Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Surrey are relegated, national holiday follows, well celebrating in the streets of Somerset instead. Goodbye Gareth Batty, you’ll not be missed – unless there is another twist to the tale.

With time being lost during the Surrey match against Warwickshire and with relegation looming, “Money bags” Surrey managed to persuade Warwickshire to do some declarations, thus set up a run chase. Surrey knew the only way to have a chance of staying up was to win the match, and those declarations set up a run chase in which Surrey had to bowl out Warwickshire was the only way to do it. But it failed, as Warwickshire knocked off the runs.

It did leave me a bit bitter on Thursday to see what was happening, did the Warwickshire captain, Varun Chopra, understand the implications on other counties when he agreed to this? But it seems to me that he backed his batsmen to score the runs required and they did. Now, no favours for Derbyshire this week, please.

Yes, it’s the final round of matches this week, and with Durham winning the County Championship last week – well done to them – focus is now on who goes down. Derbyshire are in the relegation spot, 15 points adrift off Nottinghamshire and 16 off Somerset. So basically Derbyshire have to win, if they win then bonus points come in to play between all three counties. There are so many different scenarios, ifs and buts etc; there is even a scenario where all three teams could finish on the same points. I am sure we will have a better idea after the first innings have been completed, knowing who has scored what points, but who knows? Come on Somerset.

Ashes squad announced today – good to see Gary Ballance and Ben Stokes in the squad; why did they pick Monty Panesar and Michael Carberry? Also no place for Graham Onions and Nick Compton, did the selectors have a look at the County Cricket averages for 2013 before selecting the squad? Somehow I think not. Onions omission is crazy, top of the averages, taking wickets for fun which helped Durham win the County Championship, and surely he is better than Chris Tremlett and Boyd Rankin, surely? And surely Compo is a better opener in the longer form off the game than Carberry. “The door is not closed on Compton” - Yeah and I’m a Dutch virgin – to quote legsidelizzy on Twitter!

The Performance squad looks exciting, especially as they have picked some players worthy of the main squad itself, players like Moeen Ali, Chopra, Sam Robson and David Willey. Off course we must mention Jos Buttler and Jamie Overton who have also made that squad, well done guys, and Jos, just sign that new contract please.

Ok, that’s it from me for a couple of weeks – on holiday and then moving to Kilve. Don’t worry Rocket, only moving house, not moving my allegiances to another cricketing village, unless they give me a better offer!

5.27, time for a Thatchers before skittles. Have a good couple of weeks.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Calculators at the ready, nails ready to be bitten, hold on for a bit of a rollercoaster over the next two weeks, Somerset’s 1^st Division status in the County Championship is in a little danger.

Victory against Surrey last week has helped immensely; especially as Derbyshire threw away their match against champions elect Durham. And with Nottinghamshire drawing against Middlesex, they have now been dragged into the relegation dogfight.

 

So let’s look at the relegation contenders and their run ins:

Surrey – Two games left, maximum points available 48, to play Warwickshire away and Yorkshire at home, likelihood of relegation: pretty much nailed on unless they do something which they have only done once all season – win and win convincingly. In other words goodbye and good riddance.

Derbyshire – One game left, maximum points available 24, to play Warwickshire at home, likelihood of relegation: out of their hands somewhat, a win with maximum bonus points will make things very interesting indeed.

Nottinghamshire – Two games left, maximum points available 48, to play Durham away and the mighty Somerset at home, likelihood of relegation: very unlikely I would say as they should pick up enough bonus points in their remaining games to be safe.

Somerset – One game left, maximum points available 24, to play Nottinghamshire away, likelihood of relegation: in the balance. If Surrey fail to win this week the mighty Set just need to pick up one more bonus point than Derbyshire to be sure. If Surrey do manage a win, then the calculators will be out again.

The other factor will be the weather and the forecast is a bit indifferent indeed this week. Looks like rain in Birmingham on Tuesday and Thursday (bad luck Surrey) and good weather in Durham.

The bookies, who know a thing or two, have made both Surrey and Derbyshire certainties for the drop, both 1-100 favourites, and both Somerset and Nottinghamshire 1-33, with all nearly all the good money going on the former.

Anyway, enough of that, I have a headache just thinking about it (or was that from Bomber’s stag party on Saturday), 5.27, Thatchers and skittles in The Cottage.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Is this the most important week in Somerset’s season thus far? After the disappointment in losing against Derbyshire in the County Championship last week, Somerset have two massive games this week, starting with a YB40 semi-final against Nottinghamshire today, well in about 10 minutes, followed by a must win County Championship against Surrey.

Two victories this week may still not be enough to save their season, but will go some way in repairing in it.

I am not one to have a Spanish Inquisition in to why Somerset lost against Derby last week, unlike some others on the social media websites; in fact they nearly turned the game around on its head and forced victory. This shows some good fighting spirit, which they will need over the coming weeks, but the damage was done in the first innings.

Marcus showed some great faith in his side in winning the toss and deciding to bat. The old adage in sticking a side in during the month of September was thrown out of the window, but instead, get a big score in the first innings and let the spinners do the work, especially a quality spinner in the guise of Piyush Chawla.

Steve Waugh, who was one of the best captains in the modern era even though he is an Aussie, always backed his team – ok he did have a bunch of world class players at his disposal, but they still had to come up with the goods. I remember one Test in India, it was a misty morning, perfect for bowling, Waugh won the toss and batted, which bemused nearly every expert, critic alike. But Waugh knew two things. One, get through the first session, the sun will break through and it would be wonderful batting conditions. And secondly, the pitch will deteriorate quickly and would be perfect for spin; who did Waugh have in his side, Shane Warne. Runs vital, batting first vital, and it worked, the Aussies won.

That game against Derby, I believed Somerset had done enough in the second innings to win the game. However it took a world class player, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, to dent Somerset’s victory march and lead Derbyshire to a vital win, just.

Ok, tonight’s match and a trip to Lord’s to face Glamorgan in the final beckons. Pete Trego and Steve Kirby back from injury, Jamie Overton released by England (Jos Buttler isn’t, what’s the difference?), nearly at full strength. Nottinghamshire are favourite to win according to the bookmakers, so were Hampshire on Saturday, no pressure there then.

So a long afternoon is assured, ebbs and flows no doubt, and the final few overs of the game will be bowled while I am playing skittles, oh Skygo, how I do like you as an app.

Right, 4.00, time for you know what, come on Somerset!

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

As batting performance go, Aaron Finch’s 156 was one of the most remarkable I have seen for some time. It was just literally raining sixes, as he smashed 14 maximums in total – and quite disappointedly I didn’t see one being caught by a spectator.

For once in my cricketing life I felt myself semi-cheering on that Aussie for him to hit a double century – the games effectively lost anyway.

I suppose we had to let the Aussies win one token match this summer, a T20 match is not a bad one to lose, especially the way just took the English bowling apart – Joe Root’s over didn’t quite go to plan, only 27 came off it. And why oh why do England still pick Ravi Bopara? Poor bowling, with painful batting, he is just not good enough to play for England; there are much better players out in the Shires who can do far better than Bopara, to be fair it is not exactly difficult.

So England wrap up the Ashes Test series with a draw at the Oval and thus retaining the Urn by three Tests to nil. Some might say that the score flattered England a bit, but for me England were the better team by far in all departments. Thoughts now turn to the trip down under and who will be in the touring party. Somehow I can’t see Simon Kerrigan making the trip, perhaps time back in the Lions will suit him while he get his confidence back. England will need to take another spinner to back up Graeme Swann, but who Monty? Treadwell?

The top five batsmen we saw at the Oval will be the same for the first Test in Brisbane, but who will go in at number six? Recall for Jonny Bairstow? Keep with Chris Woakes? Or take a punt on Gary Ballance.

The three mentioned should go on the plane, but Ballance is guy who has been scoring a shed load off runs for both Yorkshire and the Lions. His opportunity surely must come this winter. It is also healthy to have competition like this, not only for the number six slot, but also to keep the top five on their toes.

With regards to the seamers, I just hope Tim Bresnan is back fit, he is the perfect foil for Jimmy Anderson and we can then drop Stuart Broad (only a personal thing). Chris Tremlett should also be on the plane along with Graham Onions.

But anyway, just my thoughts, there are still four weeks of the County Championship season left, and Somerset have some must win games coming up if they remain in Division One. They have three games left, Derbyshire this week, followed by Surrey and then Nottinghamshire in the last week of the season.

With Somerset hammering Middlesex last week, a much needed win, victory over the bottom two sides over the next two weeks surely should be enough to keep them up. However both Derby and Surrey are also fighting for their lives, so there should be interesting cricket being played over the next few weeks. Another factor is that Somerset will be without both Jamie Overton and Jos Buttler, as they have been selected to play for England in the One Day Series against Ireland and Australia. Good luck to you both, but I wish they had a Somerset shirt on instead of an England one.

In the middle of all this County Championship action Somerset has a YB40 semi-final coming up against Nottinghamshire next Monday evening. Nervous times ahead, just try being a Somerset supporter, they certainly put you through the emotions somewhat.

It is really difficult to comprehend that the 2013 season is nearly over; Over Stowey has just one game left to play and that will be that for the year. It feels like the season has only just started. We do have a few things to look forward to: presentation evening, AGM to name just two.

Oh well, it is skittles season now, and guess what we start tonight. So at 5.27, time for a warm up pint before the trip to Stogumber.