Sellsy's Cricketing Thoughts

Monday 16^th March

So Freddie Flintoff wins the Australian version of I’m A Celebrity.... Get Me Out Of Here! The relevance? The only English cricketer to win anything in Australia this winter. Ok, clutching at straws a bit there, I expect the Aussies are having a good laugh at us though. Even my Australian Cricket Correspondent wanted to know what was going on as he had to explain to a load of Aussies why England was so bad.

Anyway, the tournament progresses to the last eight, with the first Quarter-Final being played on Wednesday, lose and you are on your way home, or in Australia’s case, lose and you’ll be deported, something they are used to I suppose!

Who’s going to win, anyone apart from the Aussies. So come on Pakistan, you’ve hit some form now, smash them all round Adelaide and do the cricketing world a massive favour.

Enough of that World Cup thing, let’s go onto something closer to my heart, Cider, whoops, I mean Somerset. New signings in Tom Cooper (just like that) and Jim Allenby has helped boost the batting somewhat, but I am sure there will be another batsman signing a Somerset contract soon.

Combine these two players with the likes of Marcus Trescothick, James Hildreth and Tom Abell the batting line-up doesn’t look that bad, The stiffest competition will be in the bowling department, with the likes of the Overton Twins, Lewis Gregory, Pete Trego, Tim Groenewald, Alfonso Tomas and Josh Davey for the seamers; then we have George Dockrell, Max Waller, Jack Leach and Abdur Rehman competing for places in the spin department.

The biggest concern for me is the wicketkeeper position. I have no doubt Alex Barrow will keep well, with James Regan keeping him on his toes if he fails. But they are no Craig Kieswetter. We shall see.

Another exciting thing which is happening at the County Ground is the building of the new stand, which is replacing the Old Pavilion. I must admit when the bulldozers went in to smash down the Old Pavilion I was somewhat sentimental in my thoughts. However, this new development looks impressive, and it doesn’t take away the character the County Ground has. I wonder who will be the first batsman to clear it with a six?

Would you believe the new County Championship starts in four weeks time, when Somerset host Durham. Even more unbelievable is that Somerset play Glamorgan in a friendly a week from today, my god it will be cold, how many jumpers?

Right, time for skittles and a drop of Thatchers for me I think and we have only two games left.