Sussing out the Sharks
He's Here
By Grockle
May 15 2010
Well our international signing is here but it is still unsure that he will be making his debut today - but probably unlikely given the present published team. Somerset have won the toss and they will field.
v Sussex CB40 @ Taunton Saturday 15 May 2010
No team announcement yet but we will field by choice. Sussex are still called the 'Sharks' and SKY are here so you will see more than we possibly will! There is so much coverage of this game that it's hard to avoid it....unless you are watching the FA Cup Final! Internet, two live blog/fora, radio commentary, digital TV...the fun just keeps on coming. The Long Room is officially open and looking very white. It is also very full of the faithful - no dress code for the great and the good. The "hoy poly" and the "titled" rubbing shoulders together today in a social atmosphere it seems.
The side is;
Trescothick, Suppiah, Compton, de Bruyn, Hildreth, Buttler, Trego, Phillips, Thomas, Waller and Wright getting his last game in.
Kartik was out doing some batting practice but he will not be in the side. A bit of a surprise that Damien has this game because the understanding last week was that Kartik (he wants to be called Kartik without an 'H') had to be registered before the weekend to be available for Monday's CC1 game and therefore Wrighty would not be available for today because you can only have on registered international at a time. This does not seem to be the case...let's hope our Indian spin king can play at the County ground on Monday!!
Nice sunny day. the Long Room is open but the place is not exactly heaving - but it is Cup Final Day. 3 'Flatmates' on the Pegasus Stand patio but not too many in the Siomerset Stand I have to say. Mike was taking some pictures of the new CA stand so log on the forum for those.
The first 10 overs are vital on a sunny day at Taunton and Wright opens to Nash with Prior at the other end (with something to prove at the ground of the man who is presently occupying his place in the England team in the West Indies). The first ball is a wide and the over ends with 9 on the one board working (the electronic board is out today). Phillips takes the ball at the River end and Prior sets out his stall with a six and a four off his first over. It's 31 after 5 although Damien is still struggling to get his line right while Ben has got his better. By eight, Marcus thinks it's time for a change and Alfonso is introduced. Prior goes for him with a really hard drive which is straight into the captain's midriff at short extra cover....and comes straight out again - could be expensive that one. 49 runs to the opposition at the end of the 9th, the 50 comes up with the first ball of the next followed by a punched six to the Somerset Stand which helps Sussex get to 60 after 10.
But it does get better as 3 runs into Thommo's next over, Nash tries to go over the top but mistimes the shot in terms of power and simply chips the ball to the Cowshed...straight into the hands of Zander de Bruyn who simply clutches it over his head in both hands - 63 for 1.
Sussex are finding this too easy and only Alfonso is holding them. Which makes the fact that he is then taken off for the 13th to be replaced by Peter Trego. At first it seems he might be changing ends but Max Waller comes on at the River for the 14th. They must be putting Alf in reserve for later. Meanwhile Prior moves to 50 at 88 for 1 off 47 balls with 2 sixes in that and not a lot to worry him. Trigger is not looking to be the solution as Sussex reach 99 at the end of the 15th.
The Sussex train tends to contiinue with little problem for most of the innings. Somerset struggle for variation and although Trescothick moves his bowling around and shifts fields to keep the batsmen on their toes, the press that usually keeps the score down doesn't really get hold of the opposition today. Prior does go before he starts to turn his 50 into three figures. A drive to the mid wicket area is swooped on by Max Waller and the man goes for a run a ball 64 at 128.
And who arrives? Murray sodding Goodwin! Just who you want coming in when the batsmen are on top and you are struggling to hold them. Luckily he only stays for 12 overs! Unluckily he hits 64 off 40 with 8 fours and 2 sixes and it looks very much like Sussex will move to the 300 mark. Excellent work to get rid of him from Max who swoops in to pick up a ball near the Ondaaje pavilion, picks it up on the run and volleys it in to find Murray well out going for a pretty easy second. 231 for 3 and the 300 is definitely on.
Alfonso has been moved around today but has been the pick of our bowlers (well the only one with a decent set of figures) and he does what he is employed to do and takes Thornley through an Arul catch (admittedly off a full toss) at 241. But that just brings in Rana Naved in who has one set of orders - hit the ball hard. The 250 arrives in the 36th and it is just a holding action from there.
But Thomas and Wright have other plans and no intention of making this easy for the South coast bunch. Rana's luck runs out when he heaves a Wright full toss straight up in the air and into the hands of a grateful Somerset captain - 217 for 5. Everything is being belted now (or at least attempts are being made). Robin Martin-Jenkins is the next in and he gets a first class full blockhole delivery from the Aussie and is pinned TBW (toe before wicket) for a golden duck. 271 for 6. Chad Keegan brings his 'Huron' to the strip and is nearly DW's hat trick victim as he is completely cleaned by a very rapid delivery that misses the off by a nanometer. Our Aussie is going out in style.
At the other end Alf decides with no level of logic that with 12 balls to go and after everyone being murdered the ball to bowl is a short bouncer. Hodd says thanks a lot and puts it 4 rows back on the scoreboard seats!! Daft.
The VC thinks again and delivers a full inswinging yorker next ball and sends Hodd back to the hutch with his stumps all over the place. 283 for 7. Rayner comes in and with Keegan moves his side towards that 300 target but they don't make it as Wright finishes his 2010 stay with a last ball wicket smacking out Chad's leg stump and finishing with 3 for 66 and getting very warm congratulations from all his Somerset colleagues. Not great but a wholehearted effort. He has been a very popular addition to our line-up and we wish him well.
The pick of our bowlers was Alf with 3 for 40 in a bowling attack where no-one else kept their over rate to less than 7 and DW went for over 8. BIG score to get 292 to win...all depends on a captain's innings. At least as a starter.
The Reply
A quick turnaround and we are out with Banger facing Keegan. A tentative start ends when the captain is 'dropped' by Prior standing at first slip (difficult chance) and the ball rolls for 4. The next shot is more emphatic as he punches the ball to the old 'shop' corner of the ground. 8 off the first.
Naved starts from the River to Arul with Prior as the only slip and Monty at a kind of leg version either side of Hodd the keeper. The opener takes a single. Lots of debate on whether this can be got. The Sussex people think they will win but it is a sscore you can get and as Naved totally loses his run and delivers a front foot no ball full toss to Marcus which flies to the Frosty shed end you start to wonder. 20 after 2 but 2 down before the 5th over as Keegan takes 2 in 2 towards the end of that one. First he has an out of form Suppiah caught by Rayner for 1 out of 23 and then he traps Compton first ball in front.
It gets little better as before Zander has put bat to ball his skipper is wafting at a ball outside his off and although he gets purchase on it is only still there when Goodwin drops a fairly easy chance. It is not looking like a confident win from our boys is on the cards as we struggle to 29 off 6 needing another 263 for victory off 35 overs at well over 6 an over. This is not ZdB territory so the pressure on the captain to put a big score on the board is increasing in order to let the likes of Hildreth and Trego have a chance to put this one away in the last 15. I'm not sure where my money would be if that happened. presently it is frimly in my pocket because I doubt I could get decent odds on Sussex winning this one.
But while Trescothick stands at one end anything is possible and although Keegan provides an excellent maiden for the 7th over of this innings, he is then taken apart by our boss in his next over. Marcus takes us to 50 with a big hit six to the Gimblett off Keegan's second ball of the 9th and then follows that with a second maximum next ball. This has Hodd aasking for the helmet to stand up and try and keep Trescothick in his crease and a conference between keegan and his captain about what to bowl next. He tries something just outside off and has it swatted for a one bounce four over the Somerset Stand boundary. 62 at the end of the over and a double change for sussex.
Kirtley comes on at the River - a man who runs faster than he bowls I always think - he puts the brakes on and only goes for 3. RMJ replaces Chad at the OP and also puts a bit of a 'press' on. Meanwhile Trescothick takes 50 in 39 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes). It needs to go to three figures for us to keep in this one.
Monty is brought on at the River and the score slows and reaches 87 at the 15th. Unfortunately Marcus goes big on the wrong ball from Mr Panesar and we are 87 for 3 as the skier drops into Goodwin's hands. Gone for 61 and with him probably our chances of moving this game to a successful conclusion. Hildreth tries to sweep his first Monty delivery and nearly comes a cropper as a close LBW turns into a scrambled single. To his credit Zander takes on the shot making mantle and puts Panesar into the Botham with a straight hit six but the tempo has slowed and the 100 doesn't arrive until the second ball of the 18th with ZdB on 28 and JH on 3.
It gets worse when de Bruyn misreads a RMJ ball and is LBW for 33 and Somerset are 109 for 4. Jos Buttler is the next man in and the ball is firmly in James Hildreth's court to make a credible reply to this Sussex score.
Rayner is introduced for the 20th at the River as Somerset look to push this score along. Hildreth is putting sixes into the Ondtaaj (?) and mixing that up with distinctly dodgey attempts at sweeps. Buttler is backing up for the quick singles and twos while showing he is no slouch with straight sixes into the scoreboard stand. With such a shot he brings up the 150 in the 24th and they've smacked 46 off not a lot. This prompts Kirtley to change ends to the OP - an unplanned move? Well we have to hope so. He tries to put the brakes on once again though as the score reaches 162. Mostly through the bat of Jos who is willing to take no prisoners. The way he dismisses one Kirtley delivery for four belies his age and commends his ability
162 at 25 - the halfway stage? Duckworth says we should be on 182 but this was in the middle of Murray smacking it all over the place.
Goodwin is looking for the partnership breaker and brings Keegan back on at the OP. Hildreth goes to a 35 ball 50 off a full toss by turning it into a massive six to the scoreboard. Later Chad tries for another legside yorker and is flipped for 4 very cleverly to the CA by Hilda. The 200 comes up during a Rayner over and Jos goes to a very good 50 off Panesar's first from the OP - 42 balls with 1 six and 6 fours. At 30 overs we are 206 needing 86 from 100 and ahead of the D/L for the first time.
The 32nd is given to RMJ but Hildreth hits him out of the attack as he steps outside one and hammers it to the scoreboard (a definite favourite today) before flipping one which takes a kick and beats a diving Panesar in front of the Gimblett. So RMJ didn't work as we go to 227. Kirtley is introduced again and holds them to 235 for the 33rd but then Naved is back for the 34th and first up nearly runs JH out but then he full tosses Jos who smacks him to the CA pavilion as if he's been doing this for ever. there then follows a really strange ball which vears all over the place, fools Hodd completely, hits the helmet and wrong foots Panesar. 5 runs. When it is against you it really is against you.
Then the boys do for James Kirtley in a great display of big stuff. Hildreth hits him for four before tonking him for six over Goodwin's head followed by another four to the scoreboard. A quick single brings Buttler down to straight drive the bowler back pasty him. However the veteran getas the final laugh as he yorks Jos for a truly excellent 69 off 53 balls with 9 fours and 1 six. He walks off to a well deserved standing ovation and in comes Peter Trego. James and Jos put on 158 in 16 overs and if we do win this game they won it for us!! 268 for 5 at the start of the 36th.
Naved delivers and Trigger takes the single. Naved delivers number 2 and Hildreth dismisses him to the boundary to go to 92. Naved bowls his third and the Emporer guides him through two despairing fielders for another four to take him to 96. Tremendous!! Not to be outdone the sixth ball is also guided by his partner for another boundary and it's 284 for 4 with four overs to go.
8 to win with 4 overs to go. Hildreth flips the first ball for a single - will he get a truly well deserved 100? 7 needed with Trego on strike and his partner on 97. Kirtley bowls and Pete looks to put one over the Caddyshack but gets a leading edge and it squirts for 1. Hildreth crouches and takes a quick single to go to 98. Ball 5 sees Kirtley pulling up and having to remark his run. He bowls and Trigger drops it down and takes 1. Last delivery of the 37th, Kirtley sets his field again. Hildreth tries to sweep and takes a bye. But at least he nicks the strike. Naved to bowl over number 38 with Hildreth on strike needing 2 and us needing 3. He hits outside one and takes his score to 99 with a single. Naved bowls Trigger trying a late cut and goes for 6. Out comes Damien Wright to face needing 2. Does he knock the single or go for the win? The first two balls he knocks into the field. The third he faces he tries to cut and does not connect. The last he leaves. James is on strike needing 1 for the 100 and 2 for the win. Will he hit the single and let Wrighty take the win? Kirtley to bowl. Hilda takes a wonderful single to bring up a wonderful hundred. everyone stands 11 fours and 3 sixes and 66 balls - brilliant.
Damien looks for the winning run and nearly gets run out as he is sent back. But the next ball is a one bounce four. So Wrighty hits the winning boundary and Hildreth wins us a pearler with the help of a wonderful partnership with the young keeper. Great game and the perfect end.
Thanks you Damien Wright wicket with your last ball and winning fou with your last hit. Not too shabby.
This is Hildreth's game though. Superb pacing, superb hitting and a superb result. Whoopee!!
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:17:12:07:28 by Grockle.
He hit an unbeaten 135 in his comeback match this week in a friendly against Cambridge University at Fenners.
Personally, I think it's a shame they won't have L J Wright turning out for them as I cannot remember him ever having done anything even vaguely noteworthy against SCCC.
Saturday should be better.
Weather Bug says.
Saturday
15/05/2010
Hi: 15°
Lo: 7°
There is a 0% chance of precipitation. Partly cloudy. Mild. Temperature of 15°C. Winds WNW 25km. Humidity will be 54% with a dewpoint of 6° and feels-like temperature of 15°C.
BBC Site
* Max. Day (°C°F)
15°C 59°F
Sunrise 05:21
* Min. Sat Night (°C°F)
6°C 43°F
Sunset 20:56
Saturday
A mainly dry day with patchy cloud and sunny spells. The odd light shower is possible in eastern parts though. Feeling pleasant in any sunshine, with mainly light northwesterly winds.
So it's fingers crossed.
Somerset have gone for Wright in the 40-over match as an insurance policy in case Alfonso Thomas`s hamstring niggle resurfaces.
Sussex squad:
Gatting, Godwin (c), Hodd, Keegan, Kirtley, Martin-Jenkins, Nash, Naved-ul-Hasan, Panesar, Prior, Reyner, Thornely.
Bowling looks pretty strong, though.
A bit of a shame that Kartik won't start.
Am I to understand, CJM, that Wright will play instead of Alf Thomas? Or do you mean that Wright and Thomas will play instead of Kartik and Thomas because we fear we'd be too light in seam bowling if Alfonso were to break down during the game?
Cloudy with sunny spells, it feels chilly depending on if the sun is out.
There are already four people waiting outside the gates to get in at 10.30. (A long wait).
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]
And is the Anthony Gibson currently commentating the son of the late great Alan?
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
This does not strike me as the time to hold back an entire six overs for the end!?
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
I won't tell you which I enjoy more, your north country tones or the Blackacre jingle, but it's close...
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
It seems I'm an East Midlander though I do hover on the fringes of a South Yorkshire 'brogue'
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Anything North of Watford,is without doubt,Northern.
It's a lovely accent you have.
Don't listen to Mr Grumpy.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
James aint bad either.
Keep it up now namby pamby.
Craig is going to have to work to get his place back.
A fantastic knock.
Well done Jos.
A great knock by Jos Buttler - who has just been yorked by Kirtley. He looks a tremendous prospect.
James Hildreth has batted superbly.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
Take a bow James,the same goes for Jos.
Not that bad are we?
The Emperor has now scored 270 in the Pro40 this season, with an average of, wait for it, 270.
The Australia/Pakistan match yesterday evening was equally esciting and I wonder whether Butter and Hildreth derived some inspiration from that other Somerset Lad, White, and his mate Hussey, both of whom demonstrated that in cricket the impossible can sometimes be possible.
Even when Craig gets back, Jos will surely be pushing for a top six place in our one-day team!? The competition should be good for the others.
I believe I'm correct in saying that the rules have changed so that we can keep Jos for our first team, if we want, rather than losing him to an infernal England Under 19 game?
I've long believed that Marcus was set back by being called into that after he had had a very good County season for us. It makes no sense to take younger players away from competition x and place them in a weaker competition y. What Marcus needed, IMO, was an England A tour immediately after his first SCCC season. Had he had that, rather than being hauled back to England Under 19 duty, then I think he would have been less likely to have endured his subsequent trough in form.
What do you think would have happened if we'd simply allowed Prior and Goodwin to bat through the 40 overs?
As for Hildreth, LoL, you know as well as I do that what folks feel he needs to do is perform with consistency over an extended period of time. He's certainly in hugely good nick at the moment and deserves tons of credit for this win. The challenge for him will be to maintain good form throughout the season. And, no, I don't mean by that that anyone should expect James to be able to play that brilliantly through the season, but it's about avoiding the real troughs of form.
Could somebody please check the weather forecast - did they predict some rain on our parade?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:15:20:03:07 by SheptonPaul.
If not for Alf, we'd probably have had to chase somewhere between 305 and 315!
When pitches are flat, one ace bowler often makes the difference.
I think it's a shame that this competition has been so heavily curtailed to make room for so much T20. I think we play something like 16 T20 games this season, which is surely about 6 too many.
A wicket with the last ball of the Sussex innings. Then he plays out a maiden so that Hildeth can get to his hundred, before hitting the winning boundary.
Who thinks, by the way, that splendid though James and Jos Buttler were with the bat, the major turning point was Max Waller`s brilliant running out of Murray Goodwin when the Sussex skipper was absolutely in his pomp?
Very well done to everyone.
Our bowling is worrying. Alf was so far ahead of the rest and we do have a problem of variation which Kartik may not solve. But when we bat like this, no total is safe.
With Jos batting like this, what are the odds that either Arul or Nick C will be sitting out next week's Bath game?
No worry,no panic,just beautiful batting and always in complete control.
Yes,there is a worry with the attack,but I honestly think we could chase any total down.
And yes,it was a stunning bit of fielding from Max.
An excellent afternoon of entertainment.
James was sublime.
Heroic.
Majestic.
Words don't really do a knock of that quality justice.
So I'll shut up and stop trying.
Edited to reduce the size of the images.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:15:22:26:15 by Botham.
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
The club are to be commended for such an ambitious venture. However, I feel not enough thought was put into the planning stage, leaving many users frustrated wiith some of the features.
We were promised cushioned seating, but we have the same plastic seats as in other parts of the ground. The Marcus Trescothick Stand has very comfortable padded seats and plenty of room to move around. The Long Room seating is a bit cramped and it isn't easy to get out without disturbing many people.
Many of the screws, rivets and metal sheeting fastenings were becoming loose, so I hope it stands the test of time.
The bar, lounge / dining facilities are excellent as is the coffee cake. There is plenty of space inside, as there is downstairs in the members lounge / bar.
I don't feel that there is much difference between up and downstairs to justify the premium price, but there was an excellent, friendly club-like atmosphere about the place, so I expect it to be a great success.
It's a little more sparse down stairs in the members bar but it isn't fully finished yet inside I don't think.
Doesn't look bad from the other side of the ground though.
They serve Exmoor and Pedigree on hand pump, which many seemed to like, but I stuck with a pint of Tractor's tea!
Someone was telling me about a BBQ he attended last season, at which JL was present. He was asked if he noticed Tractor. Apparently he heard every word!
I think today's surface was an utter belter that defeated every bowler in the game, bar Alf. But you only have to go back as far as the Lancs game of two weeks ago to find a game in which the attack as a whole really throttled an opponent.
The reality is that, since the start of last season, our win percentage in one day cricket is very high and the advent of Kartik is only likely to improve things still further.
It was interesting that it wasn't referred to with its full name during the opening and the Long Room is reffered to seperately.
Some seem to believe that maybe Colin isn't a player of enough stature to be the name on what the club sees as the sort of 'figurehead' section of the ground in the future.
He was well before my time but from some I heard today he seemed to be more involved in the financing of the building rather than providing performances to made him the automatic choice for the naming of it.
But this is only what I heard during debate this afternoon.
The warmest day so far but still cold.
Photos, a lot of shots played today but have tried to show some wicket being taken.
R Martin-Jenkins lbw D Wright.
I told James Hildreth not to go for those wide balls, but he still does.
It was given as a wide.
Celebrations after C Nash was ct De Bruyn bld Thomas.
C Keegan was bowled D Wright.
Wright was holding his leg at times so it may be a good thing it is his last match.
A Hodd bld Thomas.
How close do you think the ball was before it hit the stumps, answers on a post card?
Jos Butler bld R Kirley.
Jos can hold his head up high today even SKY was praising him up and said he should play as a batsman when Kieswetter is back in the team.
Matt Prior must think he is under pressure from all sides.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]He was not in my opinion a cricketer anywhere near the class of RJOM, nor indeed of those others after whom parts of the ground are named - J C White, Gimblett, Richards, Garner, Botham, Caddick, Trescothick (who have I missed?) but a good servant of the club. He had the distinction of leading SCCC in our first Gillette Cup Final, though he did not bring a winning team home.
It might seem churlish to remove his name from the pavilion, but he certainly does not rank among our finest ever cricketers. If the honour awarded him is for services additional to cricket, I don't know enough to comment further.
For more about CRMA see [en.wikipedia.org]
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter
This is to complement Botham’s inside photos.
For those who were not at the ground and didn’t see the match on TV.
The front view.
This is our friend Botham enjoying a front seat position on the left.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:16:00:11:06 by Mike BOS.
Roy Kerslake took over from him as captain I believe and people there know more about it than any of us and I suppose they would be involved in any re-naming.
It was just something that was being discussed this afternoon with some vigour on both sides.
Having said a few weeks ago that James was in the last chance saloon, I think it's fair to say he's doing rather well there !!
Great stuff & who is this guy Butler ? Must have great attitude as well as talent.
Very encouraging all round.
Grizzzly
The disappointing thing yesterday the new Scoreboard is still not working, Sky was blamed last Year but I think they may have got that wrong.
It was hard wired and seems to have not solved the problem.
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]That is quite correct.
Colin Atkinson, in his capacity of Club President, launched a Pavilion Appeal in February, 1978 and, in the summer of that year, an excellent appeal brochure was launched.
The original estimated cost was circa £250,000, but the final cost was in excess of £400,000. The appeal brought in an amount in excess of £105,000 - the remainder being financed by some funds put aside for the development of the ground, some interest - free loans from Local Authorities and from bank loans.
The pavilion was officially opened by MCC President Peter May during Somerset's match v. Australians in May, 1981.
There was certainly some consternation at the time that the Pavilion was to be named after CRM, but as it was subsequently pointed out to me - "Without Colin Atkinson, we would not have had that pavilion."
And this goes with Clarence Parker's story.
Somerset's new pavilion opened by Peter May of MCC 25th May 1981
The link to my Photos on Photobucket - [s1152.photobucket.com]And thinking about it last night it isn't as if it has only happened once even on our ground. The Ondaatje Pavilion is named after a very generous financial contributor to the club (although that may have its name changed as well in the future given the way that relationship ended I suppose)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:16:12:17:51 by Grockle.
Given the relationship sports clubs have with financial backers surely it must only be a matter of time before we get one of those frightful monikers.
Blackacre Boundaries.
Blackthorn Bottom.
MJ Baker's Sunshine Acre.
It is lovely to see the former Head Groundsman - dear old Cecil Buttle - on the balcony along with the other dignitaries.
I hope that the brass plaque on the front wall, which was shown as being unveiled in the photograph, features somewhere in the refurbished building.
The last that I heard (albeit a couple of years ago) was that Sir Christopher, the club’s former patron, was being wooed back into club circles after the departure of our former Club Chairman. I was very pleased to hear that news at the time, and would personally be very surprised if any attempt were made to change the name of the Ondaatje Pavilion.
Yes, it was known as the 'Clerical Medical County Ground' after a sponsorship deal with a financial / insurance company, I believe.
Now then,what day is it?
LoL
Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter