Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

This time of year I face a massive dilemma. This particular quandary is cricket related, but nothing like whether I should play again this season, do I need to get a new bat for the woodworm to enjoy, nothing like that. It is how shall I place my bet on Somerset to win things this season?

For the past four seasons I have done various different types of bet on Somerset to win things, usually outright winners. However for 2011, after so many near misses, instead of backing Somerset to win, I done them each way which turned out well, as you know, always the bridesmaid etc…..

So after last year’s each way patent my problem for this year is whether to carry on doing Somerset each way, or will they now go that one step further and actually bring some silverware back to Taunton.

After trawling through various bookmaker websites (plus looking for any indicators for Cheltenham), it is very noticeable that The Cider Boys are highly fancied this season, either favourites or second favourites in all competitions with all bookies.

So let’s have a look at each competition individually and see what will be value for money:

1. The CB40. Somerset are in a tough group, lets make no bones about it. They have to face last year’s winners Surrey, beaten semi-finalist Durham, along with Hampshire, Nottinghamshire, Welsh Dragons (WTF? Ok Glamorgan) and Scotland. With only the top team qualifying for the semi-finals, plus the best placed runners-up out of the three groups, this isn’t going to be easy.

With all these teams capable of beating each other (apart from, dare I say it, Scotland), coming top of the group is an absolute must, as I think the best place runner-sup will come from one of the other two groups.

The bookies haven’t a clue who is going to win this one, the odds reflect this. Somerset, along with Surrey are favourites, both at best 8-1.

So what to do about my bet, well, I just don’t know.

2. The FLT20. Clear favourites for this competition, at best 7-2, with Surrey second favourites at 8-1. It is not hardly surprising with firepower Somerset have in their line up, plus a little known West Indian called Chris Gayle. The competition is sometimes a lottery, but that just adds to the excitement, will Somerset win, well the bookies think so. 

3. The County Championship. Will Somerset ever get this monkey of their back? In 2010, they were 8-1 to win the competition, and to be fair, they should off won it. 2011, nearly every pundit and bookmaker made them favourites, and they couldn’t hardly win for toffee in the first part of the season. Lancashire went on to win the Championship thanks to a great April and May.

So what is install for 2012? Vernon Philander. If this guy can take a hatfull of wickets for the first two months of the season while he is here, then I can’t see Somerset losing too many games. He has been taking wickets for fun for South Africa since his debut in November last year against the Aussies, taking 35 Test wickets at 14 a piece; four five wicket hauls plus a 10 wicket haul in just five Tests is not that bad is it? As for his first class record, 297 wickets at just under 20, wow! Let’s hope he can transform this form onto a Taunton track.

The County Championship is going to be a tough one this season, the bookies have made Durham favourites at 4-1, with Somerset second (9-2) and not much between Lancashire (5-1), Warwickshire (6-1), Nottinghamshire (6-1) and Surrey (7-1). So you can see it is going to be close.

Outcome: This is the one all who support, follow, play, used to play, backroom boys and girls, administrators, chief executives, cooks, waiting staff, grounds men, well in fact anyone associated with the Somerset want.

To win just once, that will be enough!

One thing for sure, 2012 will be another rollercoaster season, and at the end of it some silverware would be wonderful. As for my bet, I think I may do a win Patent, or should I do them each way? Anyone want to join in this fun?

As for Cheltenham this week, I think Willie Mullins will have a good one.

Ok, it’s 10.57, time for a Thatchers I think.