Blast Number 11 Surrey at home
By Grockle
July 12 2024
A dodgy Hamstring keeps Will Smeed out of this important game against the Brownhats so we welcome George Thomas to the side for his T20 debut - Tom Lammonby not available? Just wondering. Migael Pretorius was named in a squad outside of his contract dates we all tho9ugh but he does not then play as Jack and Jake add to the bowling of Craig and Riley. Surrey will bat first by choice. Hopefully the weather will let us get on with this without interuption.
Blast Number 11 v Surrey @ Taunton Friday 12 July 2024
The side is pretty normal except for the introduction of debutant George Thomas at number 2 for Will Smeed. The eleven is;
Banton, Thomas, TKC, Abell, Dickson, Green, Gregory, Overton, Meredith, Leach,Ball
Surrey won the toss and will bat first and we start on time with Overton to Jacks which results in an early bondary and a possible chance as Jacks hasn't had a lot of batting. It gets even more interesting when after 8 off the first we see Jack Leach bowl the second to Dom Sibley - the epitome of white ball cricket!! But it's inspired as Sibley fires the ball down Dickson's throat for 3 to give Jack his first home T20 wicket!! 12 for 1
The evening gets better as Riley Meredith comes on for the third and has Jacks top edging to that man Dickson off his first ball (surprised by his pace I think) without adding to the score. 12 for 2.
It continues as Craig changes ends and after 10 off 5 balls, Evans skies one into the covers and into the safe hands of Jack Leach with the score on 24. In comes Sam Curran to partner Bruns and get the Surrey train back on the rails.
Meredithtakes the fifth they go 38 with Burns doing most of the heavy lifting at the moment. As usual they seem to be planning to bowl COve through from the River as he continues with the sixth it ends with 44 at the end of the Powerplay. They don't bowl him out though as bowling changes come.
Lewis comes on from the MT for the seventh as Burns looks to redress the balance of the innings by putting him to the Hildreth boundary to move his side towards 50. That arrives courtesy of Sam Curran with ball number 5. 50 for 3 in the 7th.
The boundaries are not coming thick and fast as Lewis continues from the MT and the score moves to 62. Ball takes over from the River but he goes for a few early on and the 50 partnership arrives as he goes for 12 off his first 3. Not what we wanted Jake as Surrey move on to 77 at the halfway stage.
Green takes the 11th and nearly gets a wicket with his first which is squirted in front of the CA pavilion. He goes for 12 moving them to 89 courtesy of a last ball full toss sixed into the crowd. Craig then bowls out with the 12th and a flashed four from Burns moves the Londoners towards 100. However, they only reach 97 by the end of the over. 4 overs no maidens 1 for 34. Good spell.
Lewis is still on at the MT and the 100 arrives. Curran goes to 50 off 33 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes 110 for 3 in the 14th from Meredith. A ramp for four to the MT makes this over expensive and it ends at 116.
100 partnership off 68 balls at 126 at the end of the 15th. Ball returns for the last 5. He goes for five and Surrey move to 131. Pressure is on... hopefully Somerset can keep it there. Lewis does exactly that by sending Curran back for 59 caught Overton going to the Gimblett boundary. Enter Jamie Overton.
Burns slaps a four to the Ondaatje to go to 50 off 38 balls with six fours. He finishes the over with a dismissive straight four to the MT and moves Surrey on to 142 for 4. Green takes the 18th. They move past 150 at 17.4 and finish the over with a Jamie Overton 6 to the Botham.
Ball takes the 19th changing ends at 158 for 4. Jamie is looking for glory as he takes Jake for 11 off 3 to go to 24 off 9. Ball gets Burns to top edge and he is C&B to the bowler for 62 at 170 for 5. In comes the skipper Jordan. 171 for 5 with 1 over to go bowled by Riley Meredith
A torrid time being had by all as Jamie falls over going for a quick single and Jordan gets smacked on the head in the first 3 balls. They pass 180 with a four. 182 for 5after a pretty aggressive over and a good innings from JOve with 30 off his 13. 183 to win
The Reply
The lights are on and the Thatchers Apple race is over as Banton and Thomas walk out, one in some form and the other on his debut. Dan Worrall will open the bowling from the MT to Tom B who is 'airily' off the mark down to the Hildreth with a single. 2 for 0 after 1. Lawes gets the treatment to the Caddyshack from the River end. Bants resets the parameters with 17 off 7 and 18 for 0 after 2.
Worral stays on and George takes him for four, six, four and then 5 wides in the third. He flashed hard straight to the Botham through short third and it is 42 for 0 with Thomas on 18 off 11. He's been in longer than Will has managed most of this season so far!!
Clark takes the 4th and then he takes Banton with quite a weak lob to the inner field at mid on. 42 for 1. Now we have the Mayhem Brothers as TKC joins his younger team mate. He plays it cool for a couple of balls. Keeps it quiet taking only a single.
Surrey persist with Worrall. We go to 50 with a massive six into the car park by the Ondaatje as George continues to take a liking to the Surrey bowler and goes to 28 from 15. 57 for 1 after 5.
Meanwhile TKC can't get a handle on Clark from the River at all, 61 for 1 after the Powerplay. Surrey were 43 for3 at the same point. On comes Chris Jordan from the MT and Thomas dismisses him with a straight four. TKC then follows him with an immense six into the Trade Nation car park to move Somerset on to 74 for 1. Steel brings spin into this at the River. George takes him on but hits it too high and perishes for 40 off 25 balls caught by Sibley at 76 for 2. In comes Tom Abell and we move to 78. Lawes is on at the MT for the 9th his first goes for 4 and his second is a straight six into the MT from TKC who seems to be reverting to type now young Thomas has gone.
97 for 2 as we start the 10th. Lawes has gone for 35 off his two and the 100 arrives halfway through the 10th. 100 for 2. TKC goes to 5000 T20 runs at 104 for 2 after 10.
Jacks takes the 11th with Somerset needing 79 off 10 with 8 wickets still in the box. A TKC six into the Trade Nation helps and they have 117 with 9 to go. Steel (ex Somerset seconds plus others) is still wheeling in at the River. 124 for 2 with 8 to go as Clark takes the 13th. A 50 partnership arrives at 127 from 31 balls. It looks like Tom Abell is curbing TKC's animal instincts and getting him to accumulate the runs needed. 129 for 2 leaving 54 off 42.
TKC brings up a 50 off 28 balls 3 fours and 3 sixes. Then Abell straight fours Jordan to get in on the act. But Jordan gets a say as TKC snicks one and goes at 143 for 51. In comes Dickson.
Jacks takes the next as the home side need 40 from the last 5. Will the run rate slow or will Tom A take over and get us there? Unfortunately he holes out in front of the Somerset going for the big shot at 149 caught Steel for 30 off 29. In comes Lewis Gregory
He brings up the 150 and seems to have decided to run these because he takes off like a rabbit for his first single off Jordan. 156 after 17 so they need 27 off 18.
Dickson makes it a little better with a six off Clark and they start running twos as the infield move out to protect the boundary. It's 171 for 4 after the 18th and it is down to a run a ball. Surrey need one of those Jordan overs now to make this a game.
So it starts at 12 off 12 and then becomes 11 off 11. Then 10 off 10. Then 9 off 9. 8 off 8. 4 from 7 thanks to the skipper. He then flashes over the keeper's head and we win with 6 balls to spare. Dickson 20 off 12 Lewis 12 off 7 and we win by 6 wickets.
That was very good!! On we go. A mature T20 win.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:14:12:04:05 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:14:11:09:27 by Grockle.
Surrey include Jamie Overton, who has a back stress, as a batsman only, and also bring back Sam Curran and Will Jacks from international T20 duty. Squad: Jordan (c), Burns, Clark, Sam Curran, Evans, Geddes, Jacks, Lawes. Overton, Patel, Sibley, Steel, Topley, Worrall.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:11:17:44:13 by cricketjerry-mouse.
Would expect Lammonby to come in to offer the left hand option. Then the questions are does Jack come in for spin & is George only in for experience?
One from Ball Leach & Thomas? With Miggy about I'd give GT a go
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:11:19:08:18 by Grockle.
We shall wait and see and report when we get the 'one thing or the other' Clear view of the Quantocks and there's sun.
Surrey have won the toss and will bat first
Craig and Riley play. George Thomas will debut.
Nothing else surprises, no Pretorius though he was named in the squad (why?) Jack Leach and Jake Ball join the new ball attack of Overton and Meredith.
Bit odd that Jack bowled only one over ?
Grizzers
Wisely he took most of the first over to judge the wicket, then played genuine attacking strokes (not a `slog` in sight`) to claim 40 runs from less than 20 balls, and remain at the wicket for seven overs during which 76 runs got Somerset off to just the start they needed.
Meanwhile, Hampshire did Somerset a favour tonight by beating Glo`shire by five wickets, with David Payne`s final over going for 14 runs.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:12:22:05:03 by cricketjerry-mouse.
Jack got an important one in. COve & Lewis kept em in check while Riley 'duffed' em up. Jake & Ben also did their job
TKC played off his partners well after working hard to get the line and length of Clarke. Abell held the partnership and then Lewis came in to run them ragged with excellent support from Sean D.
Mature, measured and almost perfectly timed.
If Sussex win their other 2 they end on 20pts.
We can only get 19.
For a home we need 2 slip ups from Surrey or Sussex
AND to win all 3 of our own games
Delighted for young George Thomas. Took his chance well and played with confidence after nervy start. Assuming Smeed is out for the foreseeable future with hamstring injury George deserves to keep his place.
Hopefully he can thrive further in One Day Cup. One of the players out of contract at end of season.
Lammers was in the squad yesterday, and is in the squad tomorrow.
Migael clearly must be contracted as he was in the squad yesterday & is again tomorrow.
With only 1 overseas playing regularly it feels quite sensible to have another one available.
The problem is we have lots of VERY good T20 players & in general over recent seasons we have been a VERY good side.
The top 9 has been pretty much set in stone when everyone is fit plus an overseas so it makes it VERY tough for others to break into.
Hence Lammers Kasey Golds often being on the edges of squads.
Add George T and Sonny not to mention Rew and there is some proper talent regularly missing out......
Tom has been named in many squads but without the preferred opener (who has 'sputtered' more than 'fired' this season) and against the other strength side in the division I would have expected leaving out the debutant for another game.
Don't understand the preference for Dickson at any time when Lammonby hits form for the reasons stated. Though also to be fair he did do his job under the direction of 2 of his skipper colleagues.
Our strongest side has one of those two in it... would like to see Pretorius bowl with Meredith because it would be fun.
But we got the result and if we get one today it will also probably be without them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:07:14:11:11:05 by Grockle.