Kent and Hampshire Blast Games 3 and 4- Bad and the Good
By Grockle
June 11 2024
We went to Canterbury after the defeat at the Oval - Kent looked to use their livestream as an income generator and so there was no live story on that one. Then we came back to Taunton for a game against Hampshire and we had an internet failure which meant the live version of that game was also not able to be produced. So... here you are people! I said I would do this campaign and so I've now updated the progression just before the away game at Lord's tonight And off we go!!
Blast! Game Number 3 v Kent @ Canterbury Friday 7 June 2024
A Friday night game where Kent welcome travelling fans though they want the non traelling to pay £6 for the privilege of watching the game on their not so stable livestream. I said no thanks and so heard rather than watched the game.
Kent won the toss and opted to field. Somerset went into the game with the following side;
Smeed, Banton, TKC, Abell, Dickson, Gregory, Green, Overton, RvdM, Baker, Ball
Sonny Baker gets a call up after som e good seconds performances but there is a surprise in the 'resting' of Riley Meredith 2 games into the campaign. But we go with what we have.
Somerset's innings started well with a 95run opening partnership mostly coming from Will Smeed scoring at about 2 runs a ball, hitting 68 off 30 balls. TKC contnued the onslaught afer Banton was eventually stumped for 26 only 3 runs later. He and Abell pushed the score to 134 before Tom fell for only 12. Dickson supported beyond 150 finally going at 166 a quick fire 26. Kohler-Cadmore hit 42 off 30 before he was caught by Crawley at 184 leaving the skipper to push towards 200, falling short at 196 with one ball to go with Ben Green.
197 for 6 gave Hampshire a stiff but gettable target in front of a home crowd on a Friday night against a yet to be impressive 2024 bowling attack fro the defending champions.
The Reply
Crawley going to the first ball from Craig, caught by Roelof was a great start and Bell-Drumond following him bowled by COve at the end of the third over with only 19 on the board all looked promising As Sonny got into the act wit the first ball of he third by getting Muyeye caught by Craig we thought we had this one under control and once O'Riordan went back to the changing room at 34 courtey of Smeed and Ball it looked very healthy.
Unfortunately it stopped there halfway through the 5th over and beforre the end of the powerplay. The next wicket was Denley 10 oves later and by then he and Billings had added over 100 (146 for 5). Billings went on to record 106 fro 58 blls before he was caught by Dickson off Green needing 6 runs rom the last 7 balls at 192. They got them and Hampshire won by 4 wickets. We didn't stop theone player that made the difference and lost the game. Ho Hum
Blast! Game Number 4 v Hampshire @Taunton Sunday 9 June 2024
Back home to face the "Hawks" with a eed for a decent win. No changes in the batting but we see Josh Davey in for Jake Ball and Riley Meredith returns replacing Sonny Baker. Hampshire win the toss and decide to make us bat first at a ground where we feel happier chasing
As usual, Smeed and Banton stride out to set the base facing the opening boling attack of Neser (River end) and Wood (MT end). Banton is straight off the mark and then gets hit on the helmet and has to change it. It is 5 for 0 after 1. The Somerset keeper then hits the first boundary to the Somerset Stand and is copied twice more by Smeed before the second ends with 19 on the board. In the next over Tom is missed - straighforward midriff catch to the keeper - McDermott just seems to have walked past it... very strange. However, Will is not as luckt as he edges Neser to Howell for 16 at 25 for 1 TKC is in and straight off the mark with a four.
Turner is on for the 4th at the MT as Wood changes ends for the 5th and it is him who hurries TKC who edges one to Vince and is out for 10 at 39 for 2. Nothing is really coming off the face of the bat presently but Bants and Abell push the score past 50 before Neser C&Bs Banton at 54. Wickets keep going down and many are now expecting the speed to slow as the more conservative members of the Somerset middle order come together needing to reset the pace of this innings from the present 10 an over with the loss of 3 wickets.
That is not how it goes. Sean Dickson has decided to go for this with his solid partner Tom Abell holding down his end. Hampshire move into spin mode with Dawson and Howell ut it seems that the Somerset pair have no intention of slowing the rate down. It has reached 97 at the halfway stage.
Turner takes the 11th and the 100 arrives just before a six at 103 takes the two to a 50 partnership off 31 balls. Dawson can't hold them as Dickson puts the ball OVER the MT. Fuller looks to hold the push but he goes for 21 as Somerset move to 140 with Dickson 47(23) and Abell 39 (23). Sean started the run rush but his partner has now taken up the gauntlet and is looking to pass his colleague.
The 150 arrives but the rate does not suggest it will slow. The 100 partnership coes off 49 balls with the second 50 coming from a devastating 18 balls!! Dickson goes to 50 off 25 just before Abell reaches the same score from 30. At 15 oves the score is 169 and the 200 is definitely on.
The partnership passes to old record T20 4th wicket one of Babar and Goldsworthy at Glamorgan in 2020. Dickson has no intetion of stopping as he puts a 6 into the higher level of the Somerset Stand flats to take the score to 190 for 3. Wood comes back on at the River but it is Neser who finally dismisss Dickson for 65 off 31caught by Benny Howell at 198 for 4. Excellent innings.
Gregory comes out to help Abell to put a four to the boundary to pass 200 and it is 207 with 12 balls to go. Lewis hits 2 fours and a massive 6 to the short Somerset Stand before Wood gets him for 18 off 7 at 221 for 5.
Turner has the job of the last against Green and Abell. This total is a new highest against Hampshire as Somerset pass 223 (it was 220 for 4). But Abell hasn't stopped, he ramps a four, then scores another before hitting a six to finish on 96 from 47 balls. 241 for 5 is not only the highest against the Hawks. It is the third highest ever Somerset T20 score. Abell was simply superb, he isn't extravagent, he just picks a spot and when he sees it well the ball goes where he wants it to go.
The Reply
With Vince and McDermott as openers, the home side do not want this pair to get moving. Overton starts at the River (goes for 8) and then Meredith takes the first at the MT (15 by the end). I's 26 after 3 and Davey takes the 4th and Hampshire keep up with a 10+ an over rate as they put up 65 by the end of the 6th. RvdM takes the 7th but he can't hold the line and Hapshire have moved to 11 an over with 77 by the end of his. The certainty that 242 is beyond them is taking a bit of a knck and we need wickets.
Enter Ben Green who is massively under-rated in this tournamnet having been oe of the leading wicket takers last year. He immediately calms things down by bowling McDermott with his first ball for 46 (28 balls) at 77. Before the end of his over, new man Weatherley is in and Vince has put the ball down Abell's throat for30 nd it is 78 for 2. The crowd calm down as Albert comes in and both visitor bats are on zero. A superb over just when we needed it.
Gregory is on at the River before COve is bowled out at the MT for 36 runs. Green changes ends and the 100 arrives but the hands of RvdM gets Weatherly at 101 for 3 and Ben finishes his scond with 12 for 3.
Roelof is on at the MT followed by Davey who has Fuller caught by Tom Abell at 109. Hampshire need 120 to win with 7 to go and although it looks doubtful, RvdM is still going for too many in his overs this year. The return of Meredith puts the game to bed effectively though as he has Howell caught by TKC at 135 efore splitting Albert's stumps with one with significant wheels on it at 136. It is just a matter of time from then on in to be honest as there is almos no chance of getting the runs (at one point the run rate was 29 per over)
Neser is in to partner Dawson who dispatches the Soerset skipper one bounce to the Caddyshack before sending the second straight to Overton on the boundary at Third. 142 for 7 sees Gubbins coming in as a speciallist bat at number 9!! But he does not stay long, bowled by Gregory trying to cross bat one at 144. Josh takes the 18th and Meredith takes the 19th and with a few little snicks and stuff the opposition reach 177 for 8 with oe over to go.
Ben Green takes the last and has Neser ball one caught by Abell. Two ballslater he finishes a super bowling performance and becomes the only T20 player to get 2 T20 5-fers as he bowls Wood to finish the game with 3.3/0/29/5 and leave Hampshire 63 runs short.
Well that was fun and a pretty decisive destruction of Hampshire at Taunton. Brilliant with the bat from Dickson. Tremendous from his parner Abell who really deseved the century and absollutely superb from the match winner Ben Green with the ball. On to Lord's and Middlesex!!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:12:11:24:43 by Grockle.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:08:16:02:59 by Grockle.
Not against counties making money from livestream but it's £15 for all day all sports channel stuff on SKY & they want ahout half that to listen to some ex Kent players chat about Kent stuff around a slightly iffy livestream for about 3 hours
I'm also assuming non members are paying to subsidise 'free' access to Kent members (well that will be the argument at least). The members have also.seen increase I am sure to pay for this coverage so Kent get paid twice & non nembers may have an argument about being 'scammed'.
It's a complex problem how counties deal with livestream access going forward but I doubt that £6 a game for non members is the way to go.
Banton, Smeed TKC, Abell, Dickson, Lammonby, Gregory, Green, Overton, RvdM, Leach, Ball, Baker
Interesting as it gives us a 2 spin option (bringing Jack in is significant as both Leach and Bash both played in the Northants games) Why has Leachy been included?
You'd expect Baker is in for 'experience' but if Gregory's hand injury affects his bowling he may have a shout.
Only 2 are going to lose out. You'd expect the 2 new inclusions to be those unless we go 2 spin. There is also the question of Dickson v Lammonby...
Top 5 are as expected. Dickson at 6 Green and Gregory with COve, Ball and Baker
Won't be front paging this game as I refuse to give Kent £6 to subsidise streaming to their members when last year their stream was sub standard for county streams at £5.
I know it's cheaper than going but it also.allows them to skimp. It's going to come but not this way.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:07:20:45:41 by Grockle.
Not sure why RVDM bowled the last over when Ball was the best bowler and had one left. Especially as RVDM doesn’t look the bowler he was.
Nice to see Sunny. Cove got a couple but he looks very hittable.
Good from Smeed but no one else very convincing. Abell scrapped about.
Can’t afford to lose many more.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:08:07:37:26 by KentWyvern.
My biggest concern, right now, is the fact that VDM got hammered in both away games this week.
Was fine to bowl last over.
But missed cut off in time he had been off to be allowed to.
I think we were lucky that for some reason Kent only gave O’Riordon two overs - didn’t look like we had much idea of how to score off him.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
The squad is larger so a number of options must be beung looked at.
Smeed, Banton, TKC, Abell, Lammonby, Dickson, Green, Gregory, RvdM, Leach, Overton, Baker, Davey, Ball, Meredith
Preview here
[somersetcountycc.co.uk]
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:10:21:39:26 by Grockle.
The middle order does not seem to be pushing it on massively so there may be room there to move people about. Abell still scratching, TKC not there yet, Dickson or Lammonby?. Tends to get back on track around Gregory.
Spin bowling is not s strength area presently in our Blast sides. We've now sent Bashir & Goldsworthy out on loan so the options are either RvdM (getting tap) or Leach (low experience in this format not a strong bat more solid defence)
The seam looks to be struggling to find itself. COve has been unusually expensive. Meredith seems to be being managed to save ACB an injury. Ball has been tight but we also need wickets. Davey has been floating in and out so not sure if he's slotted in yet. Baker has been introduced, Aldridge not considered presently nor is Pretorius who is in the squad but may not yet be ready after the concussion or is simply a red ball consideration. Ben Green is doing his usual of surprising everyone with his wickets in this trophy.
We don't seem certain what our best attack is as no one is consistently saying 'Pick me'
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:08:20:50:50 by Grockle.
Assuming it’s a decent track at home, I’d seriously consider Lammonby for Dickson… RHB/LHB tandems can disrupt line. Tom L is also fit to bowl now, so he would give us a different option with the ball.
Trade Nation has filled up.but in answer to your question... yep
Highest T20 against Hampshire and third highest ever!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:09:19:51:53 by Grockle.
Well done to Josh Davey keeping the pressure on
Green a close second for getting the always key wicket of Vince and then adding several more.
A defeat would have put us 1 and 3, which might have taken some getting back from. Two and two and a much improved NRR is a big result. I dipped into cricinfo occasionally and then the end of Somerset's innings really took off.
There weren't that many sixes, but 31 fours (more than a quarter of balls faced) meant Somerset got a bit of a hustle on, and while Hants started well, chasing 12 an over for the whole innings would be one hell of an achievement.
All the batters bar Green (no runs!!) scored briskly, with Abell, Dickson and Gregory all above 200, which is impressive by any standards.
And there were some very, very good bowling figures.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:06:09:22:35:36 by sfwithers.
Very impressive batting from Tom A & Dickson and hats off to Ben Green with the ball. The way he varies the speed of his deliveries reminds me of Shane Lee.
Excellent result. Would be great if we can retain this form.
Grizzers