Somerset
Titanic Tussle Essex Day 2
By Farmer White et al
May 13 2024
Twenty one wickets going down on Day 1 made it pretty certain that this four day game wasn't going to go the distance. Day 2 kept people wondering where we would be at the halfway stage. Farmer outlines how the day progressed.
County Championship Div 1 Somerset v Essex 3rd & 4th May 2024 Taunton
Jack Leach, (knee injury) and Tom Abell (hamstring) were unavailable.
Somerset. M.T. Renshaw, S.R. Dickson, T.A. Lammonby, A.R.I. Umeed, T. Banton, J.E.K. Rew (w), L. Gregory (c), C. Overton, M. Pretorius, J.H. Davey, J.T. Ball.
Essex. N.L.J. Browne, D. Elgar, T. Westley (c), J.M. Cox, M.J.J. Critchley, N.R.M. Thain, H.G. Duke (w), S.R. Harmer, S. Snater, S.J. Cook, J.A. Porter.
Toss. Somerset. Elected to field.
Final day 4th May – Somerset win a titanic tussle
The second and final day of this match was a titanic struggle between two sides who just kept coming at each other just as they had on the first day. Essex edged the morning session, walking off for lunch with a lead of 123 with six wickets standing on a difficult pitch on which Somerset had been bowled out for 128 in their first innings. Then, in a stunning fightback after lunch, the Somerset bowlers took the final six Essex wickets for 43 runs to leave their side needing 167 to win. It would mean making the highest score of the match with little sign of the pitch easing. It would be a long second half of the day for supporters of both sides while the two teams grappled, gruelling ball by gruelling ball, over those 167 runs.
The day began as it went on, with bats repeatedly being beaten and missing balls which showed themselves only too capable of sliding past the edge to desperate arms thrown in the air by players, and gasps from supporters going through paroxysms of despair or relief. The first four overs encapsulated all that followed. Dean Elgar, once of Somerset, now attempting to fill Sir Alistair Cook’s shoes at Essex, was beaten by the first ball of the day from Craig Overton. He survived a leg before wicket appeal from the fifth but had driven the third through extra cover, emphatically and perfectly, for four. Sam Cook, night watching at the other end, also survived a leg before wicket appeal from Josh Davey and played and missed at that evasive ball. In Overton’s second over, Elgar was beaten again but pushed to cover to retain the strike. Then, to the third ball of Josh Davey’s second over, he attempted to glance a ball which shaded further to leg as it came off the pitch, before sliding off Elgar’s following bat into James Rew’s increasingly safe hands. Cook was well beaten by a ball from Davey, the Somerset supporter in front of me exclaiming, “Oh! Well bowled! Well bowled!” as applause broke out around the ground. In the next over, Cook pushed Overton to midwicket for two before edging him to fourth slip who palmed the ball up from where Andy Umeed at third slip took a neat catch to a huge cheer. It had been four overs which left the watcher breathless, Essex’s second innings on 15 for 2 with a lead of 43 and still 92 overs left in the day.
As the cheer for Cook’s wicket subsided, the realisation sank in that Somerset would need to keep on taking wickets at some pace if their eventual target was not to climb out of reach. “We don’t want to have to chase more than 200,” someone said, and a thought immediately jumped into the head that, given the rapidity with which wickets had fallen, and were still falling, 200 might be too many. Nick Browne and Tom Westley now worked to give effect to the Somerset fear, and doubtless the Essex hope. A drive for four through extra cover from Browne and a neat turn to the Caddick Pavilion boundary from Westley, both off Overton took the Essex lead to 58, although the ball was still flying past bats, particularly from Davey. Eventually he struck Westley on the pads. “That looked out!” someone said as the umpire slowly raised his finger. At 37 for 3, Essex led by 65, ahead in the match it felt, but still within reach.
As the overs ticked by, so close did the match feel, it magnified the intensity of the hopes and fears raised by any beaten bat or loud appeal. When Migael Pretorius replaced Overton, his first two balls to Browne drifted to leg and were both turned behind square for two. When Lewis Gregory replaced Davey, he overpitched and the new batter, Ben Cox, drove him through backward point and square to the Ondaatje boundary for two fours. That took Essex to 52 for 3 and to a lead of 80 which to the worrying Somerset mind brought the far side of 200 within range. “Would Essex have begun two new spells with looseners?” asked one worried voice perhaps reflecting on Cook and Jamie Porter seeming to hit the mark from the outset.
Then, as the bowlers settled, the ball began to pass the bat again, Pretorius beating Browne twice in an over and finding the edge, although the ball ran to the Colin Atkinson boundary for four. An on drive off Gregory did further damage to Somerset hopes as it crossed the same boundary but the next ball, the match continuing to provide a twist in response to every turn, found the edge again and looped to gully to where Tom Lammonby ran from third slip to take a simple catch. Essex 67 for 4. Browne 23. Lead 95. By lunch though, although Pretorius and Gregory, and then Jake Ball and Gregory, tightened Somerset’s hold on the scoring, continuing to beat the bat, but Essex were edging ahead again. Twenty-eight runs, but crucially no wicket, came in 11 tortuous overs with only two boundaries, one through extra cover and a straight drive, both from Matthew Critchley.
At lunch, Essex were on 95 for 4, Cox 15 from 62 balls and Critchley 16 from 27. The Essex lead was 123, and with still six wickets standing it felt like the game was threatening to drift away from Somerset. Only by a small margin numerically, but in the context of a low-scoring game on a pitch providing frequent and continuing aid to the bowlers it threatened to become decisive. My usual lunchtime anticlockwise circumnavigation involved encounters with a number of worried faces. “We might be in trouble here,” one comment which summed up the rest. The difference between a position of parity and the small advantage Essex had fashioned was reflected in the, albeit low, number of loose balls bowled by the Somerset bowlers compared to the rarity of loose balls from Cook and Porter. The only doubt expressed about the Essex bowling tactics was that three quarters of Essex’s overs had been bowled by Cook and Porter and they must tire at some point.
My circumnavigation being more of an anxious dawdle than a walk, I spent the first forty minutes or so of the afternoon session slowly making my way from the gap between the Lord Ian Botham and James Hildreth Stands and the covers store. I stopped at the gap between the Somerset Stand and Gimblett’s Hill. With most of the Somerset Stand starkly closed to spectators, I had the best remaining side-on view of a pace bowler running in that can be had on that side of the ground. Immediately I noticed Josh Davey powering in from the River End rather than ghosting along as he sometimes does when nursing an injury. The result was a belated push at the ball from Critchley, an edge which was falling short of first slip and a rocket-like dive from James Rew which scooped up the ball just above the ground to a huge cheer. A bowler and keeper at the top of their game. Essex 106 for 5. Critchley 21. Lead 134. Somerset clinging on.
By the time I reached the covers store the Essex lead had inched up to 146. Those additional 12 runs had taken nearly seven overs of nerve-grinding cricket as Essex, still playing and missing as they went with Pretorius bowling a particularly miserly spell, crawled hesitantly towards that feared 200. They got no further before Cox, having taken an hour and three quarters over 27, defended tentatively against a ball from Overton and edged it straight to Lammonby at second slip. Essex 118 for 6. Lead 146. Somerset, coming from behind, were beginning to re-establish some grip on the match.
Back in my seat at the top of the Trescothick Pavilion, with Essex on 128 for 6, Overton was still bowling, and bowling like a man possessed, his old energies on full show after the more measured bowling of his initial return from his winter surgery. There was a huge appeal for caught behind off Harry Duke’s bat, a thunderbolt past the edge of Noah Thain’s bat, “How many times do we have to beat the bat?” one exasperated Somerset supporter asked, shaking his head. As so often in such circumstances, Thain promptly drove Overton square off the back foot to the Somerset Stand for four. When Gregory replaced him, his first ball, to Thain, was driven through the covers for four more. “Can’t bowl a half volley now,” came the worried comment. Essex were on 137 for 6, a lead of 165 and thoughts of Somerset’s eventual target being out of reach re-emerged. Perhaps the same thought had occurred to Gregory for, half volley retrieved from the boundary, he immediately found the range and Thain retreated into Essex’s pre and post-lunch shell, the last ball of the over again fizzing past the edge of the bat.
Now, Ball replaced Pretorius and bowled perhaps his best spell since he came to Somerset. His third ball was on the line of middle stump and seemed to go straight through Duke. The stumps remained intact, but Rew threw the ball up in triumph. The cheer which erupted was thunderous and filled with relief as the 1500 or so people in the ground held onto their hopes. “We needed that,” a demonstrably relieved voice in front of me said. “We did,” the reply, “And we need two more quickly.” One of those nearly came when, two balls later, Simon Harmer edged Ball to slip but the ball popped out of Umeed’s hands and fell to earth. “Can’t be missing those,” said the message from the online watcher.
But Somerset were now playing like a team that would not be denied and the tension could be cut with the proverbial knife. Every time a bowler ran in, the silence was absolute. For two overs not a run came as Gregory and Ball squeezed the Essex batters. Thain almost played on trying to keep Gregory out and played and missed at the next ball. Harmer jerked to get on top of a ball from Ball which lifted. “That was a good ’un,” said the voice in front of me. In Ball’s next over there were still no runs for Essex as their lead of 165 stood frozen in time. Thain was beaten yet again before playing across the line and being palpably leg before wicket, a mountainous cheer following the raising of the umpire’s finger. Thain seemed in little doubt either. “He knew it. He walked,” said the man in front of me. “There is tension in every ball,” said his friend. Snater replaced Thain and left his first ball to startled gasps. “That nearly bowled him,” someone commented. “Good over Mr Gregory,” said the man in front of me.” “His bowling changes are taking wickets too,” replied his friend.
When Harmer was leg before wicket in Ball’s next over the cheer was ear-splitting and still no runs had come, the Essex total rigid on the scoreboard as if carved in granite. A single from Snater finally disturbed the scoreboard, but that only brought Porter on strike in time for him to edge Gregory low to Rew’s right, half way to a widish first slip. Rew launched himself at the ball and scooped up Essex’s final wicket. “What a catch!” said the incredulous man in front of me. Essex 138 all out. They had lost their last six wickets for 33 runs, restricting Somerset’s target to 167. Challenging enough, it would be the highest score of the match with the bowlers still dominant, but less than anyone had thought possible at lunch.
Since lunch, Essex had added 43 runs for the loss of six wickets in 21 overs. Just two runs an over. Having spent the morning working themselves into a position of strength from where a virtually unassailable lead might be reached, they had been driven by some tight and at times hostile bowling from Somerset’s ever-fresh five seamers into a defensive shell inside which their innings had withered and then ground to a runless halt. In the final five overs, as Gregory and Ball capitalised on the post-lunch pressure exerted by Overton, Davey and Pretorius, Essex lost four wickets for one run. Somerset had bowled themselves into a position from which they could at least launch an assault on the 167 runs they would need to win. It was a few more than would have been comfortable, but it was at least within feasible range and there was no question that, if momentum means anything in cricket, it was firmly with Somerset.
Matt Renshaw and Sean Dickson emerged and drove the momentum created by the bowlers forward at four runs an over, it was like watching a new dawn break after watching Essex’s two runs an over crawl. It was not all Somerset, Cook and Porter still regularly beat the bat and found the occasional thick edge. In Porter’s first over, Renshaw left a ball so close to the stumps it provoked the comment, “Tight leave, that one, Mr Renshaw.” The enduring picture of the opening partnership though was not of tight leaves and near misses but of crisply driven balls and a rising Somerset score. An on drive off Cook from Renshaw to the closed Brian Rose Gates boundary and another for three towards the Hildreth Stand from Dickson off Porter brought cheers on top of the usual applause. A straight drive to the Lord Ian Botham Stand boundary from Renshaw was stunning, and even a single to Dickson off Cook run very quickly brought applause and shouts of, “Well run!”
Between the applause and cheers the crowd was quiet, the atmosphere tense. “Shot!” said someone amidst the cheers as Renshaw drove to Gimblett’s Hill while Dickson took two twos from successive balls off Cook, one carefully driven off the back foot through the covers. As tea approached, Snater replaced Porter and Renshaw drove hard at him missing the ball, it seemed, by a hairsbreadth. “He abn gotta do that,” cautioned the anxious man in front of me. But that is how it was. The ball had beaten the bat the whole match and had, in the end, driven the Essex second innings into the ground. Perhaps aided by Cook and Porter having been bowled endlessly in Somerset’s first innings, Somerset were taking a different approach. Tea was reached on 45 for 0 from 11 overs, more than Essex scored in their final 21 overs. Progress on this pitch was not to be made without risk, and perhaps the greater risk lay in not taking risk.
Essex began after tea with Cook and Snater while Dickson immediately made Somerset’s continued intention clear. In Snater’s first over, bowled from the River End, he drove him to the off for four, hoisted him over long on to The Hildreth Stand for six and drove him again to the Hildreth Stand for three, a single from Renshaw taking the total for the over to 14 and Somerset to 61 for 0, 106 runs from their target. That over not only relaunched the Somerset assault but re-ignited the crowd, cheers and applause ringing out ever ore loudly. Snater suffered again in his next over, Renshaw driving off the back foot through the covers and leaning into an on drive to the Caddick Pavilion taking Somerset to 74 for 0 and the runs required to 93. Even so, through the cheers, tension still clung to the air. There was now chatter between balls, but it was hushed, anxious, for nothing was certain on this pitch, Essex were still playing with determination and Cook and Porter would only need a door slightly ajar to start pushing through it.
And then, almost inevitably, Cook and Porter struck. In successive balls, Cook appealed for leg before wicket against Renshaw and then beat him. Suddenly, Renshaw looked uncertain and off the next ball the leg before wicket appeal was successful. Somerset 75 for 1. Renshaw 35 and applauded all the way back to the Pavilion. Runs require 92. Undeterred, Dickson continued to attack. In three balls he struck Porter for two twos and, walking down the wicket, cut him to the Caddick Pavilion for four. It was a scintillating response to Renshaw’s wicket, but such assaults do not come without risk and, attempting to drive the next ball straight he was caught behind. Somerset 83 for 2. Dickson 42 with more applause following him off the field. Runs required 84. Halfway.
Now, Somerset’s immediate future lay in the hands of Lammonby and Umeed. Lammonby’s was a curious innings in the context of what had gone before. He played out three successive maidens against Cook and Porter before leaving a ball from Snater, bowling with the keeper standing up, and was palpably leg before wicket not playing a stroke. “Dreadful,” said the Somerset man in front of me and Somerset were 99 for 3. Lammonby nought. And still 68 needed to win. Looking at the scorecard some years hence that may look a straightforward task. In the midst of a match consisting of perpetual mayhem, it looked anything but.
Andy Umeed had continued to push Somerset forward while Lammonby’s innings stagnated. In three balls, Umeed had struck Cook straight back over the umpire’s head to the Trescothick Pavilion boundary for four, and then leaned into a straight drive along the ground that had classical cricket watchers salivating. As the cheers grew ever louder, driving was the order of the day for Somerset as the Essex bowlers perhaps stretched their length in search of movement. Next Umeed drove Porter through the off side to the Colin Atkinson Pavilion and, Porter trying a shorter ball, pulled him through straight midwicket to the Garner Gates. Next, Umeed unrelenting, Snater was driven off the back foot through the covers to the Somerset Stand to yet more cheers.
Essex though have not won two County Championships in recent years for nothing and there was no let up in effort on their part. Simon Harmer was tried for a couple of overs without effect, perhaps to give Cook some respite, but on this pitch, a batter’s term was limited. Umeed was first beaten by Snater, then played a defensive stroke, but the ball looped off the edge to Harmer at slip and Somerset were 120 for 4. Umeed 34. Runs required 47. Well within range a detached observer may have thought. It didn’t feel like that to the anything but detached Somerset supporter. Essex had lost their last six wickets for 32 and Somerset could do the same.
Somerset attempted to continue their unrelenting approach by promoting Pretorius. It didn’t work. He was caught in the covers off a top edge by Cox off Cook for 2 from 14 balls. Somerset 135 for 5. Runs required 32. The edge of the seat still very much in evidence and every run, however scored, was now being applauded and cheered. Tom Banton meanwhile had taken a while to establish himself, scoring in singles, but was now finding the boundary, driving Porter, once straight and once through the covers to the boundary. Even when not finding the boundary he attacked the ball, it coming hard onto the hands of the fielders. He took Somerset past 150 and to within 15 of their target with another cover drive, this time off Snater but then lost an out of touch James Rew, bowled by Snater for six despite having got in line. The ball barely noticeably removed the off bail and Snater sank to one knee imploring the umpire to give Rew out caught behind, Somerset, 152 for 6, still those 15 runs short of their target.
But surely, surely, Somerset must do it now, the thought. And yet, still the anxiety clawed, the ingrained doubts of the lifelong supporter and the endlessly tumbling wickets of this game gnawing away at the mind. Gregory, said to be the epitome of calmness in the teeth of the tensest of situations was now at the wicket. Whether his mind harbours doubt in such situations I know not, but now, with the game approaching a decisive conclusion, one way or the other, he struck two emphatic boundaries in an over off Snater, the first off the back foot straight and the second lofted over long on, both to tremendous cheers. They took Somerset to within five runs of victory. The head said victory was all but inevitable, but the tension which had gripped all day would not go away. So tight had its grip been, it could not be shaken off so quickly. And then, as if giving it credence, Banton tried to keep Snater out and edged to Critchley at third slip, Essex keeping to the traditional cordon. Critchley knocked the ball up but took it at the second attempt. Somerset 163 for 7. Banton 29. Four still needed.
“This match won’t lie down,” said one still taut face. Somerset may still have had three wickets but until they were over the line no one was relaxing. Now, Overton was walking to the wicket and cheers broke out around the ground. A mishit drive for one brought applause and two from a lofted drive over straight midwicket brought cheers but Somerset were still one short. With that, Overton, exuding confidence, made no mistake. He drove Porter through midwicket to the Somerset Stand and the cheer which accompanied the ball all the way blotted out all other sound, the tension dissipating in that instant. Somerset were home, their supporters were on their feet cheering and applauding, and one of the more astonishing Somerset matches of recent years was over.
It was the end of the fifth Championship match of the season before the first week in May was out. Strange times many thought, but times which had a different feel to them than many seasons past. Somerset had just won a match which in many earlier years they might have lost. The post-lunch bowling of Somerset’s five seamers and the coruscating attacking cricket of their batters later in the day had much to do with that. But there was more to it than that. The way this team had played in 2024 was different. It felt like they had just defeated Essex as much in a battle of wills as in a game of cricket and Essex had shown in recent years, they were not an easy team to defeat when it came to matching wills. It brought back memories of the matches at The Oval and Kidderminster in April, especially The Oval, in which Somerset had battled interminably through long last days to save matches which might so easily have been lost. Memories of those two nail-bitingly close wins, more battles of wills, in the semi-final and final of the T20 competition last year came back too. And, a final thought came forth: If Somerset’s attitude in those matches and in this one were continued, the team might just begin to believe anything is possible.
Result. Essex 156 (T. Westley 43, M. Pretorius 4-36) and 138 (J.H. Davey 3-20, L. Gregory 3-23). Somerset 128 (J.A. Porter 5-37, S.J. Cook 5-38) and 170 for 7 (S.R. Dickson 42, S. Snater 4-55). Somerset won by 3 wickets. Somerset 19 points. Essex 3 points.
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The bowling attack of Essex is a 20 wicket machine, so wouldn't it just be great if we defied the weather and took all the points
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:06:11:52:09 by Grockle.
Now won a red ball game without Craig Overton since September 2019!!!!
Something tells me that if we hope to win any games then either we can't be resting Craig very often at all, or we need to revert to playing on wickets with much more in them for our bowlers.
We won't manage to record draws in all 14 games. And 10 or 11 draws with a smattering of defeats is not likely to be the stuff of which survival is made, I'm afraid.
Overton will be back if only being rested & one would hope Josh Davey will get a recall as well. Will Andy Umeed move up the order?
Will Sean Dickson move down the same Lewis Goldsworthy probably won't replace him as he is in the 2nds game?
Desired expected side?
Renshaw, Umeed, Lammonby, Dickson, Banton, Rew, Gregory, Overton, Aldridge, Davey, Bashir
The order may be different & Pretorius may take a place in the bowling because...? Overseas 🤪 Will it be at the expense of Davey or Aldridge? Should it be Ball? He did take wickets at Kidderminster.
It isn't only a case of stopping Essex taking 20, It's also picking a home attack that can do the same... Sorry, don't see it in the resources presently being utilised... but hope springs eternal.
We may be saved by 8 points for a draw this year 😁
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:02:10:53:00 by Grockle.
The sheets are on that could help.
So much for those moaning about playing cricket in April. This could be the wettest first half of a year in history given that the heat and dryness does not seem to be following the month of May onto the world stage.
Somerset are still without Jack Leach and Tom Abell but Craig Overton returns to the squad.
Somerset have named the following squad for the fixture: Lewis Gregory, Sean Dickson, Matt Renshaw, Tom Lammonby, Andy Umeed, Tom Banton, James Rew, Craig Overton, Josh Davey, Migael Pretorius, Kasey Aldridge, Jake Ball and Shoaib Bashir."
If it's a standard get flatter as the game goes on Taunton pitch?
The chances of the side batting first WINNING the game are higher, IMO, if they get bowled out for, say, 185 in 45 overs than if they take up, say, 80 overs scoring 260. This is because there is more chance of getting into the fourth and final innings of the game with there still being a little bit in the deck, the quicker the first half of the game proceeds.
Conversely, the fielding side is better off getting the opp for, say, 280 in 85 overs than it is shooting them out for, say, 200 in 50 overs, since there is then a greater chance that their first innings will be in easier batting conditions and their second innings on a total road.
Plays very well the first two with the difficult K ball. Then gets abruptly "rested." Comes back on something very slow and low, tries too hard to thrash some life out of the Kidderminster deck and gets hit around a bit - and now left out again.
All this so we can either play Ball - because he was a winter signing, or Pretorious - because he is the overseas bowler.
Pretty poor stuff, IMO.
Not sure what the thinking is....
Gregory bowled very consistently, without due reward. Catching was strong. The bowling, Gregory apart, was mixed in its consistency in favourable bowling conditions.
Who knows how much this one will flatten out and how quickly? If we hope to win, the answer needs to be not too much in terms of the “how much,” question. Equally, though, after a diet of flat tracks to begin the season, our batters might be in for a bit of a shock Vs Porter and Cook, if the pitch remains favourable for seam.
Personally, I think we’ve made a mess of managing Aldridge, the past three games. I would very much have liked to see him included, whether at the expense of Ball or Pretorious.
If it flattens out for the Essex second innings, we might well regret the absence of both Kasey and Shoaib.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:03:13:23:01 by AGod.
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Better than I personally expected... but we haven't batted yet. BUT things r looking up
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
And if anyone mentions Essex and pitch inspectors... remember it didn't end well last time
Dickson with a brilliant manufactured lofted drive in response. No four-ball presents from their attack.
Very good, in a different way, from Andy U.
Truth be told? We bowled with only average consistency and you can see the difference, viz how Cook and Porter are performing.
We must, surely, wish we’d had Aldridge’s extra batting, rather than Ball? Or even Goldsworthy as an extra batsman with “just,” a four man seam attack.
Overton will need to be at his best to pull us back into this tomorrow morning and then we might need some help from conditions, with the pitch becoming a bit more batter friendly.
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
LaLaLa - it will, surprisingly, rain on the BH Monday anyway!!
So that’s how I’m viewing it - feeling much better about it all now, and looking forward to a good day. Happy sunny Somerset Saturday, Grockles.
We need to remove Essex for under 250 (we certainly don't need another wicketless day as in the Notts match. However, my fear is that if we DO bowl them out relatively cheaply they will snitch on us and ensure we are docked points.
It's a good job I'm not paranoid.
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Somerset need to
A) Bowl more consistently (fewer four balls) than in the first innings
Hope the pitch stays lively in session one today, but then gradually flattens out over the rest of today, becoming a road by the time our second innings starts.
C) Get five for no more than 100 or so this morning and then whittle out the other five for no more than another 100, as the track progressively flattens.
We may, however, be disappointed in hoping the pitch flattens. Pretorious told Ant Gib that he doesn’t believe it will do.
Because it started with more grass on it and damper than the Notts pitch, I would guess that it will stay livelier for longer than the Notts track. I also have some concerns viz the indentations: they could cause some unevenness of bounce as they dry out, and that could come into play tomorrow.
Seems we have no CEO today (one gone & other not started) plus no Chair (unwell). The media guy is on PA, Bricey is in charge & Ben is in charge of coffee.
Also water tank in the CA has issues so that pavilion is closed & members are all in the 1875.. fun fun fun
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:04:11:29:26 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:04:14:11:24 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:04:15:45:31 by AGod.
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Not over until we have 121 and enough wickets left to get the single
47 needed.... oeeeeeer!!!
Don't care if it works but... why? Dave Stiff Syndrome?
Tension unbearable since he went.
That must have been ‘fun’ to watch !
A few raised blood pressure readings after that finish I imagine.
Good to see the Essex wickets being shared around, but runs in short supply all round.
Was the pitch unduly sporty ? We’ve complained re dead strips at Taunton, but a two day finish might invite some unwelcome ECB attention ? Certainly hope not.
Grizzers
Consistent but only moderate seam movement. Ball also swung in sessions two and three yesterday, in particular
GREAT to finally get one over on Essex! Fabulous bowling from Josh Davey today.. and most of the batters did well in a tense run chase.
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:04:20:28:47 by Loyal of Lhasa.
I see we’re presently second in the table, a couple of points behind Essex, albeit with Surrey right behind us with a game in hand.
Nonetheless, more than happy with that position after all the soggy conditions around the country.
Grizzers
Great company, lovely weather, exciting cricket, superb fight by our side, a real team effort.
Plenty wanting Dickson dropped but take that opening partnership out we lose that, no question, brilliant approach from him and Renners.
As ever the usual culprits need to learn to wait until writing this side off or berating our team selection......
19pts, overs shared sparingly between 5 seamers not bowling 2 into the ground and an extra 2 days off for them all.
2nd in the table, roll on the Kent match!!!
We haven’t, to my knowledge, heard anything yet about TomA’s recovery, so maybe he won’t be back before Renshaw leaves - that might “help” 🤔 I’m sure Jack will play ahead of Bash, and Aldridge will get the odd game under injuries / rotation… but really 🤷🏼♂️
You just need not to have only three seamers, one of whom is a massive drop-off from your front two (i.e the Essex situation)
Simple maths.
In any event, Kasey is a seamer anyway. Still believe he would have been the better choice.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:05:09:39:42 by AGod.
Look at what he did on flat tracks.. only two an over (roughly) vs Surrey at the Oval!!!
Plus being a far superior fielder and far more likely to make runs.
I wouldn't have played 5 seamers either.
But the selection "worked" in that we won the game & loads into our seamers couldn't have been lower.
We have to accept this is a 6 month season.
If we want to be interested in red ball still come September we will need Craig Josh Lewis fit & bowling.
Last year Craig didn't play for Somerset after July?
Migael has been a success for me in helping lighten the load of others & he can hold a bat. Kasey will get his chances, we have 4.5 months to go yet.
All the bowlers are still fit, we are 2nd in the table unbeaten & our best batter & best spinner are yet to play yet.
Having lots of options is rarely a bad thing, especially in the bowling department. It's how it is managed & accepted which is the key.
The longstanding mindset continues to be DROPPED not rested/rotated.
It started to swing around after lunch on the first day (one reason why the panic-stricken worries about posssible points deduction that some on FB etc have talked about are very, very unlikely to have any legs). Once it started to swing, Pretorious started to look consistently dangerous for the first time, really. I think that, when it swings, it encourages him to push it up to more of an "English length."
I wonder if it's possible that we end up keeping MP on for the T20. He seemed to keep his head well in the helter-skelter run chase at the Oval (different format, I know, but not easy with Jamie Smith coming after you on a road!) and his overall T20 record seems perfectly respectable. Obviously, could give it a heave in the last over or two. Most countries will have most/all of their really good T20 players at the World Cup. However, it has been drawn to my attention that a number of Aussies might be available, not having been named in the WC. With the Jamie Cox connection, I'd think that might be explored: Todd Murphy is one name that could be intriguing to form a double-spin attack with VDM. Seems to have only gone for a run a ball in 20 or so Big Bash games thus far.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:05:09:47:37 by AGod.
No RDVM for the month of June 🙈🙈
We won this game because we have bats starting to learn that the job is to hold that impulse & die hard. Tom Banton & Andy Umeed did as much to win this game by NOT playing the 'get there quick' card more often. Tom L went fighting the impulse too hard for a long scratchy 0
Sean did contribute massively to winning us a T20 trophy on the day & he has a place in the middle order of most of our sides but I'm sorry he's not a red ball opener, there he fails more than succeeds and one significant success does not change that
WSM moans about the 'DROP' mentality but he seems to read that where people are saying 'MOVE' instead. Having said a number of times in 2023 that its not about changing personnel as much as organising them in the right line-up we see it starting to work. Tom Lammonby seems to have found his place at 3/4 (Tom Abell on his return is a question) after it being suggested for about a season and a half.
Once we have the order we can rest and rota with confidence or people can choose to look elsewhere but there is still work to do on the order in at least a couple of places ( hoping of course that Rewey will sort out his issues with 2nd season syndrome - caught like a bloody hero yesterday).
We won yesterday because we didn't collapse, the bowlers worked hard when they were loose and we used our heads. There is still a load of work to do and managing Kasey better in that is also part of the job. This side is NOT the solution, it's a work in progress and presently the work is giving much more positive results but there is still difficult work to do
Yay! A good day... and we move on to the next part of the on going team building
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:05:05:11:50:06 by Grockle.
Andy Umeed played a very expansive game against Essex. That might have been with the Pete Trego philosophy (he frequently expounds this philosophy on comms) that you should just hit out if the ball is moving around as "one will have your name on it," but my view is that Andy U has a much better defensive technique than Peter Trego thinks he himself had (Pete admits that those that can defend well in such conditions should maybe do it)..... anyway, in theory Andy should be an option to open when Matt R goes home................... but one wonders if having played so expansively might make it less likely that management will ask him to do that!?
Is Tom Abell going to be prepared to put his hand up and do the opening role if that's what the team needs? Dickson simply isn't a remotely consistent option in that role and yesterday's aggressive innings doesn't change that reality. Dickson's career record demonstrates that he has always been an especially iffy starter of innings......... not an ideal quality for an opener.
I personally don't think that TKC should just automatically be handed a CC1 place, as I don't think he did that much to justify such treatment last year. At the moment, Tom Banton is doing a good job of trying to "convert," his game to red ball. With an average of 35.5, so far, he is doing reasonably well.
Whoever replaces Sean (if anyone does) in that post needs to given more than the odd game and if they are doing that in the second half of the season then maybe we ought to introdyce them quute soon?
a) Somerset's bowling and fielding in the Essex second innings was splendid, especially after lunch, preventing the visitors from posting what might have been an unreachable target.
b) At the end of Saturday's play, still only 4th May, we were already more than a third of the way through the CC season.
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Lol’s point also highlights the rank duplicity of Hollins calculating the savings of closing most/all of the Somerset stand based on four days a game. I haven’t looked back over the last few seasons, but I’m guessing that instead of seven home games being played over twenty eight days, it was likely nearer twenty max..
There has been quite a bit of disquiet on social media recently with decisions made impacting on spectator/member facilities and I’m left wondering who is making them, as there surely doesn’t seem to be much/any consultation going on.
Grizzers
LoL
Seventy-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
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