has just along the coast!
Quote:Des Platt
We really are struggling if it’s Max Walker! Think he may even be deceased but when you get to my age you can’t remember who has died and who hasn’t.
Hello Des
I am pretty certain that Max Walker has died but on the evidence - in case you are wondering - you are definitely still alive. In my case the jury is still considering its verdict.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Better evening performance but tomorrow is a very big day
Quote:Grockle
Love the idea that you add the 'undue' and then try to redefine pessimism in order to try and show that you are not presently a pessimist... aww bless 👍
More to do with having a 'miserable outlook' than having 'sensible alternatives'.
Things are looking up. Siddle AND Leonard both have wickets.... ahh optimism how I have missed you
What, pray, were your “sensible alternatives,” that could have been suggested for this game?
Aren’t we down to our only XI fit players!?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:08:18:49:30 by AGod.
A better batting performance on Day 1
Ben Green inspiring others earlier
Peter Siddle having a bit more luck
Tom Lammonby bowling some left arm seam?
There were sensible and more positive ways this could have gone
For tomorrow?
Some 50 plus scores before we are 5 down? Solid defence from the front end
A staunchly wagging tail on Day 4 and no time left for Hampshire to close the game
Can't say I think a sensible alternative would be us scoring enough to push them to defeat but stranger things have happened - bit unrealistic though
Despite having made a massive total with both openers getting tons (that bit is bad news), Essex have not achieved much with the ball Vs Kent. Moreover, the match situation is such that it looks as though much the most likely route to victory for Essex would be to enforce the follow-on… in which case it could be a tired Essex seam attack that rocks up in Taunton.
I also note that there is no sign of Simon Harmer in the Essex side. Delayed arrival? Injured? Would it be too much to hope that he won’t be available against us?
So no Harmer at Taunton next week!
Should we be shorn of some first choice bowlers again next week that might, at least, go some way to levelling up the playing field.
Hopefully the worthless ECB Will relent and let us play Cove and Leachy. If that happens and we get Gregory back from illness then Cove, Siddle, Gregory and Leach should certainly form a competitive attack. And all three returnees would hold out some promise of runs to bail out the top six (as is our customary requirement). I can’t imagine Josh will be fully fit but the most important thing is to ensure he is fully fit for as and when Cove is forced to rest again or carry drinks for the Execrable Cricket Board Select XI.
Some may have thought that Green may just have been keeping a place warm for Renshaw.
However, depending on second innings returns here, it must be conceivable that Green might move ahead of Goldsworthy for a place Vs Essex, given Green’s demonstration of his bowling value here?
There is no guarantee that the ECB will release our England players or any certainty that Josh will be fully fit.
Quote:Grockle
Green won't have done his chances any harm with his spell this evening - but he has to do it more consistently. However, assuming not all our seam options that are missiing will be available by next week we may need Ben to be there anyway.
There is no guarantee that the ECB will release our England players or any certainty that Josh will be fully fit.
Jason Kerr’s post match interview seemed to suggest he’d have selection problems, including the return of Cove and Leach.
Did anyone notice a Hants fielder coming on as substitute for us?
Quote:Grockle
Sorry LoL I think I deleted a post of yours trying to delete the one below it.
I have also noticed we have a significant number of absentees at the start of this season.
Old Boy!
Clarence
Tom Seymour
....
Is there anyone else noticable by their absence?
Thanks Grockle. The other one I mentioned was Mike Index. There is also Palairet, though I think he and Clarence Parker may be one and the same.
All those named have made substantial contributions to the site, even if we haven't all agreed with everything they've said, and it would be reassuring to know that they are still with us and as ready for the new season as the rest of us are.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Hope they are all well.
Farmer
But that’s a little too honest an appraisal for the tastes of some.
We have 56 days red ball potentially this season.
Day 1 wasn't great. Day 2 was better, a lot of fight.
Day 3, who knows.....? (Well Agod can probably tell us!)
The sun is shining 5 miles away from Ageas so that's a good start ☀️☀️
We are missing so many players and playing arguably this season's title favourites away.
Renshaw arrives Tuesday. Every chance Craig Leach Gregory Brooks George are available for Thursday, maybe Josh too.
You never know we might all receive our membership packs this month too 😜😜
(Well those of us who are members & pay for them might!!)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:09:07:38:40 by wsm fan.
I also didn’t go to watch the Hampshire game as it would have meant I had to pay to get in, something I try never to do. Oh, yep and yeah.
Quote:dilly
...you will get a private message... I received one recently after criticising our Great Leader but thought it best not to open it...
Shame you didn't open it Dilly as it said that you had a point and bickering should be kept to a minimum and that I thought I was done.
I did also point out that the membership of this forum requested a long time ago that complaints about posting behaviour follow a certain process via the PM system (there is a sticky thread about it) and that certain action might take place if people did not follow it.
I suggest you follow your own post's advice and keep your own bickering to a minimum or you may also be accused of bullying or taking things beyond the point of discussing topics and into the realms of personal anymosity early in a season.
I'd also ask others to try and keep in mind things referred to last year.
This is a site primarily about cricket
All opinions on the cricket and the sides discussed are welcome as long as they are within the rules
We are not a Somerset members only site.
People do not pay to come on here some do not pay to follow Somerset and simply because you may do does not devalue the opinions of those who do not.
You do not gain a premium here from simply attending games in person though that may very well provide a perspective that is worth referring to. Farmer"s point about heads not going down yesterday was one such.
Some posters cannot attend in person. "Grizzz" does but early games would be a bit of a trip. I myself am grateful to Ben Warren's work for at least half a season during the last 5 or so years. It's a privilege this year to have the choice. Some don't have that
An opinion based on our excellent streaming service is valid though it can certainly be expanded upon by adding colour from the more 'live' experience or debated as an opinion of the game. It is not valid to criticise opinion simply because the person is not AT the game.
Like it or not I will moderate comments if they are referred to me, warrant it or don't follow procedures either reqiured or requested. As I've said before this is a 'benevolant autocracy'. If you don't like that type of moderation then don't post or follow the rules you are asked to.
If you don't like something complain by the process requested or complain about the cricket, the opinion but not the poster. Very few of us know each other outside of these pages and whether we would want to or not should have very little to do with what we comment on here. We protect people's anonymity for a reason.
The only right of appeal about moderation is to the Sportsnetwork - the access email is at the bottom of every page of the site.
I have very rarely had to remove people and I have only done it permanently once in 28 years so the site must be doing something right and I will keep on doing my part in that whether you like me personally or not. My advice is enjoy your posting and don't waste time atracking others or moderators. I have a thick skin and you don't win taking me on here.
Finally Grockles is still here because you the posting population largely don't need me. You discuss and debate without me, you accept the foibles of those who post and either ignore them or keep your interactions to a minimum with those posters. They get the message usually and reset or leave. We are not a huge site but we are a successful one in that sense. Trolling for trollings sake does not last long here
I moderate at a minimum level - one or two BIG moderations a year when things get out of hand but it's rare and that is fine by me. I'm not perfect myself and I am grateful to those posters who use the PM system to guide me in my own interactions on the site. We've been together a long time in many cases.
You want to moan about me or others? Use the PM system to moan to your mates or complain to me directly that way but follow this one simple rule please.
TRY TO KEEP YOUR PERSONAL ANYMOSITY OFF THE PUBLIC FORUM OR POSTS WILL DISAPPEAR. YOU WILL KNOW WHY BUT YOUR CONTENT WILL GO WITHOUT WARNING
And we're back in the room. Here's to an excellent Day 3!!
Edited a couple of times because of a mobile phone, bassist fingers and no glasses
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:09:10:36:23 by Grockle.
Good luck to the guys at the crease. It would be nice to get some decent starting scores today on probably the best day of the whole four in terms of weather expeccted.
We do have extra vulnerability, compared to most sides, though, in that is our first choice bowlers who, not infrequently, make about half of our runs as well!!
We’re also more likely (than Hants are) to find ourselves without our first choice attack since we have two centrally contracted players.
The key to winning the CC is really to have either non-England qualified bowlers no longer wanted by their countries and / or retired from internationals and/or “good county bowlers,” (such as Porter, who we will see in our next game) who are not deemed good enough for England.
To have stood any real chance at all in this game we would obviously have needed stellar performances from those experienced players still in the side. Hildreth made runs and Siddle bowled well, without much reward, but the first half of the match brought only (I think) one wicket from MDL and very few runs from Abell and Davies. To have been competitive in this match, we probably needed 200 combined first innings runs from the three more experienced batsman (we got about 100) and early inroads from the two experienced pace bowlers.
One of the great shames of this season is that our suggested most up and coming young bowler will be out for most of the season in the best scenario. I would have loved to see Sonny Baker starting his four day career in the early months of this year and it would have been damned useful to have had him available with the restrictions put on us by the ECB.
I'm hoping that IF Craig and Jack are chosen by the international squad they are at least used. If they don't fancy them then we probably all hope they'll let them play in the four day campaign.
As was said yesterday - one wonders about the ECB's neutrality in all this. If there is a plan to 'reset' the Championship in 2023 then successful 'provincial' non urban franchise counties like Essex and Somerset are not what they want in the 'Twelve' prospective 'Premier' league. You hope this will not colour their decisions about who is available and who isn't.
Would the decision have been not to release internationals in the case of injury had the request come from Surrey, Lancashire, Warwickshire etc? I'm not sure about the record of these things myself I have to admit.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:09:18:41:54 by Grockle.
Not a strong last hour in Southampton unfortunately
Start the car …
Although might not be much good starting the engine without wheels?)
Quote:🤣🤣Hayseed
Well, so much for that...
You have to laugh in a slightly manic way... something like 7 for 70ish... its all a bit worrying.
"Something in the pitch" doesn't fully explain these multiple batting collapses. We collapse in clumps pretty consistently
Bringing a bowling attack to the next game will only really decrease the size of the defeat unless we can bat effectively. The addition of Renshaw cannot solve that problem on its own.
As the commentator points out, prep for this game with the loss of personnel won't have helped but is that the only reason for this? It can't have been easy but...
The batting is just an action replay of so many previous collapses and the fifth CC game in a row in which they’ve gone down like a pack of cards.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Quote:AGod
And after the abject finish to last season, one does rather have to wonder whether it was the right moment (it was done recently) to give Jason Kerr a new deal?
A strange decision as was that of Steve Davies.
Our senior players have really let us down in this game.
Fortunately, a lot can happen before my white ball membership comes into play.
But that performance (James aside), is not one that's going to make anyone proud. Least of all losing ten wickets for eighty five today.
Losing players to injury, illness and the nonsense of the ECB doesn't help.
But neither does not displaying a spine.
On the assumption we have one, I very much hope we manage to find it very soon.
Grizzers
I suspect some utterly awful coach-speak about this loss will be added to the site later on.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:09:16:53:29 by AGod.
Quote:AGod
....I suspect some utterly awful coach-speak about this loss will be added to the site later on.
As I posted earlier today in response to another post looking to turn this into some kind of partisan 'bun fight'. If such content does appear posters will comment on it with a lttle more respect and a little less snide patronisation than has been prevalent from both sides of the fence recently.
I fancy we would all like the position to be better and I fancy we all hope it changes quickly but if you want to be part of the debate ladies and gentlemen then be part of the DEBATE.
If you want that debate to be about who can pee further up the wall, who hates who and which poster has no right to express their opinion for whatever reason I am afraid you will find your contributions absent more often than not.
The 'Great Leader'
will take charge and Big Brother will do more than watch. My post was about comments on the official site and when I referred to “the site,” I meant that which I had already referred to in my post - The official one.
In other words we can expect to read something like the following from Jason Ian Douglas Kerr:
“Cricket is a game of fine margins and it’s all about executing our skill at the most critical times. There were lots of positives to take from this and we will use them to build for our home opener on Thursday.”
(No logical reason why I would suggest that posters here would use “coach speak,” but it was, nevertheless, an admirable rant from you!”
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2022:04:09:19:24:18 by AGod.
Quote:AGod
Dearest Grockle;
My post was about comments on the official site and when I referred to “the site,” I meant that which I had already referred to in my post - The official one.
Dearest AG
The quote was quite pertinent for the point I needed to make. Doesn't matter what you were referring to.
My post still applies to activity on THIS site
Instead we got Tom Abell whose comments were mainly sensible, talking about the batsmen having let the side down. Although he did get something in there about “seeing positive strides” which does require a special kind of vision. I mean strides generally refer to improvements on what has come before, but this was very much of a piece with the four debacles at the end of last season.
James Hildreth showed a move towards form not seen for about a year at least.
Ben Green did produce a decent spell to close the Hampshire innnings
Lammonby did show better defence in both innnings
Siddle suggested he is going to be a decent addition to our front line bowling when it turns up
I'm done at that but despite being minimal they are positives. Not a lot but hey...
Day One: A chill start:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Day Two: And the heads stayed up:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
Farmer
Farmer
Day Three: Demolished:
[farmerwhite.co.uk]
They didn’t send him out to speak to the media, it was Tom.
After the first day Vs Essex it was the new Aussie batting coach that did the media stuff. On day two it was Craig. So we’ve not had our dose of coach-speak from Jason.
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