The Cricket Thread

Thank you Middlesex and thank you Leicestershire so far.

 

Will be a bit embarrassing if Hants fail to pick up a single point, which is on the cards at the moment.

 

To be honest, this innings gives me hope of us saving the game. If we'd bowled them out for, say, 270, it would have felt like either we were way under par or they were way over par - but either way, that we'd need a miracle to save the game.

However, if conditions have totally changed such that we now have a 600 plays 500 type pitch (like the one which even Leicester managed to comfortably draw on, after being about 300 behind on first innings), that gives us a better chance of getting a draw. We can almost forget that our first innings ever existed.

Still a very tough ask of course.

 

James Hildreth becomes the highest run-scorer in County first-class cricket still playing, and the 4th highest in Somerset history.

 

A substantial opening partnership would be a great help to not expose the middle order to a newish ball but it needs both of them to make a good score.

 

Doesn't justify being bowled out for 92 but it was obviously a horrendous toss to lose.

 

We've got a bonus point!

 

So in the space of under two days, there's been a 105, a 92, an 87 and now a 74.

 

I wonder what odds you could get on Kent winning the title?

 

Gloucs' own poor showing with the bat could well mean that we somehow come out of this round still top. They've just got their 2nd batting point, so I make it that we have 59 and they have 58. But they do still have three wickets, and 54 overs, to potentially add more batting points.

(Also of course depends on the actual outcomes of all three matches.)

 

Nice start. But then again, it wasn't these two who did the damage on Thursday...

 

Have we had a 50 opening partnership yet this season?, time to try another option.

 

What options? I would certainly be for Alsop opening when Donald comes back but there's no evidence to suggest Organ will do any better than Weatherley.

 

You don't know until you try, it's not working as it stands. what about Cameron Steel?

 

Steel got dropped by Durham during 2019. He only appeared in 3 matches for them in the Bob Willis Trophy last year, and made scores of 1, 1, 0, 9 and 11.

 

So why have we signed him?....didn't he make a ton against Surrey for us?

 

The middle order getting exposed to the new ball too early, this game is done now.

 

Emergency injury cover. Same reason why we signed Shafayat back in about 2012, and Harinath back in 2019. Players who have played FC cricket, and who we would prefer to turn to in the case of an emergency rather than an academy player.

In his only match for the 2nds so far, Steel made 35 and 6*. He didn't even play in the most recent 2nd match.

He's 25, and we're his 4th county already.

 

After getting a first innings lead of 89 by dismissing Somerset for 268, Middlesex have collapsed since lunch to 85-7. Somerset have bowled very well, considering Lewis Gregory has had to be replaced by Jack Brooks after a positive PCR test.

Anything less than 200 should be chaseable, but we’ll see.

 

Middlesex 117 ao. Craig Overton 5-34, just magnificent.

Somerset have 207 to chase.