Cricket 2015

[Alistair20000]

Saw bits of the Somerset game on the TV's around the Ageas last night as Hampshire finally got their act together to give Surrey a bit of a thrashing. Would have been an even heavier defeat if Arafat had performed better. 3 overs of utter dross but with three spinners and big boundaries Surrey never looked like chasing down a big score (15 over par) after the early loss of wickets. An impressive debut from an 18 year old leg spinner Mason Crane who bagged the 2 key wickets of Sangakkara and Solanki. With Briggs and Smith bowling well too there were 12 overs of spin for only 73 runs. In contrast Surrey bowled only 6 overs of spin and the Hampshire batsmen tucked into James Burke and the Currans. Possibly a couple of dodgy umpiring decisions with Ansari caught behind on a weak appeal; we did not think he hit it. Burns LBW when we think he did hit it. Very average behaviour from Roy when he got out. Clean bowled to full toss after a horrid swipe. He may have thought it was over waist height and showed dissent before rearranging the furniture in the Surrey dressing room.

Back to Somerset: nothing less than winning all of their final 3 games will give them any hope of a Q/F slot and that will depend on other results.

 

[RedPaul]

Thanks for the report Al - said I wasn't confident!

Roy has developed a bit of a sulk when out. Either lingering, repeatedly smacking bat into his own pad in frustration or at best walking off at 0.01 mph. Think Sir Alec needs to have a strong word.

4 day game against massively inconsistent Kent next before the Cidermen make the trek to the big smoke on Friday night. Expect Stevens to take 10 wickets and score 150.

 

[Alistair20000]

Thanks for the report Al - said I wasn't confident!

Roy has developed a bit of a sulk when out. Either lingering, repeatedly smacking bat into his own pad in frustration or at best walking off at 0.01 mph. Think Sir Alec needs to have a strong word.

4 day game against massively inconsistent Kent next before the Cidermen make the trek to the big smoke on Friday night. Expect Stevens to take 10 wickets and score 150.

I think Surrey would have a much better chance against Kent in the 4 day format rather than the T20 at present. They have secured their Q/F slot today. It looks as if one of Somerset or Surrey will be eliminated after the Friday game.

 

[Jason H]

Rain the last two days has scuppered any chance of a result at Merchant Taylors (I took about 1/35 off 11 overs with a pulled muscle last time I played there) between Middx and Somerset.

 

[Alistair20000]

Rain the last two days has scuppered any chance of a result at Merchant Taylors (I took about 1/35 off 11 overs with a pulled muscle last time I played there) between Middx and Somerset.

Yep, the rain has messed this game up. Judging by the scorecard and reports it does not seem too easy to bat on the current pitch. Somerset have failed to get any batting points and are bowled out now. Hard to see a positive result now unless Middlesex are bowled out for about 100.

 

[Jason H]

Middx gunning hard for a declaration, planning by the looks to leave Somerset 40 overs to get 200 odd on a difficult track in gloomy conditions.

EDIT: 132/6 declared, Somerset require 219 off 40.

 

[Greyhound]

Pretty good declaration, as it turned out.

 

[Jason H]

Close run thing in the end, shame about all the rain.

 

[RedPaul]

Interesting day at the Oval. Surrey started and ended the day 1 down - 20 wickets for 280 odd in between. Had Burke caught Billings before he had made 10 on the first day the game might be over by now but hopefully we can knock off the 121 more needed tomorrow and keep the pressure on Lancs / the gap to the Welsh.

 

[RedPaul]

Good win wrapped up - always nice to do the double over Kent. Lancs still have to play Glamorgan twice so feeling a little more optimistic we might make it out of Div 2 and we only have 1 game in the next 5 weeks so a chance to get the injury list down, although the kids have done really well. Schoolboy Sam Curran with 8 for on day-booo the latest to shine.

Dernbach is, er, back for tomorrow night's loser-goes-out game so be afraid Cidermen