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Post by emperorsuperbus on Jul 10, 2021 13:34:52 GMT
That’s what you call a collapse. Typical Middlesex based on this season. Makes next week intriguing. Gloucestershire have come back well after a bad spell. They look to be in the best position to get the second place or even first because I think Somerset will struggle next week at Surrey with all the injuries and withdrawals. If we get two points we’ll stop Surrey whatever but if we then lose then both Hampshire and Gloucestershire could both qualify. Gloucestershire probably need to lose to not qualify. Looking good for them. Should be an exciting week. As I been saying, not much play first 2 days favours Gloucestershire. The forecast is dreadful. Somerset will be okay if they bat first. If they bat second against twin spin, it could be low points haul. Glos will be stronger for this with Higgins and Cobain back. Don’t know how much longer for Dents finger, but future England star Charlesworth has played for seconds.
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Post by emperorsuperbus on Jul 10, 2021 13:36:36 GMT
Well ...Middlesex looking to have a chance of upsetting the Glums applecart, still handily placed to get a win or at the least a draw barring a sudden collapse no sooner said!! el collapso by Middlesex and lose 5 wickets for 9 runs!!! 100ov for 1 wicket till you posted. Thanks for that Losty.
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Post by lostinspace on Jul 10, 2021 16:57:31 GMT
Well ...Middlesex looking to have a chance of upsetting the Glums applecart, still handily placed to get a win or at the least a draw barring a sudden collapse no sooner said!! el collapso by Middlesex and lose 5 wickets for 9 runs!!! 100ov for 1 wicket till you posted. Thanks for that Losty. Happy to help 😊
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 12, 2021 18:51:11 GMT
The Gloucestershire v Hampshire match boiling up into an exciting match, weather permitting. Gloucestershire came back well in the last hour today but have their work cut out to avoid a defeat. Looking like a deficit of about 100 on a medium scoring pitch. Somerset did well yesterday and today. With the weakened team we did well to get over 400 with everyone making a contribution. Let’s hope the pitch wears as much as Surrey look to have planned (they elected to use an old pitch, not preparing a new one) and then playing 3 spinners. At least we have a very good spinner with Jack Leach so we should be able to get the draw we need at least. Looks likely to be a top division of Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Somerset and either Gloucestershire or Hampshire.
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Post by Nobbygas on Jul 13, 2021 5:59:54 GMT
Quick question, by why are Hampshire known as Hants? Shouldn't it be Hamps?
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 13, 2021 10:51:39 GMT
Quick question, by why are Hampshire known as Hants? Shouldn't it be Hamps? In the Domesday Book Southampton was called Hantscire. So, being the main port of the area at the time the area around Southampton was known as Hants. I think!
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 13, 2021 10:59:35 GMT
I’m watching the Somerset v Surrey match on the stream but tbh Surrey will slowly work their way to a large score unless Jack L can change it. The Gloucestershire v Hampshire match looks much better. Very exciting. I’d have though Hants in their position would have gone for the maximum batting points but they haven’t, going along at under 3 an over. Likely only to get 3 batting points but they have stopped or are looking to stop Gloucestershire getting another bowling point. Likely, after first innings that Gloucestershire will have 2 bonus, one of each and Hampshire will have 6, 3 bowling, 3 batting. When the difference before the game was 6 Gloucestershire still have a small advantage. I’m surprised that Hampshire didn’t try for 400 within 110 overs. They have to win now, though o suspect they always did. Likely to be a more exciting match than Somerset’s, although there’s still nearly two days to go and things can change.
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Post by emperorsuperbus on Jul 13, 2021 13:59:35 GMT
I’m watching the Somerset v Surrey match on the stream but tbh Surrey will slowly work their way to a large score unless Jack L can change it. The Gloucestershire v Hampshire match looks much better. Very exciting. I’d have though Hants in their position would have gone for the maximum batting points but they haven’t, going along at under 3 an over. Likely only to get 3 batting points but they have stopped or are looking to stop Gloucestershire getting another bowling point. Likely, after first innings that Gloucestershire will have 2 bonus, one of each and Hampshire will have 6, 3 bowling, 3 batting. When the difference before the game was 6 Gloucestershire still have a small advantage. I’m surprised that Hampshire didn’t try for 400 within 110 overs. They have to win now, though o suspect they always did. Likely to be a more exciting match than Somerset’s, although there’s still nearly two days to go and things can change. i think Glos have had it against that Hants bowling attack. cobain perhaps dent, certainly smith and shaw could have played, but glos management clearly saw T20 as the much bigger priority. With no Payne, shaw should have played this one, Smith too. And they persisted with Scott as front line batter. this was no match to start experimenting, simply put out your strongest options, not hand advantage to opponents. Poor selection cost Glos a Div 1 slot they just about deserved overall. also a good toss to lose. Hamps would surely have batted and got nowhere near 170 without loss in those conditions. This loss is huge blow for Glos, hard to see where their season goes from here, as they are not good enough at T20 this season to go far in that - without a few wonderful knocks from Phillips they would already be out. 50ov you would think suit them, but think again with the middle ripped out that side by the 100. my prediction is the 100 is set to feature on great flops of all time lists. Cricket lovers will hate it, others will take a peep at first and then walk away from it.
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Post by Nobbygas on Jul 13, 2021 16:22:16 GMT
Quick question, by why are Hampshire known as Hants? Shouldn't it be Hamps? In the Domesday Book Southampton was called Hantscire. So, being the main port of the area at the time the area around Southampton was known as Hants. I think! Thanks for that. It's as good an answer as anything else 😁
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 13, 2021 23:44:57 GMT
I’m watching the Somerset v Surrey match on the stream but tbh Surrey will slowly work their way to a large score unless Jack L can change it. The Gloucestershire v Hampshire match looks much better. Very exciting. I’d have though Hants in their position would have gone for the maximum batting points but they haven’t, going along at under 3 an over. Likely only to get 3 batting points but they have stopped or are looking to stop Gloucestershire getting another bowling point. Likely, after first innings that Gloucestershire will have 2 bonus, one of each and Hampshire will have 6, 3 bowling, 3 batting. When the difference before the game was 6 Gloucestershire still have a small advantage. I’m surprised that Hampshire didn’t try for 400 within 110 overs. They have to win now, though o suspect they always did. Likely to be a more exciting match than Somerset’s, although there’s still nearly two days to go and things can change. i think Glos have had it against that Hants bowling attack. cobain perhaps dent, certainly smith and shaw could have played, but glos management clearly saw T20 as the much bigger priority. With no Payne, shaw should have played this one, Smith too. And they persisted with Scott as front line batter. this was no match to start experimenting, simply put out your strongest options, not hand advantage to opponents. Poor selection cost Glos a Div 1 slot they just about deserved overall. also a good toss to lose. Hamps would surely have batted and got nowhere near 170 without loss in those conditions. This loss is huge blow for Glos, hard to see where their season goes from here, as they are not good enough at T20 this season to go far in that - without a few wonderful knocks from Phillips they would already be out. 50ov you would think suit them, but think again with the middle ripped out that side by the 100. my prediction is the 100 is set to feature on great flops of all time lists. Cricket lovers will hate it, others will take a peep at first and then walk away from it. I don’t know as much as you do about Gloucestershire. Did they not pick their strongest team for this match? If they have prioritised T20 over the County Championship then I’m astounded and perhaps they don’t deserve to qualify. And of course we have the 20/20 decider between us at Taunton as our last match. Interesting to read your take on it. Id say for most Somerset fans if not all of them the CC is the holy grail and after 5 runners-up positions over the last 10 years has become an obsession almost. The team that makes that first CC will surpass the great one day team of the 70s/80s in Somerset folklore. And tbh I couldn’t give a monkey’s for the T20, most people have forgotten about it by October and it’s usually more a case of how good are your overseas players than how good the team is. The CC is the true test. Today Somerset are fielding a weakish team because they have no choice. Injuries, England’s call ups have decimated our bowling attack with no Gregory, Overton, Abell and Davey unavailable on top of losing Bess and JOverton last year means we’re stuffed. I went out today when Surrey were 97-0 away from internet coverage and came back to find Leach taken 5-42 and de Merve 3-54 and Surrey will struggle to avoid the follow on. Fantastic Somerset performance and qualification for the next stage whatever happens. Well done the team.
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Post by lostinspace on Jul 14, 2021 12:16:40 GMT
Somerset struggling to get a positive result with a morning collpso!! 60_7 st lunch, lead if 259, good job they got the bonus points in the bag!! Glums look to be holding for a comfortable draw after looking to be in slight bit if bother last session yesterday
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 14, 2021 14:23:26 GMT
Somerset struggling to get a positive result with a morning collpso!! 60_7 st lunch, lead if 259, good job they got the bonus points in the bag!! Glums look to be holding for a comfortable draw after looking to be in slight bit if bother last session yesterday All very true but from a Somerset pov it is a good job we got the points yesterday but we could do with Hants winning, we'll take more points into Stage 2 if that happens. At least Leach and Van de Merwe making a game of it in Surrey second innings. Do you reckon Surrey will get fined for their pitch? Unlikely. Using an old pitch, signing up Ashwin for the match and opening the innings with the spinners. All a bit suspicious to me but nothing will be said.
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Post by lostinspace on Jul 14, 2021 21:48:54 GMT
Somerset struggling to get a positive result with a morning collpso!! 60_7 st lunch, lead if 259, good job they got the bonus points in the bag!! Glums look to be holding for a comfortable draw after looking to be in slight bit if bother last session yesterday All very true but from a Somerset pov it is a good job we got the points yesterday but we could do with Hants winning, we'll take more points into Stage 2 if that happens. At least Leach and Van de Merwe making a game of it in Surrey second innings. Do you reckon Surrey will get fined for their pitch? Unlikely. Using an old pitch, signing up Ashwin for the match and opening the innings with the spinners. All a bit suspicious to me but nothing will be said. A bit suspicious yes, but as a member of the " select," few, nothing will be said or likely to happen, and as you wished the Glums fell away rather tamely and Hampshire got the win 👍👍, Strong words must be going around their camp tonight!!! 😊
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jackthegas
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Post by jackthegas on Jul 15, 2021 10:37:06 GMT
All very true but from a Somerset pov it is a good job we got the points yesterday but we could do with Hants winning, we'll take more points into Stage 2 if that happens. At least Leach and Van de Merwe making a game of it in Surrey second innings. Do you reckon Surrey will get fined for their pitch? Unlikely. Using an old pitch, signing up Ashwin for the match and opening the innings with the spinners. All a bit suspicious to me but nothing will be said. A bit suspicious yes, but as a member of the " select," few, nothing will be said or likely to happen, and as you wished the Glums fell away rather tamely and Hampshire got the win 👍👍, Strong words must be going around their camp tonight!!! 😊 I think that's a bit harsh personally. Dent, van Buuren and Payne are three of their most experienced campaigners, and they were all missing for one reason or another. I thought a very young team put up a pretty good fight and looked set to hang on for a draw until Oliver Price swept a ball into the helmet of short leg. Ultimately, a first innings collapse cost them in this game, and a lack of a quality spinner probably cost them overall (although again, van Burren would have helped here). They've basically finished this part of the season somewhere between 6th - 9th in a two division set up. That would give them a decent chance of first division survival which has to be the primary aim if and when we go back to a two tier system doesn't it? I know people are more tribal than I am when it comes to cricket, and that is fair enough. Personally, given that Glos and Worcester are now in Div 2 and 3 respectively, I will be rooting for Somerset come the resumption.
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 15, 2021 13:16:05 GMT
A bit suspicious yes, but as a member of the " select," few, nothing will be said or likely to happen, and as you wished the Glums fell away rather tamely and Hampshire got the win 👍👍, Strong words must be going around their camp tonight!!! 😊 I think that's a bit harsh personally. Dent, van Buuren and Payne are three of their most experienced campaigners, and they were all missing for one reason or another. I thought a very young team put up a pretty good fight and looked set to hang on for a draw until Oliver Price swept a ball into the helmet of short leg. Ultimately, a first innings collapse cost them in this game, and a lack of a quality spinner probably cost them overall (although again, van Burren would have helped here). They've basically finished this part of the season somewhere between 6th - 9th in a two division set up. That would give them a decent chance of first division survival which has to be the primary aim if and when we go back to a two tier system doesn't it? I know people are more tribal than I am when it comes to cricket, and that is fair enough. Personally, given that Glos and Worcester are now in Div 2 and 3 respectively, I will be rooting for Somerset come the resumption. I get what you mean jack. I really try to avoid tribalism in Cricket, not needed and liking Gloucestershire as well it is a shame they didn’t do it but I’m afraid the way the rules have been constructed for this second stage, carrying forward points means that teams will get tactical. I’m fully convinced that Somerset did not force home the win at Taunton against Hampshire because they were happy for Hampshire to get a draw an extra 8 points to avoid Gloucestershire going through. Now that the final six are known and seeing the points allocated it looks like Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, not that I’m worried, have a big disadvantage. Because Warwickshire beat Nottinghamshire twice they take 21 points forward and Nottinghamshire only take 5 points into it. Lancs take 16.5 whilst Yorkshire take 4.5. Somerset take 18.5 and Hampshire 8.5. If Gloucestershire had qualified they’d have been in the same position as Somerset with lots of points and we’d have been like Hampshire, not so many. Its a real dilemma for the ECB. I think it’s fair to carry points over because the County Championship should reflect the whole season, April-September. Why should matches in April, May count any less over a season? But with these points the second stage is very loaded already. I’ll be surprised if Nottinghamshire or Yorkshire win it although I might be left with egg on my face. Already I’m thinking Somerset v Warwickshire match wherever it is will be vital. I wonder if they’ve not released the fixtures yet because they’re planning that match for a finale. I doubt it but you never know. And it will also be interesting to see what the ECB do next season. Obviously have to wait until this one’s over but if they do revert to Division 1 / Division 2 who will qualify for Division 1? Will they just go back to the end of 2019 and take that or will they factor in seasons 2020 and 2021? Whatever they do one or two counties will be upset. A real dilemma I think. As to Gloucestershire, they played very well all season and with 5 wins had more than most, including Somerset with 4. We’ve had to play the last two championship games without 4/5 of our bowlers. Against Leicestershire on a flat pitch it cost us, against Surrey we got away with it because it was a turner and we had our spinners, Leach and Van de Merwe. So the lack of pace didn’t impact as much. The work of our academy producing young players has come into its own and will do esp in the One Day Cup when we’re missing 10 front line players. It looks to me, from a distance, that Gloucestershire lacked strength in depth and lacked a couple of players, a spinner and a batsman to play all season. The lowest batting bonus points cost them and whilst they played their hearts out esp v Somerset they need to do it more and not just against local rivals. They looked to me to be solid but didn’t score heavily or sometimes fast enough. Bracey was so good in April and May and equally as poor in June and July. A real shame. But in the long run it will do them and their players a lot of good, they’ve been competitive, have shown they can beat the best (Surrey and Somerset) but were outdone twice against Hampshire and just avoided defeat the first time. They’ll need to sort out Van Burren’s visa problem and hope that their younger players benefit from the experience they have gained. They’ll be ok I think.
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Post by tenniscourtgas on Jul 15, 2021 19:47:12 GMT
Very interesting Wareham, as usual. How do I “like” a posting?, not too hot on technology. I have thought since the start of the season that Gloucestershire were short of a good top order batsmen, but the players have put up a great fight in all fixtures. I sent to the opening day of the Hampshire game, and 229 that we scored in the first innings was never going to be enough to avoid struggling for the rest of the match. Hammond has had some promising innings this season but the loss of Dent was a hammer blow, as he is always capable of getting a hundred. Bracey’s form has dipped over the last couple of months, probably the England episode has hit his confidence, and he and Dent are the mainstays of the batting. In truth, until Lace’s century yesterday, nobody else has been able to make a big score in the more recent four day games,, even both innings against Hampshire, there were plenty of twenties and thirties, but nobody was really able to go on. Phillips has been a great signing, especially in the T20 matches, and has contributed with the bat, Gloucestershire have struggled to post scores of 350- 400 , which are needed against better quality attacks, and the variety of experienced bowlers that Hampshire had at their disposal was telling. I watched the last day or two on stream, and the second innings batting was a great effort, but the damage had already been done with the first innings disappointment. However, the Price brothers look to have something about them, and batted with great determination in both the Middlesex and Hampshire games, and it did look at one point that Gloucestershire might pull off another miracle when there were only about 30 overs left. They have stayed in some games through great determination, selling their wickets dearly, and this has made them competitive, I have no idea how the powers that be, will finally work out next years four day divisions, I have enjoyed playing against the top sides, having become a little bored with playing Glamorgan, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, Leicestershire year after year., but for the first time I have felt it possible that Gloucestershire can really compete with the best four day sides. The problem with the old two division set up, was that it invariably saw Worcestershire and Hampshire yo-yo between the divisions, with one of the big sides coming down, but going straight back up, the following season. The decline of Middlesex has been very noticeable, their batting has continued to be poor, with most of their batsmen having had several seasons to produce the goods, but failing to do so. In general, it has been a very encouraging season for Gloucestershire, and I would like to think that they could bring through some young batsmen in the same way that Somerset have been able to do. Somerset must have a great chance to win the four day competition, as always, presumably several rivals will lose players to the England squad latervin
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 15, 2021 21:34:04 GMT
Tenniscourtgas, good post. In the first 5 matches Somerset scored 300+ only twice yet we won 4 of them and lost to Gloucestershire with a better first innings score. And I was certain we were a top batsman shirt of being a very good side and I thought we’d be short. Our bowlers got us out of many problems. Yet our last scores have been 69, 429, 461, 409, 360, 300, 336. Very good but in those 5 matches they were all draws! Crazy really. But the pitches have got easier as the season goes on. Devon Conway in the last 3 matches made a difference. But you are right, if your side is short of a decent batsman it will catch up with you eventually. The trouble is now that overseas players don’t come for the season, the IPL, Tours now get in the way. You don’t get the Zaheer Abbas or Viv Richards or Mike Proctor type of player giving the whole season to a County nowadays do you? So you might have to be patient and wait for a truly home grown player come through the ranks. We’ve been very patient at Somerset and the youngsters coming through is the result of a very good academy over the past 15/20 years.i
Over the past 5 years we have all said in Taunton that we were a batsman short of winning the Championship. Yet nothing was successful. We recruited a few very good overseas players but they couldn’t adapt to English conditions. Whereas your batsmen didn’t step up, except Tom Lace, our batsmen have stepped up and our youngsters, Bartlett, Banton, Goldsworthy have all had some good innings together with the older Hildreth, van de Merwe and Davies. Where we have been successful is in our lower order. In the last two matches I’ve watched we had the 8th wicket make a 170 stand, another 100 partnership for the 8th wicket and another for the 9th wicket in the next match. It seemed to me that your batting was very determined and were good at slowing the match down but used up the minutes without scoring heavily. Bracey’s match winning innings at Taunton was excellent and and in the next few matches if he can get some runs he’ll be able to go into next season with some confidence. With younger players you do get some inconsistencies but they need to be given time. I say next season if Gloucestershire can keep their best players, and why wouldn’t they, they will be better because most of the young players will get better and if they are in Division 1 they will be competitive.
I agree with what you said about the division 1/ division 2 and playing the same old teams each season. This season I looked forward to seeing some different teams and I saw Leicestershire for the first time since 2007. I actually like this competition, everyone has the chance to win it. Gloucestershire would have had a good chance had they got through because they would have had more points than Somerset. It just goes to show that the margins are very fine. If the Price brothers had been able to hang on a bit longer and they’d got a draw then you never know. But having escaped down at Hampshire with the last wicket stand Gloucestershire we’re pushing it this time! And it was obviously the matches against Hampshire that cost them. I don’t envy the ECB with deciding what to do. If we go with the two divisions which I think we will, the counties in 2019 are in a different place now than they were then but it would appear unfair not to do that.
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Post by lostinspace on Jul 18, 2021 21:20:35 GMT
With the last rounds of the T20 today Somerset overcome the Glums by 23 runs ,Glums , who needed a win to qualify for the q finals and beyond, and with a better overall run rate than Somerset were looking good after restricting Somerset in their first 10-12 overs but then Lamonby hit a rich vein and scored very well to the end , but it was the Somerset bowling who were just keeping the run rate down enough to keep their opponents in check,and the innings never really gained the momentum required ,
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 18, 2021 21:22:27 GMT
Well, that just about completes a very bad week for Gloucestershire. After Somerset were 89-5 after 14 overs they must have thought it was over esp at Taunton.
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warehamgas
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Post by warehamgas on Jul 19, 2021 8:47:15 GMT
With the last rounds of the T20 today Somerset overcome the Glums by 23 runs ,Glums , who needed a win to qualify for the q finals and beyond, and with a better overall run rate than Somerset were looking good after restricting Somerset in their first 10-12 overs but then Lamonby hit a rich vein and scored very well to the end , but it was the Somerset bowling who were just keeping the run rate down enough to keep their opponents in check,and the innings never really gained the momentum required , Having seen the Banton innings at Kent and Lammonby’s yesterday it’s hard to say which was best but in the context of our position at the time, yesterday’s probably. Absolutely fantastic knock from a player not in the best of form. But it was a match winning innings, listening to David Payne just after it he was completely shell-shocked and almost lost for words.
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