Not a Toss to Lose - Bath Day 1

Bowlers Pick
By Grockle
June 4 2003

The first day of the Bath Festival is a really nice occasion and although the weather threatened, it didn't deliver in any meaningful way. Unfortunately, the Worcestershire batsmen did on what seems to be a batting track. Over 400 for 5 is a bad day at the office for us!

v WORCESTERSHIRE CC2 @ Bath 4 June 2003

DAY ONE

DAY TWO

DAY THREE

DAY FOUR

Not a day to lose a toss I'm afraid.  A benign wicket (let's hope it stays that way) and some batsmen in form by the look of it.  I've added a couple of comments from the messageboard guys because my head gasket obviously doesn't like festival first days!!  So I watched at home on Annanova.

Looking at the scorecard and listening to comments made by friends who were there and posters, Singh played a blinder after being dropped and Peters is just set and not going anywhere.  Although Nixon seems to have worked up a considerable head of steam, it looks like the result was a ball the batsmen didn't touch or a boundary rattling as the ball smashed into it (or flew over it).  He won't be over the moon with 1 for 105.   Ian Blackwell continued to impress as a wicket-taking and controlling spinner with a collossal 30 overs for 81 and he must have enjoyed having Smith stumped - always think that that must be the most satifying way of getting a spinners wicket.  Other bowling performances are discussed below.  It's either flurry of wickets time tomorrow or batting twice I think.  If the pitch plays the same way for both sides this could be a huge score draw but Ali is dangerous and wanting to get his name in the papers so we shall have to wait and see.  the weather for Friday isn't looking too clever so as long as we don't lose it with the Willow again this should be an honourable draw - but we are always liable are we not?  Let's see how Day 2 goes.  Thanks to the boys below - more welcome because my jalopy won't get me there until Saturday at the earliest.   Enjoy if you go - spend money and support - Bath needs to remain part of the Somerset calendar!

Courtesy of  "CerdicPhil"

Quite a decent crowd down there despite the grey skies (which turned to sunshine as soon as lunch was called).


...Nixon and Blackie came on and exterted a bit more pressure. Nixon in particular was getting somewhat steamed up. He had Singh (I think) dropped at first slip by Holloway (he looks tiny compared to the rest of them) while I was there and according to a couple of the old folks around there'd been a couple of other chances off him earlier. He also nearly had both batsman out playing on at least once but they got a bit lucky. He was smacked for a 6 by Peters and responded by bunged down some hostile bouncers and irascible stares. Basically he either nearly got them out or went for 4 (or 6).

Blackie looked pretty good as well, quite tight with no chances but getting close. Him and Nixon paired seemed to work quite well but still no wickets.

Courtesy of  "North Somerset"

A couple did fly through slips off Nixon as you say Phil but I thought Francis was the pick of our bowlers today before lunch although its true that Nixon got steamed up in,I think,his third spell.In all honesty though they were well in control and I thought that Singh batted wonderfully well,credit where credit's due.There wasn't an appeal until quarter of an hour before lunch either if I remember correctly which speaks for itself.

All in all though a good day out as always at Bath and a reasonable crowd despite the early poor weather forecast, although top marks should go to those 'supporters' in the tent adjacent to the Team Bath flag who managed to perfect the technique of watching the cricket with their backs to the actual playing area for a large part of the morning session only for the majority of them to disappear altogether after 1-15.Fair dues though to the Wyverns and Friends of Bath whose tents were absolutely jammed packed with true Somerset supporters.

Nice to see Mr Holloway again today and good luck to him when we come to bat.I hear his century at Bristol for the seconds was rather impressive so let's hope he can carry that forward as I think we are going to be needing someone to get a big one.

One final thought,and I have it every year at Bath,just who did pass the planning permission for that Sports Centre???