Somerset 2021

Off we go. Annoyingly at Lords when we can't attend. Prospects? Batting poor last year, often rescued by lower order, but bowling was superb. Loss of JOverton more than Bess could be a weakness. COverton and the underrated Davey will be relied on.

Record v Middlesex must be one of the poorest around. 25 wins and 85 defeats in 163 first class games. Let's see.

This really should be the season when you go one better and finally join the champions club. Yes you’ll definitely miss Overton, not so sure about Bess now that the ECB have finally cottoned on to your pitches policy. De Lange should prove to be a good signing and Abell seems to get better each year as captain. Good luck!

Entertaining first day with both teams having good periods. Really pleased for Robbo who’s had a tough few seasons. Surprised by Somerset’s dropped catches but the temperature was probably to blame. Leach showed what an excellent bowler he is at this level.
Hopefully Murts will enjoy himself when we bowl. And beware of Bamber if he bowls like he did in the warm ups.

comrade powell wrote:And beware of Bamber if he bowls like he did in the warm ups.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you....

3-5 off 8 overs.

Middx allowed to get at least 100 too many.  
Som need 38 from the 10th wicket pair to avoid follow on (if rule is still 150 behind ).  All very sad

It's a 4 day game, but resting yr strike force with um 38 overs till the new ball? Didn't they want to make a decision on the follow on?

Think you should be more concerned about your batting than our bowling...

Somerset need 285 in 5 sessions so time not a problem but Middx are favourites and ought to win by about 100 runs.

As always I hope you’re right!

comrade powell wrote:As always I hope you’re right!

I usually am but this time...

FREE live coverage - https://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/match-centre - I will miss the afternoon session. Hopefully I will be able to watch after tea.

To project the live coverage to a smart TV I find it is impossible to do from the Somerset Match Centre but works perfectly from the original You Tube broadcast.

Well played Somerset for a remarkable win. We totally bottled that.

Well. Turning points were avoiding the following on and Middlesex perhaps assuming 250 plus was good enough lead. 4th day conditions were decent also. And we have plus points on the board. 9 games to go. Hampshire might be the team to beat or finish behind.

Must be frustrating for Robson but he was aided by Hildreth spilling a routine slip chance when he had only a handful of first innings runs to his name. Lewis Gregory had an excellent match

Catching up on the afternoon session from You Tube.
Excellent all round game from Lewis. He played for the village near where I was born.

Surprised Middx were so defensive in that session. If they had kept two slips they would have had Bartlett just after lunch...then it might have been a different game.

Quiet on here these past few days....

Just part of the life of being a Somerset supporter, one rollercoaster after another.

We should start a European Super Cricket League, cant wait to be 2nd in that.

Thought the Conference system was supposed to give all teams, including Middx, a chance of winning it. Seems to be only one team who have played 2, lost 2.....

Keep to the subject of this thread please!

Will be interesting to see which teams qualify for which second stage. This division is looking easier to predict than the other two. Will I be correct?

Hampshire, Surrey / Somerset, Glos / Middlesex, Leics

Why do Leics have 12 players for their second innings? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO49957 - Generosity of Somerset?

Patel is currently batting but did not bat first innings.  

Marcus Harris, Hassan Azad, Harry Dearden, Colin Ackermann(c), Lewis Hill, Harry Swindells(wk), Ben Mike, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wright, Dieter Klein, Gavin Griffiths, Rishi Patel.

Patel is a concussion substitute for Ackermann who was struck while standing at slip. Apparently the ball deflected off of another fielder.

Close said to Holding "next over I'll head the ball for 6" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD0uglDlJVM - Bill Alley warns Holding that the ball will be damaged.  

So Somerset v Middlesex next week to stay in the hunt for the 2nd place. Hampshire look to be forging ahead at the top.

Group could level up given the control that Surrey and Leicester are exerting. Middx still in front as we, again, rely on the lower order to give us a decent total.

Unfortunately our catching was as dreadful as yours. The forecast suggests the weather on days three and four will be better than today’s but unless you collapse in the morning a draw must be the favourite. But after what happened at Lord’s nothing will surprise me...