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.