By Grockle et al
February 11 2021

We face the Bears in Warwickshire somewhere, before we go up against Surrey at an undisclosed South East venue and then we welcome Glamorgan to Taunton. Meanwhile the governing body of the sport put on televised competing events elsewhere, ignoring this competition one would imagine. They have classified the RLODC as 'developmental for the young professional'.  Our experience certainly suggests development but in an unbalanced side where the resources left behind after the 'gutting' of a white ball squad make competition very difficult indeed.  Results are pretty much determined by who a side has after the 100 Draft and will be very much affected by ECB decisions about who can and can't play in their 'developmental' programme.  IF experienced professionals are removed I don't think Somerset could field a full XI from their remaining squad.  But it would create less of a competing spectacle in Taunton against timetabled 100 games in Cardiff so you have to thiink it may be in their minds. 

Birmingham Bears 20 July - the first outing

We go into this one with Lammonby, Jayasuriya, Bartlett, Hildreth (c), Davies (wk), Smeed, Bess, Philander, Davey, Sale, Aldridge

Stone and Miles open for them and they have us at 54 for 2 before they introduce Jeetan Patel.  Lammonby hits 25 but does not go on.  Jaysuriya is out cheaply for 5 but the skipper and George Bartlett start confidently.

Bartlett is another who doesn't go on, caught by Chambers at 74 for 26.  Hildreth pushes the score over 3 figures but Patel finally gets him LBW for 38.  Unfortunately Thomson and Lintott get amongst the newbies and we are 126 for 6 before the 25th over with Davies, Bess and Smeed all going cheaply.

Philander has a reputation as a solid late batsman and he seems to inspire Davey into putting up a fight. They bring up the 200 before Davey  goes for 36.  Vernon looks to farm the strike but Sale hits 2 fours and finishes with a 6 to take 14 off his 6 balls.  221 for 8 is NOT going to be enough.

Sibley and Bell (in his last season) face Philander and Davey. Somerset get Bell early and nearly run Hain out first ball.  We turn to the spin of Bess as they bring up the 50 but it is the introduction of lefty Lammonby that removes Sibley for 35.  Tom has Chambers in a whole bunch of trouble.  However it is Bess who takes out Hain LBW and then has Chambers caught behind for 14 at 89 for 4.  Wright is next in and he sees his side past the 100 mark in the 22nd - ahead of the rate.

Somerset introduce Ollie Sale and show up their distinct lack of slow spinners who aren't off spinners!!  Nevertheless, Sale bowls Wright at 139 for 29 and then has Thomson LBW for 9 just after the 150 arrives.  The game is still on at this point.  Burgess and Lintott go for our less experienced bowlers Lintott takes Smeed and Sale for 14 each in 2 overs.   When Burgess reaches 50, they have broken the back of the game and even though Lintott is run out for 38 they reach the target with 225 for 7 with 4.3 overs to go.  

Too few runs, too little experience and a need for a re-arrangment of our bowling resources perhaps?  But we got closer than expected I have to admit.

How about Surrey? Salvo nummber 2 26 July

On to somewhere in the South East (we have to assume that the main stadia are in the hands of the 100 franchises) for game number 2 and we face a Surrey side with Amla, Naser, Jamie Overton, Rikki Clarke, Mornie Morkle and the irrepressable Gareth Batty in their side.

We have rested Aldridge who didn't get much of a bowl in the last game in order to get Lewis Goldsworthy into the side - to bolster our batting and provide some left arm slow stuff as well.  A little re-organisation of the middle order as well in the hope of solidifying the batting line-up.  

We will see as Surrey have won the toss and put us in to bat. Both openers start with boundaries but Jove opens his own account with Jayasuriya for 14 caught by Scott Borthwick at 31 for 1.  Almost immediately Naser doubles our problem by bowling Lammonby for 21 at 43.

James Hildreth goes for his ex colleague and the 50 is up just before the Somerset captain is dropped.  Clarke replaces Overton and has Bartlett LBW for 20 at 86 for 3.  Up comes the 100 and on comes Gareth. Steve Davies goes after his ex captain which makes them try Clarke, Overton and finally Morkle to calm the rate down.

Hildreth goes to 50 (74 balls 6 fours) and the 150 arrives with a miscue from the Somerset keeper.  It is all looking more promising before Clarke has Davies caught behind for 36 at 165.  Hildreth departs for 68 at 171 (LBW) and scoring slows down ominously.  Smeed adds 24 before Clarke has him LBW at 201.  Goldsworthy reaches 16 before he goes to Naser at 213 and the total has reached 218 for 7 when the 50th ends.  It isn't enough again one would suggest.  Not enough push at the end while Naser has 3 for 45.

Amla starts with a four, so does Drinkell but Davey gets him caught behind for 15.  Nevertheless the 50 is up in the 8th!!

An attempt to 'press' comes in the shape of Bess and Lammonby.  Dom succeeds in getting Amlla caught by Smeed for 37. Then Tom gives hope by having Sullivan caught for 2 at 91 and the dangerous Stoneman LBW for 4 at 95.  The 100 arrives from a Rikki Clarke boundary.

We turn to the dual spin option of Jayasuriya and Goldsworthy and it looks promising as Clarke goes to the Sri Lankan for 31 at 135 caught behind.  However Borthwick is motoring and reaches 50 (81 balls 7 fours) before he goes, also to Jayasuriya, caught by Lammonby for 52 at 148 for 6.  The other Clark is LBW Davey at 150.

But the run rate is still nothing spectacular and there is time if the Surrey men take their time and no chances.  Philander returns when the score hits 200 but by the time Lammonby gets his ex teammate for 26 the score is 215 for 8 and there are no runs left to play with.  It ends with a boundary and we lose game number 2 by 2 wickets.

Again, not enough runs to play with, though the bowling is moving up, especially the contribution of Tom Lammonby.

Bottom of Group B after 2 but we do have a game in hand. The problem is basically that although we have the experience of Bartlett, Hildreth and Davies in our batting and some very promisiing people coming through, they have yet to set themselves up in their own rights and that will cause caution and leave us with under par batting totals. 

You are not going to win many games these days with 50 over scores around 200.  Our bowling resources have been heavily tapped by the 100.  Vernon Philander is in from 2020 but there were doubts expressed about his ability and commitment at this end of his career when he was first signed.  Josh Davey therefore has a lot on his plate with a totally inexperienced back-up seam attack of Lammonby, Green, Sale and Aldridge. 

Spin is also struggling and would be even worse if not for the fact that Dom Bess remains.  Nearly all the spin available is off spin (Bess, Jayasuriya, Smeed) with only Goldsworty offering any alternative.  In 2021 we will not have the Bess factor or Jack Leach if England call during the 100 'season'.  Our slow ball options will be entirely 'developmental'

It's an interesting exploration of what is to come - not as ejoyable as the FAKE 20 CC1 but we will look at the implications in a little more detail in Part 2 later in the month.

FAKE 50 - RLDOC 2021 Opening Salvos Part 1

Discussion started by Grockles.com , 28/02/2021 14:23

Grockles.com
28/02/2021 14:23

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021:03:05:10:33:29 by Grockle.

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RadstockRob
25/02/2021 12:00

We are all concerned about losing players and coaches for the RLODC but I was thinking that it's inevitable umpires will miss the tournament.

Will we have Mibnor Counties umpires.?

What about scorers?

Will we lose Polly for the period of the tournament?

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Loyal of Lhasa
25/02/2021 20:11

If Polly is dragooned into The Hundred, she should insist on being paid a hundred pounds a ball.

LoL

Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter

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wsm fan
28/02/2021 09:30

Senior contracted players available for the 50?

14? pre any wildcard picks, test call ups, injuries etc.

Eddie Smeed Hildy George Davies Green LewisG Davey Brooks Sale DeLange Young Kasey Leach
Plus Ned L?

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Grockle
28/02/2021 09:39

Leachy may be affected by England call ups. Any one know why the 2020 Cricket simulation had Brookes retired from whote ball that surely hasn't happened has it?





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021:02:28:09:42:54 by Grockle.

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