Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Oh God, will it ever stop raining? Water, water everywhere……!!! Is there such a sport called water cricket? How frustrating can things get, just ask Blagdon Hill! How I have missed the banter on the West Somerset Cricket League on Facebook.

Anyway, I hear that Somerset had only 12 players to choose from on Friday when they played against Glamorgan (whoops, the Welsh Dragons, WTF?) on Friday. So who was missing? Let me tell you: 

• Marcus Trescothick – Injured
• George Dockrell – International duty for Ireland
• Kevin O’Brien – International duty for Ireland
• Craig Kieswetter – International duty for England
• Richard Levi – International duty for South Africa
• Albie Morkel – International duty for South Africa
• Craig Overton – A Levels
• Jamie Overton – A Levels

Talk about a decimated squad, but still too good for Glamorgan, Welsh Dragons, or whatever you want to call them, mainly thanks to a fantastic hundred by Emperor Hildreth, are you watching England? I hope not, Somerset can’t afford to lose many more players, but I did see the likes of Keith Parsons and Rob Turner sniffing around the County Ground, hoping for a game were they?

Somerset remain unbeaten in this competition and they top the table. They now have against Northamptonshire and Gloucestershire coming up this week, come on Somerset. What I would like to know who exactly was 12^th man on Friday, was it Alex Barrow? And does Nick Compton know my niece has a crush on him?

On the subject of Compo, have a look at his latest Compo’s Clips, the funniest I have seen for a while, I think Steve Kirby and a certain Dan Milligan (who one day will play for Over Stowey and not in the Devon Premier League) not only look the same, but sound the same as well, enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/user/SomersetCricket

After a complete wash out last weekend, Over Stowey returned to the field on Saturday, only for both the 1st and 2nd XI’s playing half a game each, you guessed it, rain.

Over Stowey 1^st XI had league leaders, Winsford, in all sorts of trouble as they could only reach 90-5 when the rain saved their bacon. Micheal Barrow being the pick of the bowlers yet again.

As for the 2nd XI, it was to their utter disbelief that Buckland St Mary wanted to go out and bat in the pouring rain. Especially after the 2^nd XI had posted such a formidable score, with Ben Enever, Richard Duddridge, Rhys Satchell and Simon Pickard smashing the ball to all areas of the ground. But playing in the rain, I ask you!

With great sadness next week’s Sunday Supplement will the last for some eight weeks. I have a role to perform at this summer’s Olympic Games, and it is going to take up a lot of my weekends over the next two months. But Sellsy’s Sunday Supplement will be back on Sunday 26^th August – plus there may be a few Olympic Specials in-between providing I can get it past the Olympic lawyers!!!!

On that note, 10.57, time for a Thatchers – providing I can get some money out as a certain bank’s computers have failed in recent days!

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Have you ever wondered how players and officials relax after a tough days play? No, neither have I!

I do know the likes of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen enjoy a glass of wine; some of the Somerset boys, Craig Kieswetter, Jos Buttler and Nick Compton to name but three, go and find an old Over Stowey player,  namely Les Biffen, at The Swan at Kingston. Reporters, journalists and commentators tend to favour restaurants, especially when abroad. That’s all we hear about on the radio the day after!

So how do the cricketers from Over Stowey relax? Well I’ll tell you, straight up to Over Stowey Village Hall for some value for money drinking, a few jugs of cider / lager, a quick spoof, then they are joined by the WAGS!

However, it does pain me to do this, but Neil Buller and Dale Shepherd were out together on Wednesday evening after the victory against Lydeard St Lawrence, having a romantic dinner for two at The Cottage Inn, table 14 in fact, the one right by the window. There was a slight look of horror when I walked in and caught them together, only thing was missing was a lit candle!

When I first started playing, when I was about 14 yrs old, I always wanted to travel to away games with Steve and Timmy Little, usually on the back of the milk float, as I can guarantee they will call back to the local pub after a game – now that’s the way to relax after a game. After a game against Bagborough, the Little brothers had a bit more than usual to drink back at the Rising Sun, and the trip home was a bit adventurous, Bomber, Bronco and myself clung on to the back of the milk float for dear life!

Now, I mentioned spoofing and I also mentioned Timmy Little, there is a little story in which these two go together. After a friendly against Chilton Polden in which Stowey lost heavily, we all went back to the White Hart for post match drinks, we were discussing who to drop for the following week, as we had someone to come in and no one wanted to be left out. Timmy suggested that we would spoof for our places and the one who lost was dropped. Timmy, having suggested the method, promptly lost and to his annoyance had to be dropped. “Too clicky!” he remarked to everyone’s amusement!

Nowadays, I tend to sit at the end of the bar, take things in over a few pints of cider and try to talk sense, but you know how little that happens.

Now it beats me how I am writing this today, or should I say this morning, as went to the Cheese and Cider Fest yesterday, all that cheese tossing and apple smashing takes it out off you, or was it something to do with the cider. Great day, good music, and an interesting walk home across the fields!

Over Stowey’s game was called off yesterday against Bagborough, and it seems that all the Stowey players ended up down the Cheese and Cider Fest, they certainly know how to enjoy themselves. No games on Saturday, so unfortunately no roll of honour this week. But one player worthy of a mention is Micheal Barrow, who took six wickets for 13 runs in the West Somerset League Knockout Cup against Lydeard St Lawrence. With Stowey winning that game they now march on to the Quarter-Finals, now isn’t that exciting?

This has now opened up a can or worms, as the question was asked has Over Stowey won any major honours? I know the 2^nd XI have won various league titles in the lower divisions, plus the 1^st XI have come runners-up in Division Three and Two a few times, plus also the Bridgwater Wednesday Evening League there have been a few trophies handed out there. But have they ever won The League Knockout and Division One of the West Somerset League. It would be great to get this information, so if anyone knows, let me know.

Somerset are back in action today, when they take on Northamptonshire in the T20 at The County Ground. Unfortunately I am unable to attend this match, somehow after last night I may be still unfit to drive, so an afternoon watching them on TV will suit me.

Somerset won their first game in the T20 quite comprehensively against Warwickshire, with the big hitting South African Richard Levi smashing the ball all around the ground, well mainly to leg side, but who cares; he does give it a thump. After that win, it was a bit of a disappointment that the Gloucestershire game was off, but it was raining quite hard so understandable, oh well, at least we are undefeated and don’t moan about it like someone who plays for Blagdon Hill (see West Somerset Cricket League on Facebook to see what I mean).

Anyway, enough of that, it is 10.57ish and I think I will be trying a nice pint of Thatchers Gold.

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

The most essential thing about village cricket is teas. Over at Lydeard St Lawrence yesterday (Saturday), Over Stowey 1^st team had a bit of a feast. As I walked into the pavilion at Lydeard, I just help noticing doughnut and flans appearing at all angles. The 1^st team assured me that it was one of the better spreads they had this season.

Now, not forgetting our own teas at Over Stowey, Wendy put on another wonderful selection of sandwiches, sausage rolls, quiches, cake and not forgetting a nice cuppa to wash it down, well in my case a bottle of Thatchers, many thanks Wendy.

So everyone who reads this blog today, raise a glass in honour of all tea ladies up and down the country, who, without them, the cogs of society would grind to a halt, well now quite, but I think you know what I mean.

Over Stowey 2^nd’s I hear are being called in to do extra practice, especially in the art of catching. There are so many contenders for the ‘Hole in the Hand’ award and this is from just this one match. Ok Julian’s was a difficult one, but off your own bowling, I ask you. Ok, to be fair, if he didn’t get a hand on it a trip to casualty might of ensued, as I think somehow that ball might of taken his head off.

Richard Duddridge done himself no favours yesterday, admitting that he scores slower the Rhys Satchell, and this even before he went to bat. To be fair to Dudds, he did prove me right, his knock yesterday would certainly bring back the crowds to Over Stowey, well Wendy’s teas certainly would, but not sure about Dudds’ batting.

On the subject of Rhys, I believe I gave him a disservice last week, as I said he scored 20 runs of 35 overs, well in fact he knocked 27 runs of those 35 overs, even only 23 was in the score book, as he claimed that he hit a four and was put down to leg byes instead!!!!

Nice to see Barrie Buller back in the runs these past few weeks, a 50 last weekend, and another on Saturday could only mean one thing, a jug! Barrie done a great service last weekend, as he bought a jug of cider, but yesterday a jug of lager, I ask you, what would Thatchers say about that? No wonder I had a sore head this morning!

Well one to the 1^st XI who beat Lydeard yesterday, chasing down a score of 193 isn’t easy, especially yesterday, as all wickets and outfields were recovering from the bad weather earlier in the week. Phil Rich had the right idea, two jug avoidance's, taking four wickets and then took himself off, the holing out while in his 40’s.

So the roll of honour this week:

1. Barrie Buller – 1^st team – 52
2. Phil Rich – 1^st team - 4-25
3. Phil Rich – 1^st team – 40
4. Jack Rich – 1^st team - 33
5. Simon Pickard – 2^nd team – 20 not out

Whack-a-day cricket starts at the County Ground on Wednesday, Twenty20 season is here. So an early finish on Wednesday at work, walk across the road to the Ring of Bells, have a few ciders, then a stroll to in to the ground, a few more ciders, loads of sixes, may have a pork roll just to keep a balanced diet, more sixes and a snooze on the way home!

Somerset entertain Warwickshire on Wednesday in their first T20 encounter of the season. So what is going to happen this season? Surely not runners-up again? Must admit T20 is a bit of a lottery, but let’s see what happens. I now hear Somerset have signed Kevin O'Brien, now that is breaking news.

For once Somerset must thank the rain for saving them in their latest Championship match, away against Middlesex at Lord’s (not a happy hunting ground for Somerset in recent years), plus of course, not for the first time this season, the batting of Nick Compton, who held up an end, and made sure Somerset didn’t slip up. At one stage on Friday Somerset were 123 for 5, which made me chuckle.

Right, nearly time for a Thatchers, not quite 10.57, but off to see my sister for a bacon butty (I hope).

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

How Nick Compton must off cursed the rain this week as he was in touching distance in reaching 1,000 First Class runs before the end of May and be the first person to achieve this since Graeme Hick in 1988.

Somerset bowled out Worcestershire early on Day Two (May 31^st), and it looked like that Compo would get his chance to reach that milestone. After losing a wicket early, Compo walked to the crease, knowing he had the best part of two sessions to score the 59 needed. However, the weather intervened, and when he was on nine, they came off for rain and they never returned that day.

Full credit to Nick, the next day he went on to score the runs needed to take him past 1,000 runs for the season, scoring another century in the process, his fourth of the season.

The game at Worcester ended in a draw, with the combination of rain and bad light having a big say in the outcome. With Worcester on 60-4 in their second innings, and George Dockrell creating havoc with the ball spinning out of the rough, a positive result in favour of Somerset may of happened, but bad light!

But did anyone notice that a certain Craig Kieswetter took two wickets towards the end of the game on Saturday, I expect too much hilarity to the Somerset side. Somerset are still third in Division One, and a trip to Lord’s next week when they take on Middlesex.

What is surprising me so far this season is Durham. Currently rock bottom of Division One, and to make things worse not only did they lose to Lancashire, but the came away from that game with -1 points, you don’t see that very often. With all the big name players they have, the likes of Paul Collingwood, Steve Harminson, Col. Mustard, Graham Onions questions will be asked, if they haven’t already.

Right, enough of that, Kevin Pietersen retiring from all forms of international one day cricket, surprised, but after having thought about it, thanks Kev.

Now to Over Stowey; what went wrong at the weekend? Well if Phil Rich came on earlier we would have been back the Club at 6, rather than 6.45. Can someone remind me of his bowling figures… well to be fair, it is not the most difficult to remember 0.1 overs for six runs! Fetch that one!

The 2^nd XI travelled to Hemyock, in Devon and they play in the West Somerset League, and they came back empty handed, apart from a few bonus points.

One thing I did find out, there is another Mark Sortwell, namely Rhys Satchell; I am led to believe he scored 20 runs of 35 overs; now that will bring the crowds back. However in his defence, Rhys was told to stay there, so he did, and there was no other instructions given to him after that.

So the roll of honour this weekend:

1. Carl Woodley – 2^nd team – 43
2. Phil Rich – 1^st team – 31
3. Neil Buller – 1^st team – 29 not out
4. Rhys Satchell – 2^nd team – 20

Now bowlers this week, hardly surprising as they only five wickets were taken between the two sides this weekend.

Ok, let’s be positive, there is huge potential within the club, if only it could click at the same time, I am sure it will soon. There is also a lot of energy and enthusiasm, with players actually going to practice, just need to turn that ability on to the pitch in match days.

That’s enough of that. It will soon be Cider and Cheese Fest time, just under two weeks to go, what’s the betting I don’t see after 8pm?

On the subject of cider, it is now nearly 10.57, think I will try a Jubilee Thatchers!!!!