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.