Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Just as I predicted two weeks ago, the series between India and England will be close, very close. These two teams are well matched and with England winning by ten wickets I can quite easily wallow in my forecast.

So one Test each with two to play, what will happen next? One thing for sure the two English spinners are much better than anything India have got, just goes to prove that Monty should of been picked in the first Test.

I also said (and so did Geoffrey Boycott after!) at the start of the series England will struggle in the batting department against spin. Again I have been proved right. What about Pietersen and Cook I hear you cry. Well, KP has adapted his technique and is actually playing the ball with the spin instead of trying to play against it, As for Cookie, ok, he is just thriving in his role as England skipper. He has been our most consistent batsman for years now, and now holds a very unique record of four hundreds in his first four Tests as captain.

The others, albeit Nick Compton, have just struggled. In their first innings England should off hit another 70 – 100 runs, if, like KP, they adapted their batting style. It is a good job there is a bit of a break now between this Test and the third one in Kolkata so Graham Gooch can earn his crust as batting coach.

Selection for the Test in Eden Gardens will be interesting, do England pick two seamers or do they take the risk and go down to one? The English spinners in Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar accounted for 19 of the 20 Indian wickets to fall, with Jimmy Anderson taking the other. Also, Indian spin accounted for nine out of the ten English wickets, the other being a run out. India even opened the bowling with spinners in both the English innings. So do England consider dropping the ineffective Stuart Broad and put in an extra batsman or do they stick with the same 11 (possibly Eoin Morgan in for Samit Patel)?

Captain Cook paid tribute to KP in the pre-match interviews after saying that his innings turned the game in England’s favour. Rightly he was named man of the match. Must have been close, Monty’s name must been on quite a few peoples lips, especially, as I always said (not trying to sound like Boycott), to win matched you need to take 20 wickets, and how many did Monty take?

I do have a funny feeling that us Somerset supporters won’t be seeing much of Compo next summer, he is batting very well for England, a few high scores must surely follow and his trip to New Zealand will almost be guaranteed. What next? An Ashes summer, that’s what.

On the subject of Australia, they are looking very strong at the moment, having the better of the recent Test match against the world’s number one Test side in the form of South Africa.

Michael Clarke is in cracking form, what is it now, four double hundreds this year, wow, should be compelling viewing next summer I expect, well for me it will be.

The Aussies will be visiting Taunton next summer for a four day warm-up game against the mighty Somerset. The County fixtures are out today and the tourists will be at The County Ground from June 26^th a date already in my diary.

Somerset’s start to the season looks a little tricky, with three of their opening four County Championship games being played away, the only home game being against the reigning County Champions, Warwickshire.

I am glad the fixtures committee have taken my birthday into consideration again this season, a nice CB40 home game on a Sunday, something to look forward to, with a glass of cider or two!

Anyway, the full fixture list is on Somerset’s website, and it already has my mouth watering, a trip to Lord’s early in June high on my away days list. Come on Somerset, I might even put my usual bet on now!

Right, 6.57, time for a few Thatchers before skittles.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Ok, I said last week that the Test series between India and England would be a close series by two evenly matched sides, on the evidence of England’s first innings batting performance I could not be further from the truth, but didn’t they do well in the second innings, when it was to late.

One thing I did predict it would be trial by spin, and hey, who took the most wickets in the match, spinners, and England just can’t play spin, Alastair Cook a little bit of an exception there I think. It was proved last winter against Pakistan, and it is beginning to be proved again in India.

Questions have also been asked about why Monty Panesar wasn’t playing? Especially in the sub-continent where pitches are well suited for spin bowlers. Monty may off helped Graeme Swann out a little, but please look at Swann’s figures, he did take five wickets in the first innings, but went for nearly 150. I would Expect Monty would of gone for more runs, as the Indian batsmen are just so used to playing spin. I still think India would off hit over 450 if Monty was in the side, and the way England batted in the first innings I still think they would off lost, and it just proves a point about who can play spin the better.

Leaving Broad out would have been a better option, as he is just not match fit. Playing an extra batsman in perhaps Jonny Bairstow and Monty in may off given a better balance, but now it is all if’s and buts.

However next Test, England will need to gamble, Ian bell is flying home, Bairstow in, or will it be Eoin Morgan. Just drop Samit Patel and send him on the same plane home with Bell. Jimmy Anderson and Tim Bresnan as the seamers, with Monty coming in as a replacement for Patel. Which leaves another batting space if England just drop Broad. Are you still with me on this? In fact whole sale changes, press the panic button, but they have to gamble in this next Test or they could be two down with two to play.

Ok, enough about that. Well played Cookie, and well played Nick Compton. Somerset are proud of you Nick the way you applied yourself in the second innings, a great opening partnership of 123 with the skipper, just wished the other batsmen followed suit.

The next Test I on Friday, can’t wait, another early start, the things I do for English cricket eh?

Right, time for skittles an a pint of Thatchers or two!

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

This Thursday sees that start of the Test series between England and India, being played, off course, in India. This much anticipated series will see two quite evenly matched sides take part in a four Test series.

India, no doubt, will start as favourites to win, purely because they have home advantage, but England will fight like tigers not only to win in India for the first time since I can remember, but also take a giant step forward to regain the number one Test team in the world, which was taken off them by South Africa back in the summer.

England has one massive hurdle to overcome if they are to succeed against India, which is to play spin; we all know what happened last winter against Pakistan. The answer? No idea. Perhaps rotate the strike, score off the bad balls, and frustrate the Indians. Now I could be head coach, couldn’t I?

What have we learnt in the warm-up games? Not a great deal. The spinners played in those matches were second rate to say the least, nothing what the batsman can expect when they go out to bat on Thursday.

One thing I have learnt is that Nick Compton is almost certain to make his England debut on Thursday, after a healthy string of scores in those warm-up games. I will be keenly watching on Thursday morning, like many other here in Somerset. All the best for Thursday Compo.

On the subject of Somerset, I see they are back in training already for the 2013 season. I wonder if Over Stowey will follow suit. Not only are they back in training, they have announced a new overseas signing for the first part of the new season. South African international Alviro Petersen will take to the field for Somerset up until the start of the domestic T20 competition, hopefully playing more matches than his South African counterpart, Vernon Philander, did in 2012.

The batting line-up looks very strong, but where are those 20 wickets going to come from to win County Championship matches and take Somerset to their first ever title? Plus who is going to replace Brian Rose. I am sure we will find out in due course.

I have no doubt the Somerset faithful will give Petersen a warm and friendly welcome, as they do for all their overseas players. When are the fixtures out so I can start to plan 2013?

Ok, that’s about it for now. This supplement will move to a Monday for the winter months, so instead of SSS, it will be SMS!

18.46, Time for a pint before skittles I suppose! Oh I can’t, The Cottage Inn is closed all day today, darn!

Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

One of the toughest Test series starts in a few weeks time, India away. Trial by spin, dusty tracks, dodgy food and water, but one of the most fascinating places to go on tour. It is also a tough tour for those who watch it back here in the UK, a very early start in freezing cold Britain, best I start to get some practice in for early mornings and that would mean early nights!

England are now half way through their second warm up match ahead of the first Test which starts in a few weeks time and with the return of Kevin Pietersen the competition for places has warmed up quite considerably. No doubt KP will go in at number four, so who will open with Captain Alastair Cook? Joe Root or Somerset’s Nick Compton.

I know all us here in Somerset, who have watched Compo for the past few seasons scoring runs, more runs, in fact loads of runs for Somerset, hope he will be picked ahead of Yorkshire’s Root. Compo, as he admits himself, is not a flamboyant player, as he has cut that out of his game, he will just score in his strong areas, and defend / leave balls that will potentially cost him his wicket. A very sensible approach, especially for those who aspire to play the game at the very top level.

Compo is a very likeable chap, and on the very few times I have managed to have a quick word with him, usually on the lines off “How’s the injury?” “Fine” he would reply. Saying that I am pretty sure he will do the decent thing and give me an exclusive for my blog when he returns from his England duties. I know my niece would be a bit jealous if he agrees to it. I may even ask him if he would like to include it in one of his Compo’s Clips, now that would be just great!

I see that former Somerset captain Graeme Smith has signed a three year deal with Surrey and he will captain the side for that period as well. Surrey have now signed him, Gary Keedy from Lancashire and Vikram Solanki from Worcestershire and all of a sudden they look very strong, possible contenders for the County Championship in 2013. Now what are Somerset going to do? Firstly appoint a replacement for Brain Rose. I wonder if I should apply for the job.

It is with great sadness that Ceefax is no longer with us, the BBC teletext service. Ok, I do admit that I used to watch the Somerset scores on Ceefax, then there was no internet and this was the only way to find out the cricket scores. Apparently John Cleese once rang up the BBC to complain that the Somerset score wasn’t being updated quick enough, good for you John.

John Cleese is the most famous Somerset supporter I am aware of, I know Leslie Crowther used to support The Set, but I don’t know of any other celebrity supporters the follow this wonderful county. Ok, we have the Wurzels I suppose, but that is par for the course. So does anyone know of any celebs that watches and supports Somerset, it would be great to know, the more famous the better, and John Cleese is not a bad standard to compare against. Now where is my dead parrot!

Ok, Over Stowey. I have had a few ideas for cricket tour for next season, please if you have any thoughts, let me know I will explore possibilities. Andrew Jeanes has come up with a view; I have done some research with the possibility of going to Yorkshire and South Wales.

The last time I saw Jeansy, he got me so pissed, on a Wednesday in July, I drove to work good as straight from the pub! Oh, those school nights.

Movember is here, I am doing my bit for charity, any ideas on what shaped moustache you would like me to grow would be greatly appreciated, at the moment I am going to let it do its best and see what happens. Don’t forget, give your donations.

Right, 14.57, time for a pint.