Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

What a beautiful day down at Taunton Vale yesterday, watching Somerset play their final warm up match before the real action starts on Thursday.

At the Vale, Somerset were taking on a Cardiff University XI in a three day game, and I was quite happy sitting there with a few ciders watching Trescothick and Co smash the ball to all parts of the ground, thinking to myself, what could be better than this (answers on a postcard please). Plus when the cider kicks in, we do start to talk absolute bollocks; a couple of quotes from yesterday: “Compo makes an ordinary bowler look good!”; “Who is this bowling pies for Cardiff? First names Peter Ian Edward, surname: Chucker!”

Reading the papers this week, there have been some interesting reviews of the forthcoming season, predictions, who’s going down, players to watch etc. The interesting on for me is the article in Wisden Cricketer magazine.

In this publication they asked the coaches various questions about the new season, and it seems that they think Somerset is going to win the lot. So as per normal, I’m putting on my annual bet for The Set to win all three competitions, and with a little persuasion, a couple other have joined in the agony or hopefully ecstasy of the 2011 season.

One who’s articles I have enjoyed reading is Steve James of The Daily Telegraph, this guy talks some sense, and on the odd occasion has written a piece which I have talked about some days before, some examples:

·         Simon Jones – Steve wrote this piece in January while Simon was playing for his new county Hampshire in the Caribbean T20 competition. I ha already said something along the lines, that Jones is doing well, and the way he is bowling could be in for an England recall, an low and behold, Steve  puts an article in The Telegraph.

·         Cricket to the Cricketers – One of my bug bears, people who come in with loads of money and then try to run the club and pick the sides. These guys no nothing about the sport the pump money into. To be fair to Steve he wrote an article about Glamorgan and how the people with money are ruining the club, and he is right in what he says.

·         More recently, Steve wrote about the World Cup, and he mentioned why didn’t Mendis play in the World Cup final for Sri Lanka. I think I tweeted that a couple of days earlier.

Anyway, it is 10.57, time for a pint and will see you at the County Ground on Thursday, usually not far from the Old Pavilion!