Metrobank 8 Lords of the 50 over?
By Grockle
August 17 2024
The way to a bye and a home semi final in the 50 over cup is through Middlesex at Lord's. We willnotknow where we stand until Wednesday but a win here will put us on the top spot and make it a job for our opponents to knock us off. Josh Davey and Riley Meredith will be vital in this one
Metrobank Cup Match 9 v Middlesex @ Lord's Sunday 11 August 2024
This is an important game in the Somerset season and especially for those thrown into the limelight by the ECB due to the removal of many of our first team choices. During this campaign however, a 50 over 'first team' side would have a number of new names n it after August 2023 as this TEAM have goen from strength to strength and a place in the knockout section of the cup is all they deserve. A Home semi as the number one side in their half of the competition would be the icininbg on the cake.
The side is;
Umeed, Thomas G, Goldsworthy, Rew, Vaughan, Dickson, Green, Aldridge, Davey, Leach, Meredith
The fact that the ECB have called a Lions side for a game next week without touching the franchise sides (money talks and integrity ealks) means we would be without Rew and Aldridge if we do have to go to a quarter final next Friday - it's also madness that a side who qualifies then has to go again on Sunday while the oterh doesn't. If we don't play in the quarters we have aweek off because we do not play in the last phase of the league games.
Sean Dickson wins the toss and decides to bowl first to make the home side set the parameters of the game. So Cracknell and Fernandes come out to start their innings and face the new ball attack of Davey and Meredith. What fun :-)
After an opening maiden from Josh, the pace of Riley seems to put the jitters in the minds of the batsmen and Fernandes is LBW to the Tasmanian playing all around a straight fast one. It gets no batter as Cracknell run out by George Thomas going for an injudicious run. Middlesex are 2 for 2 with less than 3 overs gone.
With their opening pair back in the hutch the 'Sex have to reset early with Stoneman and Robson get down to work. Stoneman does most of the early work and the score starts to move. Robson is finding the going harder. The total has reached 29 in the 8th with most of them coming from the bat of the next man to go Stoneman 23 from 19 bowled Meredith. Robson survives until the end of the 9th before he follows his teammate back for 4 from 15 also bowled but this time by Davey. Middlesex are having to reset for the third time with less than 10 overs gone,
Davies and Andersson are the new pair as Ben Green is introduced into the attack and he is the next to take a wicket as Davies snicks behind just before the 50 comes up at 48 for 5 in the 14th. He leaves for 9 and is replaced by Hollman who then works with Andersson to produce the first real partnership of the Home side's innings. Together the pair move the score past 50 and wortowards 3 figures for the next 10 overs. The return of Riley Meredith changes things as he has Andersson beaten for pace and plumb in front in the eyes of the umpire at 94 for a fighting 34. This brings in anotherT est player offspring as de Caires is the next man in. In true Archie Vaughan spirit, he is also the next man out as he is fooled by Leach and caught behind by Rew though he does score a single before it happens 97 for 7 and the visiting bowlers are totally on top.
Roland-Jones has no time to settle and another Middlesex bat is beaten for Tasmanian pace without bothering the scorer 98 for 8. Brookes 9 and Bamber 10 support Hollman totake the score over 100 but the inevitable happens as the slow men get Brookes at 119 (another excellent short field catch by Dickson on the arm of Vaughan) and Bamber at 135 bowled neck and crop by Leach. Hollman stands undfeated for 38 from 71 balls but the bell tolled early and the target should not be defendable as it also comes 15 overs early... Good for the Somerset NRR.
The Reply
Needing 136 for what would probably be a home semi fnal next Sunday, Thomas and Umeed take the field facing Bamber and Roland-Jones. They take it easy as although a quick finish would push the NRR up, this is a low total and getting thereis more important to start with. The Middlesex bowlers are tightand eventually tempt George who goes up the wicket to push on and is stumped for 11 at 24 for 1 in the 6th over. Lewis replaces him and the scoring still moves slowly with only about 4 an over being the norm up until the 10th over. Hollman starts his afternoon account and he draws next 'blood' as just after passing the side's 50, Andy Umeed is also tempted out of his crease and also stumped off Hollman for 22 from 37 at 57 for 2.
James Rew joins his teammate and no one can see these two making mistakes with this target. With Lewis holding down one end with 41 from 61 and Rew pushing the score along with an excellent and decisive 53 from 43, Somerset passs the total needed with 138 for 2 from 27 overs and the game is done, dusted with the home semi all but nailed on.
We never looked in any problems with this game and simply breezed into the next round as the team we have become. The semi will NOT be as easy but this was mighty impressive.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:08:18:12:05:16 by Grockle.
Middlesex also bring back an experienced pace bowler, Toby Roland-Jones, into their squad of 15. One possible intriguing facet tomorrow may be the sons of two former England captains, in a total of 105 Test matches, playing on opposite sides. Middlesex select from: Stoneman c), Andersson, Bamber. Brookes, Cornwell, Cracknell, Cullen, Davies, de Caires, Fernades, Hollman, Kaushal, Robson, Roland-Jones, White.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2024:08:17:07:58:47 by Grockle.
No argument with this side except Kasey has to perform in this game to justify being chosen over Alfie and/or Josh Thomas
Clearly the MCC have succeeded in their objective of deterring spectators, especially ancient ones like me. I suppose we constitute a risk of soiling ourselves and our seats or collapsing to the irritation and distraction of all all our neighbours
I plan to make an angry compliant tomorrow.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
You have occasionally picked me up on the English in one or other of my reports, and always with good cause (one occasion excepted). I have never been able to return the compliment. Until now. I am afraid I cannot resist asking if 'an angry compliant' is not an oxymoron.
That said, although I now have a smartphone and find the ticketing apps an easy way of buying tickets, I share your view that they should not replace other purchase methods. A recent report of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee found that seven million households in this country have no broadband internet or mobile internet access and the number is rising due to affordability issues. Even if they can find access, four million do not know how to access the internet.
Farmer
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
The crucial importance of being top of the table is that you go straight to a home semi-final next Sunday, and don`t have to appear in the quarter-finals on Friday, when both James Rew and Kasey Aldridge will by away with the England Lions in a four-day match against Sri Lanka at Worcester.
It could just be that we might also have some of our 11 `Hundred` absentees to choose from in the final, for only three franchise teams will be left standing after Thursday. It would be unwise, in my `humble` though, to make that sort of change.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2024:08:11:16:46:29 by cricketjerry-mouse.
Quote:motorman
What was in Umeed's mind? Pointless advance down the wicket. Our run rate is twice that required. So no need for heroics
This drew a “silly boy,” comment from the SCCC fan on my row in the Edrich.
Thought LG batted sensibly and well and Rew was clinical at the end. Pitch not great for a one day game.
Whilst it was my understanding that Lord’s had given up selling any tickets on the gate, the guy in front of me, outside, asked the steward if he could buy a ticket, and the steward answered in the affirmative .. so it turns out that all spectators had to do to get a ticket was to shift their derrières to St John’s Wood.
A word of praise for the staff at Lords. After sitting too long in the sun and feeling rough the stewards and medical staff found me a wheelchair and relocated me and my companions to a shady spot in the Warner stand. First class service.
Quote:Great win, well done the team. I was only able to watch, via the live feed, a portion of the Middx innings and yes, I thought that Roland Jones was unfortunate to be given lbw to a ball that looked to be going down leg. Anyway it seems that the umpires were equally poor for us so a good win and looking forward to a home QF.Somerset LaLaLa
Worst umpiring all season. Thomas was not out, run out before should have been out imo. Some of decisions against Middlesex eg lbw looked questionable. A win is a win though and looking forwards to next Sunday
Accepted an invite a few weeks ago, to a family dinner next Sunday evening, which now looks extremely bad judgement.
Ho hum.
Will just have to go to Trent Bridge for the Final instead !
He said hopefully.
Grizzers
I shall leave it to Bobstan to make a second complaint, this one being about the announcement that refunds will be granted for matched in which less (sic) than thirty overs have been bowled. What is the world coming to?
I am very happy to learn that Angell had a good day at the cricket but sad that we shan't be seeing him at Taunton again as I always enjoy our highly civilised conversations.
The Goldsworthy-Rew show is becoming a thing of great joy - can there be a better three and four partnership in short form cricket. Why was Goldsworthy not picked for the Lions match?
Over the years, very many of them in my case, Somerset has greatly benefited by importing proven cricketers, but the system now appears to have gone into reverse. In recent years we have lost home-grown players of qualtity such as Buttler, Bess, Overton, Byrom, Bartlett, Baker (who have I missed out?) and I would be profoundly sad if we were to lose any more in the near future, particularly Goldsworth or Green. How can we stop that happening?
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Following on from your comments re: Lewis Goldsworthy, LoL, I too have been delighted with his performances in the One Day Cup. We must offer him a new contract with a virtually guaranteed place in the red ball XI at three or four (subject to form, of course). By doing this we could avoid the need for an overseas top order batsman. As good as Renshaw was, such players are rarely able to commit to more than a handful of games, leaving a hole when they go.
We may also be nearing the end of Roelof’s involvement with the club. In LG2 we have a ready made replacement in the T20 team.
And, of course, I agree with your second paragraph as well.
LoL
Seventy-eight Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I’m sick of non intuitive apps and my attendance at Taunton is entirely dependent on my friend Tim in Crewkerne who had a lifetime negotiating NHS IT but was still challenged by Somerset’s app printing our tickets last year.
Every block has rows and rows of totally unsold seats.
I guess with no advance discount, (or on day increase) there "may" beva big on day walk up.....
Struggling to see where the quoted 3000 will be sitting......