Nosworthy's 100 Days
By Grockle et al
January 3 2014
When Napoleon decided to leave Elba and re-invade France he had a plan I assume. He lasted 100 days and nearly made it. Dave Norworthy has 100 days to prove that the seeming vagueness of his involvement in the 2013 season was part of his own masterplan and Somerset will be a force in 2014 thanks to his work. I hope he expects to do more than 'nearly make it', We've been there and done that.
David Nosworthy has impressed his observers more in the 2013 off season than he did during the summer activity. Somerset were distinctly unimpressive even when they got somewhere in a competition. I doubt many of us are hoping for a repeat of our abject capitulation in the latter knock out stages of the 2013 40 over competition. But Dave seems to have plans and they seem to have started last year with a full inventory of the youngsters while the older men were underperforming in the first team.
The AGM's have been forthright and run by the Director of Cricket. The captaincy issue has been decided early with Marcus given the faith of his boss but James set up as the natural successor with increased responsibility and input into the process. The man is in control of the coaching setup. Andy Hurry has the important job of streamlining up the progress of talent into the first and making sure that they are ready for that progress when we need them rather than hoping they will learn on the job. Nosworthy seem to be controlling the main coaching himself with the backup of specialist coaches in the main areas; David Houghton on the batting front and an increased responsibility role for Jason Kerr with the bowlers. He has also put a new emphasis on home based winter training "get it right here before we send you abroad" seems to be the message to everyone.
As of today he has 100 days to stamp his new view on his players. Craig Kieswetter and Alfonso are in Australia working their kinks out in the Big Bash (I personally think Craig should be working somewhere else but unfortunately he isn't a Yorkshire player with a famous dad). Nick Compton will be working out the frustration of not being where nearly everyone thinks he should be...except the English selectors it seems. Jamie Overton will be working to be ready for the season after the disappointment of gettiing crocked before the A tour and the opportunities that may have afforded after the third seamer position for the national side became a semi-vacancy. Marcus and James will be looking at how they can work effectively to put back and build on what Somerset had, but lost sight of, in 2013. Pete Trego will return from NZ looking to re-establish himself as the MVP allrounder he has been in the past.
Nosworthy will be looking for the man who wants to replace Jos as the Somerset player to watch. He'll be expecting others to join Craig Meschede and Lewis Gregory in that quest. Is this the season when Tom Abell starts the jungle drums beating?
The very early announcement of Alviro Petersen's return was a statement of intent and he will be looking for the revival of Trescothick's form to make the opening batting line-up much harder to remove. The inexplicable but inevitable lack of international interest in our 'anchor man' Compton will work in the county's favour. With James in a new role of responsibility, Alex Barrow with a year's experience and Chris Jones here for the whole season the DoC must be looking for much better performances 'out of the trap' by his batsmen. A first home game against Yorkshire will tell us whether that is a fact or not one would hope.
The bowling area will give Kerr an awful lot to do. With our international already announced and the only addition to our squad presently being the batting backup of Johann Myberg, we seem to be going with the bowing we have. Led by Alfonso Thomas (from the start of the season this year) this means a lot of pressure on the shoulders of veteran Steve Kirby, a man who seemed to be losing the battle against injury at the end of 2013 and who will have to be protected from over use. Standing with him will be the returning Craig Overton who has not yet really identified himself as a batting or bowling allrounder, his brother Jamie a player of impressive pace but who has yet to gain impressive control who will also be fighting to be ready for the seasoon start and Adam Dibble who has yet to get a full season injury free under his belt. The allround talents will also be there to support and the slowmen; George Dockrell and a more experienced Jack Leach will back up the four day while Max Waller will work in the shorter stuff (unless Max has modified his plans in order to improve his usefulness in longer games). It's mostly a young attack but is it good enough? Well Mr Kerr it's your job to let us know.
So we'll be waiting in exactly 100 days Mr Nosworthy for the new all singing, all batting all bowling and all fighting Somerset to take the field and the top level of English cricket by the scruff of the neck and beat it into submission. We'll also be hoping that the only reference to Wellington and Waterloo will be a visit to Waitrose for pastry and beef in the nearby town rather than it all coming down about your ears like it did for Monsieur Bonaparte. We're with you DoC but we do want to see words turn into action and dreams turn into silver.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:01:24:05:48:12 by Grockle.
Hey but whatever floats your 2014 boat CP.
Anyway access to the site is now enabled for January at least. Enjoy one and all.
I think you have named nineteen players in your article. I suggest we play all of them in our first competitive match and thus prove ourselves unbeatable.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I am hoping he will have sorted out the injury, bulked up a little and added another yard to his pace. If so he could be the 'missing link' next season!
If he decided to not be hands-on with the first team then he is responsible for that call and any consequences that flowed from it.
I hope that the greatly improved second team performances illustrate and foreshadow the effects of what happens when DN is in control of a team.
It was my personal understanding that this was an individual decision made by him to facilitate a smooth transition over the course of the season. He certainly became more obvious on match days as the summer went on.
I can't think who would have "ordered" him anyway.
How do you feel about 'WTF'? It's happened a couple of times today from well known and constant posters should I be moderating them for using foul language and "taking the site to places it doesn't need to go"?
