Somerset v Gloucestershire, County Championship, Taunton, September 5th to 9th – Day 4 – Gloucestershire 343 (Harris 159) & 279-7 drew with Somerset 248 (Imam-ul-Haq 90, James Rew 44*) & 11-0
Neither of the two teams that leave the County Ground this afternoon will be able to – to use our coach’s vernacular – “Take away any positives”. And both have only themselves to blame.
Somerset’s decision to bowl first on Monday seemed like the wrong one at the time, their dismall performance with bat and ball over the first two days only serving to compound the felony.
Gloucestershire for their part showed an unbelievable lack of ambition on day 3. While we all expected there to be little play today making a draw almost inevitable would it have done them any harm to have gone for it from mid-afternoon and at least had a bowl at Somerset’s fragile top order.
The consequence of Gloucestershire’s lack of ambition is that they now find themselves 30 points adrift of 9thplaced Warwickshire and 41 points adrift of Kent. With only 2 games to go compared to our three. Relegation is all but a mathematical certainty to those from up the road.
But enough of them, what about us?
Ironically given the performance served up against our local rivals we have moved up a place in the table, with a 7-point gap over next week’s opponents Warwickshire and only 4 points behind Kent with a game in hand.
Sixth or seventh place seems about right given the performances this season but this is no time to rest on laurels. If we deliver another performance like the one we have just witnessed this week we could be deep in the relegation mire again.
The hope has to be that Craig Overton is back for Edgbaston. Boy do we need him, on the evidence of this performance to carry the bowling on his back. Hopefully Imam will get some support from the rest of the top order and hopefully Warwickshire are as supine as they were at Taunton early in the season.
Off the field there is much to be worried about as well and many questions to be asked. I hesitate to say answered because as we all know it is easier to get blood out of stones that meaningful words from the current hierarchy.
I hate having to write these words, and some will probably accuse me of being a fair-weather supporter but in 52 years there has only been one time when I’ve found it harder to loyally support Somerset County Cricket Club. Which is a pretty high/low bar when you realise that one occasion is the Shepton Mallet EGM.
I just hope those in a position of power at the club read this and have a think. There are many many of us who were Somerset supporters long before players, coaches and staff were even aware of SCCC and we will (I sincerely hope) be supporting our club long after they leave their current posts.
If anyone at the club feel this is unfair I’d be happy to talk to them. They know where I am.
Something needs to change and quickly.
