Saturday 8 August 2020

Bob Willis Trophy Round 2: Gloucestershire v Warwickshire

 

Bob Willis Trophy, Round 2

Gloucestershire v Warwickshire

08/08/2020

 

Day 1

It has been another difficult day for the Shire. 191-8 after 90 overs tells its own story. A day of attritional struggle, with the promise that, unless the bowlers find much more success than they did against Worcestershire, this match will be another battle to avoid defeat.

Three changes for the Shire, with David Payne, their most dangerous bowler against Worcestershire, reporting ill and being replaced by George Scott, Miles Hammond being replaced by Ben Charlesworth and Tom Smith replacing Tom Price.

Despite Chris Dent failing for once – really the rest of the batting seems to think sometimes that they can leave it all to him – when you are 102-2 well into the afternoon session, having been put in to bat, you tend to think that life is pretty good. Fourteen balls later it is 103-5 and the Shire is in the Mire, big time. Oliver Hannon-Dalby is not the fastest bowler in County cricket and has a rather peculiar, round-arm action, but he produced a burst that was far too good for the Gloucestershire batting. It was a horrible reminder of the first innings of the Worcestershire game.

Especially alarming was to see Ryan Higgins fall to his fifth ball. Last season, Higgins and Dent carried the Gloucestershire side to Division 1. Both scored a lot of runs and Higgins was the go-to bowler; this season, Ryan Higgins looks out of sorts with both bat and ball. And, coming in just after Higgins, Jack Taylor is trying desperately hard and has almost cut out all scoring strokes in an attempt to get himself in and make a score but, just when you think that the hard work is done, he falls. This is symptomatic of the side’s efforts so far: the batting seems to lack collective confidence and the cutting criticism of the fans – as opposed to the supporters – is making things worse.

The long and short of it was that, just as earlier, when Charlesworth and Hankins seemed to be batting Gloucestershire into control, Roderick and Taylor seemed to have weathered the storm and be navigating Cabot’s ship into calmer waters when both fell in ten balls: 155-5… the Shire were beginning to fight back; 160-7 and 178-8… the Shire in the shite. There is a collective nervousness that turns one wicket into two and two into three and converts batsmen into strokelessness.

In theory, Gloucestershire have 30 overs more to bat. In practice, to bat out the first hour, passing the 200 and getting a single batting point will be the limit of any realistic aspiration. Tom Smith and Josh Shaw saw out the last eleven overs but, until the penultimate ball of the day, barely played a shot in anger.

 

Day 2

Glory be! The tail raised the 200 and obtained the batting point. First objective realised. Having seen the first over, in which Oliver Hannon-Dalby bent the ball so far after bouncing that there was no way that Tom Smith could touch them, you would not have bet on Shaw and Smith lasting long, but they extended their partnership to seventeen overs. However, when Hannon-Dalby finally adjusted his line a fraction it was always going to be a catchweight contest. The last two wickets fell in the space of three balls just a fraction short of half an hour into the day. Eight batsmen in double figures, just three past thirty and no one made a substantial score around which a total could be built. It was a scorecard that spoke of batsmen never really getting in.

However, this was a much better day for the Shire all round. With overcast skies for the first half of the day, prodigious swing on offer and a strong green tint in the centre of the pitch it looked like conditions that the Gloucestershire attack might exploit and, in the main they did. Ryan Higgins looked much more like the bowler of the last two seasons as his rhythm started to come back and he bowled some wonderful deliveries.

Two range-finders from Ryan Higgins to start the innings, one of which went for four leg byes, the third delivery was straight and into the pads. 5-1 became 15-2 as Matt Taylor claimed a second LBW, to add to the four in the Gloucestershire innings. For the best part of an hour it looked like the case of “the same old story” as Bell and Rhodes weathered the storm and started to look alarmingly comfortable but, with the last ball before Lunch, George Scott took his maiden wicket for the Shire and a mighty good one it was too, despatching a becalmed Ian Bell who aimed a huge drive and edged to George Hankins.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire were putting Glamorgan to the sword and, by Lunch, Somerset were already well on the way to a two-day win against Northants: maybe Gloucestershire’s defeat to the Pears was not quite as bad as it looked?

Again, Warwickshire re-built, seemingly serenely. On came Ben Charlesworth who, fourth ball, bowled Will Rhodes. The Shire hanging in there… just. It was like that all afternoon: Warwickshire took the lead and seemed ready to push on to a significant first innings advantage when a double-wicket maiden from Matt Taylor pegged them back once more.

Twenty ahead, with just two wickets left, the lead may stay small enough to turn this match into a virtual one-innings contest. The Gloucestershire bowlers stuck to their task and looked in much better form and spirits: it was good to see. With Warwickshire to bat last and some encouragement for the bowlers, there is plenty to play for. Somerset’s second, crushing victory suggests that they are likely to top the Group and the rest will be playing for pride but, for the Shire, this season is about preparation for 2021. Today, there were reasons to hope.

 

Day 3

The BBC Live Text made Day 2 unquestionably Warwickshire’s day. It did not look so clear to me. Gloucestershire fought their way back into the match tenaciously so, at best, you can say that Warwickshire had shaded the day. The long and short of it was to start Day 3 with the two sides pretty much level. If the last two wickets were to fall quickly, it was game on. If Warwickshire could stretch their lead past 40, it might be decisive.

What has happened is that the match ends its penultimate day with the clichéd “all four results possible”. It has been a day of punch and counter-punch, with the momentum swinging one way and the other.

Initial impressions were not great. Warwickshire were obviously looking at 250 and the second point and batted with no great alarms. Craig Miles, as the Gloucestershire faithful will remember, is no mean bat (5x50 and an average of 16.3, making him one of the better #10s in County cricket) and Tim Bresnan continued calmly until Ryan Higgins served up a tempter outside off, got some nice shape on it, Tim Bresnan flashed and guided it through to a jubilant Gareth Roderick. Ryan Higgins is back.

The new ball was taken and produced one of the more bizarre incidents that we will see this season. The first ball took Craig Miles on the pad. The batsmen ran the leg bye with Gareth Roderick chasing the ball back of Square Leg. His pads then came loose and, unable to re-fasten them, he decided to ‘keep against the New Ball, standing back, with no pads. Fortunately, two balls later, Higgins produced a lovely delivery on off stump, Hannon-Dalby edged to George Hankins at Second Slip and the bowler had 4-54. The lead was 37 – probably a few more than the Shire would have liked – but 223-6 two overs before the end of Day 2 had become 247ao. It could have been so much worse.

You wanted the Shire to get in the lead before losing a wicket. Double figure lead at Lunch… good. Losing three wickets before knocking off the deficit… bad. The match had taken another twist and lurched towards Warwickshire. The Shire could have been expected to fold tamely, but van Buuren and Higgins first blunted the attack and then started to counter-attack gloriously. A century partnership, fifties for both and then, with two overs to Tea, it all went wrong again as both fell to Henry Brooks. 118 the lead at Tea, but just five wickets left. The Shire in the mire.

Jack Taylor, the man who desperately needs a score, has battled almost two hours through to the Close. The lead is 160. The scoring almost non-existent (7 from the last 10 overs of the day), but there are four wickets left. Any chase over 200 will be tricky. 220 and Gloucestershire might even be favourites.

We are in for a tense last day.


Day 4

YES!!! Nerve-wracking, but a win. A good win even and 20 points.

But, this being the Shire, the supporters were put through the wringer first.

That there would a fourth innings chase today was obvious. What it would be, was not. Would Gloucestershire be bowled out quickly, setting only around 180? Would they bat on for an hour or an hour and a half and declare? Would Jack Taylor, 23* overnight, remember how to count beyond 26? (in the last 12 months, his highest scores have been 26*, 26 and 23 twice)

Either way, with Somerset on two wins out of two, a defeat would all but end the interest of both teams in the competition after just two rounds. Only a win would keep either side in with a realistic chance of topping the group and thus having a chance of progressing to the Final, although a draw might be enough for Warwickshire if they could win their last three games. Both sides wanted the win. Neither could afford a defeat.

The Gloucestershire approach was positive and busy. Jack Taylor passed 26 for the first time in more than a year, but then got out. Runs were taken where available. Quick singles were pushed. Twos were made into threes and the score mounted. Even though wickets fell, the lead passed 200, then 220. Finally, with Warks quite obviously trying to slow the game and avoid a declaration before Lunch (they bowled just 25 overs in a morning session that, admittedly, was a few minutes short of 2 hours), Matt Taylor came in as last man and biffed two boundaries before edging to slip. Two overs for the change of innings saved, but surely the Shire would have loved a couple of overs at the openers and a wicket before Lunch?

275ao the total.

239 to win from 65 overs the equation for Warwickshire.

3.68 runs per over required, well above anything that either side had achieved so far.

Draw the favourite?

Two overs passed quietly, then Ryan Higgins came up to bowl his second over. TRIPLE WICKET MAIDEN!!! Warwickshire 4-3. Oh my giddy aunt!

Rhodes and Lamb got the score up to 50 and were scoring a little too freely for comfort when Josh Shaw sent a ball like a cannon shell through Lamb and castled him: 50-4 and a little of the accumulated tension could bleed off again.

With Will Rhodes still there and the bowling looking less threatening by the minute, Tea was reached at 80-4. 159 required from 36 overs. Run Rate Required 4.42. Warwickshire right back in the match.

The game lurching back towards Warwickshire. Would there be a final twist in this convoluted game?

First ball after Tea. Higgins to Rhodes. Loosener down leg side. Feather to the ‘keeper. 80-5. Extraordinary. Probably his worst delivery of the day. Higgins has a touch of an Botham in his bowling.

A quiet few overs, with Warwickshire obviously no longer interested in the win and Ryan Higgins had to be rested for a final push. On comes Matt Taylor and, with the last two balls of his first over he removed Thompson and Brooks. 109-8. 23 overs to go. Surely the Shire would finish it off quickly now?

Craig Miles resisted 6 overs but, finally edged to the Captain at First Slip. Ryan Higgins had his first 6-for and beat his career best of 5-21 against Sussex in 2018. Middlesex, Middlesex! WHY did you let him go?

Almost 17 overs to go. Higgins and Taylor had to be rested. Hannon-Dalby has a First Class average of 6, surely Charlesworth and Shaw could bowl a straight delivery? They did not make the batsmen play enough and, most overs, Tim Bresnan was getting singles from the fourth or fifth ball.

Nine overs to go, Higgins was brought back and had a full over at Hannon-Dalby, who replied with three boundaries.

Six overs to go, Matt Taylor came back and bowled a maiden at Tim Bresnan. Ryan Higgins had Hannon-Dalby in his sights again. The tension was growing with every ball. It looked increasingly as if Warwickshire would produce an incredible escape.

Hannon-Dalby faces his 30th delivery after almost an hour at the crease. Higgins bowls. Edge. Gareth Roderick, standing up, reacts and pouches it. The Shire have won with 29 balls to spare.

Oh my word! What a nerve-wrenching way to win. 7-42 for Ryan Higgins to add to his 4-54 in the first innings and 51 with the bat in the second. Best bowling figures in an innings. Best bowling figures in a match. So Gloucestershire do not have an X-factor player capable of changing a game??? If only he had more support.

 

What it means

Gloucestershire go third in the Central Group. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that the Shire is still closer to the bottom of the table than it is to second place. To have a sniff of topping the Group, Gloucestershire would have to win and win well against Glamorgan and then, the game against Somerset would become a case of winner takes all ahead of the final round when Gloucestershire play Northamptonshire.  Anything other than a win against Glamorgan and Gloucestershire are out and these considerations become irrelevant.

However, with two of the last three games against the two weakest teams in the group, at least the Shire can dream on for another week.


Aftermath

The two teams with most points qualify for the Final. After two rounds it would be Derbyshire and Essex, with Yorkshire and Somerset, both just two points behind Essex, their nearest rivals. Gloucestershire are currently 11th in the race, up from 17th after the first game.

Due to a quirk in the rules, that allows for three groups, but no Semi-Finals, winning your group does not guarantee qualification for the final. Similarly, it is quite possible that, in the North Group, Yorkshire and Derbyshire could both end up with more points than any other team in the country, but then it would be the team with the next highest number of points that was also a group winner that would qualify. Confused? What happens if the other two group winners have the same number of points, wins and defeats (perfectly possible in this compressed format) I have no idea!

In all probability, the third round of games will eliminate mathematically from the competition Surrey, Durham, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, as well as the loser of Glamorgan v Gloucestershire (both, if they draw and probably two or three more losing sides will fall too). A 20-point win against Glamorgan would put Gloucestershire on the fringes of the race to the Final, but still well behind the top four: let us be realistic about our chances even should we get a second win.

So, what did we learn about Gloucestershire in this win?

Well, one lesson is that they were able to win without big runs from Chris Dent. They have tended to rely on him far too much for their own good in recent seasons.

With the exception of Dent and Hankins, all the top eight made at least one 30+ contribution: a big improvement on the Worcestershire game. The winning target was based on getting runs right down the order.

The bad news was that, without Sid Payne, the change bowling looked decidedly thin. Far too much depended on Ryan Higgins and Matt Taylor. The two bowled 80.4 overs in the match, while the other four Gloucestershire bowlers sent down a combined 70 overs. With seven genuine, front-line bowling options, it should have been possible to share the load more. Every time that Chris Dent needed a breakthrough he went back to Higgins and Taylor. Every time that they were rested, the pressure was released. In such a compressed season, with little recovery time between matches, you cannot afford to bowl your key men into the ground.

Josh Shaw bowled one jaffa in the second innings and contained throughout the match, but never looked likely to run through Warwickshire. George Scott suggested that he is good enough to act as fourth or, more likely, fifth seamer and batting all-rounder, but a solid, threatening third seamer was required. Without one, Warwickshire almost escaped. At times you cried out for the nagging medium pace of Benny Howell (unlikely to be fit before the T20), or Kieron Noema-Barnett (now of fading memory, but increasingly legendary powers) with their ability to frustrate out batsmen with a mean spell of eight or ten overs of stranglehold.

In this game, Graeme van Buuren did not get a bowl. Tom Smith was preferred, but just 15 overs of spin were delivered in the whole match, which was hardly a fair trial for him. What little he bowled suggested that if you could combine Smith’s accuracy with van Buuren’s loop you would have a formidable bowler. Combine Smith’s flat darts with van Buuren’s accuracy… best not to think about that.

Gloucestershire are not “a mediocre Second Division side” as one fan (as opposed to supporter) commented as frustration mounted on the final afternoon. Warwickshire are a solid Division 1 outfit – spending 17 of the last 19 seasons in the top division – and came off clearly second best. After the Worcestershire game, Warwickshire, even weakened by Test calls, with an excellent top 4 and solid attack, were expected to ride roughshod over their country cousins, so Gloucestershire are clearly finding their feet. However, to satisfy the critics, this level of performance must be repeated against Glamorgan. More than anything, though, it will be Round 4, against Somerset, that shows how much progress has really been made.

The next round of matches starting on Saturday 15th is:

·         Glamorgan v Gloucestershire

·         Warwickshire v Somerset

·         Northamptonshire v Worcestershire

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