Success against Sussex
The Last Time
By Grockle
August 2 2011
The Somerset Championship steamroller rumbles on and flattens everyone in its path...will Sussex be next? The machine is pretty fragile as of yet and may roll off the road at any time. Sussex can be an obstacle or glue under the wheels that moves the behemoth on. Nothing is more important than the victory and on an overcast Tuesday morning in Taunton I think every member of the squad knows that!
v Sussex CC1 @ Taunton Tuesday 2 August 2011
Commentary (click on Murali Kartik's face on the forum at any time)
The side for this game is as you would have expected;
Trescothick, Suppiah, Compton, Hildreth, Kieswetter, Jones, Trego, Kirby, Thomas, Willoughby, Kartik
With Buttler out of favour/form with the bat, Gregory and Hussain unfit and no other real cover there is little surprise that this - possibly our strongest side at the moment - is the eleven. The weather is cloudy, overcast and humid...a good day to be able to choose to bowl? Sussex include Panesar, Joyce, Goodwin and Nash in a side we really need to crush with maximum and extreme prejudice!
Sussex have won the toss and will bat. Craig K is not in the side and Jos will keep. I personally found that an intriguing decision given the conditions at the start of the day. We were all hoping we would win the toss so we could put them in...it was a morning for bowling, humid, overcast and with a decdent breeze. Nevertheless the visitors came out with bats in their hands.
With the ball passing the bat more than once they then managed to negotiate the first seven overs from the usual two Willoughby and Kirby before Steve tempted Nash to go at a wider one and Hildreth took the catch to dismiss the Sussex opener with 14 to his name and 26 to his side. That was it for the first hour and Sussex moved on to 50 within the 60 minute period. The low cloud burned off but the humidity remained and there was enough in the wicket for MK to be given a spell where he found significant turn with the odd ball that dropped into what looked like a dusty dry wicket.
It was that man Alfonso who was looking like a wicket taker, moving the ball past the batsmen on numerous occasions and finding the edge of Wells' bat with the score on 72 to send him back to the hutch before trapping the large and dangerous Joyce LBW with the penultimate ball of the 30th. Sussex go in at Lunch on 97 for 3.
After lunch the attacking nature of the Somerset bowling continued with large slip cordons, aggressive fielding in the deep, especially from Arul Suppiah who was a real terrier on the Somerset Stand boundary, and bowlers getting significant movement off in the air. Goodwin and Yardy at the crease and a partnership that needs breaking but it isn't, despite the bowlers' best efforts, until the score is 157 and Yardy sticks one set up for him straight down Charl's throat without him having to move from Kirby.
Goodwin hasn't been here in a Championship since his huge 300 odd in the "most boring game of the noughties" and we really need to see the back of him but he is not the next wicket to go as Brown is sent on his way just after the opposition pass 200 and then Rayner is sent in for an early Tea both by the 'up for it' Alfonso T. Somerset on the charge with Sussex 215 for 6 and relying heavily on Murray to keep them in this first innings.
The Tea interval ends and Goodwin is back out with new man Parnell who can give it a bit of a whack. However it is Murray who is the danger man and therefore a large cheer goes up when he kneels to slog sweep a ball from Kartik to the Caddick pavilion boundary and top edges the ball straight into the waiting paws of James Hildreth. 233 for 7 and Monty Panesar enters the Lion's Den!
But at 238 he chooses to not play a shot to Alf who delivers a ball coming back in and it's "goodbye" to Monty for 1 and "hello" James Anyon. He manages to move the score on to 245 before trying to 'nurdle' Kartik around the corner and being caught by Buttler to introduce Amjad Khan into the fray with 16 overs and about an hour of play to go on day 1. 5 runs short of the second batting point with Somerset picking up 3.
The generous applause for Kartik's over has hardly died before Wayne Parnell smacks the ball to mid off giving Alfonso his best UK figures of 6 for 60. Sussex all out for 245. Excellent day's play so far.
12 overs to face before the end of the official total and given the use of spinners today there will probably be more like 14 to 15 before the end of play. As Marcus and Arul start by taking 17 off the first two it looks like fireworks may ensue. That isn't the way it continues however as the Somerset skipper is caught lowdown by Michael Yardy off Ollie Rayner in the 8th over for 14 out of 35. With 5 to 7 overs to go in comes Steve Kirby to 'nightwatch' and we have the Somerset men versus Rayner and Panesar for 7 with lots of 'Ohhhs', 'Ahhhs' and surprisingly 'Oyyyys' before the game ends with one added to the score and no more victims to the Sussex slowmen. 36 for 1 at the end of Day 1 needing another 60 to save the follow on and 210 to take a lead in the first innings!
Day 2
Hopes are high at the start of play that Somerset can capitalise on the work of the first day and be in a commanding position by the middle of Day 3. Nick Compton and Arul Suppiah are seen as key to that development of the innings with the run work being shouldered by Chris Jones, Peter Trego and James Hildreth. The Sussex spinners Rayner and Panesar could be a handful but they were dealt with at the end of Day 1 and have to continue to be dealt with. The weather is bright, clear, warm and sunny so the bowlers will have got up this morning and thought...there's something in it today. We just have to concentrate and wear them down while accumulating.
At least that is the theory. Steve Kirby is initially out there with Arul and there is some promise at the start of the day, though there seems to be something in the pitch for both the seam and spin attacks. At 51 Monty shows how much as he has Steve caught by Joyce for the first wicket of the day some 3 and a bit overs into play. Nick is the next man in and is immedaitely tied down by the Sussex attack. For 2 overs there is nothing off the bat and we then lose Arul caught by Rayner off Parnell trying to push the score 51 for 3 and hopes start to dwindle.
Jones is in for an over and sees a run added (not by him) before he is caught in front by Panesar and leaves the field to Compton and Hildreth with only 54 on the board, and increase of 18 from 29 balls. James doesn't last at all and he is sent back to the hutch after only 3 balls - not a great part of the season for him. Yardy has him off that man Panesar once again. Still no sign of Rayner with the ball at this time. It is seam from the OP and spin from the River.
54 for 5!! In comes Jos. Just what you need, a man out of form replacing a man out of form when you've just lost 4 wickets for the addition of 3 runs!! However, he does start to work with Compo to they set about reviving Somerset's fragile hopes of getting on a par in this one.
Things start to stabalise and NC is doing the job we need him to do...that is until he has a head fit and reverse sweeps Panesar for no apparent reason which succeeds in him plopping the ball to Goodwin and putting his side back in the mire!! Absolutely NOT what was wanted from him. 93 for 6...which becomes 93 for 7 when Pete goes first ball caught by Nash off Monty P.
Oh Dear. Oh Dear. Oh Dear!!
Then...sunshine in the darkness as my prediction for a score in this game does what he does so well. Jos Buttler very very ably supported by Alfonso adds 142 in 36.3 overs, contributing exactly 100 himself off 109 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes before he was bowled by Anyon. Superb stuff to take us from nothing to 10 runs from a lead. He looked fluent, he loooked in charge and at times he looked absolutely devastating in the eyes of the Sussex bowlers. Poor use of Rayner who bowled three shortish spells in this innings while the seamers looked pacy but pretty ineffective. Mike Denness has been to look at the pitch...suggestions about the place say that he was inspecting the strip itself because it seemed too dry but we'll have to see if anything comes of that.
Murali Kartik takes Jos's place at the crease - it is worth mentioning that E Xtras went to 50 off a Khan bouncer before Buttler went to 100 off the next ball. 10 overs before Tea.
Alf continues to push and MK plays his shot scoring game and they take the score from 235 to 264 before the mammoth innings of Mr Thomas comes to an end when he is caught behind for a great 43. Interesting stats about the 'stickability' of the man. He took 3 runs off his first 79 balls faced while his partner made the runs. 40 more off the next 64 in a 154 ball innings. Alf faced more balls than any other batsman in the game so far...a real supportive role of vital importance.
Charl strides out to face Rayner's spin and deals with that carefully, giving the strike to his partner and taking only runs when it is necessary to do so. Sussex believe that spin will get him and therefore they defer the new ball and the last two Somerset men put on 17 without too much problem. So they take the new ball at 281 for 9 in the 82nd over and Anyon returns to break this partnership up.
An over later and they are still there with Khan coming in from the River and MK is still on strike but Charl is bossing the strike, sending Kartik back when there is a single on early in the over - it was the spinner's call on both occasions. However the 5th ball of the 84th is top edged and very well caught by Anyon, one handed sliding under it. Somerset are out for 286 and a late Tea is now taken.
Sussex in the form of Joyce and Nash come out for round two and take on Charl (Old Pavilion) and Steve (River) firing the first salvos of a very enjoyable game. It is hot out there now and another considerable crowd are in to watch it with the Gimblett, Trescothick, cinema seats and CA particularly well populated. 1.4 overs in Kirbs puts one down, a difficult c&b chance from Nash which fired past him but he got his hands to. 8 for 0 after the first two overs.
The idea would be that we would have three of them down by the end of the day and we have some 25 overs at them to make it so. It starts well as Nash gets a top edge on one which goes vertically and Jos takes responsibility and the catch. Kirby has the first one with only 16 on the board in the 4th over. But it's another 13 overs before we get a sniff of another and they have over 60 on the board when Wells gives a low chance to the skipper and the visitors find themselves at 69 for 2 with Kartik getting among the wickets.
The third duly comes in the 23rd when Alf induces Joyce into a drive that wasn't there and Jones takes a regulation catch at mid off. 87 for 3 is where we'd be happy but it isn't over yet as Kartik tempts Goodwin to a drive that isn't there and he plops the ball into Trego's hands and it's 4 down without an increase in the score. Sussex have already sent Anyon in as a left handed night watchman and now we get a second lefty in Yardy to see if they can take this to the close without further loss. It does look likely although Somerset crowd the bat and Kartik is offering up juicy little deliveries to the Sussex skipper who is taking no notice at all.
Day 3
A whole session lost to the weather makes for a more interesting game but when the players take the field after an early lunch it is under lowering skies with a Sussex batting line-up that isn't exactly full of big scorers and a Somerset bowling attack up for it in a big way.
94 is the overnight score and is still the score when Yardy is the first third day victim to Thomas caught at second slip by Kartik. It is also the score when 2 balls later the same man takes out Brown standing in front of his stumps!! This game starts to look as if it will not go to the fourth day. Rayner, Parnell, Panesar and Khan don't suggest that the visitors will pass 200 in anything like style and with the Somerset VC looking at a possible 10 in the match you'd back an early end to the innings rather than staunch accumulating defence.
Rayner and Anyon take Sussex past 100...very slowly but at 108 a change from Thomas to Willoughby has Rayner chasing another ball...on a different angle straight into Buttler's gloves - catching practice!! Parnell joins Anyon and they put on another 10 but Kartik is starting to worry the batsmen and he catches Anyon in front to welcome Monty to the crease. Two and a bit overs and four runs later the England spinner is on his way with the same verdict to his name LBW Kartik.
Khan and Parnell are on a hiding to nothing but they hold on and stubbornly carry on to add runs until Thommo finally gets his tenth and Sussex are all out 93 runs ahead at 134 all out. Alf leads the teams off with the ball in his hand and a small but significant crowd give him the applause he deserves for another significant performance of 4 for 28 in the second to add to his 6 for 60 in the first. Well done to MK as well for his 4 for 46.
The endgame? Trescothick and Suppiah march out and Anyon must wonder what is in store when the skipper takes 12 off his first in 3 boundaries. As soon as the shine is off the Sharks bring Panesar on, Marcus simply steps up the wicket and put his first over the Colin Atkinson. It's careful but it is totally controlled, the Sussex attack do not give up and push the batsmen all the way but they really are on a hiding to nothing. Although they do get Arul c&b to Ollie Rayner there are already 75 on by then and Compo is not going to do something stupid (however it doesn't stop him hitting ONE reverse sweep). Marcus cruises past 50 and then finishes it with an absollutely dismissive boundary. 54 off 57 balls with 7 fours and two sixes...majestic.
Not all one way traffic in this game but the moment we got our snouts in front and smelled a wounded opponent we went in for the kill in real style. The men from the press have just returned from the Caddyshack and are reporting a real atmosphere over there...the roll is definitely on and it feels GOOD.
On to Trent Bridge then boys and girls.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:05:18:58:54 by Grockle.
No play yet. And it looks like the north might be in a for a few days of thundery weather anyway.
Things don't look so bad further South, although with stormy weather around one can never be at all sure. Fingers crossed for Taunton!!!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:01:22:47:26 by Grockle.
Maybe Warwickshire are the dark horses, their remaining fixtures look favourable
Incidentally, Bagpuss, any thoughts on why that should be? Does the track tend to start damp or something?
I hear you though...............its ours!!!
Anyone know the weather forecast for the coming week at HQ?
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
01st August 2011
The visitors have a game in hand on both their opponents and Nottinghamshire in the Division One table, and Sussex will be looking to gain ground on them with victory in the West Country.
The squad for the match sees Sussex welcome back seamer Amjad Khan, overseas star Wayne Parnell and all-rounder Kirk Wernars as all three return from injury to be included. Naveed Arif Gondal also returns to the LV=CC squad.
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan is being rested before returning for the Friends Life t20 quarter-final next week, whilst Luke Wright remains sidelined through injury. Matt Prior has of course been playing in England’s Test match against India at Trent Bridge so Ben Brown will keep wicket.
The Sussex squad is as follows:
Amjad Khan
JE Anyon
BC Brown (wkt)
MW Goodwin
Naveed Arif Gondal
EC Joyce
CD Nash
MS Panesar
WD Parnell
OP Rayner
KO Wernars
LWP Wells
MH Yardy (c)
BBC Sussex will be providing ball-by-ball commentary of the match
It looks like we will have full use of the Gimblett’s Hill tomorrow the sightscreen is in the middle of the Botham Stand.
So no short boundary’s for the spinners, which must be tactics.
Day One
1- Bill Luckett and Dick Macey. 2- Paul Harper and Tom Doyle. 3- Chris Doyle and Richard Oliver.
Day Two
1- John Hamlin and Chris Stone. 2- Eric Cole and Brian Harris. 3- Paul Harper and Tom Doyle.
Day Three
1-Paul Harper and John Hamlin.2- Tom Doyle and Ben Manning. 3- Eric Cole and Brian Harris.
Day Four
1- Tom Doyle and Brian Harris. 2- Paul Harper and Ben Manning.3- Eric Cole and Richard Oliver.
I'm about for the whole game so any receiving problems please post them and we'll see if we can sort them during the sessions.
Again the advice is that wherever possible listen to the feed through an external player as it gives you more volume and more control over it.

In all three of these matches (and possibly the Yorks and Durham games I haven't checked the scorecards) the problem doesnt seem to be the first session with the new ball - only one or two wickets fell before lunch. The danger time seems to be that afternoon session between lunch and tea.
Is it an example of what has been suggested (I believe by AG) that the new ball doesnt seem to be getting wickets (certainly for Somerset not sure about other counties, or even in Somerset's case the second new ball). Or is it just something they put in the lunch at Liverpool!
Scousw forecast - we are due quite a bit of rain through the night tonight but dry from 9 ish tomorrow morning. May be a delayed start but would expect no inte4rruptions after then so long as light ok. Weds and Thurs have showers forecast. So far good for us that Lancs failed to get batting points but the downside is a low scoring match means time less of a factor in getting a result.
Best thin is for Somerset to continue in their vein of rich form and rack up the points and a victory at Taunton. Get the results and the points on the board and if its meant to be the rest will fall into place.
As for the team news, Wayne Parnell is a good cricketer. However after the extent of the problems that Rana Naved posed for SCCC at Hove, I doubt we will be too gutted that Parnell is fit again.
Frontpage story is up - commentary is on the link and Murali's head at the top of the page but I'll not be adding anything until about 12:30.


It will be interesting to see how our batting keeps going. If I'm honest I'd like us to sign seasoned batsman next season if possible. Just incase we lose Kieswetter to England even more and well Buttler could easily appear near the ODI team
Our bowling looks ever more solid. And hopefully Murali will want to stay next season (in my opinion the guy can stay as long as he wants)


However, what I will say is this;
9 times out of 10 when one reads about or hears about a bowler who has been "unlucky," in repeatedly beating the edge, what has actually happened is that the bowler has bowled a smidgen short of the absolute ideal length. It's till good bowling - good line, decent length, obtaining movement BUT it's just not quite the perfect length to get those edges.
At least, that's my observation based on games I've seen - whether live or on TV when the bat has been repeatedly beaten.
You aren't here. Many well versed people who are have said this morning that our bowlers have been very unlucky...how about taking their view of the game from a bird's eye perspective perhaps rather than adding your semi-usual non positive perspective to a game you aren't seeing?
I wasn't here but I tend to believe the people who were rather than patronising them by saying...'are you sure we simply were bowling too short' and letting the batsmen off the hook? Tghey've watched a LOT of cricket... so I doubt your "lesson" on what 'beating the bat' actually means from your own massive knowledge might not go down too well!
But that's just me....


You need to put (TIC) behind it when you don't really mean it Tumbles.... or people might get the wrong idea. :-)

Sorry once again.

I certainly don't think I'm the only person that thinks that as a general rule. I've seen the same argument advanced about certain bowlers in general. In fact, I saw that argument advanced by a few of the "expert summarisers," in respect of the redoubtable Mr Andrew Caddick when he was playing for England. I recall a couple of commentators comparing him to Mike Hendrick in that respect - a guy that, they said, experienced a similar thing in his career (he was before my time so could not really comment on Hendrick.) AC was my absolute favourite but, nonetheless, I could see some logic in that argument.
I did not say that is necessarily what has happened this morning. Maybe the ball just moved too much, full stop?
But JOyce and co are not rabbits so I would say that if it happened repeatedly the likelihood is that either it simply moved too much or it was fractionally too short .. otherwise the law of averages would have brought a clatter of wickets!
You said what you said I've commented on it. The game now goes on and I don't need you to justify yourself and your comment.
I'll have a look this afternoon and see whether it is this "generally held" understanding or actually a perceptive assessment by a knowledgable crowd and I'm sure I'll let you know.
I was glad to hear we had them worried...you it seems think we are bowling too short because...according to you 90% of the time that is what happens when people "beat" the bat.
I'll gladly dispute that with you at sometime in the future if I lose the will to live and give up any kind of life I now have. But for now... more important thing beckon in Grockleworld. ;-)

No, not when people 'beat the bat,' on one occasion, but when the pattern is of the bat being repeatedly beaten, without actually taking the edge. It was my understanding that that latter scenario - of the bat being repeatedly beaten was what you were reporting.
IN the meantime, I've now switched on and the commentator has announced that "300, on a pitch like this, would be a good score."
Is there something amiss with this pitch? Too much grass providing excessive lateral movement?
What do you think, Big Jim?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:02:14:33:14 by AGod.
One wonders if the England selectors might, possibly, be bold and go for a genuinely young player as the next batsman they call up, rather than going back to Ravi Bopara. With the exception of that Southend game against Leics, I would suggest that Bopara has had a poor season. Then again, Taylor has not matched what he did last season.
Bye bye, Yardy.
Well done, Charl!!!
400 or thereabouts would be par for the course we seem to think.
Yardy was caught hooking to....a rare short ball.
It sounded like it was a diving effort as they originally thought he was diving to stop the four and then they suddenly said "my word, he's caught it."
They said Charl himself would probably have been surprised (!)
*Mystic Tumbles*
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:02:15:27:26 by Tumbles.
Oh no it doesn't. Old Frazer has had that one for a long, long time, Nailsea.
Polish em off after tea lads and make em toil in the field for 2 days.
Hopefully Kartik throws one up, Parnell's eyes light up, and Jos does the rest....
Quote:Clarence Parker
"A job for you beckons at the end of W-S-M pier."
Oh no it doesn't. Old Frazer has had that one for a long, long time, Nailsea.
Time he moved over for a younger man, especially as he appeared to miss the fire.?
Quote:AGod
Parnell will be interesting .. can really hit a ball.
Hopefully Kartik throws one up, Parnell's eyes light up, and Jos does the rest....
Trego will clean him up right after tea.. voices at the ready.
Mike is keeping his distance and getting on with the job he is paid for (yeah right!!). There may be other Grockles about the place keeping themselves to themselves of course - very sensible if you ask me.

Quote:Nailsea_Fizz
Time he moved over for a younger man, especially as he appeared to miss the fire.?
Don't worry, he's fireproof.


Never said anything about Alf in particular.
Just that if the batsman is consistently being beaten then, assuming competence on the part of said batsman, it's probably because the ball is fractionally short of the ideal length needed to get the nick. Note fractionally. Not 'short,' as in bouncers or anything like that.
If you actually apply some logic to this then I think you'll see that if two separate deliveries move by a given amount the moment it hits the surface - let's say 5 degrees each, the delivery that lands further away from the bat ( the shorter one) is more likely to miss the bat as, by the time it gets to the bat it will have deviated further (relative to the bat) than the other delivery which landed closer to the bat.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:02:16:57:51 by AGod.
Quote:Tumbles
If Monty was coming in at 9 then I can't see much resistance!
I thought that at Hove, but he and Anyon batted for ages.
It sounds to me, though, as though this pitch has plenty of bounce in it and as though it is turning for Kartik. So lightning should certainly not strike twice in terms of Anyon.
It sounds like Kartik has been making it talk on day one of this game, so hopefully we will bat once and bat big.
About 14 overs to bat at the end of the day.
Sounds like excellent stuff from Alf. Good job I added him to fantasy team for this game!
I hope the track is as flat as most of them have been at CLS because, if so, it looks a less than stellar Durham score so far.
Lancs are cleaning up the Warks tail now too.. more rain in that game tomorrow and it'll look like being a draw.
I guess Marcus is allowed a score less than a ton this time around !
Hope we can bat all day tomorrow & really put them under pressure.
Grizzzly
Time for some the others to take us through this one I think.
Did we play entirely defensively? Was Marcus lost to one of the very first balls from the spinners? Was batting vs those two really difficult?
It did sound as though Kartik was getting all kinds of bounce and turn, in which case they will be very glad they won the toss.
Tomorrow is the kind of day that SCCC simply have to win if they want to win the CC..it could be a long grind and a really engrossing battle because our chances of getting a good lead quickly have probably gone with Marcus. We might still get a good lead if we bat well, but it's unlikely to be quick.
Tomorrow could be a huge day for us, in terms of not only this game but the CC as a whole, and it would be nice to be batting at the end of it. (something like 360/6 would be good)
Before a ball was bowled he was asked to predict the lunctime score.
Without a second's thought our man from Tibet chimed up with...
97-3.
If you dont know what the lunchtime score was.....I suggest you check.
He was last seen entering Morrisons to buy some lottery tickets.
He be a magic man.
I'll be sharing that jackpot with him...
I am wondering how easy it will be to bat tomorrow after watching the last few overs of the day from the spinners.
A Khan beaten by a ball from M Kartik.
Jos Buttler taking a very good catch to dismiss J Anyon off M Kartik.
This nearly bowled L Wells but he was caught behind by Jos Buttler off Alfonso Thomas.
This was short and a bit wide off M Kartik and M Goodwin hit it for four runs.
A shame we lost Marcus T ct M Yardy bowled O Raynor
There was a big gasp when O Rayner left this ball alone off Alfonso Thomas.
ss jr 1 and I had a super day: lovely to see everyone and enjoy the cricket, plus I now have photographic evidence that Grockle isn't just a figment of my imagination

I think I have the right to know!
Nice to meet you and the rest of the family (yours and ours) :-)

Your hair looked different have you had it cut.

When the opposition puts both spinners on after only about 7 overs with the new ball, then I guess that's a pretty good sign that they perceive the pitch to be a turner.
If it's more a spinner's pitch than anything else, then that suggests that Alf did even better than the figures might suggest?
On the other hand, Kartik might be a little disappointed with just a couple of wickets? He has yet to have the kind of big wicket taking CC day that he had so many of last season. Hopefully we can chisel out a lead and then Kartik can deliver big wkts in their 2nd dig.
Having been away from HQ for close on two years I'd forgotten just what an amazing place it is to watch cricket.
Having sampled the "delights" of Division Two cricket at the SWALEC Stadium(dreadful by name.....) earlier this season I'd almost lost faith in the great game, but a day in the sun watching the finest team in the land alongside some of the finest people in the land (LoL was there as well) has restored my belief not only in cricket but also in mankind.
Messrs Boycott, Atherton and the like, I suggest you get your lazy backsides down to Taunton to watch some real high quality fare, you'd learn a lot.
It was a shame we couldn't speak, but I'll be back for more soon.
Kartik was very unlucky, AG, no more no less, he had them in all sorts of shapes.
Adam Dibble took six for 11 for the seconds today.
Meantime, the official site needs a mathematician as they note that Alf took six wickets, Kirby two and Kartik... er .... three.
As someone else said earlier....a big day ahead tomorrow in our quest!!
Kartik was excellent i thought, deserved so much more than the 2 he got, lots of shouts and beating the bat.
Thomas too was excellent as were Charl and Steve, lots of play and misses.
Huge task tomorrow, we are not used to constructing innings without Trescothick getting us off to solid starts.
Really is the time for the other batters to stand up and do it without the skipper leading.
Pitch really did look like it would give help to the spinners tomorrow so how we play them is going to be key.
Cant help think that defending will just get us in a mess, we have to be positive, not reckless but look for singles, sweeping, quick singles etc.
Always worry when we just prod and push as it ebcourages 3/4 men round the bat and we get in a rut.
I too would jump at being anything like 360-6 at the close tomorrow...
PS - Charls catch was indeed superb, diving sliding 2 handed catch on the very dodgy outfield infront the Tresco stand about a foot off the floor, top top catch
Only managed to catch up with scores at lunch (promising) and early afternoon so when I finally got home this evening (nearly 2hrs aftr finishing work - public transport would be sooo good if only I didnt live where I lived, and didnt want to go to where I work!) was more than happy with the scorecard with one exception (obvious one).
Comments above leave me a little doubtful and nervous but I'll keep the faith tomorrow whilst doing a rain dance here in Liverpool - I have less faith in the weather being a problem here tomorrow (forecast dry tomorrow but showers Thursday) than I have in Somerset getting a reasonable (better still decisive) first innings lead.
Have fun everyone at Tanton tomorrow.
I have a feeling about Jos in this game. Hope I'm right. Chris Jones may also be a wildcard given the last couple of trips to the middle as opposed to those at home earlier.

It's a shame we have no other left handed specialist batsmen to help confuse lines.
I wonder if we may, again, see Mr Kartik move up the order?
If we start to really struggle then I'd say there's an even money chance that will happen.
Read em and weep.
Big day here though!! Bat poorly and its gone most likely , but bat well and who knows where it could lead.
I don't honestly believe that there is a high chance of us gaining a significant first innings lead.
BUT.. I think our form with the ball sounds as though it is good enough that we could still win this game, potentially, even with a deficit of as many as 60 or so runs. And hopefully a deficit of 60 or so runs would be the worst-case scenario.
In that worst-case scenario where we total 180 or so, if we could then bowl them out for 180, that would leave a chase of 240 or so. That would seem tough on a turning track but, crucically, Marcus would not be already back in the hutch as he is in our first dig. Marcus is surely the best player of spin anywhere on the circuit? So, even then it would still be on.
The only way I think it wouldn't be on is if my assumed worst-case scneario actually proves to be overly-optimistic.
I mentioned earlier about left-handers and we don't have any other specialist southpaws. That could be a disadvantage but, now that I think about it, it could be a help against Ollie Rayner. Ollie is a very tall man, so I imagine his primary mode of dismissal vs the right hander would be looking for bounce and then getting bat-pad catches. I'm assuming he doesn't have a 'zooter,' or equivalent. I would say that most right-handed specialist batsmen *should* generally be better able to cope with a bowler bowling for bat-pad dismissals with the ball turning into them, than they should the ball turning away from them (which Monty will be aiming to do.)
I hope I have not just hexed all of our right handers to be caught short-leg off Rayner (!)
WSM seems to think we may have let them get 50 too many, so there must have been a lot of luck/buffet balls in amongst the play and misses we've been hearing about too.
Lets get the 350 or so, it makes things so much easier, for the health as well.
So we will presumably also need that kind of partnership at some point in our innings OR we will need more consistent partnerships than they managed through the course of their innings.
I will tell you one thing, Ronnie. Without wishing to hex this, I am much more confident than I would have been with an 8,9, 10 jack of Mendis, Hussain, Kirby and Charl. Alf and Kartik instead of Mendis/Hussain are obviously a big difference with the ball, but could also be a crucial difference with the bat, especially in a low-scoring game.
Perish the thought that might happen given how pessimistic your 'worst-case scenarios" usually are!
Don't worry AG, "over-optimism" doesn't seem to be one of your character traits when discussing the chances of your "favourite" county cricket team
No doom and gloom here then
I have little idea what the basis is for such a "poor score from us with the bat" assessment but then again there's little new in that.
The middle order has to fire but as we've said all the way through this you don't win something if the team doesn't work. CJM or Ron yesterday said something along the same lines I think.
The pitch is fine, the bowling yesterday was good and although the spinners were getting something the batsmen dealt with it.
Marcus isn't the only player of spin we have or the only batsman who can score runs at Taunton.
The reason for the 12 overs of spin yesterday was that Arul and Marcus were dismissing the Sussex seamers with some distain and then when MT went they were crowding 7 around the bat in the hope of scaring Steve Kirby - one of our rabbit tail enders from the early season - into making some kind of mistake. Something he had no intention of doing - he seemed in little trouble from Rayner or Panesar. He was't looking to score but they got little through either batsman's defence.
Maybe we will pull this seemingly desperate situation out of the fire seeing as we undoubtedly took most of the first day and have three days to push that advantage home.
With the usual acceptance that we are quite capable of snatching a dismal performance from a great position I think there is a case to go for the over-optimistic!!
(It's a possibility but not a starting point for an assessment of the present postion in this game!)
Go on spoil yourself!!


Im for a Jos ton here, its about time!!!
One thing AG is right about is having Kartik and Thomas in there does make you feel safer. Might not work out that way but certainly fee safer with them being in the line up.
180 was a "worst case scenario."
They only made 240 odd!!
In what universe does that translate as "no idea what the assessment is for such a poor score from us."
My whole point was even if we get 180, I suspect we'd still be in the game, given that we seem to be bowling so well at the moment - clearly "doom and gloom," there then!
Obviously, my worst case scenario might be wrong and we might get considerably less than that.
But it was a worst-case scenario, so there's no point you putting on some facile post later on about "Looks like we've done much better than you thought, AG," given that I quite clearly said that I thought that would be the worst that we could expect.
On day one at Hove he must have lost 40 runs through there... and if not for that oh-so-annoying stand between Monty and Anyon, that might very well have cost Sussex the match.
Sussex opening this morning with spin - and now Arul out - won't help allay suspicions here.
In losing the toss, it's perfectly conceivable that we might be hoist by our own petard here, unless the track gets better or stays the same, as opposed to getting worse.
Now would be quite a nice time for Mr Jones to reprise what he did in the (morning session) struggle at Trent Bridge.

Will have a wander round the interwebby and see if I can find any comments about this pitch. Back soon.
Commentary quiet. Except when a wicket falls!
If it is a total bunsen, then WSM will be proven right that they got 50 or so too many.
Pretty stupid if we have deliberately gone with an excessively dry track, given that, one would hope that Kirby, Alf and Willow should be able to out-bowl the Sussex seamers?
At least they cannot blame Phil Frost. I imagine Mr Frost would raise an eyebrow or two if we did suffer a points deduction.
We will be lucky to get 120 here.
Hoist by our own petard indeed.
CC challenge would certainly be over with a loss combined with a points deduction.
I doubt either man will get far poking around, defensively?
If they don't we'll end up more than 125 down on first innings and it would take a miraculous second innings effort by Marcus to get back into it then!
Good grief.

Checked telegraph/independent/guardian reports and nothing said of concerns about the pitch. Lets all just keep quiet or maybe the pitch police will think there's something they should be checking out.
Hope this pitch wasn't prepared with a Murali-fest in mind - not the best idea when playing a county with Englands-probable-reserve-spinner in the attack and a promising younger spinner, plus other options like Yardy (ok I know he doesnt turn it much, and rarely bowls in the four-day stuff but he might fancy turning his arm over on this deck).
Can I go and do 'doom and gloom' now please Grockle!!
Good move Jos. get rid of the ball. Lets hope the replacement turns as much as Maggie used to.
Kartik may simply have turned it too much?
I would say that, generally, Kartik turns it more than Monty?
And if the track is a Bunsen, the more gentle spinner can be actually more dangerous as nobody is ever going to nick balls turning miles!? Well maybe Bradman?
Jos has a hit a six, at least. That has to be the right approach from him and, yes, I will still say that even if he is stumped next ball.
However, don't you think that, actually, we should have faith in Charl, Kirby and Alf to out-bowl their seamers? That should, possibly, have been the determining factor in pitch preparation?
Max too?
One newspaper report commented there was swin and turn yesterday. Nothing to suggest the turn was excessive, which would be a factor to alert the pitch inspectors.
Just as well Sussex held out as long as they did - at least it means only 11 wickets fell on that first day.
Thought it was going to be close, but think we're going to avoid that follow on. Alhough perversely that may have given us the best chance of winning - doesnt sound the best pitch for a final day run chase . . .
(though the thought of them doing so and then Marcus making 200 had occurred to me!)
Without being too critical I have to say that looking at Montys stats, you have to conclude that certain of our batsmen are just not consistently good enough.
Certainly not if we really wish to be title contenders.
Have we got a really good score this season when Marcus was out early ??
On a track where a huge number of wickets go down on day one, I could see where a rumour might come from that there could be a deduction.
But only 11 wickets fell, so it seems an odd rumour to have swept around, if that is all it is?
Compton out now as well, so the volume of day two wickets will probably attract pitch inspector attention even if they weren't here on day one.
It's a good job they've bowled a shocking amount of extras!
Those of our contingent from here that went do not appear to have thought that. But the pitch may have changed markedly overnight and/or they may have been giving us a rose-tinted view of the situation.
Pete gone, too, this sounds like a farce.
Marcus talked about getting pitch preperation right during his Radio5 interview last week.
All is not lost, we're still in this.
Me thinks the pudding has been somewhat over-egged, however..?
Sussex commentators have just said there is a pitch inspector at the ground today but that he wasn't summoned by the umpires. Hopefully he just fancied a day out at Taunton. Turning up without a formal invitation didnt save Warwickshire when they used this as a factor in their appeal earlier this season.
Amjad Khan on now to try to bowl his short stuff (or at least that's what he often bowls.)
Having castigated other counties for poor pitches, though, I hope we don't get too much crying over it on here if we do get a deduction.
Is that not a contradiction in terms?
The opponents? Oh, er, Vanuatu . . .
Given Kartik's perceived expertise against spin I wonder if there is a case for promoting him in the 2nd dig ??
I see they mustered 20 runs between them.
Is it my interpretation of the BBC Sussex commentary, or has there been more than a hint of poor shot selection and general daftness involved in quite a ew of the dismissals.
Not that I'm clutching at straws (OK, I'm clutching at straws) but this may be a good thing in one respect, when the pitch inspector goes back and reports to the ECB.
" Taunton pitch? Did swing and turn a bit. But those guys batted like muppets!"
Dark cloud. Small but appealingly shiny lining detected.
I would have thought that was obvious ;-)
Runs in both innings would be very nice!
Hell even a few big swipes from Charl would be welcome at this point!
Yorkshire 411-4 at lunch day 2 at the Rose Bowl.
Last match there spin accounted for I think 32 of the 36 wickets to fall. So far in this innings 3 of the 4 wickets - for 262. Bit of a change on the pitch-preparation front methinks.
Merv Kitchen also there from the ECB to assess the umpires. Apparently the umpire assessor turns up unannounced, has a sneaky look at proceedings during the first session of the day then ar lunch tells the standing umpires that he's there. The afternoon session is then followed to see if they umpire any differently once they know the inspector is there.
I have not listened to the commentary from the Sussex people, Bagpuss. Our own commentators said nothing about poor shots really this morning - although it sounded like there was some poor running. Then again, our team didn't really say that it was, necessarily, brilliant bowling either, they rather simply described the dismissals as opposed to offering much opinion on them i.e nicked to slip or whatever.
If Jos could top-score in this match, that would be a tremendous testament to his natural ability.
Having seen him bat a bit - in both formats of the game - I have always thought that Jos is, possibly, a little bit caught in two minds as to how to bat in the CC. I've got the impression, watching him, that he sometimes appears overly circumspect in a way that does not really suit his natural game which is all about being positive and looking to put the bowler off his game.
This innings should, hopefully, not only give him confidence but give him confidence to play his natural game in the CC. If he hasn't already done so, I think, possibly a word from Peter Trego could be useful because I think Pete does tend to play his natural game in the CC rather than worrying unduly about what folks might say if he gets out caught on the boundary too many times?
Kartik called up perhaps?
Well done to Grockles Official Sponsored Player for 2011!
They have to hope they get Gambhir back and that he, Laxman, Dravid and Tendulkar can make a lot of runs between them. I'm not sure that i think Sehwag will go well in English conditions.
I was wring re kartik. Ojha called up apparently!!!
Bagpuss - it looks like Lancs might have a sniff up at Liverpool now? At least in contention?
Ohja and Kohli called up by India. Sorry Murali but I'm sure you'd rather be playing in a competition for a team that has a chance . .
Instead it's looking like it might be "realistic scenario."
He also mentioned all the old stuff about how flat and batting-friendly the pitches used to be here and that it is a good thing that the pitches nowadays are evening up the competition between bat and ball. perhaps the misguided perceptions that Taunton should be a first-day-400-4 ground has attracted attention to this match
Give us a wave if you can please sunshine.
The team are certainly showing the fight you mentioned earlier too!!!
Or did you think it was more great bowling and/or poor pitch?
Only problem is, any moment now I really, really have to move and go do something else. So my apologies in advance if this upsets tha chakra or whatever.
Answers on a postcard to Brian Rose and Andy Hurry !
Quote:AGod
N Hughes - if there this morning, do you have any comment on what the Beeb Sussex guys apparently said about a number of poor shots this morning?
Or did you think it was more great bowling and/or poor pitch?
I missed Kirby getting out. Panasar had everyone in trouble bar Buttler. Compton of all people deffo throw his wicket away after settling in, cant be too sure about the rest and wouldn't want to assume as didn't have the best view point and my 4 year old son was keeping me busy. Jones looked dissapointed to be giving out, he's a tall lad and his might have been a tad high.
Jos is batting very well, he is after all, a very good batsman.
Panesar bowled like the very good spinner he is, he may have had a little assistance from the pitch, but as we know, these things happen in this great game of ours.
Let's not worry too much about why wickets fell, let's applaud a magnificent fight back.
Quote:rodders12
Being half empty bottle - if Jos can get 80 what the hell were the top order batting doing ??????
Answers on a postcard to Brian Rose and Andy Hurry !
Talk about killing a pair of feathery things with one missile - drag the innings out of the mucky stuff whilst warming up nicely for the T20 on Sunday!
Thinking of postponing getting the new car until tomorrow morning. Not that I'm superstitious you understand . . .
I tend to be a glass half full person. Then top it up for good measure.
After all, the pessimist may turn out to be right. B ut the optimist has FAR more fun on the journey!

Somebody said that Craig K will only play one more CC game this season, so this innings for Jos is massively timely.
p.s. So far this game is more or less a mirror image of the game at Hove.
At Hove, SCCC batted first - started very well in tough conditions, then collapsed.
SCCC reduced Sussex to a rabble at 80 odd for 8. Then there was a big stand by Monty and Anyon (career best score to put them back in it.)
If the pattern holds, then what happens next is that Sussex start well again, then collapse.
But the final part of the mirror-image seems unlikely as the track at Hove went totally flat after tea on Day three (for the final innings of the game.)
(and, yes, Bagpuss, if a new car is all it is, it can wait!!!!)
In the context of the game, that could well be the knock of the season.
Truly magnificent.
Jos, take a bow son.
Bigger congrats to J Buttler for his 100
Brilliant stuff.
Oh and extras 53 not out just before him.
Must surely be easily the best ton anywhere in this current round of CC matches? Certainly the most important?
I've been critical of him this season, but was there this morning and he took the fight back to Sussex, hopefully this will kick start his season.
For most other players that have batted in this match, you'd have to add several of them together to get to Jos's score.
Sounds like the Sussex players are massively wowed with his knock, too. GREAT sportsmanship by Sussex.
That really was a massive knock, the belief in this team is quite amazing at times.
Never give up.
Learn from this please, everyone.
You don't give up until you've breathed your last.
That's assuming he wasn't wringing his hand from all the Sussex handshakes....
Adams is a bit all or nothing but could quickly demoralise the Durham attack if he comes off.
No signs of any harm by the time he got to the boundary, he didn't get much on it anyway. Good ball from Anyon.

I've seen Charl hit a few big sixes off spinners.
Kartik hits Anyon for 4 to take us into the lead and to give us a batting point

Alf should not be overlooked in this.
Can't expect him to crash the ball all over the place against decent bowlers like Monty, a la Jos, but he's done the job that we needed him to do - with bells on!!!!!
Based on various comments that I've seen on here, I gather there are many here that think that 'momentum,' is hokum.
I have never believed that. I'm a big believer in momentum and I would think that we now have it and that Sussex will be very, very disappointed...
That must have been a terrific effort from Jos. Really heartening for him & for the team.
Is the pitch such a terror/did he bat so much better than the rest, or did the early/middle order just play badly ?
Cracking match now though !
Grizzzly

Old Boy is not going to be happy that Max did not get a game on this track!
Top performance. Sussex will be mighty disappointed.
Charl will see us through to 300 and another batting point.
I take it thats the pitch inspector away with a flea in his ear too?
Ours to win now.
Shame about the dog!
Seriously though - brilliant fightback the stuff of championship contenders. Now lets get into them tonight.
MK put on 38 and Alf 43 - in a low scoring game it is deeply significant that they are run makers AND sticky with it.
The middle order has to get itself sorted though. We have not leeway in these games - we cannot afford to pick people who do not contribute with the bat.

It might in the winter if those rumours I read yesterday are true.
Anyway, a game to win here much more important.

As for next season, Hildreth will be due an "up," season on his seemingly never-ending up season-down season cycle, so next season may be less of an issue anyway?

For the season overall, no SCCC bowler has been adept at taking early wickets in the CC though, of course, Alf was not around for most of those games.
On this wicket AGod IS VERY perceptive!!! Yes I'm saying - where is MAX on this track?
I musy say the way the seamers from first thing yesterday and today, and the spinners have been helped did make me wonder whether the Head Groundsman had been too clever this time, and might need to be answering to Lords!
6 wickets, 6 catches, all by Rikki Clarke. A sever case of the ball following a fielder.
Splendid. Lets have another couple before close of play. Preferably from the seamers don't want Mr Deness doing a U turn on the M5.
Merv Kitchen also here checking umpires I think - good company the both of them. Denness is very Scottish!!

Maybe I should have a word in local dialect and put all this points nonsense to bed?
Look forward to what tomorrow morning will bring. Sussex will sleep uneasily tonight methinks.
And BTW - I did postpone getting the new car-until 10am tomorrow morning!! Superstitious - well maybe a bit.
Question to those lucky enough to be there - what target do you fancy our chances of getting ?
Not too many more than 150 or so ?
Grizzzly
Trott's injury is pretty bad and he is "nowhere near 100%" according to Strauss.
Can't see it myself.
Not entirely sure his current form is quite up to it though, but I would be delighted to be proved wrong !
Grizzzly
Scotch.
Scottish is what they call a form of Salmon.
Not sure what form, maybe it's the Haggis sort.
But wait, the boy Taylor has done a lot more than him.
Sorry.
Could freshen things up for the seamers, but could also make it tough for Kartik to grip the ball?
I'm tempted to suggest that whichever side manages to get a grip of the extras count will probably win this match!?
Has the turn and/or swing been so lavish that keeping has been really tough? Or more keepers struggling? I know they bowled a slew of no-balls which helped us along nicely.
You have to say that Alf and Kartik make a huge difference to this side - AND that Brian will need to do a better job, personnnel wise, in covering for them next season, I would say?
Or is he replacing somebody else?
Yardy is the big wicket in the morning but the late wickets of Joyce and Goodwin really tip the match hugely in our favour.
One thing to contemplate for next season though - what would it take for Alfie and MK play the whole season? With them we look so much better and would surely be Championship favourites.
I've always believed that making runs when pretty much everyone else on both sides is failing is the mark of a true difference-maker with the bat. Not, merely, a good player but a truly excellent one. Most players on the county cirucit will probably go through their whole careers without once influencing a match to that extent.
Alf has made a huge difference to us since his return with both bat and ball. We could do with him for a full season next year, but I believe he has a year to run on his IPL contract ?
Never lose the faith!
Would like to see him back more than KP I have to say.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:03:20:03:28 by Tumbles.
What's his bowling like in the longer game ? I guess we would like a wicket taking spinner who can bat a bit and not a batsman who bowls a bit ? Shouldn't we be going for a seam bowling all rounder for early season ?
74 matches to look forward to. Ho hum.
Quote:AGod
So you've got Pete replacing Trott, Jim?
Or is he replacing somebody else?
Pete could take the place of any of them and do the job well, be they batsman or bowler.
I've heard he's quite handy with the gloves as well.
So,my answer is, without a shadow of a doubt...yes.
Quote:cricketjerry-mouse
Is the points deduction issue put to bed? The rumour at the ground, cp, is that Mike Denness has asked Rod Bransgrove and Jim Cumbes to travel to Taunton to advise him on his decision.
I really would like to know what your problem is Jerry.
I was there all day today and saw an intriguing days play. I also saw Mike Denness (although I didn't realise that it was him at the time) walk to the pitch being used before the start of play, talk to the 'Head' Groundsman and examine a soil sample which I assume he (Denness) had requested be taken from the River End of the pitch.
I never had any belief that the pitch was in danger of being reported as being a bad one, or indeed that any points deduction was even a remote possibility, and furthermore have not previously commented on the pitch in this thread, because today is the only days play of this match that I have seen.
Your childish comment regarding a 'rumour', and seemingly directed to me, does you no credit at all. So yes, I would like to know what is troubling you about this site and the thoughts of me and some other posters. Nobody is duty - bound to contribute on here.
Send me a PM if you like, but it might be better if you got it off your chest for once and for all.
Just my opinion, don't you know?
Deep, deep joy........
What a pile of manure.
Grizzzly
Anyone got a long memory ?
Grizzzly
I don't think either guy is the type to prosper if poking around?
Still, I doubt if Pete is entirely content with his overall batting form in the CC this season.
Quote:old boy!
I notice that the computer scorecards show Thomas batting before Kartik, but I thought it was the other way round. Perhaps it is my dotage arrived early!
The computer scorecard is correct, old bob.
Did you watch it? It was good stuff.
I have tried to show an assortment of photos today so that they are not all samey, I have more of batsman being hit in the midriff off lifting balls, W Parnell getting an official warning for consistently running on the pitch.
Jos Buttler is my man of the day and maybe man of the match.
I am afraid Chris Jones couldn’t have been more in front of his stumps and given out lbw off M Panesar.
Once again Charl Willoughby runs out of partners it must be annoying for him.
We seem to have two very friendly umpires every time a wicket went down they had a talk together, I wonder what they were saying.
Here is one of those lifting ball, J Anyon found this ball hard to deal with from A Thomas.
The man of the day Jos Buttler hitting a four and bringing up the 100 partnership with Alfonso Thomas.
Jos played a couple of shots he wish he hadn’t, this was a miss timed shot that went in the air and landing short of the fielder.
I had to show this, this is want make cricket so enjoyable.
After jos was out several Sussex players rushed over to shake his hand, good for them.
They only lasted four balls between them, AGod.
Compton, after having looked reasonably settled, played a daft lap shot and was caught, and poor Chris Jones may have got an inside edge onto his pads; he certainly didn't appear happy.
Thank goodness for the rest of them. It was a great fight back, so let's hope the weather holds off tomorrow, in order for us to force a result.
Clarence, the comments to which you refer are not worth bothering about. Hope you enjoy tomorrow if you are going, and the result is the right one.
Does CW take square leg as his guard ?!
He'll put his back out batting in that position if he isn't careful.
All good fun !
Grizzzly
They are not.
As soon as I arrived this morning people were coming up to me and saying have you heard about a point deduction and this was at 10.05am just after the gates were open.
My thoughts.
It couldn’t have been an automatic inspection because fifteen wickets didn’t fall on the first day; our two umpires must have called for advice because they weren’t happy about something.
I am going to have a guess that the pitch was too dry at the start of the match.
Fingers cross nothing come of it.
The impression was that he was satisfied that the pitch was fine.
I sat in front of these two guys for about an hour before I realised that the Scots guy was MD and talked to Merv for about 10 minutes before I realised who I was talking to....just didn't expect either of them in the box and so did not put two and two together.
How I didn't recognise MK is still beyond me... he looks like no-one else in the cricket world. In the presence of greatness :-)
It was a great day in many ways. The Buttler innings was special in a lot of ways...the response of the Sussex side was excellent. Chris Jones did get something on the ball - just unlucky and Nick was simply to rash at the wrong point in the game.
Alfonso was immense and Murali K and Charl really got up the noses of the opposition by simply not doing what was expected...though I doubt Kartik was all that impressed at Charl turning down singles in the last over just before he holed out.
We have this one in the proverbial palm.... but we had it there at the end of Day 1 so more of the "over-optimistic worst case scenario" tomorrow morning please...it seemed to do the trick wonderfully. :-)
I don't know what this means CP but someone asked me to ask you this evening if you managed to "keep the tray together" Hope to hell you know what that means because I haven't got a clue..... :-)

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Quote:Clarence Parker
Did you see Simon Lee take out a soil sample for Mike Denness, Mike?
No I didn't, I didn't recognise him until he was sat on the groundsman's bench with Simon.
The Indian Premier League is a competition whereby teams play 73 T20 matches over a period of 8 weeks to decide who will lose to Chennai in the final.

I don't know who the man from 'The Times' was, but any person who has watched a lot of cricket and who understands the nuances of the game would know that anyway, Grockle.
Only 11 wickets falling on the first day for 281 runs!
I am surprised that the hack even asked Denness such a foolhardy question.
I can proudly say I have never watched one of them.
What a load of old .....
The verdict on the official site today also seems to suggest that it Is not necessarily in hand now, either, as they think batting last will be tough.
Personally I hope we can clean Sussex up pretty quickly such that we, possibly, do not have to bat on day four at all.
Parnell is ok but he's not a number 7 in my opinion, and Monty at 9 shows a big tail.
If we can get amongst them early we really can restrict the target to 160-180.
Don't want it going much over 200 but i think a few have shown with right attitude you can score runs.
What you cant do is what we did for first 80mins today. Poking, prodding around to an accurate spinner like Monty is no good.
I always think we struggle v spin because we are not positive enough, Jos was prime example he was positive even in defence, solid defensive shots not half hearted.
I feared what happened and said so on here last night, majority of our batters look so much better being positive, not reckless but positive.
With 4/5 fielders around the bat, just defending pushing forward will soon enough be no good as even if you last 30 mins for 0 you havent got anywhere.
Tres as usual is the key, he is the heartbeat to our innings, he sets our innings up, as yet we dont look capable of doing it when he falls early.
Very positive re tomorrow though, think we've every chance of limiting them to a lead of no more than 200-220 and with the right application we can definitely get them.
PS - rain all day in lancs v warwicks is almost as crucial, both teams missing out on those 16pts could be massive...
The man is a journalist. The pitch inspector is in the press box writing a report on the pitch. So he did what any journalist does. He asked a direct question to get a direct quote from the expert.
I seem to remember you producing the same here - quotes from experts to provide a factual basis to your statements. Does that make you a "hack" as well?

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Quote:AGod
Not sure that the club officials would agree with you that this match was in hand after Day One, Grockle, as the impression given on the official site was that batting would be far from easy today. Apparently, Jos Buttler did not get that memo, but of the other 16 people that batted today, few made many runs and I think all were outscored by extras.
The verdict on the official site today also seems to suggest that it Is not necessarily in hand now, either, as they think batting last will be tough.
Maybe you should check out this site instead AG.
We predicted a performance from Jos before the start of play and I think one of our posters got the lunchtime score on Day 1 spot on as well.
A bit more faith here and a little less playing the media odds than the official line.
You use the wrong sources for your info I'm afraid.
You're right about tomorrow though so well done on that.

I found the pattern of the rumours odd. An inordinate amount of wkts did not fall on day one, but then the rumours went round the ground BEFORE the clatter of early wickets today. I assume somebody must simply have seen and recognised Denness and assumed the worst?
Maybe Denness saw that Lord Tres failed and thought 'I'd better get myself over there sharpish.'
He seems to be staying locally tonight and he may have mentioned that his plans were related to the weather so he may not stay if play is delayed. Can't be totally sure about that though

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:03:23:29:29 by Grockle.
I am now suspicious there is actually only one set of supporters, all inhabiting 18 different universes each supporting a different county. We all post exactly the same thoughts and comments, merely changing the name of the team, or the player.
On the Sussex forum they are moaning about the length of their tail, and the fact that they had flagged this as a potential problem during the winter. They are bemoaning the loss of an unheralded but influential allrounder (RMJ/Zd
. Heck, they even have a supporter who posts as Train Driver!
They did however spot that Charl was unlikely to hang around batting for long, so long as Yardy didn't keep the spinners on for him. They did however think he would fit rather nicely into their own batting line up - at number 8!
BTW Grockle as you know I have a fine array of hats. The one labelled 'cynic' is a favourite, particularly when work hours leave me sleep deprived. Comforting.

Is he really grumpy, a curmudgeon who tells us youngsters that he saw WG Grace, KS Ranjitsinhji, Sammy Woods and Uncle Tom Cobley?
Does he grumble all day that things aren't what they used to be, T20 is rubbish, adverts stink and Big John is a pain in the backside?
If so, send him my love.
Please.
Will pass on your regards to Loyal of Littlehampton BJ. And Little John would like to say hello to LoL
'We,' did not predict anything about Jos. You said you had a feeling he might fire. There were quite a few on here who thought batting on this would be tricky but and this view was no doubt influenced, in part, by the comments on the official site, allied to the fact that Marcus was already out. The view expressed by the group that Jim was with on Day One - as relayed by Jim - was that 400 would be a good score on this track. Your co-volunteers were saying 300 on day one. The impression I got from the official site was that SCCC thought that any kind of lead would take some getting and represent a good performance. I think they were right.
The rain radar seems to suggest that the forecast rain has blown a bit further east and that Taunton might be clear of rain sooner than expected?
[www.raintoday.co.uk]
And I don't know whether you missed it but Jos did actually 'fire' so I think that was a prediction that did occur.
We got Chris's role entirely wrong of course but that may be the second innings :=)
I'm all for predictions and comments from everywhere - as long as I'm not told that is the "truth" simply because of the source but perish the thought you'd ever do that.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:04:09:08:49 by Grockle.
Where is the line drawn here?
It seems to have been more of a 'we're watching you around the counties' sort of visit I think.
The actual strip was very dry. At one point a gust of wind blew up a mini dust storm and Murali K had to turn away because he got a face full with the bowler running in. The umpire had to call the ball dead. Never seen that happen at Taunton before.

But you see the point though. You start deducting points and its always dangerous territory I think.
But going on the scores is dangerous. The scores here, I'm pretty sure, will prove to be lower than those at Edgbaston for Warks vs Worcs where there was a deduction.
Mercifully, we've not seen Vikram Solanki, or rather his equivalent, carted off the field on our track, however.
Southport is a club ground and there were no expectations of high scores all round.
What the pitch inspectors are looking for is a wicket that:
a. Doesn`t endanger the batsmen - the reason why Warwickshire were docked eight ponts at Edgbaston earlier this season;
or b. Has been deliberately underprepared and used before in the recent past - why Hampshire suffered the same fate.
Mike Denness is at Taunton because the behaviour of the wicket in the current game is not the norm. But as far as one can tell, neither of these two categories apply. Underprepared doesn`t equal `drier than usual`.
The particular knife-edge thrill of a low-scoring contest is that one really good partnership or one really good innings is liable to be decisive as to the outcome.
Hopefully, that one really good innings/partnership already occurred in our innings. If we'd started with, say, 170 for the first 7 wickets rather than 93, then I'd say it would probably be all but game over by now, assuming that the final 3 wickets achieved the same result.
As Brian Rose correctly intimated on the official site it takes a special batting talent to transcend conditions loaded in favour of the bowlers.
I hope I am correct in saying that, with Joyce and Goodwin back in the pavillion, there are no such talents left to bat for Sussex...
... so hopefully it will just be a case of chipping away and taking wickets at regular intervals and then holding our nerve whilst chasing a pretty low target.
It will be interesting to see if any members of the top order (other than Marcus who surely will do so?) try to take a leaf out of Jos's book and really attack the bowling.
I was interested to see Jos say on the official site that this situation suited him down to the ground because 'there seemed little sensible alternative other than to attack and that suits my natural game.'
Really hope Brian or someone asks him to just try and disregard the situation and try to always play his natural game.
When I saw Jos at Hove - in different but also tough conditions - he fiddled around, really in both innings and made no conspicuous attempt to dominate the bowling.
If the answer to that is no then the no. of runs must be a factor.
What you are saying then is that no team could get to 100 in any innings of a match, the game is over in one day and there is no points deduction as long as a) and b) are met?
However, I also tend to think that conditions which mean that the toss confers a huge advantage in the game should be frowned upon. The track that starts damp but then plays 'flat,' once dry is an obvious example, but so too is a track that falls apart after one innings of a match.
There is definitely a conspiracy about the pitch. I spoke to Lord Lucan, John Stonehouse and the local mafia boss, and they confirmed this. To maintain balance I must say that when I asked Shergar about it he said "Neigh."
If this is a bad pitch please can we have some more as they seem to produce some enthralling cricket, including an outstanding effort from Jos. Incidentally on day one, ob, it was swing not seam that was causing batsmen problems against the quicker bowlers, and Steve Kirby confirmed this.
As someone who had the great good fortune (?) to spend a lot of his working life in Luton, I have to confess to some pleasure in seeing the progress that Monty seems to be making in his bowling. He really did mix it up, including a good number of balls with a real loop on them. For a few years there seemed to be no variety at all.
It has been lovely meeting up (we used to just meet!) with all the Grockles folk, and Bishop Odo and myself certainly had a great couple of days at the County Ground and lovely West Bagborough.
To those who have been at the match, I should just like to say 'Oy'. I am starting work on a study of the significance of the Oy in Sussex cricket.
Very impressed with the sporting spirit in which Sussex have approached the match, while not losing any competitiveness. It can still be done.
My correspondent at the ground tells me that it it is till raining quite heavily, but that the staff are confident of a start by 2.30ish if the rain stops by noon.
Quote:AGod
And yes, Grockle, I'm well aware that Jos fired brilliantly. Well guessed!
But you see AG.
When you operate a selective process of picking sources to fit specific personal perspectives and then you make a comment like that about a reasoned prediction based on not inconsiderable backgroud of Somerset this year through observation which didn't fit your particular argument well ...
It simply comes across as a little petty, childish and patronising.
Hey but I got it right for once so I'm not complaining

Yes, Bobstan, I do not understand what happened to Monty for that period. A bowler who had a good enough loop to lure a batsman of the quality of Inzamam to his doom, as Monty once did in a Test match, winning a textbook stumping, should not have suddenly changed to bowling a flatter style. Too much one-day cricket?
I don't know, but I'm also glad if he is increasingly back to his best. However, if he wants to temporarily mislay his form for the remainder of this game, then that is fine too.
But seems Liverpool will be free of rain for most of the day too.. Guess Lancs will declare pretty early on today in hope of bowling them out.
Seconds Out.
Fifteenth and last round.
P.S. I don't know who is in the blue corner or who is in the red.


a hugely enjoyable two days, greatly enhanced by the excellent company of (among others) BJ, LoL, Bobstan, SS, SS Jnr 1, Lord G, Bishop Odo of Cluny and Mike TA1
if anyone sees a better century that Buttler's this season, they will be extremely lucky. He hit the ball very cleanly; and I agree with AG that – in comparison with some first class innings I have seen of his – he found a tempo which suits his game
our bowlers generally bowled well, especially Thomas in each innings;
Thomas' innings was very valuable – he played for the side by eliminating risks
this is a good cricket wicket. Nothing behaved alarmingly. The quicker bowlers beat the bat mainly through swing (rather than exaggerated movement off the pitch). The spinners were able to extract bounce and turn, but were by no means unplayable. Mike Denness arrived before the start of play, so it is not surprising that rumours circulated; but I would be astonished (for the reasons set out by cjm) if any action were to be taken
Jones looked unlucky to be given out (as others have commented)
when Somerset take wickets, we normally attribute that to the skill of the bowlers and fielders, rather than the ineptitude of the opposition batsmen. So, perhaps credit should be given to the opposing bowlers when they dismiss our batsmen, rather than taking the view that our batsmen were at fault: the Sussex attack is a good one
Parnell bowled very quickly, though mainly wide of the stumps
Panesar bowled better than I have seen him bowl for a long time
Brown is a good 'keeper. Most of the byes he conceded were from balls from the quick bowlers which were unreachable – in other words, the scoreboard can lie
it was very good to see the Sussex fielders congratulate Buttler when he was out. We commented on this to Nash – who had run 30 yards to shake Buttler by the hand – when he came to field close to where we were sitting and he spoke about the camaraderie which exists between players off the pitch and also spoke very highly of Buttler
another example of the fundamental decency of the great majority of county cricketers was that all of those boundary fielders who were approached by small boys for an autograph not only did so, but took the time to sign their name properly and had a friendly word with the boy in question. Kirby – who seems a very decent man – was a prime example
Somerset are a seriously good side. It never ceases to amaze me that a side as good as this is based not in a metropolis, but in Taunton. The management and team should take enormous credit for the successful side which they have built.
PS: I am sorry to say that it has started to drizzle (very lightly) again in Exeter.
Edited to say that I can use capital letters. But I wrote the above with bullet points in a separate document; and these disappeared when I cut and pasted the document into the above.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:04:11:04:29 by Wickham.
It's not as if it's a low scoring game, except by the dstandards of Taunton of recent years - 250 used to be thought of as a par score a couple of decades ago.
What's baffling is the inconsistency. A couple of seasons ago, the heavy roller was banned and the inspectors were more lenient as they thought too many runs were being scored.
It worked and the CC produced more interesting cricket as a result. Now they've gone the other way. The game is better for a bat/ball contest and differign surfaces within reason.
If our groundsmen under instructions produced a result wicket then this is exactly what I would expect them to do; indeed to otherwise would frankly be negligent.
Bright again in Exeter.
I think I'd rather the umpires err on the side of caution in terms of waiting for the outfield to dry out well, so that Kartik does not have to wrestle with a damp ball.
So *might* be a fair chance of Notts holding out for a draw there, although their top four does look massively weak.
One thing, AG.
There was a degree of mischief in the 400 runs wicket prediction, as we were reading the site from my phone and grasping at figures.
I suggested something in the region of 700.
But I was told to stop being so childish.
Who'd have believed that?
Now off, already, as well at CLS.
If we play well from here on out in our match, this round of games really could fall in our favour, with the three teams ahead of us all being involved in drawn matches.
Lunch taken at 12.30.
Earliest start 1.10pm.
We still have to back up our weather fortune with good bowling though.
Nowhere near winning this game yet.
Would like to think Warks will hold on for the draw with only 2 sessions to bat. The win is probably a bittoo far for a serious attempt, but Lancs did chase about 120 to beat Yorks off around 16 here a while ago so nothing guaranteed.
Warks will surely call off their chase, with three down?
Mainly becuase we have still to play them!!! We would have to beat them but at least we have an element of control over that.
I think MT is practising for Sunday today!!!!
Quote:Big Jim
Thank the Lord for helmets, hope he's ok.
Why who hit who
We actually expected someone to pick up the two halves! He hasn't returned after Tea.

Rained off at CLS, though I fear that Notts might contrive a fold-job in two sessions to lose it tomorrow, but hopefully not.
Looking good baby !
Grizzzly
Well done boys.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:04:16:46:13 by cricketjerry-mouse.
Well done to everyone concerned, and a special vote of thanks to the 'Head' Groundsman.
Reminds me of the days of uncovered pitches.
Congratulations, Somerset.
Grizzzly
So we must hope for an up-turn in play and fortunes for Worcs, at least, especially as they also play Durham.
I'm not sure we can place very much faith in Hants on their travels so, as well as winning all of our games, we might possibly need a little bit of weather help, too.
You can bet we've now got the attention of Durham, Lancs and Warks though!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The teams in relegation are fighting as much as the teams at the top so I would expect there tobe a lot of twists and turns before the end. As you say though they are aware we are right there now.
Warwickshire have slowed run rate to a Tavare-on-speed rate of 1.5 per over. If they hold on for a draw Somerset will go up to 3rd above Warks with 168 though played one less.
Lancs will stay above us whatever happens on 177 from 12 if its a draw or 190 if they win.
As you yourself said, Warks are probably a bit more of a concern than Lancs because we have no chance to take points off Warks ourselves. We still owe Lancs for their spineless fold job at the end of last season.
As supporters the lesson for us may be not to dismiss our chances at any stage until the opposition take the final wicket or score the winning run. We write off this team at our peril.
Only losers give up, and one thing this bunch of lads is not, is losers.
He is thinking of altering his name to Whallid, which means the `Great One` - but after his performance at Taunton may put this aspect of the change on the back burner.
From what I heard and read, it does indeed appear to have been a good thing that Parnell played.
14 overs to go in this match. Should be OK - maybe.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:04:17:25:51 by Bagpuss.
Will he have to grow one of those lovely beards to go with his new found faith?
At least today's result will mean that he has tomorrow (Friday) off from playing.
Fair play though, that is pendantry taken to a whole new level.
Can't be much longer left, but they've just lost 3 wickets for 8 runs.
Grizzzly
P.S. Cricinfo now says Stumps - thank goodness !
That draw puts us above Warks into 3rd, but they have a game in hand.
The way we are playing in the Championship at the moment I wish we could go straight into another couple of games now !
Grizzzly
However, we knew all the fixtures at the start so we have to deal with it I suppose.
But if one team can do it it's us.
Bring on that treble, come home to Daddy.
Lets keep the momentum going on Sunday!
Am I right in thinking we've now won our last 3 CC games having lost the toss in all three?
A Khan didn’t make it easy for Jos Buttler behind the stumps, M Kartik the bowler.
Arul Suppiah checking to see if C Nash was ok after hitting him full on the helmet, the ball ended up for four in the direction of the Gimblett’s Hill that was some redirection. It looked like the umpire told him to go off.
J Anyon, James Hildreth appealed for a caught behind off A Thomas until he realised he was the only one appealing.
Don’t you just love it when that happens?
M Kartik taking a good caught to dismiss M Yardy off Alfonso Thomas.
Steve Kirby was itching to come on to ball but didn’t get a chance because Marcus kept Alfonso on to get his ten in the match, it didn’t stop him taking to Alfonso on where to ball to Monty Panesar.
I bet Kirby was a happy chicken at not being allowed a chance to demolish the stumps.
Great man.
Great team.
Great photos.
Great scott.
Top notch.
Wickham also spoke well of Kirby. The most impressive thing for me was when Steve, having finished one of his most frustrating overs, came back to field in front of us muttering imprecations. The moment he noticed that there was a young lad waiting for his autograph he changed completely, smiled and had a nice word with the boy, while signing the autograph. Well done, Mr Kirby.
Nice to see Mike's photo of Arul checking on Nash's well-being.
Lovely pictures as ever.
As Mike says, when Suppiah crashed the ball onto Nash's helmet, the ball reached the boundary. The ball trickled to the boundary, with the batsmen showing no interest in running, but instead checking on Nash's wellbeing.
I hope you had a good day, I'd have considered cutting my hair to have been able to be there with you.
Did Granddad enjoy himself?
Damn that IPL, how much better do we look with Alfie and Kartik in the team.
Dont want to start the tail debate again but it looks so much better with those two at 8 + 9.
Take this match, in my opinion absolutely no way we would have recovered in April May as Jos would have had Hussain and Kirby for company, as it was we added nearly 200 for last 2 wickets.
Kartik hasnt taken the quantity of wickets yet but he gives us so much control, his economy is always around 2/2.5 which creates pressure and therefore wickets at the other end.
Looking at fixtures all round the next 3 weeks looks fairly sparce for us and our rivals so with 4 to play our last 3 start aug 31, sep 7 and sep 13 so thats pretty much 3 back to back games to finish the season
Sanwiched between our T20 finals day Aug 27 and Lords final on Sep 17, what a huge 6 weeks we have coming up.....
I thought the game against Yorkshire earlier in the season was good, but this game was better. Despair ( 95/7 ), excitement ( jos 4 x 6s ) and finally cheer (the right result), With Alf bowling the way he did, anything is possible.
Have to commend both sets of players for the sportsmanship displayed. A great spectacle.
Also, a special thanks to the groundstaff for producing a result wicket.
So what if we win it, what then?
And LoL buys me a retirement flat next to the ground like he said he would.

What do you think?
Thanks, FE. I have, as they say in US, done the math and decided that your kind offer doesn't quite make economic sense.
BJ, I seem to remember an annoying proviso concerning your retirement flat. Ah well.
I'm still buzzing after another great win, this team, they're all legend's, to a man.
As for the cider offer, FE.
I'll gladly make my way oop North, but what do us non-drinkers...non-addicts, get to drink?

It would be disaster for us if Durham rolled them over!! It would also made Notts madder than ever and make them determined to beat us on Sunday!
24 points to make up in 4 games would be tough ask.
I take a different view OB. If they collapse I would hope that Somerset would be madder, esp after Lancs crumbling to them last year and that set-up declaration isue with afore mentioned Lancs.
It's annoying that no cricket websites ever put what the overs remaining on a 4th innings of a match!
Durham will be sensing the victory here now, About 10 overs left
Highlights for me included:
- the company of splendid fellow Grocklites (and BJ)
- the wonderful bowling and gritty batting of Thomas
- as good a century by JB as I can ever recall seeing by anyone
- the friendliness of the boundary fielders
- the good nature of the Sussex players and their exemplary reaction to JB's innings
- the glorious arrogance of MT's second innings
- the fact that we won the match despite three players contributing no runs or wickets between them
- Ringwood and Exmoor in the Old Pav and superb beer and pies at The Plough after the day's play.
My only regret was the absence of Tractor, on which many others commented. We know he had good reasons not to be there and I am sure all will join me in sending good wishes.
I must, however, end on an admonitory note about the poor behaviour of the person, whose identity remains unknown, who bit Wickham's bullets.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
It would seem a waste to have him in a slot where there is much risk that he won't get a bat?
MT, CK, PT, JB, JH, KP, AS, LG, AT, MK, MW - looks some line up to me, 7 proper batters, plus 4 who are capable.
4 real seam options, 3 spin options, wouldnt swop that for any other teams line up personally.
After reading cj-m’s comments on dry pitches I didn’t entirely agree with it and because I am no expert I didn’t reply, instead I enquired about dry pitches with a Head Groundsman I know (no not Phil Frost) one that is still preparing cricket pitches.
That person completely read the Sussex thread and this is his comments.
(One of your photos clearly shows a puff of dust where the ball lands, this indicates that the impact of the ball on the pitch has disturbed the surface, this would probably be what the umpires were concerned about.)
To demonstrate this even more clearly below is another photo taken on the first day of the match at 14.55.
B Brown playing a defensive shot at 14.55 on the first day with the bat nowhere near the ground.
Edit - typing error with the time of the photo.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:06:11:39:43 by Mike TA1.

Give me strength.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:06:13:27:31 by AGod.
Whatever the reasons were for his non - attendance, I too send him my very best wishes.
It was a very enjoyable day's play. I met up with a very old and trusted friend, whom I had not seen for a long time,and made my way home thinking that all was well with the World.
But was he summoned by the umpires, or was it just a routine visit by him?
I understood it to be the latter.
Quote:AGod
You're right, Grockle. Those of you that were there that are not groundsmen clearly know more about why the inspector might have been summoned than an actual groundsman.
Give me strength.
Calm down AG ;=)
Who is disagreing with your statement or saying people at the game know more than some of the "experts" on the spot?
I'm simply pointing out that some people who keep up with the game from elsewhere by other methods (through no fault of their own) often question comments made by eye witnesses when some of those people are as "expert" in certain aspects of the game at Taunton as some of the "experts" by name who are never questioned.
In this case the picture tells the story and Mike's addition of comments from the groundstaff adds some real context. Nothing to argue with really ;=)
You know me far too well Michael. :=)

Maybe he had organised it so that he arrived at Taunton the same time as Merv because they were planning an evening out somewhere I think. He would have possibly know that Kitchen was going to be there for an umpire observation?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:08:06:18:51:15 by Grockle.

