The English cricket season is now over, plenty of winners, losers and a lot to look forward to over the winter, with plenty of speculation no doubt.
Somerset finished a respectable sixth in the County Championship,
having been top of the table for period of about four days earlier in the
season. With Somerset only losing two
County Championship games all season you would of thought they would be higher
up the table, but 10 drawn games tells a tale.
It proves that Somerset are a tough unit and difficult to
beat. It also shows that a few more wins could of seen them in contention
for the County Championship. I am thinking back to those matches where the
weather intervened when a victory was in Somerset’s grasp, games against
Lancashire (twice) and Northants for example.
The recent draw against Yorkshire really annoyed me, not
because of the result, but the headlines after. Somerset apparently held on for
a draw. Bollocks. They went for a win, knowing a draw would always be there as back-up.
The might Set would of been disappointed not to off progressed
to the knock-out stages of the T20 and the 50 over competitions. I know I
certainly was, especially as they put themselves in some really good positions
to qualify.
The highlight for me during the 2014 campaign was the
emergence of some very talented youngsters, Lewis Gregory, Tom Abell (who I
predicted would make an impact at the start of the season) to name but two. Lewis
would count himself very unlucky indeed not to of been picked for the England
Performance Programme Squad. Whereas Lewis misses out, Craig Overton will
travel to South Africa with the EPP.
Lewis has also agreed to extend his Somerset contract, which
is just excellent news. And to cap off a great season, he was voted Supporters
Player of the Year for 2014, just richly deserved.
Alex Barrow, James Regan, Max Waller and Josh Davey have all
been handed deals, again excellent news. Alex Barrow has done well behind the
stumps in the absence of Craig Kieswetter; I believe he averaged around 40 in
the County Championship. He also came on as 12th man for England in
a recent Test match against India, what great experience for the youngster.
On a sadder note, high performance director Andy Hurry is to
leave the club to take up a role with England. Former coach Hurry has been
named as the head of the England development programme and will leave Taunton
after 13 years. Somerset’s loss will no doubt be England’s gain.
So what do we have to look forward or not look forward to during the winter
months? Well, no Test matches to start, a huge disappointment, instead a host of One Day
Internationals, and the World Cup early next year. With all the speculation
about Cook’s captaincy and should he lead England to the World Cup, a certain
Ravi Bopara has been selected in the One Day Squad for Sri Lanka and no doubt
will figure in the World Cup next year.
So instead of Cook being a scapegoat for a dismal World Cup,
the fingers should be pointed at the selectors for picking Ravi. He has just
not performed as a One Day Cricketer, he has been dropped on so many occasions,
and then recalled, the selectors must know he is just a County Cricketer and
that’s all.
Enough said, I want to enjoy skittles and Thatchers tonight.
Cheers
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