What a crazy attempt for a single, Swindells better make sure he stays out there a long time and let his Captain cool down a bit!
It'll be interesting how long we keep these two on for. Not just because the new ball isn't too far off, but also enforcing the follow-on in due course must be quite high up in Vince's thinking. I'm sure there's the temptation to use them both to blow the tail away. But unless Vince wants to bat again, that might not be wise.
Last year I thought was the first time that we used Crane correctly in red ball cricket. And one innings into this season, we're doing likewise. Bring him on when wickets have fallen, and it's the lower-middle order and tail batting. Keep him away from the top order. Let Dawson (or Organ last year) do the donkey work/holding role. Against the top order, they can usually just sit in and wait for the bad ball. That then sees Crane's confidence drop, and the bad balls become more frequent. And the cycle spirals. But against lesser batsmen, who can't pick him, he can get himself into a grove. He blew away 6 to 10 last season.
Think you can chase down 285? Unlike Somerset, Middlesex haven't got a spinner, so for variation alone I hope Somerset can do this.
I am not quite up to date as you, but as Somerset play the more exciting cricket, or have done for the past decade compared with Middlesex, let's hope they can do it. And Somerset and Hampshire are the two to progress.
Tom Lammonby not exactly living up to his billing in this game. If Somerset play anything like last season, it will be the lower order that get the runs though.