From Red to White - The Blast starts on Wednesday
By Grockle
May 23 2023
So Phase 1 of the Championship has ended and we move straight on to what most fans (except Will Smeed it seems) think is the county's main objective for the 2023 season - The Vitality Blast. As I'm not a fan of the Indian Premier League and have no desire to see the white elephant that is the UK franchise option this white ball tournament is my premier interest within the format - mostly because of the ECB's treatment of the 50 over competition later in the season. It may not be for every one but it does have its supporters and even those who believe it is the best T20 tournament of the global roundabout - even though the globalists don't put it in the schedule as they have interest in keeping in with the establishment and so they talk about the 'T20 that isn't T20' in August which most cricket fans in the UK don't give two figs about. How different will Somerset's profile look for the white ball? We have our first view today.
The first squad for the 2023 T20 which starts on Wednesday at home against Hampshire. Gates open at 5pm game starts at 7pm (Happy Hour 5:30 to 6:30 - though all promotion of alcohol drinking is frowned upon of course :-) has been announced. we will choose from;
Banton (wk), Smeed, TKC, Abell, Lammonby, Gregory (capt), Green, RvdM, Goldsworthy, Overton, Davey, Henry, Siddle
Omissions are the first thing to notice. Sean Dickson and James Rew are not included in the squad. Tom Banton will keep if he plays (and he will at the start at least though he has no identifiable domestic form yet) with TKC taking over one would imagine if he is not in the side. James has a red ball label presently - it may change if he works well in the 50 over cup when he will play as keeper without doubt. Sean Dickson did hit some form in the Second XI T20 against Warwickshire with 74 in a poor Somerset total so his absence from squads may be temporary. Jack Leach has rejoined England for the Tests against Ireland so he is not available Craig Overton is not with the international squad and so is in the T20 mix - good for us as he seems to be hitting form. Kasey Aldridge hasn't made it into this squad after impressing with the bat but not the ball in the later red ball games - Ben Green is ahead of him as a bowling allrounder at the moment. Lewis Goldsworthy is on the edge of the white as well as the red ball squad though he may miss out at the start of the competition as well unfortunately.
The county has made the move to reinstate Lewis Gregory as the T20 captain after taking the role off him and giving it to Tom Abell last season. Gregory took his franchise to the trophy in 2022 and it means less pressure on the club captain - who may hit form in the white ball or not. It is neither one thing or another in the end - some think it's a bad move because it means Gregory will play even if his back injury starts to give him problems - doubt that, we do not need to play injured players in our present white ball squad and we have a third white ball captain in Ben Green in this squad.
So, what do we have here?
Banton and Smeed will open at the start of our campaign at least. Tom must be desperate to play as he did not get a look in during the Championship games. For Will this is a very important series as he has gambled his whole summer (if not his cricket career) on it. After playing in a number of franchise series during the winter, though not particularly successfully, he has opted for a white ball only contract for the county and therefore, these are his only county games this season. If he fails here he may find himself without work of any kind this winter. He is on a UK franchise contract presently but his career outside of Britain depends on what sides see during the summer. We wish him well because you don't wish anyone ill and if he plays well so do we.
TKC, Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby will take the next 3 places - though in what order may very well depend on how the front two go - Abell to provide stability, TKC to take the ball on with a good start and Lammonby to offer a bit of both with his better red ball patience mixed with his obvious strokeplay ability (if he can remember it after keeping it under control for the last 6 weeks or so). The bowling will take care of itself one would assume with a completely international front 3 of Overton, Henry and Siddle. That will put the willies up any batting lineup facing us because on their day they will rip an attack apart. One would also assume the one day spin option will be Roelof van der Merwe so no relief when we look to our slow option.
As the fourth seam option will be the skipper Lewis Gregory, the only question is whether we will rest Peter Siddle at times by bringing in our fourth international bowler Josh Davey (not a bad bat either), or whether we will add another aggressive bat who bowls seam (Ben Green) or a bat who is a little more circumspect and bowls slow (Lewis Goldsworthy)
If we click we will be a hell of a batting side to allow first look at the ball for 20 overs. If opposition sides don't fancy that then we have a bowling attack that could make you regret going in first. We shall have to see if we click. The county will be hoping we do because if we do we have to be a real prospect for going all the way. However, we are Somerset and what we look like and what we play like are not always the same thing. We don't have Rillee Roussow this year but we do have some 'beef' in this side. We saw what we can do against Derbyshire last year (maybe what Rillee could do perhaps?) We would all like to see us do that to more counties and THEN go to a finals day and play TWO games well.
See those who partake on Wednesday... could be fun.
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:26:15:55:26 by Grockle.
Suspect a lot rests on the batting of Abell and TKC. Perhaps Lammonby too.
Also not sure we have many good options if Banton and/or Smeed don’t fire? I don’t think Dickson has much of a record in the competition, and nor does Bartlett. Forget Steve Davies.
I think that maybe Ben Green should be given more scope with the bat this year. He should bat ahead of Gregory, who has been absolutely dire with the bat since his great *2018* batting season. Recent season averages include 8, 9 and 12 - all among the worst marks for any non specialist bowler in the country.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:23:18:34:21 by AGod.
Batting wise Dickson will probably come into the equation (present T20 form is better than either opener in terms of seconds scores), Rew is probably a white ball front ender if needs be. George Thomas is worth a look though may be early. George Bartlett has a bit of form though he's more of a 50 over man probably sane for Rew.
There is depth but what it would do for our T20 prospects I'd rather not predict. We're better off than most.
Not so much a cost of living crisis as a cost of ticket crisis !
Grizzers
The cost of living is still belting up as you say Scrumper
Not a lot of fun living in Britain at the moment says the ex 'ex pat'
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:06:37:50 by Grockle.
It’s no fun at all living in Britain. Non limited over cricket is currently the only oasis of sanity. Thank goodness I live in supposedly the only area with such league cricket of a really high standard too . Also the only place outside London where you get your bus pass aged 60 so have enjoyed nearly 5 years of it. After two positives in one post, doubling my average for the decade, it must be time for bed .
Having lived overseas for twenty years, but back here every summer for a couple of months, the UK is the best place in the world to live i.m.h.o..
Take a look at the expat boards & the number of people coming back.
The grass is always greener and all that.
(Well, apart from certain areas of the outfield at HQ !)
Grizzers
Quote:Grizzers
...the UK is the best place in the world to live i.m.h.o..
and more specifically, Somerset is the best place in the world to live
Grizzers
A breeze coming in through the window from a Somerset garden in full bloom feels a lot more attractive than being locked in the County Ground for 4 hours with no parole. No baggage searches, no queuing for some fizzy Thatcher's. No queuing to return the plastic beaker. And no thirty-five quid lifted from my bank account.
And another thing ... the dog's not around any more, but if she were, I wouldn't have been able to attend anyway, now that Gordon "New Normal" Hollins has banned dogs from T20s, along with cash and a relaxed atmosphere in general.
That pre-Hollins world where the dog and I wandered in and out to watch Chris Gayle in full, murderous flow has gone for ever.
_______
By the way, where is this year's equivalent of a Chris Gayle or a Rilee Rossouw? I hope the likes of Smeed or Banton go stratospheric on a regular basis, because otherwise I don't see where those 220-plus scores are going to come from.
We were still walking the two or three miles to the County Ground on summer mornings right into her final year, so I don't think she left anything behind.
You'll always be 'WTD' on here sir
Centre-stage in front of the cameras might be just what’s needed to propel him up to the Gayle/Rossouw level.
I was expecting this to happen after what was being said last season.
Let's just say many are showing how they are feeling towards the club.
Going for bowling is an interesting call, though, because an overseas bowler can directly affect only 24 legitimate deliveries, whereas a top three batsman could potentially directly affect between 70 and 85 (or so) legitimate deliveries.
(It’s also true that RR’s efforts last season far exceeded his efforts, over three years, for Hants, and so there might be a feeling that SCCC caught lightning in a bottle). Wonder what Babar is up to or whether he is now waaaaaayyyyyy out of our price range!?
I don’t know whether Matt H is particularly good at T20, but I guess we will find out shortly.
“Matt Henry comes on, he decides to bowl short to Afridi, but who cares, he just swings, a top-edge flies over his head and into the crowd. Henry pitches up and Afridi hits him over cover for six. Matt, what's your favourite scary movie?”
[www.espncricinfo.com]
But that was the Matt Henry of six years ago. He’s looked world-class with the red ball so far.
Edit: It's a wonderful piece of writing, by the way. A hymn of praise to the sheer joy of Afridi that evening at Derby. Do read it, even if you're not a particular fan of Afridi or Kimber.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:15:50:19 by That Bloke With The Dog.
I think it's a reasonable assumption to say that the author may just have been a very slight fan of Mr Afridi !
Grizzers
Side is without Goldsworthy or Davey so Ben Green is in
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:18:37:02 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:19:17:18 by Grockle.
We’ve left some grass on this so it’s like the Derbys QF track, on which the Derbys quick made a monkey of Will Smeed.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:19:08:10 by AGod.
This is going to be a cricketing intelligence test for Banton and Smeed. And a technical challenge.
If the pitch plays as it has done so far at the start of our innings? Nathan Ellis will NOT be easy..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:19:32:10 by Grockle.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Stronger than 2005 when we won it?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:19:40:31 by Grockle.
Trescothick, Kieswetter, Buttler, Pollard… all international calibre!?
Trescothick
Kieswetter
Trego
Hildreth
Buttler
Pollard
Suppiah
Meschede
[www.espncricinfo.com]
I’d submit that today’s XI has nobody as good as Marcus or Jos … and nobody (not even TKC) as powerful as Pollard.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:19:44:51 by AGod.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
That is Hampshire's lowest T20 score against anyone and 17 runs below their lowest against us in 2017.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:20:15:40 by Grockle.
Maybe the 'process' does work sometimes !
Grizzers
I will admit that Steve Kirby was less than stellar with the bat, however!
I guess Siddle will be number 11 today and he is still better with the bat, even at 99, than Kirby was!
I shall be surprised if Smeed gets anywhere trying to smack Ellis on this.. but then again he likely does not have the technique to survive in more conservative mode, either!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:20:48:01 by AGod.
''Good luck boys wish I could of been there this season no the less will be supporting all the way''.
Grizzers
Congrats to Agod for looking for the negatives until a half hearted well done at the end
Nice start all round.
👏👏👏
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:24:22:49:36 by Shepton Paul 2.
Quote:That Bloke With The Dog
Thanks, AGod. She was 17 and just being 'not well' too often. At least it meant that she never had to go through the stroke or heart attack that most dogs do.
We were still walking the two or three miles to the County Ground on summer mornings right into her final year, so I don't think she left anything behind.
My sympathy too TBWTD. Although I’m a cat man, I like most animals. One of my cats went last year aged 17. Her brother still with me aged 18. Dread him going. Glad you had some good last months.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023:05:25:17:27:22 by Des Platt.