County Championship Round 8: Leicestershire v Gloucestershire

 

Preview:

While not a “must win” game, this is definitely a “must not lose”. Gloucestershire burgled a win at Bristol, in a match that Leicestershire had dominated and cannot afford another bad match after having managed just two bowling points against Surrey. After a jet-propelled start to the season, both the batting and bowling have been stuttering in recent games. With the top four in Group Two separated by just 13 points, every dropped bonus point becomes critical. As the table stands, Gloucestershire have the lowest number both of batting and of bowling points in the Group. In reality, Gloucestershire’s position is still a very strong one as they lead the group by three points from Somerset while Surrey, in third, have played a game more and, to boot, Somerset and Hampshire play each other and one or other will drop off the pace as a result: probably the best result for Gloucestershire at Taunton would be a Somerset win, followed by a low-scoring draw as next best.

Kraigg Brathwaite has returned home and is replaced by Glenn Phillips of New Zealand, who is slated to replace James Bracey at #3. Although both Phillips and Tom Lace can keep wicket, Jonathan Tattersall’s loan has been extended after his excellent debut and he will take the gloves and bat at #7. Miles Hammond, the success story of the Surrey game, will open the batting. For the Shire, getting a solid start will be crucial, so one hopes that Chris Dent will combine more successfully with Miles Hammond than he did with Kraigg Brathwaite. Tom Lace, Ian Cockbain and Ryan Higgins will bat from 4 to 6, followed by Tattersall and Tom Smith.

Josh Shaw looks set to replace Matt Taylor in the attack, although there is a strong argument for giving Dominic Goodman another chance to impress: the last place should be between them. George Scott looks likely to miss out, barring an injury to a batsman. At The Oval, there was a strong temptation to drop Dan Worrall to allow two spinners to play (having seen the way that the pitch played one wonders if the Shire wish that they had done so – one suspects not) but, this time, Graeme van Buuren is not in the XIII, suggesting that Plan “A” is a balanced attack with three specialist seamers, Ryan Higgins as all-rounder and Tom Smith as spinner.

Leicestershire, managed their third highest successful Championship chase against a Middlesex side that has now lost six of its eight matches. Having dominated almost every game for the best part of three days, Middlesex will be wondering where to turn. In contrast, Leicestershire will come into this match full of confidence, knowing that that they would, but for rain and an injury, have earnt at least a draw at Bristol.

For Leicestershire, their batting has been feast or famine. They have twice scored more than 400 in the first innings and twice more have passed 300, but have managed only 84 and 136 in their last two matches. Gloucestershire need to keep the pressure on their batsmen in the first innings rather than have to chase the game, which they have been doing too frequently for comfort: it had to come unstuck some time and did against Surrey.

Day 1: 

Gloucestershire’s strategy all campaign has been to pack the side with seam options and bowl first. It has left them vulnerable to sides that prepare dry pitches to negate the seamers and pick two spinners, aiming to exploit a deteriorating pitch on the last day. It is fair to say that spin is not a Gloucestershire strength and the loss of Graeme van Buuren has not helped, although recollection of GvB’s powers as a spinner have been enhanced greatly by his absence. That said, there is no question that being able to pick both Tom Smith and Graeme van Buuren would give the opposition pause for thought when preparing pitches. The fact that Leicestershire picked two spinners in their squad was due warning that all of Gloucestershire’s opponents have identified now this major vulnerability. So, it was no surprise that Leicestershire chose to bat on winning the Toss and picked two spinners, hoping to reverse a sequence of four defeats and a draw in their last five matches against the Shire.

The playing XI was as expected, with Dominic Goodman missing out to Josh Shaw for the last place.

Cloudy conditions for the start, although the Sun broke through quickly, albeit briefly and, unlike the amazingly green strip at The Oval, which never broke up because of the amount of grass, the strip at Grace Road showed not a hint of green. Dan Worrall and David Payne opened the bowling and got plenty of movement, although struggling a little initially to control the line. The pitch seemed to have little bounce: one delivery from Worrall bounced twice through to Jonathan Tattersall. Another, from David Payne, went down leg, bounced awkwardly just in front of Jonathan Tattersall and went for four byes. The breakthrough though was not long in coming: the penultimate ball of the fourth over, Azad edged a David Payne delivery that swung and squared him up to Tom Smith in the Gulley. Leicestershire 10-1, just the start that the Shire needed. After that, though, alarms were limited and Josh Shaw was on for the eleventh over. The batsmen were not being made to play enough, particularly from the Pavilion End, from which plenty of balls swung away a lot, but without threatening bat or stumps.

What was disconcerting for the bowlers was that big swing only seemed to be available when the ball was well wide of off. After some difficult, early overs, Evans and Harris settled into their task and accumulated steadily. Up came the fifty in the twentieth over and you started to think that the Shire had missed the boat by failing to take more early wickets when conditions were in their favour. Even so, Ryan Higgins produced a magnificent delivery that swung in and moved off the pitch and just failed to catch the edge of Evans’ bat: it was going to turn out to be that kind of day. On came Glenn Phillips to bowl his off-breaks in the twenty-first over, ahead of Tom Smith or Miles Hammond, with the 50 partnership coming up in the same over. However, as would happen several times during the day, the change brought the wicket. In his second over, Glenn Phillips had Evans dropped by Tom Lace at Short Leg when he could not hold on to a full-blooded shot but, four balls later, Evans prodded another one very gently, again to Tom Lace, who took the catch: 64-2, Evans 27 and, next delivery, Ackermann must have been perilously close to being LBW first ball. Suddenly, things were happening again and Ryan Higgins was causing all sorts of problems too at the other end. Chris Dent put three men around the bat for Glenn Phillips and brought on Tom Smith to a similar field, pressurising the batsmen. Gloucestershire bowling two spinners in tandem before Lunch on the first day? And facing the prospect of batting last on this pitch…

Glenn Phillips was Action Man in person: every delivery was an event… an appeal, bat beaten (or not), runs – there was always something happening. The pitch was giving a little help, although not excessively. And then, suddenly, a ball from Glenn Phillips turned a long way. 89-2 from 31 overs at Lunch and batting last was not looking like an attractive proposition with the two Gloucestershire spinners having shared 8 overs already and finding some real encouragement.

After Lunch though, slowly but surely the batsmen consolidated. The 100 came up in the 35^th over. Ackerman then ran out and hit Glenn Phillips for a huge six over Long On: once again, the bat was getting right on top and, this time would stay there for a long time. Harris reached his 50 out of 129-2 and the score started to mount rather faster than Chris Dent will have wanted: nine came off a Tom Smith over, although he was bowling as tightly and meanly as ever; even Ryan Higgins was unable to keep a lid on scoring, going at 4-an-over. The milestones kept coming: Ackermann’s 50 in the 59^th over, the 200 up (Harris 99*, Ackermann 52*) in the 60^th, then Harris’ 100 (175 balls, 15x4). The batsmen were carrying straight on from where they left off against Middlesex. Ten came from a Josh Shaw over and, with Glenn Phillips also taking some stick, it was time for Miles Hammond, bowling in sunglasses and a headband, to try his luck. Almost immediately he had a confident bat-pad catch appeal against Harris rejected, much to the displeasure of the close fielders who were already in a huddle, celebrating: 211-2 and yet another bad day was looming for the Shire. The 150 partnership came up in the 62^nd over.

A deflection down leg was just fractionally out of reach of Jonathan Tattersall’s dive: on another day Harris might not have got away with it, but earnt four runs instead of being dismissed. Last ball before Tea, Harris produced a Chinese Cut against Josh Shaw that just passed Off Stump and defeated the despairing dive of Jonathan Tattersall: 224-2 from 64 overs, the partnership 160 and lady luck was just not on the side of the bowlers.

Back after Tea, Miles Hammond immediately produced a beautiful delivery that pitched well outside off and turned and bowled Ackermann for 57: 224-3 and a first bowling point.  Back came the close fielders for the first time for what seemed like ages, surrounding the batsman. Again, there was a sudden change in the tempo of the match, particularly as Miles Hammond was looking to be the biggest threat since the early overs of the morning. However, once again a stand started to build, edges flew agonisingly out of reach of flying fielders, there were more Chinese Cuts that went for four: pure frustration. Back came Glenn Phillips and again the change brought a wicket. A delivery turned, hit pad and flew into the air. The umpire’s finger went up and, for a few moments no one could work out if it was LBW or bowled (poor Ed Seabourne’s face was a picture as he tried to work out what the decision was). In the end, the umpire ruled that Harris was LBW Phillips 148 (236 balls, 21x4). The score was then 299-4 in the 79^th over and the Shire were two wickets short of a second bowling point. Up came the Leicestershire 300 in the following over – the fifth time this season that their batsmen have reached 300 in the 1^st innings.

The New Ball came and went. Yet another partnership started to build: this time Hill and Swindells. In came Dan Worrall for the 91^st over of the day. The first ball swung prodigiously, but well outside off and was ignored. The second also swung considerably and bowled Hill neck and crop for 56 (83 balls, 7x4): 337-5. Rather than play quietly for the Close, the batsmen kept up the attack and no fewer than 20 runs came from the last three overs of the day, as Leicestershire brought up the 350 and 4^th bowling point in the last over of the day, although with four legs byes, followed by four byes from the last ball of the day: 357-5 and 14 overs left to obtain the second bowling point.

Yes, it has been another tough day. When your luck is out… however, Gloucestershire know that these things always even-out in the end.

Day 2:

After a day suffering almost every misfortune that a side can suffer, not least the long-suffering Jonathan Tattersall, who kept wicket really well, yet saw 14 byes and 16 leg byes go past him: some of them he would have been pressed to stop even had he had the arms and the agility of an orang-utan. Meanwhile, Chris Dent may be wondering if he should have placed two men in the deep for the Chinese Cut. Yes, yesterday was that sort of day, even when you discount the extraordinary number of close LBW shouts that were turned down. New day. Turn things around? No. We saw another horrible collapse from a side that seems to have lost all batting confidence, the follow-on enforced and the captain out for the second time in the day. 

Action: plenty. Things to cheer for the Shire: very few. However, the side have shown powers of resilience that few would have imagined, even against Surrey, where it took a debatable umpiring decision to quench the growing flame of a stubborn last day fightback. Do not rule out another late twist.

A cloudy morning, with the threat of possible drizzle later and the talk of trying to restrict the Foxes to 400. Ryan Higgins, who had had an alarming moment when he trod on the ball and fell heavily during the afternoon session on Day 1 required a fitness test on his knee before play, but was able to bowl the first over of the day. In David Payne’s first over there was already one delivery that swung back in, just missing both the inside edge of the bat and the stumps and, three balls later, a Chinese Cut that again, evaded the stumps. Harry Swindells was the lucky batsmen who then, in Payne’s next over, inside-edged into his pad: David Payne could definitely feel swindled all three times. In Payne’s third over, he passed Swindell’s outside edge by a whisker and the ball just cleared the stumps.  If Harry Swindells plays the lottery, today is the day that he should buy a ticket.

The most impressive thing was that Swindells did not let his struggles get to him and stuck it out, not giving away his wicket, while Mike just got on with his own innings at the other end. The Bowlers were giving nothing away, but it was the batsmen who were winning the battle. Payne kept at it and Mike flashed at the last ball of his spell, just missing it as the ball moved away a fraction. It set the pattern for the day.

On came Tom Smith at the Pavillion End and, first ball, Swindells finally produced one edge too many and Ian Cockbain swallowed the catch in front of his face: 379-6, the second bowling point and, first ball, new batsmen, Parkinson was on the point of edging a ball that turned a little. Tom Smith’s penultimate ball turned and beat the edge again: this was the sort of bowling that the Shire have looked for from Tom Smith; it also begged the question of what the Leicestershire spinners might be able to do. On came Dan Worrall and extracted more late, banana swing from wide of Off. However, old habits die hard, so Parkinson Chinese Cut the fifth ball of the over down to Fine Leg to show that he too had mastered the shot. All the while, Tom Smith was producing a spell that looked more Bishan Bedi than Allan Border, with the ball turning and, occasionally spitting a little. Still though, Leicestershire edged (frequently literally) towards 400, which came when Mike saw a ball from Tom Smith to hit and launched it over Long On for a two-bounce four: 402-6 in the 115^th over. In the next over Dan Worrall took diabolic revenge for his colleague’s suffering by first hitting Mike in the unmentionables and, while his eyes we still, presumably, watering, produced a much quicker and absolutely straight full length delivery that Mike drove at and missed completely. The only doubt about it might have been if would tunnel under Middle although, thinking about it, that was presumably what the umpires had thought about a couple of the LBW shouts yesterday: 405-7 and the Shire working their way through the batting. Less appreciated by the public was yet another 50, brought up in the 120^th over, when 4 byes from Dan Worrall brought up the fifty for Extras. Of these, 22 were byes (almost none of which Jonathan Tattersall had any realistic chance of stopping) and 23 Leg Byes.

The Eastern Cape Action Man was dropping ever less subtle hints that he wanted a bowl and, finally, Chris Dent turned to him. The decision nearly bore fruit when Wright got in a tangle and came close to being stumped. However, it was a case of “tell me the old, old story” – 436-7 at Lunch, yet another partnership building and no signs of an end to the innings.

Straight after Lunch Josh Shaw hit Matt Parkinson on his unprotected bowling arm. For a while, it looked as if Parkinson was in trouble and, given that he is the main spinner, any problems for him that could affect his bowling would be a serious business. The ball then went out of shape and was changed before Miles Hammond could relieve Tom Smith. This was a clever move: first ball, yet another inside edge, but safe; the second, a massive Full Toss (one of the very few times that the Shire’s Björn Börg lookalike has lost his length), that Wright lobbed gently to Josh Shaw at Mid On. It was 436-8, just 8 balls had been bowled in 11 minutes after Lunch, but plenty had happened in those eight deliveries.

Miles Hammond was having problems with his length but, when he got one right, the ball turned, evaded the edges, hit Jonathan Tattershall’s gloves and evaded the grab of Ian Cockbain at First Slip, trying to catch the re-bound: two more byes to the total. The 450 came up in the 132^nd over, which was job done for the Foxes. Leicestershire honour satisfied, Josh Shaw tried a novelty: two, perfectly straight balls, which did for Barnes and Davis in the space of three deliveries, sending the Off Stump flying in identical manner each time. So, it was 451ao and the light roller came on.

So, what would Gloucestershire’s new opening pair of Chris Dent and Miles Hammond make of the bowling. The first two deliveries from Wright went down leg and produced a leg bye and a three as the two batsmen started confidently. Only 302 to save the follow-on. You wondered about the strategic collapse to hurry the game along and set up a run-chase after (just) saving the follow-on. However, it would be nice to see a decent opening partnership for a change. The batsmen were playing positively, even if one half-controlled edge from Mile Hammond went at a comfortable height, just where a Fourth Slip could have been: instead of a dismissal, it brought four runs. Chris Dent, with his crouched, rather chest-on stance, looked by far the more vulnerable of the two. Miles Hammond though was looking just as he good as he had against Surrey and despatched a delivery from Davis out of the ground with a confident pull for six to make the score 27-0.

On came Parkinson for the twelfth over and sent one down leg that went for leg byes and the next was a horrible full toss down leg that Miles Hammond launched so close to the Short Forward Square Leg that his life must have passed before his eyes. 47-0 from 12 overs and the commentators praising Miles Hammond for his kindness in not hitting that ball as hard as it deserved!!!

One started to think of the uncharted territory of a fifty opening partnership until Ackermann brought himself on after Parkinson’s solitary over. His first delivery was floated up, turned, lifted a little, beat Chris Dent’s defensive prod and hit the top of off: 48-1 and in came Glenn Phillips, known for his T20 hitting, but averaging 40.2 in the First Class game. Phillips was off the mark with a single third ball before Miles Hammond decided to bring out the reverse sweep to superb effect, to bring up the fifty, with the Shire still going at close to 4-an-over. The instinct of both Miles Hammond and Glenn Phillips is to attack, which was great entertainment for everyone except the Short Forward Square Leg, who must have been desperate to get off at Tea and check his insurance. There was also one bizarre incident where Glenn Phillips scuffed a drive, the ball slid just to the wicket-keeper’s right and it was a race between the dab down of the bat and the gloveman’s lunge at the stumps: Glenn Phillips won by a nose, but perished in Parkinson’s next over when he tried to hit a six and Harris took a tremendous diving catch close to the boundary as the ball came over his shoulder. 81-2, Glenn Phillips 16 and the start of an ignominious collapse.

Tom Lace was extremely lucky to get away with what looked suspiciously like a glove to the ‘keeper, but he made it to Tea and it was 85-2 from 26 overs, with Hammond 41* and Lace 1*.

Initially, things were altogether calmer and less frenetic after Tea until, after a period playing themselves back in, Miles Hammond started to attack, reaching his 50 with a boundary (80 balls, 6x4, 1x6). Immediately afterwards, though, Tom Lace snicked one behind to fall cheaply: 95-3. It could have been worse because Ian Cockbain edged his first ball to Slip, who juggled it three times before the ball finally fell to the turf. Then Parkinson fired one down leg and Ian Cockbain deflected it to the boundary to bring up the 100 in the 35^th over. Ian Cockbain could not take advantage: Parkinson floated one up, Cockbain tried to turn it to leg, the ball went to Second Slip off the pad and was given, caught: 114-4. Ian Cockbain was not happy, but he was out all the same. Then Ryan Higgins played down the wrong line and was bowled, Off Stump and Parkinson was on a hat-trick.

Again, the pitch was not playing badly. The bowling was not even that good. It was just a collective malaise of confidence that has been gathering pace for several games. Miles Hammond had used the reverse sweep to good effect, but tried one too many and the ball deflected off his leg onto the stumps: 123-6, Hammond 67 (107 balls, 8x4, 1x6) and the Shire in the proverbial. It was another batting freefall. And it got worse. Ackermann dropped one very short. Tom Smith swiped at it and only defected the ball onto his stumps. 128-7. After a flurry of boundaries, back came Wright. Jonathan Tattersall clipped the ball sweetly… straight to Mid-Wicket. 144-8. Painful viewing. Not long after, Josh Shaw missed one that turned and was hit on the back pad: fifth wicket for Parkinson and 153-9. Then Wright bowled David Payne, only to see the umpire signal No Ball. Payne and Dan Worrall hung around for a while but, finally, Wright bowled a straight one and Worrall missed it. 158ao and a very poor batting effort.

Would Leicestershire enforce the follow-on? The betting was that they would not.

There was a long conference between the Leicestershire players and to the surprise of some, it was enforced.

Now, as the former Essex captain, Tonker Taylor, would have said “same batting order, better batting!”

Leicestershire opened with their spinners and had five overs to make inroads. Chris Dent looked like a man out of form, out of confidence and out of luck. Surviving five overs was too much for him. Penultimate ball: an extra fielder was brought in to have four around him, outside off, ball did nothing, tentative prod and sent straight to Slip. 5-1, 288 behind and Day 3 was going to be a very, very long (or maybe, short) day for the fans of the Shire.

Day 3:

There has been a lot of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth overnight by a section of the Gloucestershire fandom and a lot of criticism of players, some merited, a lot, not. Not too many aspects of the team have escaped censure from the same people who lauded the team just a few weeks ago. The most glaring problem is that opponents have analysed the team and have realised that it is very vulnerable on pitches that encourage spin and negate the seamers. Tom Smith has done a job for the side, but will not often bowl sides out, even if he will keep things tight and help rest the seamers. He is a good, honest County pro, who would do a fine job as second spinner – and undoubtedly be much more effective if he had a dangerous spin partner at the other end – but asking him to bowl out sides on a regularly basis is like asking me to run a four minute mile.

The argument raised – completely erroneously – is that the nature of the Bristol pitch means that signing a top-class spinner (Dom Bess would have been an obvious target) is a waste of money. This is obvious nonsense because if Gloucestershire had had Dom Bess in their squad, Surrey would not have picked a used pitch for their game, Hampshire would not have prepared a pitch in which winning the Toss almost guaranteed them the win (we forget that remarkable last day effort in our rush to judge the side) and Leicestershire would have been much more leery of preparing a pitch that made winning the Toss critical. Even if Gloucestershire had won the Toss against Surrey or Leicestershire, the opposition knew that they would have a good chance of getting away with it.

So, back to the job in hand. What could Miles Hammond and Glenn Phillips do to rescue the situation? For fifteen minutes, things went smoothly. Then, Miles Hammond fell to a good piece of bowling and a diabolical piece of luck. Wright found his outside edge, Azad at First Slip, dropped the ball but, in falling, the ball stuck between his legs and he was able to pick it out and claim the catch. Nine times out of ten the ball would have gone to turf. That made it 17-2 in the fifth over of the morning and the one batsman that you could see resisting all day, was back in the hatch. The size of the job was shown starkly when Parkinson found his length and, when he pitched on the right spot, became almost unplayable.

Tom Lace has had one really good innings this season and one stinker of a decision against him. In recent innings his confidence has looked completely shot and, today, Wright produced a lovely delivery that moved away a little and he could only edge to Slip. It made it 23-3 in the sixth over of the day and it was just a matter of when defeat came today, not if. In the twelfth over of the morning Glenn Phillips misjudged a ball from Parkinson that was homing on leg and was given LBW, much to his disgust – the batsman had not realised how far he had moved across the stumps – making it 29-4. Then, in the fourteenth over, Ryan Higgins, who is completely out of form, launched a huge, premeditated slog-sweep that got a top edge and went high into the air, settling in the hands of Hill. So, at 31-5, the game was just about over.

Jonathan Tattersall brought up the 50 in the 24^th over, but it was just window-dressing now. Even so, seeing both he and Ian Cockbain in double figures was a small boost to morale. One started to raise expectations: perhaps a fifty partnership? Get the score past 100? Survive past Lunch?

As the mini-recovery grew, Parkinson had five men round the bat, with the wicket-keeper joined by a Silly Point, two slips and a Leg Slip. Jonathan Tattersall saw the gaps in the field, skipped down the pitch, took the ball on the full and clipped it sweetly through Mid-Wicket to take the score to 76-5. Up came the fifty partnership in the 34^th over and the Shire were making the pitch look much easier again. Of course, at a similar stage of the first innings they had been 81-1 and looking in control of their destiny. At Lunch it was 90-5, with Jonathan Tattersall 34* and Ian Cockbain 23*. Even if there was no growing bubble of hope, at least the partnership was dispersing a little of the gloom. Of course, the sad fact remained that Gloucestershire needed 203 more to make Leicestershire bat again and to score around 450 to entertain hope of victory. More remarkable was that Parkinson had taken the New Ball and bowled unchanged so far through the innings: 18 overs on the reel, although broken overnight.

Parkinson was rested finally after Lunch as Leicestershire went for an all-seam attack of Wright and Barnes. Up crept the score, closer to the hundred. Jonathan Tattersall brought it up with a clip off his legs to Square Leg. However, the seam experiment was brief and Parkinson was back soon with five men around the bat, wheeling away at the Bennett End off his surprisingly long run. Jonathan Tattersall was using his head and took it a bit too literally when he half ducked and headed the ball to Square Leg for four byes, possibly not too happy that the umpire signalled “dead ball” and chalked them off. After the standard checks, smiling and looking totally unconcerned, he resumed. Tough guys these Yorkies. Next delivery Wright bowled another bouncer that was ducked more safely.

A No Ball that went for four leg byes brought the partnership up to 99 and then Jonathan Tattersall clipped the offending Wright square for the boundary that brought up the hundred partnership. Ian Cockbain won the race to 50 with a lofted Cover Drive off Mike that went for four (112 balls, 6x4). Yet another clip off his legs gave Jonathan Tattersall the single that he needed for his own fifty (104 balls, 7x4) and the score to 145-5. And, in the 52^nd over, up came the 150. Only another 143 needed to make Leicestershire bat again… sigh! But, if these two could add another hundred, just maybe… But no! This is not Headingley and it is not 1981.

Parkinson put one on the spot. Jonathan Tattersall pushed forward. The ball turned a lot and went via the gloves of the ‘keeper to 1^st Slip. Tattersall waited, unconvinced that he had touched it but, while the fielders celebrated, the umpire lifted the finger and he had to go. 150-6 and another fine Tattersall innings had ended on 51. Once Jonathan Tattersall had gone, Ian Cockbain followed quickly: a genuine edge off Parkinson and a good, low catch at Slip. Parkinson’s 5-for, 155-7 and happy times over again.

David Payne did not last long. Turn from Ackermann, bails scattered. 160-8 and we were into the last rites. Tom Smith got a straight one from Ackermann and was palpably LBW, 165-9. A second consecutive defeat by an innings was coming. Dan Worrall came in and swung hard at his first ball and you knew that this last wicket partnership would be brief and merry. Out stepped Josh Shaw and lofted Parkinson over the sightscreen for a huge six. Dan Worrall’s first two scoring shots were a controlled edge for four and a six over Long On that mirrored Josh Shaw’s. Then a clip to leg for another four and one to Fine Leg stopped just short of the boundary: sixteen off the over and Dan Worrall 17* from 9 balls. Tea was delayed and Josh Shaw celebrated with consecutive fours that took the deficit below 100 and brought up the 200, something that had seemed unlikely an hour into the morning session. That though, was as far as the party got. Three balls and two runs later Josh Shaw went for an expansive drive and was bowled by the gate by Ackermann.

The partnership stood at 35 and some dignity had been restored, but you could not hide the fact that this was a second successive innings defeat, a second successive game in which Gloucestershire had just two bowling points to show for their efforts. And, with just two games left, were going to be out of the top two and no longer in control of their destiny.

What is evident is that if Gloucestershire are serious about qualifying for and competing in Division One, they are going to have to find an international spinner from somewhere and the club is going to have to put its hands deep in its pockets to do it. 

 

County Championship Round 7: Surrey v Gloucestershire

  

Preview:

James Bracey: the plot thickens. In fact, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle could make a decent Sherlock Holmes story about the movements of players around this game. We know now that according to the BBC, he was in the squad as cover, both as reserve wicket-keeper and as reserve batsman and thus unlikely to play barring injury to a member of the first-choice XI. However, as Ben Foakes will miss the New Zealand series now due to a freak accident, James Bracey will play and keep wicket and both Sam Billings and Haseeb Hameed will cover now for him, although, according to Jon Agnew, neither is likely to play. To cover for James Bracey in the Gloucestershire squad, Jonathan Tattersall has been signed on a short-term loan. That Tatttersall, a player who had a fantastic 2020 Bob Willis Trophy for Yorkshire, is available, is down to the fact that he has struggled this season and lost his place last week to 19 year old debutant, Harry Duke and is in need of cricket to boost his form and confidence. Glenn Phillips, who will replace Kraigg Brathwaite as overseas player, has arrived in the UK, but is not yet available and Tom Lace, who substituted for Bracey with the gauntlets earlier in the season, is not regarded as more than an emergency option in the 4-day game.

Tattersall started batting at #6 for Yorkshire, but has recent batted at #7, which is where Miles Hammond batted against Somerset (although rain arrived before he had the chance to take guard). That leaves a gap at #3, which will be filled by Miles Hammond, who made good runs last time out in the 2^nd XI. The XI is likely to be Dent, Brathwaite, Hammond, Lace, Higgins, Cockbain, Tattersall, Smith, Payne, Taylor M. and Worrall in that order. Scott, Goodman, Shaw and van Buuren travel as reserves.

This is Kraigg Brathwaite’s last game. He would be the first to admit that his 229 runs @ 25.4 with just a single 50 are not what he would have hoped for. Hopefully, he can sign off with the big performance that he knows that he has within him. The other worry, with Bracey unavailable, is the alarming fall-off of the captain’s form: in his last eight innings, he has passed 25 just once. Chris Dent brings solidity and security to the top order. It is mainly an issue of trying to be too positive in an effort to keep the scoreboard moving but, Gloucestershire supporters would happily settle for a century opening partnership made in 40 overs if it means a solid start and a good haul of batting points. Graeme van Buuren is back in the squad, but as cover for Brathwaite and Worrall: it seems that he is still sadly unlikely to be available any time soon. There might be an argument for playing Dom Goodman for Matt Taylor, but it seems that George Scott, Josh Shaw and Dom Goodman will join the unlucky Graeme van Buuren as the travelling reserves.

For Surrey, Ben Foakes is now doubly unavailable (he is injured, even if England did not have first call on his services). Kemar Roach, who both tops the Surrey bowling averages and has the most wickets  for them this season, has stood down and is replaced by Sean Abbott: it is a little like a side hearing that Dennis Lillie is unavailable to play against them, but Wayne Daniel has stepped-in to fill the breach. Rory Burns and Ollie Pope – the two highest run-scorers for Surrey this season – join James Bracey on England duty, which means that the Surrey side will have a considerable re-jig from the one that was somewhat fortunate to escape with a draw against Middlesex. The XIII named has some less-familiar names, although Surrey have given themselves the opportunity to play two spinners, with both Amar Virdi and Daniel Moriarty in the squad. However unfamiliar some of the names, Mark Stoneman has a century and two fifties in his last four innings and Hashim Amla scored 215* against Hampshire, so the Surrey batting remains full of threat and should be underestimated at your peril.

Somerset and Hampshire sit out this week so, after this round, all sides will have played seven games and we will see the true position of the sides. Surrey know that, now 25 points behind Somerset, they must win this game if they are to have any hope of finishing in the top two in the group (and, even then, will still be at least one point behind having played a game more). In contrast, a Gloucestershire win would all but seal a top-two spot, barring a complete meltdown in their last three games. So, both sides have plenty to play for.

Day 1:

So, interesting rumours overnight that, as the game would be played on a used pitch and Surrey would play both spinners, Dan Worrall would be replaced by Graeme van Buuren. Yes, Surrey did pick both spinners, but Gloucestershire went with the XI that was released yesterday and in the same scorecard order as published. Surrey won the Toss and batted, undoubtedly hoping that Virdi and Moriarty would spin their web of crime on the fourth day… if the match got that far. Certainly, it was a worn pitch with a lot of repaired footmarks, but also looked quite green in the bright sunshine. The suggestion was that it would play okay for two days and then start to turn.

David Payne opened the bowling to Mark Stoneman, who made a confident start. The first ball was tucked off his hip for two and the second cut past Gulley for a single, bringing Ryan Patel on strike in his twenty-seventh First Class match, although he only averages 24.4 in that time. Certainly, there was some evidence of movement in that first over, with the last ball moving a long way, but too wide to be threatening. At the other end, Ryan Higgins, saw his first ball guided between the two Slips and Gulley for the first boundary, before a loud shout for LBW from his final ball (probably missing Stoneman’s Off Stump, despite curving in a fraction). After a relatively quick start the runs slowed and a spell of 25 balls produced just a single, but there was never a sensation that wickets were coming. The initial thrust with the New Ball repulsed, on came Dan Worrall for the tenth over, replacing Ryan Higgins. 27-0 after 12 overs and Surrey building a good start.

More alarmingly, there was a long pause in play when the third ball of the fourteenth over, bowled by Dan Worrall, caught Patel on the side of the helmet as he ducked. The physio came on and attended him to check that he was okay to continue and a new helmet was brought out. One delivery under the new lid and Patel decided that he needed to change it again, leading to some engineering work by batsmen and twelfth man on the new helmet. Patel was able to continue and Worrall, who had checked immediately that the batsman was not badly hurt, then served up a ball well pitched-up outside off (apparently in a gesture of sportsmanship) to help him settle.

With nothing happening for the seamers, Tom Smith was on, wheeling away, as early as the 18^th over. The 50 partnership coming up in the next one, but the openers got no further. After a long conference, Chris Dent brought back Ryan Higgins. His first delivery looked a bit leggish, but Stoneman played all around it and off he went, LBW Higgins 22 (50 balls, 3x4). 50-1.

For the 29^th over, the Shire switched to an all-spin attack, as Miles Hammond came on, in headband and curls and looking a lot like Björn Börg in his prime, to bowl his very, very occasional off-breaks for the last over before Lunch. 77-1 at the break and Surrey very happy with their session. After the break, first Patel reached his 50, then up came the 100 in the 34^th over. By now you were starting to get a very bad feeling about this game. Something had to be tried, so the captain tried to get the ball changed. An initial request failed but, in the 35^th over, after a violent boundary that bounced into the stands and damaged the ball further, a box of balls came out and a new one was picked. This worked the oracle: David Payne sent down the first delivery with the new old ball, outside off and moving away and Patel edged it straight to Kraigg Brathwaite. 105-2, Patel 62 (113 balls, 10x4). One more wicket and you felt that the Shire would be getting back into the game. That wicket was not long coming. David Payne gave Smith some width outside off. The batsman slashed at it and Kraigg Brathwaite took a good catch. 123-3, and David Payne’s 300^th First Class wicket. The Sun had gone in and the ball was doing a bit; could Gloucestershire get into the inexperienced middle order? Yes they could! Matt Taylor came on and produced a superb delivery that Evans edged very low to Jonathan Tattersall, who just about managed to get the gauntlets underneath it. It was an excellent catch and the young Yorkshireman had continued to justify his signing. Surrey 133-4 and the afternoon turning the Gloucestershire way. Surrey, though, bat deep even when fielding a virtual 2^nd XI. Amla ground his way up to his 50, which he reached with a delicious cut for four (115 balls , 7x4). At the other end, Jacks kept him company and accumulated steadily, while Tom Smith wheeled away, testing and teasing and bowling some very nice deliveries.

Just short of the 50 partnership and with Surrey again looking on top, Jacks got burnt by Ryan Higgins. He served-up a very wide one that Jacks slashed at, totally unnecessarily, getting a thick inside edge that took Off Stump: 181-5. So, Surrey had reached 183-5 at the break and this session, definitely was Gloucestershire’s.

However, we have seen this script in other games this season. One more wicket and Gloucestershire would have been in a strong position. Instead, the batsmen tilted the match strongly in their own favour. Surrey’s 200 and first batting point came up with the last ball of the 69^th over (Amla 63*) and Overton 11* and bedding-in. Another partnership was building and you felt that Gloucestershire badly needed a wicket before the new ball. It should have come at 229-5, when Overton edged Tom Smith straight through Miles Hammond’s hands at Slip: as catches go, it was not a difficult one and it was a bad drop at a bad time. Hammond’s punishment was to be brought back on to bowl to hurry on the New Ball; this he did with enough style to suggest that he could become a useful bowler. His length was excellent, he got good shape through the air and just needs to learn to control the line a bit better. The New Ball was taken immediately by David Payne at 241-5 and was the critical moment of the session. The bowlers were getting some movement, but sometimes strayed a little in line: when David Payne did it, Overton smoked him through the covers to bring up the 250 and the second batting point.

As the partnership waxed and prospered, closing in rapidly on the century as Surrey sought to increase the scoring rate, Gloucestershire faced the unpalatable prospect of, once again, failing to obtain full bowling points. A four to Third Man off Matt Taylor brought Amla onto 99 and a Cover Drive for a single from Ryan Higgins brought up the century (197 balls, 12x4) out of 283-5 and brought up the century stand to boot. That missed chance early in the evening session was beginning to get expensive, with Amla and Overton batting supremely well; it was a pity, given that Brathwaite had taken two, excellent catches and Tattersall one that was a difficult chance, that he made look straightforward that the one chance that was missed turned out to be costly.

So, we had reached 285-5 at the Close, with Overton bringing up his 50 with the last ball of the day (123 balls, 7x4). Gloucestershire, who will bat last, need quick wickets urgently in the morning.

Day 2:

A cloudy morning that you thought should favour the bowlers. Gloucestershire needed quick wickets and got one, first ball of the day. David Payne bowled a brutal delivery at Overton that lifted and moved away and that the batsman could only edge to Jonathan Tattersall. Surrey 285-6 and the second bowling point: just the three more wickets needed for a third! After some early frenetic batting from Abbott, calming words from Amla led to more careful play and the 300 coming up safely in the 103^rd over. With further bonus points looking unlikely for either side, the match settled into a quiet period of phony war, although the introduction of Matt Taylor saw two false shots from Amla in his first three balls as he tried to accelerate again: the first an appeal for a catch down leg, the second just past the outside edge and then Amla ran a quick single to David Payne at Mid-On, who destroyed the stumps with his throw, but with Amla safely in. So, Surrey 321-6 were after 110 overs and the points split 3-2 in their favour.

Although the bowling was tight, the fifty partnership came up in the 115^th over as the Surrey strategy became clear: bat long, bat once. In the commentary box, Mark Church was already licking his lips at the prospect of Gloucestershire following-on after being bowled out cheaply. Yes, the County Championship was war as usual! Finally though, Abbott played one shot too many, paddle-sweeping a straight ball from Tom Smith that he missed completely, beaten by a little turn and hit in front of middle: 346-7. It was The bad news? Rikki Clarke, in at #9, averages 40 in First Class cricket! 363-7 from 126 overs at Lunch and everyone watching Tom Smith for the first signs of the pitch misbehaving.

Dan Worrall had a chance to make the breakthrough at 376-7 when he took the edge of Amla’s bat and the chance may, or may not, have carried to Kraigg Brathwaite. In any case, the chance, if it was one, went down. Two balls later Clarke cut the ball just fractionally out of reach of the flying Miles Hammond at 2^nd Slip who could not quite reach the ball. Luck definitely was not with the bowlers. The score kept on mounting: 150 for Amla in the 134^th over, made out of 388-7. Then Clarke almost holed out when he slogged Tom Smith just short of the diving Dan Worrall on the Mid-Wicket boundary. Clarke and Amla piled on the misery and the partnership had reached 82 before the moment that sounded alarm bells. Miles Hammond produced a magic ball that turned hugely and lifted from very wide of Off Stump and was chopped on by Amla who fell finally for 173 (347 balls, 16x4), 428-8. As the light faded and rain approached London, Rikki Clarke went on the attack, launching Matt Taylor for four consecutive booming boundaries, the second of which just cleared Ryan Higgins running back, before plugging and trickling over the boundary as the fielder applied the brakes and overran the ball. That took Clarke to his 50 and the score past 450. Surrey were looking at the declaration and Miles Hammond went for 4 6 4 in the next over, as 27 runs came from 9 balls. Ryan Higgins ended the fun by bowling one very short, which kept low and bowled Clarke for 65 (103 balls, 8x4, 2x6), 468-9.

The last wicket fell as Moriarty took a huge swing at Ryan Higgins and knocked the Middle and the Off Stumps out of the ground. 473ao. 324 to avoid the follow-on. It was not the bowling performance of a title-challenging side, but it was not a poor one either. At no stage save the final slog did the batsmen score freely. In a big total, Ryan Higgins finished with a very creditable 4-69 and David Payne, 3-79.

What could the openers do? The Shire really needed a big partnership from them. Both were off the mark first ball: Kraigg Brathwaite with a delicious turn off his legs for 4, Chris Dent with a push for a single. After just 6 overs from Abbott and Clarke, with the score 12-0, Virdi was called into the attack to take advantage of the hard, new ball. What was interesting was to see the change in the way that the openers played. Normally, Kraigg Brathwaite has played the tortoise to Chris Dent’s hare but, after the first 12 overs, it was 25-0, with Brathwaite 21* and Dent 4*. You hoped that this was the prelude to a big score, but Chris Dent was not timing the ball as he can. As the batsmen started to play some shots and to take advantage of the attacking field, Kraigg Brathwaite chipped a ball straight back at Mortiarty who, amazingly, dropped it. It is never easy to take a catch in your follow through, but that was a gentle lob-back that should have been swallowed to make the score 37-1. Was this a sign that the Shire’s luck turning? No it was not! Virdi dropped one short. Chris Dent, who on another day would have deposited the ball in the stands, hammered it to straight to Mid-Wicket and Moriarty took a comfortable catch. 39-1 from 15 overs and the captain out for 14, bringing in the under pressure Miles Hammond, who needed a score to seal his place in the side. “Opportunity Knocks!” said Ed Seabourne in the commentary box, but James Bracey’s place was a big one to fill and he must surely have a better chance of making consistent runs at #7.

Even though the main band of rain that was crossing England and Wales had (just) missed The Oval, the light was extremely dark, the shadows of the floodlights surrounded the players and, even with an all-spin attack it was just a question of when the umpires would take the players off. In the end, it was at 45-1 after 19 overs, with Brathwaite 27* and Hammond 4*, as some light rain started to fall

And that was that. Stumps were called, 15 overs were lost and, with sun and clear skies forecast for Day 3, Gloucestershire would have much better conditions to bat in, but that Hammond delivery will be praying on the minds of the batsmen.

Day 3:

Miles Hammond stood on the burning deck,
Whence all but he had fled;
The flame that lit the pitch’s wreck,
Shone round him o’er the dead.

 

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,
As born to rule the storm;
A batsman of heroic blood,
A proud, though childlike form.

 

The bowlers spun on – he would not go,
Without his captain’s word;
That skipper, in batting collapse below,
His voice no longer heard.

 

He called aloud – ‘Say, captain, say
If yet my task is done?’
He knew not that the captain lay
Dismissed in the pavilion.

 

‘Speak, captain!’ once again he cried,
‘If I may yet be gone!’
– And but the booming shots replied,
And fast his boundaries rolled on.

Unless Miles Hammond can conjure up something even more spectacular than some of the feats of one I.T. Botham, Gloucestershire’s unbeaten record in the 2021 Championship will end sometime around Lunch tomorrow. The overwhelming feeling is that it will be an unnecessary defeat that should have been avoided.

When you are 84-1 and beginning to score freely, with two set batsmen, you start to think that maybe your worst imaginings will not come to pass. Then, 29 balls later, it is 89-5 and that follow-on target of 324 looks a long, long way away. The pitch, though, had little to do with it.

For the first hour all looked rosy in SW7. Kraigg Brathwaite and Miles Hammond batted sensibly, adding runs steadily, which was what the situation demanded. Miles Hammond hooked Overton for the boundary that brought up the 50 in the 22^nd over. After three maiden overs, he then produced two, fabulous cover drives off consecutive balls from Overton. On came the spinners and the two batsmen continued calmly. A reverse sweep by Miles Hammond brought up another boundary from Moriarty. Both batsmen were playing comfortably and there was very little pressure from the bowlers, with the field well spread. The change came when Amla decided to add some close fielders, which seemed to sow the seeds of doubt in the minds of the batsmen. Kraigg Brathwaite was on 38 and playing with a solidity that made you think that, this time, he’d make a big score, but he pressed forward down the wrong line to a straight ball from Virdi and was LBW: 84-2 and the start of an inexplicable collapse.

Tom Lace also pressed forward to a straight ball and edged to Slip: 84-3. Ian Cockbain, tried to be positive and swept Virdi in the air straight to Square Leg: 88-4. Then, Ryan Higgins left a perfectly straight ball from Mortiarty and was bowled: 89-5. None of the wicket-taking balls had done anything at all that was untoward. Suddenly, even Miles Hammond, who had been playing supremely well, looked as if his boots had been replaced with concrete overshoes and he was being goaded with an electric cattle prod. There was no good cricketing reason for what was happening apart from the pressure of having a convention of close fielders around the bat.

In came Tattersall, who brought up the 100 by coming down the pitch and whipping the ball through Mid-Wicket for four. Was this the start of a recovery? No. Moriarty overpitched and Jonathan Tattersall pushed the ball straight into the hands of Leg Slip: 111-6.  In came Tom Smith and now, we were into the tail. Would he see it through to Lunch? Nope! Six men around the bat. Straight ball. Press forward. Slightly mishit and at least he could say that he was the victim of a sharp piece of fielding from Jacks at Silly Mid On, one-handed, low to his left. 113-7 at Lunch and Miles Hammond stranded on 49*.

We were back to Taunton 2020 and the impression that Gloucestershire are a very fragile batting side, who will collapse under pressure. You look at the scorecard and think that conditions must have been impossible, but they were not. There was no sharp turn. There was little variable bounce. The pitch was playing perfectly well and there were runs to be scored in it. What there was were a lot of badly fried nerves.

Miles Hammond brought up an excellent 50 soon after Lunch (124 balls, 6x4) out of 114-7. Only now did the odd ball start to misbehave. However, Miles Hammond and Matt Taylor produced an hour of excellent batting. They kept the ball out calmly and saw off Moriarty and Virdi, starting to score more freely again. Abbott was brought back to keep order and Jacks, who had never taken a First Class wicket, was brought on to hurry on the New Ball. It was Jacks who produced the breakthrough with a magic ball, similar to Hammond’s yesterday: the ball pitched very wide of off and turned in viciously as Matt Taylor left the ball only to see it hit Off Stump. 144-8 and  the end of a stand of 31.

David Payne did not last long. Once again, the batsman pushed forward, the ball went straight, but along a completely different line to the bat. Moriarty had his fifth wicket. It was 153-9 and a bemused Miles Hammond was on 73*. Hammond deserved a century, but knew that he had to start to hit out if he wanted it. All the same, he was not giving up easily and produced a magnificent reverse sweep off Moriarty that flew to the boundary to move him to 77* before playing one shot too many and hitting the next ball straight to Mid-Wicket. 158ao in 75.5 overs and, to be brutally honest, a very poor performance with the bat. 6-60 for Moriarty, but you didn’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to detect that many of his wickets were gifted. What the evidence showed, though, was that in just his third First Class match, Moriarty had four consecutive hauls of 5-for and 23 wickets at 17.5.

 

A mere 315 behind on first innings, Gloucestershire were, of course asked to follow on. And, after the break, a novelty act: Moriarty and Virdi opening the bowling with the New Ball. There are not too many occasions that two spinners have taken the New Ball: even in the 1970s, when India sometimes played Bedi, Venkat, Prasanna and Chadrasehkar in the same XI, someone always took the shine off the ball for a couple of overs before the proper bowlers came on. That said, there was much about Amar Virdi, wheeling away in his lilac patka, that Bishan Bedi himself would have approved of. Five men round the bat but, when Moriarty misdirected a couple of balls too far down leg, Kraigg Brathwaite seized on them and flicked them away contemptuously through Fine Leg for consecutive boundaries. 28-0, from 8 overs at Tea, Brathwaite 20*, Dent 8*. Could Gloucestershire hope?

The batsmen had seen off the New Ball thrust and Amla brought on his change bowlers, Overton and Abbott to try a few overs of seam after Tea, presumably to rest the spinners. You could imagine a bemused Mr Spock watching this and saying “it’s cricket, Jim, but not as we know it”, before  arcing his right eyebrow. Kraigg Brathwaite kept the scoreboard moving and when Overton sent a ball too far down leg, he flicked it down to the Fine Leg boundary to move onto 27* and the score to 36-0 from 11 overs. Surely, this time, he would make a score? The batsmen were looking comfortable. There was no threat in the bowling. 120-0 at the Close? No way! It was too good to last. Overton pitched one up and Kraigg Brathwaite chipped it tamely back to the bowler. 38-1, Brathwaite out for 28 in his final innings for the Shire, having once again done the hard work, got a start and got out.

18, 36, 60, 21, 9, 16, 33, 21, 15, 38, 28…

If you consider that reaching 15 is a start, Brathwaite has done it in 10 of his 11 innings, but just four times has he passed 30.

Could things get worse? Yes they could. Very quickly. 38-0 and hope became rapidly 44-3 and misery. Gloucestershire desperately needed the captain to arrest the slide in his scores. A glide through Third Man for four after a careful start suggested that he was in the mood. He then propped half forward to Abbott, missed, and went LBW. That was 42-2 and in came Tom Lace who has struggled for runs all season. Abbott came. Lace saw. And stumps were scattered. The ball went through him like an armour-piercing shell. Faster than you could say “Sebastian Vettel” the Shire were in the Pits. 44-3 and sinking… fast.

Could Ian Cockbain stop the Brown-Cap charge? Virdi produced a wonderful delivery that turned a long way, hit the stumps past Cockbain’s forward defensive and the bowler, not the most athletic in the home side, headed off towards the Cover boundary at warp speed, celebrating wildly. At least the batsman could say that he was dismissed by a very fine delivery. 58-4. Ryan Higgins came in to join Miles Hammond who had, again, watched carnage at the other end and who was 4* from 25 balls. Surrey thinking that they could be requesting the extra half hour to finish the game.

Ryan Higgins is the type of player who tries to counter-attack in any situation and, for a time, it worked: a lovely cut for four and some busy running aimed to reduce the pressure. This encouraged Miles Hammond to come out of his shell and reverse sweep Virdi powerfully for four. Higgins tried to keep up the attack, dancing down the pitch to a wide ball outside off from Virdi that turned and bounced and the ‘keeper finished off the stumping. 84-5 and the end was nigh. Again, Virdi set off towards the boundary at a rate of knots, arms outstretched, gambolling with glee. In truth, the batsman was so far down the pitch that the ‘keeper could have lit a cigarette before taking off the bails.

That the match did not end on the third evening was down to a mini-fightback by Miles Hammond and Jonathan Tattersall. Hammond could see himself running out of partners again and was the one batsman who was not psyched-out by the bowling, the pitch and the Surrey close fielders convention. Another powerful reverse sweep for four was followed, two balls later, by an even bigger one for six. Up came the 100 in the 34^th over with 4 leg byes (Hammond 31*, Tattersall 0*) and, glory be, the number of close fielders was now sharply reduced when Miles Hammond was on strike, while Jonathan Tattersall combated Virdi by taking guard outside off, around about 4^th stump. A conventional sweep off Moriarty took him into double figures with a boundary and, once again, a partnership was building. Overton and Jacks came back into the attack to try to break it, but something odd happened… it did not break. In fact, the batsmen started to look increasingly comfortable.

The Shire reached the Close on 124-5, still 191 behind, with Miles Hammond on 38* and Jonathan Tattersall on 15*. They would need to bat past Lunch on the final day for Somerset to start to worry, even a little, but at least they have shown some spirit.

Day 4:

The defeat did come, around Lunch, but the way that it came showed that this was a match that should not have been lost – one bad hour was to blame – and could even have been won had the batsmen showed more gumption in the first innings (imagining a hypothetical situation in which Chris Dent could have declared behind). In fact, the Shire could even feel a little aggrieved that they had not been given a chance to make Surrey bat again.

Blue sky, brilliant sunshine and vultures (or, maybe, pigeons) circling The Kennington Oval looking to feast on the Gloucestershire batsmen. Mark Church, licking his lips in the commentary box, like a cat who has the canary cornered and is anticipating cleaning the feathers from his whiskers. In contrast, Ed Seabourne, in the Radio Bristol corner, looking pretty hangdog as if his only hope is for Boris Johnson to call and cancel play due to a national emergency. Yes, the Shire are back in their accustomed role as suffering underdogs. Even the public seemed to take a quick finish for granted and only a smattering of fans had decided that it was worth shelling out cash to see the last rites.

Virdi was still in his lilac patka and got things underway, wheeling away again, although the Sun went in for a while when play started. The first two balls turned in slowly from off, the second of which Jonathan Tattersall cut beautifully away for four to get underway as Moriarty chased the ball in vain to the Third Man boundary. Virdi served-up a full toss on leg and Miles Hammond thumped it to the wide Mid-On boundary, which may have given the close fielders pause for thought. With the batsmen looking comfortable, on came Overton after four overs of spin, for another go at blasting out the batsmen. However, it was Moriarty who made the rapid breakthrough and it really did look like a very rough decision for Miles Hammond: a ball pitching well outside off and barely turning in. Hammond went for it, missed and was hit on the pad, well outside off. What was unarguable is that it was 138-6, Hammond was out for 45 and Gloucestershire’s last remaining hope was gone. The scorecard showed it as caught behind, so Hammond must have got a nick on it, in which case it was brilliant work by the ‘keeper. Either way, the decision looked wrong and, however many replays were shown, you could not see much evidence to support the dismissal. Miles Hammond looked incredulous at the decision. It was the sort that a side gets when its luck is out. Given what happened later, you do wonder what might have happened if Miles Hammond had continued to bat: certainly, avoiding the innings defeat, if not the defeat itself, would have been a real possibility.

It did not take long for Overton to get in the act. Tom Smith was completely squared-up by him and hit in front. The only doubt that time was if it might have gone under middle. 139-7 and two wickets in seven balls. The match now moved into that delicious phase where you know that defeat is inevitable, no one can do anything to avoid it and you can sit back and enjoy the action.

Jonathan Tattersall wanted to rehabilitate his batting and to get his Yorkshire place back. Matt Taylor can bat when he feels like it and the two decided to hang around and even enjoy themselves a bit. The stand reached 40 as Tattersall advanced and lofted Moriarty over his head for a six through Long On: the look on Moriarty’s face as he followed the ball over him and into the far distance was worth a king’s ransom (this was one innings in which he would not get a 5-for).  Unfortunately, it gave Matt Taylor ideas. The stand had reached 42 when Taylor decided that he could hit a six too, skipped down the wicket to Virdi and gave Long On a comfortable catch. 181-8. You could not censure Matt Taylor too much for the shot with the game lost even if it was another wicket gifted instead of earnt by the bowler. All the while Jonathan Tattersall just kept playing his own game. It was noticeable that the number of close fielders was much smaller with him on strike and Short Leg must have thought that even that number was one too many as he swept the boundary to bring up his 50, the ball whistling past the fielder’s head as he ducked for cover. This was the sort of Yorkshire bloody-mindedness that Gloucestershire had hoped for with the loan signing.

With the turn and bounce gentle and predictable, David Payne was confident enough to stroke a cover drive for the boundary that brought up the 200 in the 69^th over. At the other end, Jonathan Tattersall must have been wondering if his partner would hang around for long enough to give him a chance of reaching his century. Tattersall took the runs where available, used his feet well and came down the pitch to take himself to 57* with a lofted drive through Long Off. The response of Amla was to bring back Jacks back on to bowl. Sadly, though, David Payne, having played some really nice shots, fell in exactly the same fashion as Matt Taylor: down the pitch to Virdi, didn’t get hold of the ball, gentle catch to Long On. 212-9. Jonathan Tattersall high and dry on 58*, with only Dan Worrall left and Worrall has not shown any kind of batting ability this season; in fact, Dan Worrall’s batting had been more of the “please declare before I have to bat” type.

Tattersall was not complaining about facing Jacks: a slog-sweep went for an enormous six and was followed-up by another sweep for four. 223-9, Tattersall 69* and enjoying his rest-cure from Headingley. Even Dan Worrall joined the party, cracking two boundaries from the first two balls of a Virdi over before the next delivery beat everything and went for four byes. That made 22 runs from the last 7 deliveries. If you are going to go down, at least enjoy yourself doing it. There were plenty of gaps in the field and the batsmen were finding them. Another slog-sweep for Tattersall and twelve off a Jacks over took Tattersall to 80*. It left Dan Worrall on strike: was he worried? No. Virdi was met with a lofted Cover Drive for four, then another. Back came Moriarty to try to break the stand. Jonathan Tattersall took the single first ball and left Dan Worrall to crack the second for another boundary. The reward was to see the close fielders start to retreat to the outfield. Jonathan Tattersall had just a Slip and a Short Forward Square Leg, then only the Slip and even Dan Worrall’s close field was starting to comply with COVID restrictions on gatherings. Surrey were definitely starting to go on a little on the defensive, trying to staunch the flow of runs. An Off Drive from Dan Worrall brought up the 50 partnership in 37 balls. 262-9. Could the innings defeat be avoided? Could Tattersall, on 85*, reach only his second First Class century?

It was not to be. Moriarty got the last laugh. Dan Worrall pushed forward and missed and was bowled for 24. 268ao and a defeat by an innings and 47. Seeing how comfortable batting was through the morning, you do wonder if that Miles Hammond dismissal – it was a stinker of a decision – was the difference between an innings defeat and at least setting Surrey a small victory target.

 

 

County Championship Round 6: Gloucestershire v Somerset

 

 

County Championship Round 6

Gloucestershire v Somerset

 

Preview:

Still top and with a game in hand, Gloucestershire put their lead in Group 2 on the line as we head in to the run-in of the Group Phase of the County Championship. With qualification now a tightly contested battle between the top three, a defeat could drop Gloucestershire to third. Hampshire, who have started their game a day earlier against bottom team, Leicestershire, have the chance to leapfrog both Gloucestershire and Somerset. Both Somerset and Hampshire will have just three games left after this round so, little time will remain to recover any ground lost in this round of matches.

And, in the background, the news that James Bracey has an excellent chance of obtaining a first Test cap against New Zealand. Of course, being in the squad and being in the XI picked on the morning are two different things. Back in the 1970s, Somerset had a run machine called Roy Virgin: the only Somerset batsman to score 2000 runs in a season (in fact, with his one-day runs, he totalled almost 3000 in 1970). Finally, he received a call-up for the Test XII, but was left out on the morning of the match and never again got close to playing for England. James Bracey is a different case, a young player, still on the rise and likely to win many caps over the next ten years, but Roy Virgin’s experience, like the possibly even more disconcerting experience of Glamorgan stalwart, Alan Jones, is a warning to all aspiring England players not to count your caps. James Bracey could be available for the game against Surrey at The Oval, but will definitely miss the Leicestershire game at Grace Road. After that, the last two Group matches in July should see him available again as the IPL regulars return to the England side.

Both sides know that a high-scoring draw on a lifeless Bristol strip, with a full set of bonus points would suit their ambitions perfectly. It will be interesting to see if Ian Harvey and Chris Dent modify the attacking tactics that have paid-off so well so far this season, including inserting every time that the captain has won the Toss. However, a doubtful weather forecast for the first two days, with the possibility of interruptions to play and high winds may influence both captains to want to field first in the hope of favourable bowling conditions. Both sides start with the knowledge that the first day of Hampshire’s must-win match against Leicestershire was almost a washout, with just 26 overs possible and that more interruptions are expected on Thursday and Friday, which could make it hard for Hampshire to force a result.

The only change in the Gloucestershire squad is Miles Hammond for George Hankins. Hankins has struggled this season with just 120 runs at 20.0 and a top score of 37. While Hammond’s First Class record is modest, in part because he has been asked to open, he has shown some good form for the 2^nd XI this season, with 87 v Worcs 2nds and 53* last time out against Somerset 2nds. One suspects that Hammond will bat at #7, well away from the New Ball and given a chance to make his case for a run in the side, with a balanced attack picked again, Tom Smith, Matt Taylor, David Payne and Dan Worrall supplementing all-rounder, Ryan Higgins.

Day 1:

So, Chris Dent has won the Toss and inserted, again, on a day when interruptions look certain and the middle of the pitch had a tinge of green. A band of rain is just approaching Bristol on the radar and much heavier rain lies behind it. This promised to be an on and off day that was ideal for the bowlers. And the XI is as predicted above, with a balanced attack and Miles Hammond at #7.

David Payne took the new ball, with both openers getting off the mark in the first over. However, the under pressure Lammonby’s stay was of just 5 balls. He pushed Ryan Higgins to Short Square Leg and, nervously, set off on a single that was simply not there. Ian Cockbain collected and beat Lammonsby’s dive with his underarm throw to execute an excellent runout with a direct hit. Somerset 4-1 and a real energy in the field in front of a modest crowd. Although Somerset were tied-down, there was a feeling that the bowlers were consistently a fraction too short to exploit the conditions to best advantage. After 10 overs, David Payne gave way to Matt Taylor, with the score at 14-1. Not long after, though, the umpires started to get increasingly nervous and, after 13.4 overs, the players came off with the score 23-1. 53 minutes of play had been possible. Just ten minutes were lost and play resumed. To the credit of the umpires, they stayed out through a mild shower around 20 minutes after the re-start as the attritional play continued. Dan Worrall in particular was having big problems with his footholds and already producing footmarks outside off that Leach and Tom Smith will view with interest. It was a brief respite. The rain started again and, with it continuing, the players went off again after 20.2 overs, with the score at 45-1 and Somerset probably the happier of the two sides.

An early Lunch was taken,  but, as the rain got heavier – although seemingly never very heavy – out came the tarpaulins and, with the wind billowing under the covers, the ground looked a miserable, sodden scene after Lunch. Play was knocked on the head finally around 16:20. With more unsettled weather forecast, this match could turn into a hunt for first innings points.

Day 2:

The horrific appearance of the rain radar at 9am suggested that today was likely to be a washout, with band after band of heavy rain sweeping in from South Wales. In fact, so much rain looked likely to fall, added to the heavy rain that had fallen overnight, that you wondered about an on-time start even on Day 3. Certainly, it looked more like a day for rubber ducks and rubber boats on the ground rather than cable-knit sweaters. A 3pm inspection was scheduled and, as expected, decided that play would be abandoned. The chances of play on Day 3 depend on the rain stopping in time for the strong wind to dry the outfield but, with puddles in part of the outfield already and more rain expected, you wondered how much more the ground could take.

From a local point of view, it will not have escaped the notice of either captain at breakfast that things looked better on the South Coast and that, although Hampshire v Leicestershire would be in its third day, with the first innings of the match still incomplete, quick wickets in the morning session might just give a chance of setting up a result there on the fourth day. Certainly, with a total of 8 sessions of play possible at the Ageas Bowl, the match would have to move on quickly to set up a game on the last day. That though is what happened, with 8 wickets falling for just 38 runs in the morning. However, Chris Dent’s amazing powers have a long reach these days and that has included the handy knack of having a direct line to Jupiter Pluvius to send rain to other grounds. With Leicestershire tottering at 28-5, still 56 short of the follow-on, that ability certainly came in handy. With just a day left, Hampshire must enforce the follow-on to have any chance of winning, even so, taking 15 wickets in a day looks to be a tall order.

Day 3:

While the forecast for today is promising for Bristol, tomorrow looks bad again, so the game is going to be no more than a hunt for first innings points. An early look at the rain radar showed that things were genuinely looking much better at Bristol but, what was just as important to the local fans is that more rain is heading to the Ageas Bowl. Fans will remember that, when Gloucestershire narrowly missed out on the title in 1977, the biggest culprit was the rain, with a critical match in the run-in that could have sealed the title becoming the second of the season to be abandoned without a ball bowled. If the rain, this time, seems to be giving Gloucestershire (and Somerset) a hand, it may be because the rain god has a sense of natural justice (and, an even bigger sense of humour). Barring something truly extraordinary at the Ageas Bowl today, Hampshire will take just 12 points from their match. A draw at Bristol, with both sides reaching 250 in the first innings, would see the gap extend by one point. Out east, a big win for Surrey might just put them back in the hunt, but they look unlikely to take more than one batting point against Middlesex and have a lot of work to do to win.

So, that was the theory at breakfast time. What actually happened (or did not happen)?

What we saw, was a disturbing reminder of the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy match at Taunton as Gloucestershire first appeared to have the match under complete control, before a Somerset fightback with the bat and a Shire capitulation.

Play finally got under way at 11:45, which reflects great credit on the Bristol ground staff. And, initially, all looked rosy for the Cidermen as Byrom and Abell took their partnership to 81 before Byrom edged David Payne to Kieron Brathwaite at 1^st Slip. In came James Hildreth – the best current batsman never to have played for England? – and bedded-in. As the score mounted serenely, Somerset must have been thinking of 300+ and a good crop of batting points in a solid draw. Hardly could they imagine that the solidity of 127-2 would become the precarity of 143-6. If Day 2 was about acts of god, the afternoon of Day 3 was about acts of Payne and Worrall. First, David Payne bowled an excellent full delivery that swung in a little. Hildreth drove hard at it and missed completely, with the ball hitting middle. 127-3 and the start of an astonishing collapse. Dan Worrall came on for a new spell and, first ball, homed one in on middle stump that Bartlett played across: 135-4. In came Goldsworthy to join Tom Abell, who had batted all day. First ball of Dan Worrall’s new over, Goldsworthy fenced at one outside off and could only edge it through to James Bracey. 143-5 and Somerset running out of oxygen on the ascent of Mount 300. In came Davies who, second ball, sent a thick edge very low to Chris Dent at 3^rd Slip. Dent dived and took a superb low catch. 143-6 and Somerset suddenly in some trouble.

Abel and Overton started to re-build and, gradually the Somerset ambitions were growing again. 200? No, 250! Until now, Ryan Higgins had had little impact on the match. Ball outside off to Overton that lifted and moved away a fraction. Overton followed it and edged. James Bracey moved well to take the catch, running in front of Kraigg Brathwaite: 177-7. So, Somerset went to Tea at 180-7, with 40 overs left in the day. At 127-2, Gloucestershire would certainly have taken that.

Things though started to go seriously wrong for the Shire after Tea. You know how it is with Somerset: you work your way through the tail and then the serious batting starts at around #9. Gregory went after Matt Taylor and brought up the 200 in the 77^th over with a second six in the over. The new ball was taken by Dan Worrall and, rather than end the fun, after a few, quiet overs, the leather started to fly seriously. Abell moved into the 90s with a nice clip off his legs that was pulled-in just inside the Square Leg boundary. Back came David Payne after the initial new all thrust was unsuccessful and Gregory took him for consecutive fours. 250 up and the second batting point in the 91^st over with Abell on 96* and the stand starting to get seriously annoying. Up came a superb hundred for Abell with a deflection through Point off David Payne. With brilliant sunshine and the ball coming nicely onto the bat, conditions were as in favour as the batsmen as they had been at any point. A Cover Drive off David Payne and Gregory brought up his own 50. Half way through the afternoon session, 200 had looked a long way off: now 300 was looking distinctly possible and even 350. 288-7 after 100 overs and, with only ten overs left to obtain it, that third bowling point for the Shire looking very uncertain. When, finally, a wicket fell, it was a strange one. Matt Taylor, who had taken some punishment, beat the inside edge. The ball skimmed the thighpad and onto the Off Bail. The batsman waited and the umpire gave the decision… not too often will you see a batsman waiting to be given after being bowled. 292-8, Gregory bowled Taylor, 57 (6x4, 2x6); Abell, 124*.

Abell was still playing sublimely and took the score up to 300 with boundaries off the first and third ball of Dan Worrall’s next over – a pull and a cut – at which point Somerset’s batsmen ran off, denying Gloucestershire the third bowling point and giving the batsmen nine overs in bright sunshine to survive. The strategy was clear: try to fire out a couple of wickets and go for bowling points on the last day.

What happened, was not good viewing. Overton opened to Kraigg Brathwaite, who saw off the first two balls before taking a blow amidships and crumpling at the crease like a house of cards. After a considerable delay, the next ball was cut elegantly for four. An Off-Drive for a single brought the captain onto strike, who then edged the sixth ball of the opening over to Goldsworthy to fall for a golden duck. In came James Bracey, with Brathwaite still evidently in great discomfort, despite which he looked in decent form. Another cut off Overton brought him his third boundary of the innings, 14-1. This happy state of affairs did not last. First ball of the next over, Davey gave James Bracey a lovely ball, right in the channel outside off and the batsman could only feather an edge to the ‘keeper. 14-2, Bracey 1 and Tom Smith as nightwatchman.

Although Brathwaite and Smith made it through to the Close, this was not the situation that you wanted. Somerset would run in in the morning with nothing to lose and memories of the collapse at Taunton in 2020 still fresh. Surely, Somerset could not win, but there were those fans on the YouTube Channel who proclaimed loudly that they would bowl out the Shire cheaply twice to win.

16-2 from 9 overs at the Close: Kraigg Brathwaite, 13*; Tom Smith, 0*. And rain forecast for Day 4.

As this was happening, astonishing events were going on at the Ageas Bowl. A win for Hampshire would have been extremely worrying for both sides. When Hampshire had Leicestershire 54-9, 30 short of saving the follow-on, it looked as if they might engineer the most unlikely of victories. Alex Evans and Ed Barnes may just have earnt the freedom of Bristol and of Taunton by staying together for 12 overs and saving the follow-on by a single run. Even though Hampshire forfeited their second innings, setting 150 to win, too little time remained to initiate a second collapse and both Gloucestershire and Somerset breathed a sigh of relief. Had that last wicket fallen quickly, it might have been so different.

Day 4:

Occasional watery sunshine, but rain threatening and a very poor forecast for the day. Although the rain made defeat unlikely in the extreme, you wondered if we would see a situation like the Manchester Test in 1953 when, after rain and with no chance of a result, Australia collapsed to 35-8 on the last afternoon, changing the momentum of the whole series. It was set up for a collapse. And boy did we get one.

The first over gave no hint of what was to come. Tom Smith got off the mark with a confident clip off his legs for two and five runs came off the over. That was as good as it got. First ball of the second over of the morning Tom Smith missed a straight one from Overton that kept a bit low and was off, LBW, for 3: 21-3. It got worse… rapidly. In came Tom Lace. He survived a loud LBW shout first ball before, to his evident displeasure, being given out, caught behind down leg from a ball that the umpire ruled had touched glove. In came Ian Cockbain, who just failed to get a touch outside off first ball. 21-4 and the Shire imploding. Five dots from Davey to Kraigg Brathwaite and the batsman clipped him straight to Short Mid-Wicket. It was getting darker, but this collapse was hard to believe. Already the rain was starting to fall. Ian Cockbain got off the mark, as did Ryan Higgins with a clip for 3 next ball and, at 25-5, the players ran off.

At that point, with the follow-on mark 151, Somerset might just have been thinking of bowling the Shire out twice in a day. Play re-started at midday, with Ryan Higgins 3* and Ian Cockbain, 1*.

Ryan Higgins saw off three balls quietly. The fourth, lifted a little and jagged in violently, just passing the inside edge. The fifth was deflected past the slips for two. Back came Overton at the other end, for what proved to be the last over of the match. And just as well. It took just two deliveries for Overton to get one to lift a little that Ian Cockbain inside-edged onto his stumps. 27-6, Cockbain 1. And, as the rain started to fall again, out came a new leg stump as the old one had been broken in the dismissal. Miles Hammond did not even have time to reach the crease before the stumps came out and the players headed back off, this time, permanently. On came the tarpaulins, billowing in the wind and the scene was increasingly miserable, fittingly for the scoreboard.

Although the umpires waited until after Tea to knock the match on its head, the only change in the situation was for more tarpaulins and hosepipes to come out to protect the Square. We got just 26 balls on the last day, but they were 26 balls of high drama.

Aftermath:    

Will the real Gloucestershire please stand up?

Six matches. Four impressive wins. Two desperate scrambles to save a draw. Although there was never much danger, given the poor weather forecast, that the match would be lost, this was a performance that invoked comparison with the corresponding game in 2020. Was it simply a side that relaxed a bit too much knowing that there would not be a result, or a sign of a season starting to unravel?

Too much play though was lost for this to be regarded as representative. We saw the equivalent of fewer than 4 sessions, or which Gloucestershire dominated one and were very poor in another. What we are seeing though, systematically, is that luck is generally on the side of the team this season and luck is a big factor in success. As Richie Bernaud said, so memorably:

Captaincy is 10% and 90% luck, but don’t do it without the 10%.

The same applies to Gloucestershire in 2021. A poor side can fluke a win occasionally but, generally, a side makes its own luck and, in this round, they have had plenty. They are still top of Group 2, unbeaten, with a game in hand and have more points than any other team in any group, having played a lot of very good cricket. However, with Hampshire still only 11 points behind in third, Gloucestershire still have a lot of work to do to secure qualification for Division 1. The good news is that three of the remaining four games are against the bottom three in the group, but two wins from four games may be necessary to seal a place at the top table.