Sellsy's Monday Supplement

I have heard some reasons before for non-selection, but, to quote: “the club’s insurance won’t cover you!” is one I have never heard before.

 

Having made myself available for the first time this season for Over Stowey’s home fixture against Buckland St Mary I found out that I wasn’t picked for the reason stated by the club’s Chairman. Ok, admittedly I am nowhere near match fit (to be fair not even fit), plus there was an abundance of players to choose from, I was somewhat bemused or even amused by the above reason.

A couple of pints of cider later I was soon laughing about it and I wondered if there are any other bizarre reasons why players have not been picked? Something to look up over the coming weeks. But hey, both Over Stowey games were called off at the weekend, so it didn’t really matter anyway.

One thing I found quite unbelievable at the weekend is how many league games Over Stowey have left, three for the 1^st XI, and just two for the 2^nd’s. Where has the season gone? It feels like it has only just started, thankfully a lot more games have been played this season, and the club managed to hold its annual outdoor fund raising event plus hold the League KO Cup Final. So, yes, a lot of cricket played, probably that’s why it went past so quick.

Off course Somerset play on right until the end of September, a very crucial period indeed. Survival in the County Championship must be paramount and there are still five games to be played, starting tomorrow away to Warwickshire. I know they have a chance to reach a Lord’s final, and I expect they would like to win every game they play – winning becomes a habit – but surely priority must be given to County Championship. The signing off Indian leg spinning all rounder Piyush Chawle may help, he needs to hit the ground running and take hatful of wickets asap, but has his visa been granted? I suppose victory against Gloucestershire next Monday may be a welcome distraction, and that will be enough to see Somerset through to the semis.

On the subject of finals, well done to Northamptonshire who won the T20 final on Saturday, destroying, in fact hammering Surrey late on Saturday night. What was even more pleasing was to see Jade ‘Girls Name’ Dernbach being smashed all around Birmingham by David Willey, Alex Wakely and former Somerset player Cameron White.

I am surprised Willey hasn’t been called up by England, however what he said about Dernbach after made me smile. To quote: “I don’t particularly like the bloke; he made an idiot of himself.” Yes we agree here in Somerset.

It’s well known that I, along with quite a few Somerset supporters, am not great fans of Surrey. Pinching our CEO, the manner that they beat us in the Lord’s final a couple of seasons ago, Gareth Batty and the one that really gets my goat is the deserter Zander de Bruyn.

The 2010 season is one I would never forget, Somerset going in to the last game off the season needing a win to make sure of their first County Championship, but du Bruyn buggered off to South Africa to play in some Mickey Mouse competition. ZDB had the knack of picking up wickets when it mattered and it showed that was sorely missed during the second innings against Durham, when not only did Durham score runs, they also took tome out off the game. Eventually Durham was all out, leaving the mighty Set an impossible target to chase down as they didn’t have enough overs or time to win. With that Nottinghamshire won the league by virtue of winning more games.

Ok, 7.50, time for a cider.  I think not, am on a diet!