Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

999-1, the odds, at one stage during the first Test match you could of got on England to beat Sri Lanka, and win they did, by an innings, which seems the norm for England nowadays.

With all the time lost due to the bad weather and after four days the first innings was not even completed. When play started on the fifth day at about 3pm, the two overnight batsmen strode out to wicket, Bell quickly reached his ton. Looking to insert some pressure on the Sri Lankans, Strauss promptly declared with a first innings lead of only 96, and not in his wildest dreams could he, or anyone else in fact, believe Sri Lanka would crumble like they did.

Saying that, was only talking to Kai baker in the pub (surprise, surprise) before play started, and said to him: “England declare and let’s see if we can knock them over!”

A reporter to Graeme Swann:

Reporter: “Did you think you'd win this match when you turned up here at half-ten this morning?”

Swann: "I didn't get here until half-eleven."

Reporter: “We'll take that as a no!”

Now things have started to get really spooky later on in the week, when speaking to a work colleague about the new England call up, Dernbach, I said in jest about how tall the England attack would be, with bowlers quite easily over 6’2, and low and behold, an article appeared in The Telegraph the next day about the tall England attack.

Who needs experts eh? Just ask this bloke in the pub, as we know everything!

Seeing the Sri Lankan tourists over here reminds me of my trip to their country back in 2001, watching the three Test series, the cricket was of high quality, however it’s the incidents with the locals which also stand out in my mind.

I always like to use local transport, and the sub-continent is full of tuk-tuk’s, you know the little three wheeler taxis.

During the 2^nd Test in Kandy, I left the ground after the 2^nd day’s play, jumped on a tuk-tuk, haggled for a price to get me back to the hotel and off we went. During this journey back, I struck up a conversation with the driver (use that term really loosely, more like kamikaze driver), and started to talk about England, where I come from, how he has friends in England, and the conversation went on. Out of the blue, he mentioned he had two young pretty daughters and would I like to come back for tea to meet them.

I politely declined, and then they guy mentioned how much they are looking for an English husband, so they can move to England and have an education! Can’t repeat what I said after, but the rest of the journey back to the hotel was done at some speed and in silence!

There are other amusing stories to tell, things like how cheap the beer is, worked out to be the equivalent of 10p a pint, and they doubled the price for the English. Pesky beggars, so much so, one day started to talk German and they never bothered me after that. Was meant to play cricket for the England supporters against the natives, however went down with chronic diarrhoea, something I drunk, and was unable to play.

I could go on with little tales, perhaps I should write a book about it!

T20 cricket is back, and as for Somerset, the first game is one to forget against Hampshire, a repeat of last year’s final, but this time there was a bigger margin of victory for Hampshire.

The Kent, chasing just over 160, The Set chased down the target with the lost of one wicket, Tres played a bit part only scoring 64 of 74, with the South African van der Merwe leading Somerset home with 89 of just 51 balls, which included six sixes.

Now this afternoon, Middlesex, come on The Set.

I do enjoy T20 cricket, especially live games at the County Ground, great atmosphere, good company, plenty of beer and great cricket. However, the longer version of the game is still the pinnacle.

For those of you at the County Ground this Friday, look out for the guard of honour, none only than youngsters from Over Stowey. If you fancy buying me a pint I’ll be somewhere near The Old Pavilion!

Now, it felt strange on Saturday watching Over Stowey, all dressed up like a penguin, ready to go to the Charity Ball, however that didn’t dampen my enthusiasm as it was a gorgeous day, and watching Stowey win and did they win well. Chasing 193 for victory, they knocked them off with the loss of eight wickets, with over’s to spare.

Now I’m typing this as a very tired person, yes it has appeared a bit early this week, what a great ball that was.

It’s 8.57 and it’s not time for a pint, but for some Zzzzzzzz’s!