Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Champions League, we’re having a laugh, Champions League, we’re having a laugh….! Are you watching you cheating Foxes? Taxis to the airport for Leicester!

Yes, Somerset are now in the Champions League proper and Leicester failed to qualify. After the disappointment of Lord’s last Saturday, the boys flew to India almost immediately, without Craig, Jos and Marcus, to play two qualifying games for the Champions League.

They Set hit the ground running with victory over firstly against the Auckland Aces and the secondly against the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, Brett Lee, Jacques Kallis et al.

The victory against the Aces came of the very last ball, with Alfonso (The Fonz) Thomas smacking the ball over the infield for a single to win the game and to avoid that much dreaded one over eliminator.

Peter Trego came into his own against the Knight Riders almost carrying his bat on his way to a magnificent 70, only to be run out off the final ball of the innings. Somerset coach Andy Hurry said Trego's innings was "the best he's ever played".  His knock, with support from Roelof van der Merwe, who hit a quick fire 40, enabled Somerset to set a competitive 166.

The Knight Riders fell 11 runs short and Somerset qualified undefeated, along with, ironically, Kolkata who finished as best runners-up. They now have games against South Australia, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Warriors and first up will be a rematch against Kolkata.

After being absolutely dejected after last week’s loss at Lord’s (seen Somerset in nine finals now and only seen them win twice), qualifying for the Champions League proper has given me a new sense of excitement. Especially with Somerset playing against the best India, South Africa and Australia can throw at them in this format of the game – a lot of counties will be looking at The Set with some envy I would expect. I have even marked out my diary for the next few weeks and have cancelled all appointments!

This season’s first class averages do not make good reading, with only Tres making any sort of impact in the tables. Tres has been named as county cricket's Most Valuable Player for the 2011 season and named PCA player of the year at a recent award ceremony, some comfort, but hardly surprising as he smashed over 2,500 runs.

Averages are all important for a villager cricketer, as I would testify. I do wish, however, my bowling average was my batting average and vica versa, I would be one hell of a village cricketer. I do think that I managed double figures for batting only twice over the years I have played for Stowey, both of those seasons I was captain and guess who worked out the averages!!!!

The great Don Bradman has the best Test average by some margin, averaging 99.94, and the closest guy to him is on 60! The Don would off averaged 100 if Eric Hollis didn’t get him out for a duck in his final Test match, because of this achievement Warwickshire named a stand after Hollis!

Over Stowey’s annual presentation evening is getting nearer, the greatest dilemma for me is what to have to eat and, of course, who am I going to be sitting with so I can bore the pants of them all night. There are plenty of awards which are handed out that evening. For me the most important one is the Player’s Player award, which is voted for by the player’s themselves. I would usual vote for Gary Thomas, but as he has been absent for most of the season, I have to think of someone else; looks like I’ll be voting for myself then!

Well, it’s 10.57, time for a pint and with more cricket in TV this afternoon, England and Somerset, I’ll know what I’ll be doing later!

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

The journey home from Lord’s on Saturday evening was probably the longest trips home I have had from any final. How many more times? How many more lesson’s are there to be learned? - I must not drink all my cider by Membury Services on the way up and have none for the return trip – huge lesson to be learned! It’s no wonder cricket commentator’s and journalist’s describe the supporters of The Set as cider laden, cider fuelled etc.

Yes, four litres of Thatchers Gold disappeared by 8.00am, and had to tackle lager on the way home, but not just any ordinary larger, Stella! Plus a few G&T’s and a bottle of wine just to kill my taste-buds once and for all!

I think the boy’s from Taunton St Andrews CC gave it a good go as well, but I did see quite a lot of Natch being taken off the coach when we returned back to Taunton.

The perennial losers Somerset, as described in much if the media this morning, did not deserve to win yesterday, never enough runs to defend, and if Jos didn’t perform I’m sure we would have been in the local bars a lot earlier or even a trip to The Griffin may have been I order!

Having won the toss, or skipper Marcus decided to have a bat first. Now I’m not a man to be telling Marcus what to do (not fit to lace his boots!), as I’m sure the hierarchy in the Somerset camp would have discussed what they would do if they won the toss. But surely history would have told them to stick in the opposition at Lord’s in September, when conditions suit the bowlers. Plus the added fret of rain does tend to help the side when Duckworth / Lewis kick’s in.

I even heard the great (sic) Martin King of Bagborough rumbling on in one of the bars at the Nursery End saying things like: “Might as well go home now, as Somerset are batting!”

Well the crux of it all was that Somerset did not score enough runs, despite the best efforts of Jos (who’s one of us) Buttler, and Surrey ran out comfortable winners by five wickets.

So Lord’s, my sixth visit (have only seen Somerset win their once, perhaps I’m a Jonah!), and every time I walk down the Wellington Road outside of the Nursery End, I get this little tingle of excitement. Lord’s can best be described as the last bastion of Englishness, the Empire, the Commonwealth or whatever!

It is very unique to say the least, just walking around the ground before the game and at the innings break you get a massive sense of tradition, just by peering into the Long Room you can feel and almost touch it. However the members are just a different breed of people all together, no wonder Ian Botham has no time for them!

So my memories of Lord’s 2011, well there are a few:

• The stubbornness of stewards when it started to rain.
• Rob Key autographing my flyer when I wanted him to take it to the press box to get a mention on TV.
• JJ from St Andrews CC not wanting to do a song as we don’t sing in tune!
• Jade (girl’s name) Dernbach getting a bit heated with Alfonso and subsequently the Somerset supporters after.
• Picking out four horses in the morning, not putting a bet on, and then discovering that all four win!
• The chicken tastes like rubber (not that I’ve eaten rubber!).
• Meeting up with a few old Over Stowey players, the likes of Dave Richardson and Alan Prowse (Steve Darch was somewhere in the ground I was assured!).

What next for Somerset. Well they fly to India today (Sunday) attempting to qualify for the Champions League proper, without Marcus, Jos and Craig. If they qualify, the Champions League will start in earnest straight after – more agony rather the ecstasy I expect.

After, well a lot of sole searching and hopefully some big decisions will be made so as to get Somerset over the finishing line, so as not to be continuously labeled as bridesmaids. Questions will have to be asked about the future of not just the players who have under performed, but the whole structure from top to bottom, even Brian Rose must ask himself questions about his role, has he taken the side as far as he can and it now needs a new man at the helm.

Andy Hurry must continue in his role as Head Coach, but he does need fresh blood around him within the coaching team, and possibly players as well. Am not exactly asking for a cull, but runners-up in six competition’s in three season is not what the patient Somerset supporters want, as it is now wearing a bit fin.

My biggest concern is will we keep hold of Jos Buttler? I’m sure counties with more financial clout will be waving their cheque books at him, asking him to name his price. Especially with Somerset having the luxury of two quality wicket-keeper’s, I’m afraid two into one does not go!

Expect big announcements at Taunton over the next few months.

Just a few other things:

• Congratulations to Lancashire for winning the County Championship, fully deserved, best side / unit and it was proved at the end.
• Why do England keep on picking Ravi Bopara when he has done his best to throw away the game by throwing his wicket away at crucial times? Players such as Hussey, Dhoni, and Kallis would have seen their team home.
• Over Stowey’s season is now at an end, with the 2^nd XI finishing off their fixture schedule on Saturday.

Lastly, I would like to thank the guys from Taunton St Andrews CC, especially Richard Brice, for an enjoyable trip to London. The Glamorgan team coach was a bit special, and it was never going to be used by them anyway!

Oh well, it’s 10.57, time for a pint to cure this massive hangover and think about the winter months!

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Arrest stops play. Mother is held on pitch – a headline from the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday which caught my attention this week. The story is of simmering tensions between a local mother and the cricket club which spilled onto the pitch as she protested of balls flying into her back garden. She was subsequently arrested and was given a penalty notice for public disorder and being verbally abusive.

The lady in question, along with her husband, only moved to the village of Bearsted Green, in Kent, some five years ago and has since been locked in a long-running dispute with the cricket club since they bought their £1.2 million property facing the village green.

How wonderful they must have thought when they found this ideal property in a beautiful village, as the moved from the city. Unfortunately lady, my views, along with most others I would think, is that cricket has been played on that village green since 1749 and you come waltzing in from nowhere and try to get it stopped – oh dear! Only one winner there I think.

The funny thing about this story is that two of the cricketers are policeman who subsequently handcuffed her as she remonstrated on the pitch; now the matter is in the hands of her Solicitors. Now if they had done their job correctly in the first place, wouldn’t they off pointed out the fact the property is bang opposite a village green where cricket is played. Or surely the couple would of noticed that themselves when they visited the property before the purchased the place.

A similar thing happened to Over Stowey while they played a tour fixture away to Marldon in Devon some 20 years ago. If you don’t know Marldon, it’s a lovely little village just outside of Paignton, and has everything any village would have – church, quaint cottages, a Post Office, a wonderful pub, a local cricket club and people who move in from the cities who try to change things without thinking about it.

This couple from London purchased this property right next to the cricket ground, in fact on cow corner (target practice!), and balls do end up in their garden. Marldon Cricket Club to their credit has erected a net to minimize the problem, but the odd one does get over. On this particular afternoon Stowey’s Phil Rich was in full flow, smashing the ball to all parts of Marldon, one even went through the pub window and landed in someone’s Sunday dinner!

However Phil’s favourite shot is over cow corner (no disrespect there Phil), and unfortunately more than a few balls ended up in this city boy’s garden. He came over to remonstrate, but this fell on deaf ears as he was told in no uncertain terms to go back to London!

Lord’s – ticket purchased, coach booked, cider in the fridge and bridesmaid dress at the ready! Surely this is now Somerset’s time to win a final after losing in the last four they played in the past three seasons. I see that some bookmakers have made Surrey favourites to win, which is quite understandable the way the qualified. Saying that Somerset was clear favourites to beat Leicestershire in the T20 final and we know what happened there, Ken Pook put £30 on Leicester to win!

With the elusive County Championship quest now over (where are these experts who said Somerset would win it at the start of the season), after Somerset lost to Yorkshire and both Warwickshire and Lancashire winning, the best position Somerset can hope for is fourth. Making things difficult for Lancashire next week must be high on the agenda for Somerset, especially with Cup Final places up for grabs.

As Somerset can’t finish any higher than fourth my 2011 bet looks a bit desperate. However a win on Saturday and I will have a small profit, which, after last season is better than a kick in the shins!

Have you noticed how the critics have gone all quiet about Alastair Cook’s captaincy? When he was appointed the knives were out for him, saying things like “he wouldn’t even get in my one day side”, or “he has never made a one day ton”; well all I have to say is where are those critics now?

His form as ODI captain has been more than good, with eight wins out of 11 games played, scoring at nearly run a ball and averaging over 60. Cook will be England’s next Test captain when Andrew Strauss decides to call it a day (probably after the next Ashes series), so why not make him ODI captain, great experience and a cracking batsman as the last 12 months have proved (he has even hit two sixes!).

Over Stowey’s season is all but at an end, with the 1^st XI playing their last game on Saturday when they visited Hinkley Point. Scoring a competitive 195 off their 40 overs, Stowey seemed to posted a good total; however Point knocked them off with overs to spare, giving them a fighting chance of avoiding relegation.

The 2^nd XI has the dubious honor of playing the last game of the season, when they entertain West Monkton on Saturday. Best of luck to Carl Woodley’s boys on Saturday, sign off with a win and we can then turn our attention to the presentation evening and who is going to win the Hole in the Hand award – a lot of candidates this year I think.

Well, it is 10.57, time for a pint and for those of you travelling to Lord’s next week, I’ll see you in the Tavern Bar, I’ll be the one wearing the bridesmaid dress!

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Who saw Jos Buttler’s England debut on Wednesday? How many times did he touch the ball? How long was he padded up for? How nervous did he look? It was a shame he didn’t feature as it was an exciting 20/20 match, the only thing he done was to receive his England cap! Unfortunately it was England’s two worse players in Ravi Bopara and Samit Patel to see England home.

Harsh you may think calling Bopara and Patel rubbish, but they are. I have no doubt that Bopara has a lot of talent, his first-class career statistics prove this; however his international figures don’t come up to the mark. He looked like a rabbit in the headlights as he watched Eoin Morgan, from the non-strikers end, who was taking the Indian attack apart for fun, poor old Ravi couldn’t even get the ball of the square (must have had a bat manufactured by Mark Sortwell!).

As for Patel, well he hasn’t even taken a wicket in a 20/20 international, and his economy rate is over ten, as for the batting, the only thing he did was to edge England to victory!

It was a good job the rain fell at Chester-le-Street on Saturday, as England had a bit of a mountain to climb if they were going to beat India in the first ODI. It does look like the selectors have come to their senses in leaving out Bopara, however Patel still played and went for just over four an over in his ten that he bowled – is he starting to prove me wrong?

I do expect Jos benefited from the experience for being with England, the whole set-up etc. I’m also sure that he is in the future plans of the England hierarchy and Somerset better start to make plans without him; however they will get rewarded financially.

As well as losing both Buttler (20/20 only) and Craig Kieswetter to England, an even bigger worry for Somerset is that of the loss of Marcus Trescothick for perhaps the rest of the season. Tres turned his ankle against Essex on Monday and after the loss in the T20 final on Saturday, that was the last thing the Somerset faithful wanted to see.

Even though Somerset went on to win and secure a home semi-final against Durham today (Sunday), you could sense a muted atmosphere at the County Ground, with the word ‘Trescothick’ being uttered in every other sentence.

Do I sound gloomy? Well the defeat against the bottom side of the County Championship, Hampshire, showed how much we miss these guys and we can throw Nick Compton’s name in as well. He is one of the leading scorers in first-class cricket this season, and he is also out with an injury. With Somerset still in the remaining two competitions of the cricket season, the big game players are desperately needed, somehow I don’t think we can rely on the youngsters, even though they show a great deal of promise. 

The title was blown wide open with Lancashire losing by ten wickets against Worcestershire; the only team to take advantage of this was Durham (who now go top having played a game more) who beat Sussex as Warwickshire could only draw. With two games remaining Somerset must conjure up two victories somehow to have any realistic chance in winning the County Championship for the first time, as they are now dependant on other results going their way.

By reaching the final of our domestic T20 competition Somerset’s season has been extended by a minimum of two games; they now have to play two qualifying Champions League matches (wonder if that is on TV?), with no Buttler, Kieswetter and of course Trescothick, things look a bit daunting. However, Somerset have three players with IPL experience in their squad: Murali Kartik and Alfonso Thomas, who play for Pune Warriors, and Roelof van der Merwe, who was part of the Delhi Daredevils squad in the last edition.

If they win those games the will play in the Champions League proper, then Jos and Craig will be allowed to join the team.

These two qualifying games come straight after a potential Lord’s final, oh well, let’s see what happens today against Durham, if we do get to Lord’s I’m sure I can find a bridesmaid dress to wear!

After a very draining tour to South Devon, Over Stowey was back in action at the weekend.

The 2^nd XI was without a game, so the 1^st team had a full squad of players to choose from as they entertained champions elect Timberscombe. They gave them a bit of a run for their money. Stowey batted first and scored a competitive 162, with Jack Rich making 53 and Phil Sims chipping in with 40. In reply Stowey had Timberscombe in all sorts of trouble reducing them to 30-3, however that’s as good as it got, as the visitors knocked off the runs without losing any further wickets.

A good effort by the 1^st XI, with one game left, they have secured Division Two cricket for the 2012 season and hopefully use this season as a springboard for next year.

Well it 10.57, time for a quick pint (or two) and then off to the County Ground I must go, come on the Set, my wallet is depending on you!