I have watched enough sport over my life to know that no team has a divine right to win games. Victories have to be earned with a combination of hard work and talent. This is one of if not the most talented Somerset sides in my lifetime but it sits very uncomfortably with me that the message from the dressing room after a seventh consecutive defeat.
I don’t doubt that every player and coach is working incredibly hard, wants desperately to turn this round but I would just like a little more passion and openness in public. Somerset cricket has a large and loyal fanbase, the majority of us wanting the side to win games and trophies. The coach and director of cricket seem to be to be very wary of what they say as they must be very aware of the opprobrium that is heaped on their every word.
Just a suggestion, if they were a little more open and approachable perhaps some attitudes toward them among the supporters would improve.
This was a day’s play that was a slow lingering death. The result was pretty much inevitable from lunch when Surrey had blunted the opening bursts of Craig Overton and Peter Siddle and the pitch had shown that the occasional unpredictable bounce that was a feature of the third day had faded into a pretty bland final day track.
Surrey channelled their inner Somerset to give the game a little twist in the tail going from 220-4 to 234-7 but with Ben Foakes, thankfully suffering no ill effects from his sickening collision with Jamie O late on the third day, looking calm and assured victory was secured just before 5pm.
As it turned out this was too big an ask for the Somerset bowlers. Craig Overton was clearly uncomfortable through the day with a toe injury and was never at his most threatening. Whether he will be availble for Thursday seems moot judging by the coach’s comments. With Josh Davey also reportedly “sore” and Lewis Gregory undergoing a fitness test tomorrow which sounds to me may result in a long lay-off, the task against the reigning champions seems even harder.
I have no desire to linger any longer on the day’s play.
But I’d like to return to Jason Kerr’s post-match which was revealing. Three points in particular caught my attention.
Asked if Saturday’s batting collapse was to blame for the defeat Kerr said that in his view it was only a part of it.
The first innings was described as a missed opportunity. He clearly feels that 337 was some way short of what was required, especially as I said on Friday evening when your number 3 score an unbeaten 150.
But there appeared to be a veiled criticism of Abell with Kerr saying that, “tactically we were not astute enough during Surrey’s first innings” adding, “they got 30 more than they should have done.”
Kerr also praised Surrey saying they “bowled brilliantly under lights at the end of day 3” but admitted “we made some poor decisions as well.”
You can’t disagree with the first and third points and I’m not going to jump to a knee-jerk reaction on point 2. But I feel more than a little uneasy this evening with what he has said here. For a coach that keeps his cards close to his chest there seems to be a hint of unhappiness with the captain. Or am I reading too much into that?
I’ll conclude with this. I am a proud Tauntonian who started supporting Somerset this club a long time ago and will, God willing, supporting Somerset for many years to come. And it is that word support that is the most important here. I’m going nowhere and while it is hard at the moment that’s what support means. It also makes the good times – and there are plenty in the future – all the sweeter.
