Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 2^nd February

England must off performed badly in the Tri-Nations final against Australia if Ravi Bopara top scored, but surely it was a game they threw away, especially as Australia were four down with only 60 on the board.

Waking up early on Sunday morning I was encouraged to hear that Australia lost wickets early on in their innings, but when the fifth wicket partnership started to develop and get stronger my head returned to the pillow to catch up with much needed zzzz’s!

I awoke just in time to hear and then watch the start of England’s reply, very positive I thought, they didn’t lose a wicket for about three overs. But when Ian Bell was luckily caught by the Aussie keeper, followed by a clutter of wickets leaving England four down, I thought it was time to get up and walk the dogs.

Ok, positive notes, England beat India twice, Jimmy Anderson is just the best bowler in the world and Moeen Ali must be bowl 10 overs so England can drop Bopara and play a quality batsman or even call-up Ben Stokes, how many sixes in his 151 not out for the Lions?

With under a fortnight to go before England face Australia in their first match of the World Cup I still remain positive that they will win it and they will beat Australia in Melbourne. Plus Joe Root will catch out “racist” Warner and give him a send off which he richly deserves.

Anyway, set your alarm for 3.30am on Saturday 14^th February for that match, I know I will certainly be awake for it, despite having skittles the night before, is there any point in going to bed?

Enough of England for a week or two, Over Stowey are starting to get ready for the new season. With a well earned break for the winter the club’s committee got back together last week to get ready for the new season and what a positive meeting that was.

I have all senior fixtures, including friendlies, all are now are on the club website. All the events for 2015 are also on the club website. But the biggest news is that the club are in the process of buying a bowling machine. I know that is what they used to call me, a bowling machine, but since age has crept up on me the club have decided to get a new one.

Joking aside here, this is a major investment for the club, along with a newly laid artificial strip, training will never be the same now at Over Stowey. Long gone will be they days when you have indoor nets and just whack the ball as hard as you can and say “shot!!!” No more ducking out of the way when balls fly about the place and no more fearing for your life when you bowl to Phil Rich, crikey he hits the ball hard.

Proper training and coaching, my god I think Stowey will be going places in 2015. The Dunster trip springs to mind!

Right, time for a snooze me thinks, got a stinker!

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 26^th January

A much muted reaction from my post last week, the majority couldn’t really disagree with me, but they still think I’m mad putting a bet on England winning the World Cup. However we are all in agreement that Australia will not win it.

One thing I will point out is that I predicted that New Zealand will reach the final and by looking at their recent matches against Sri Lanka they are not a one man team as I said they were last week. They seem to bat a long way down and even Ross Taylor is finding some form.

With a series win against Sri Lanka (a side that hammered England before Christmas), New Zealand look a good outfit and will be very difficult to beat.

So England have a minimum of three matches to play before their first World Cup Match. India are next, followed by the West Indies and then Pakistan. There may be another fixture against Australia depending on the outcome of the game against India, but effectively three games to get the balance of the team right.

I am trying to avoid the name Ravi Bopara, but I just can’t help myself. What worth has he brought to the side in the recent Tri-Nations series, I will tell you: Batting at an average of 10, with a strike rate lower than a run every two balls; and as for his bowling, well let’s just say he hasn’t troubled the scorers in the wickets column, but going for eight an over. The choice is easy, perform or go to Sydney International.

I mentioned before I have a “cricket correspondent” out in Australia, well he is actually in Cambodia now, but hey, he was there for a while. Here are some of his updates from The Gabba, well in fact all of them:

28the Dec: Watching Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Stars The Big Bash T20. Awesome atmosphere and Freddie Flintoff is knocking ‘em all over the place.

4^th Jan: Back at The Gabba watching Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers and Rocketman drops in. (Elton John?).

11^th Jan:  Back at The Gabba watching Freddie Flintoff trying to give Brisbane a half decent score, we are bottom of the league and the Sydney Sixers are gonna be hard to beat. Ha-ha who cares I’m pissed.

15^th Jan: Last time at The Gabba watching Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes. We have finished bottom of the league but there is a good chance we could just win this one. Off to Cambodia on Sunday to get Templed right up.

Thanks Kev, hope to see you soon and will take you to a proper ground to watch a proper team when you come back to Blighty.

That’s it for now, come on England! Cider and Skittles time me thinks, a local derby tonight, bragging rights at stake to see who the best side in Stowey is.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 19^th January

Right, time to stick my neck out. Forget what I have been saying about England’s slim chances of winning the World Cup, I may of been a bit hasty, as I do believe they will win it. Yes, I am confident they will win it, and here’s my thinking.

Australia will not win it for two reasons. Firstly I think they have peaked and may off peaked too soon. They have been beating everyone in sight over the past three months, I believe they will become too arrogant and cocky (more so than usual, look at Warner). Their form will not last, which leads me on to the second reason, home disadvantage.

When England beat them in the opening match, the whole country will be on their backs, from the little boy in the street to the big media giants who will just slag them off for fun. Home advantage just does not work; only one country has won the World Cup when the final has been staged on home soil, India.

As for India, they will not win it, again for two reasons. Firstly, they are not playing on home, the tracks in Australia just do not suit them, and secondly, no Little Master.

What about South Africa I hear you cry, well what about them? Big time bottlers South Africa, the pressure will get to them and will muck it up in the semi-finals for sure. I also think again they are peaking too soon.

The other favourite team to win it is Sri Lanka. A two man side in Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, get these two out and the rest will crumble. And with Malinga still yet to prove his fitness they may struggle defending totals.

I can see the final being contested between England and New Zealand. Get Brendon McCullum early and victory is guaranteed.

So why have I changed my tune? Why the sudden optimism? What have I been drinking?

Me thinks England have nothing to lose, and I also think they are a much better side than what the media makes out. Another factor is that Jimmy Anderson will spearhead the bowling attack, which will give the whole bowling unit a massive lift.

It looks as if Ian Bell and Moeen Ali will open the batting, with Ali in the side he can also bowl 10 overs. With this in mind England could play an extra batsman, so why not stick Gary Ballance in at six instead of Bopara.  Buttler at seven (maybe a bit low, but hey they can change to order if needs be), followed by Broad, Finn, Anderson and Tredwell.

Just be brave England, before it’s too late and go and win that darn thing in a blaze of glory. Don’t forget folks, you heard it here first!

Time for me to ile down and think about seeing a shrink! England at 12-1, well it’s worth a few quid, or am I better off using the monies to buy a pint?

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 12^th January

Unbelievable, just unbelievable, as soon as I posted my supplement last week, Alviro Petersen decides to retire from international cricket and thus become Kolpak player, making him available to play County Cricket, thus not classed as an overseas player.

Last week I was saying, along with quite a few others, that Somerset need a world class batsman, and with Petersen playing at the mighty Somerset over the past few summers, surely Matthew Maynard would have been in touch, surely?

You may be aware that The County Ground will host a T20 International during the summer of 2017, when England will take on South Africa. Fantastic news for Somerset and Taunton, the place will just be buzzing.

The new Somerset Pavilion, which is replacing the Old Pavilion, is making progress, with steel structures starting to be put in place. It seems every day I walk past the ground more development has happened and is starting to take place. The ground will just look spectacular once the new stand has finished, making probably the best non Test ground on the County circuit.

Unfinished

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 5^th January

Happy New Year to one and all, and what a year we have in prospect.

Internationally England have a packed itinerary for the next 12 months, it goes something like this:

January-February - England in Australia (Triangular Series)
February-March - ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
April - England in West Indies (3 Tests)
May - Ireland v England (ODI)
May-June - New Zealand in England (2 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20)
June-September - Australia in England (5 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20)
October-November - England in Pakistan (3 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20)
December-February 2016 - England in South Africa (4 Tests, 5 ODIs, 2 T20s)

As you can see the Aussies are coming, that only means one thing, the greatest prize in sport: The Ashes. Are The Ashes really bigger than winning the World Cup? Simple answer, Yes!

With the Ashes in mind, plus the little matter of the World Cup being played in Australia, I have deployed a special correspondent to the “Convict Colony” to gauge the mood amongst the locals. Reports to follow, but have already had some updates from the GABBA; a more in depth feature will follow over the next few weeks or so.

With no Test cricket for England over the months leading up to the World Cup, it is very pleasing to see there is 19 Test matches lined up over the next 12 months, and some very tricky ones indeed. Hopefully Alastair Cook will be well rested, and when he picks up his bat up again he will be raring to go.

With all this international cricket going on it is somewhat difficult to forget that the domestic season is four months away, something I always look forward too.

Somerset’s new Director of Cricket, Matthew Maynard, has a lot to ponder about over the next few months. The need of a quality top order batsman (or two) will be high on his “to do” list.

With Nick Compton leaving for Middlesex, Chris Jones retiring from 1^st Class Cricket, Craig Kieswetter undergoing surgery on his eye and the likes of Arul Suppiah having to give up the game through injury, Somerset have a bit of a problem at the top of the order. Plus Jos Buttler leaving for relegated Lancashire, and Somerset deciding to opt for an overseas spinner rather than keeping Alviro Petersen, a full top order is suddenly missing.

I suppose this does create opportunities for others, but not in all positions. James Allenby will be a good acquisition in the batting line-up, his experience will help, but Somerset sorely needs a world class batsman.

Ok, enough of that worrying, there will be so much cricket going on over the coming months, when it comes to the start of the County season things would of been sorted, surely?

Ok, back to skittles and Thatchers tonight, more doom and gloom there! Happy New Year everyone.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 8^th December

The ECB has announced a provisional 30-man squad in preparation for the 2015 World Cup, which will be reduced to 15 before the start of the tournament. Alastair Cook has been named as captain, for me the right move.

No real surprises amongst the names, and thankfully England’s best bowler, James Anderson, is within the 30, and will surely figure in the 15 man squad for the World Cup. At least Anderson is accurate and will not give away pointless wides.

So far in this series England have conceded 43 runs in wides compared to the home country’s 20. If games go to the wire, fine margins like how many wides bowled may be the difference. It is not just an extra run it’s also that extra ball.

Sri Lanka won the 4^th ODI in the last over with three balls to spare. When I was watching it I couldn’t help think that after 48 overs the game should have finished and the home side was some 12 runs short, need I say anymore?

I think they would have still won as they timed the run chase to perfection, but who knows? Just give yourself a chance England, and that means ironing out the little things that make the difference.

Out of the 30 names, who will make the 15-man squad to compete and not get any further than the quarter-final? The only one who is certain to go will be Alastair Cook himself; the others are a bit of a lottery.

Who I would like to go and who will go are two completely different matters. I know who I would like, they are as follows: Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, Alex Hales, James Taylor, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Chris Jordan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Liam Plunket, Jack Brooks and Chris Woakes.

Out of that lot, only 10 will go, with other places being filled by the likes of Steve Finn and Ravi Bopara. Why, just simply why?

Whoever is announced they will still have my support, and how many times between now and the end of the World Cup I will say something like: “I told you Bopara is rubbish” or “How many more wides?”

Frustrating times ahead, a bit like my skittles tonight I expect.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 1^st December

I write this with a heavy heart, as, along with all off the cricketing world, I still find the tragic loss of Phillip Hughes very sad indeed.

Tributes have been made throughout the sporting world, with sportsmen and women alike getting out their bats, from Neil Robertson and the snooker yesterday to the Rugby autumn internationals over the weekend.

I have seen on the social networks local cricket club players paying their won tributes by supporting the #getoutyourbats #408 and #63notout campaigns.

Over Stowey, the Club I am associated with, paid their own tribute with the club flag being flown at half mast, along with bats and hats from the club.

While Australia mourns, cricket very respectfully carries on. For me, the most fitting tribute was from the New Zealand side in the third Test against Pakistan.

• They didn’t bowl one bouncer throughout the game.
• No fielder was in close wearing a helmet.
• No wickets were celebrated.
• No batting milestones were celebrated, only acknowledgements that they have reached that particular score.

Clearly still upset, the Kiwis played and won, but the result wasn’t important, just respect.

Phillip Hughes – R.I.P