Somerset vs AUS

Somerset

Marcus Trescothick (C)
Nick Compton
Christopher Jones
James Hildreth
Craig Kieswetter
Alexander Barrow (W)
Peter Trego
Craig Meschede
George Dockrell
Jamie Overton
Gemaal Hussain


Australia

Edward Cowan
Shane Watson
Phillip Hughes
Usman Khawaja
Michael Clarke (C)
James Faulkner
Bradley Haddin (W)
Peter Siddle
James Pattinson
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/engine/match/566928.html

Somerset 55/1 at the moment.

59-1 (15 overs)

Posted this on another thread but, how close to Australia's preffered Ashes team do you think their line-up today is?
Warner and/or Rogers to come in? Possibly in place of Khawaja? Faulkner? Ryan Harris/Jackson Bird for Starc perhaps?
Probably too early to tell, I know, and selection is likely to be based on performance in the warm-ups but, hey, a few predictions can't hurt.

Presume Harris plays if fit. Be surprised if Rogers doesn't start. Warner a bit less likely , unless those playing in the warm ups all have disasters.
A lot up to form in these matches I should think.

Fulkner going for 7.25 and over at the moment

Great site Duty cheers:OK:

Compton has started well. Needs to turn the 39* into a big one to make the selectors reconsider...

Would be hard to drop him if he got 150 today , I should think.

Tresco thinks he should be in the England team, I agree with him it wasn't too long ago that he scored back to back test 100s.

Compton 50*

Somerset 129/1 and rattling along at over 3 an over. Compton has made 50.

Hoggy_Bear wrote:Posted this on another thread but, how close to Australia's preffered Ashes team do you think their line-up today is?
Warner and/or Rogers to come in? Possibly in place of Khawaja? Faulkner? Ryan Harris/Jackson Bird for Starc perhaps?
Probably too early to tell, I know, and selection is likely to be based on performance in the warm-ups but, hey, a few predictions can't hurt.

I'd think Rogers will come in for Khawaja for the 1st Test. They probably won't play five bowlers, so Smith might come in at number six (he's in form and they haven't added him to the squad to carry drinks). In that case Khawaja and Hughes would be competing for one place at five.

I think Harris will be saved for later in the series (he is probably the best of the lot, but with his injury record they'll use him as an impact bowler). I'd imagine Bird will only play with injuries or perhaps horses-for-courses on a real overcast morning.

Once caught Trescothick score 180 odd in Johannesburg Probably the greatest atmosphere of any cricket day Ive ever been to (as an aside, the Barmy Army really know how to take advantage of the exchange rate to drink themselves to a stupor. Great innings regardless.

Compton out for 81.

Perhaps we can merge this thread and the prediction one into a preview thread where we can discuss the warm-up matches of both sides, possible selections, predictions and everything else that leads up to the first test.
As for the Australian side, I hope they get done with Phillip Hughes. In my view Rogers should come in for Hughes, and if they are going with 5 batsmen, then Faulkner as the all-rounder, and if they are going in with 6 batsmen, then both Khawaja and Smith should play.
Good to see Nick Compton scoring some valuable runs against the Australians. Shame he couldn't convert it into a ton. Had he done that, it would have been very difficult to drop him, but for now this 81 will keep him in the frame, and if Root fails at the top in the warm-up game, perhaps Compton will stay.

197/2 54overs Somerset plodding along nicely.

Good toss to win, no doubt Aus will have their fair share of batting practice too.

220/2 Tea.

Chris Jones has put his hand up for selection for Somerset. previous best score 69 in 1st class cricket, 96* so far vs Aus, sweet.

Jones 99*

Jones first 1st class 100 -Well done boy

every Chris, Nick and James has so far plundered the Aussie bowling at nearly 4RPO.
Where is this being played....on SSC colmbo pitch ?

KP_fan wrote:every Chris, Nick and James has so far plundered the Aussie bowling at nearly 4RPO.
Where is this being played....on SSC colmbo pitch ?

Similar, it's Taunton.

Thrilled for Jones - excellent effort.

Good to see the Aussies toiling. Somerset should keep them out there for 2 full days - limit their batting practice.

Bloody hell, fair play Chris Jones. He's batted like a clown everytime I have seen him but no matter what he goes on to do in his career he will always have this!

Shades of '05 where Somerset beat Australia in a 50 over game courtesy of those legendary West Country men Sanath Jayasuriya and Graeme Smith.

Chris Jones had an FC average of 17.31 before this century. Fair play to the lad. Hildreth rattling along as well. Keep 'em out there Somerset.

That was all over pretty quickly.
Seems like I was only away from the computer for 10 minutes and Somerset are all-out.

So Shane Watson opening for Australians along with Ed Cowan. Starc and Pattinson among the wickets. No serious impact from Faulkner with the ball, but he should get a chance with the bat at some point to make a case for himself. Even Uzman Khawaja bowled an over, but interestingly, nothing from Watson.

304/2 to 320 all out. Try and figure that one out! From numbers 5 to 11 in the batting order, the scores read: 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 6.

it seems Australia will play 4 seamers + 1 spinner....not counting Watson

2 high impact flat out fast bolwers in Pattinson and Starc...operating in short bursts

and two stock fast medium bowlers.......in Faulkner and Siddle.....
Keeping one extra pacer as a cushion...in case Pattinson or Starc were to break down in the midst of a test.

and all their 4 seamers can bat a bit or more than a bit.

Lyon will play and be ineffective......so Australi should rather play Smith as their spiner who will be equally ineffective but will compensate thew batting.

Apparently Compton is going to be given another chance to stake his claim for a place in the first test team, as he will play for Worcs. against the Aussies next week.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/content/story/645445.html

No doubt about who at least one of the Aussie openers will be, however. With Darren Lehmann confirming that Shane Watson will open in the first test:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/content/story/645441.html
But who will be his opening partner? Cowan? Rogers? Warner?
Personally reckon it'll be Rogers, but am hoping it'll be Warner.

Duty281 wrote:304/2 to 320 all out. Try and figure that one out! From numbers 5 to 11 in the batting order, the scores read: 4,  0, 0, 0, 0, 6.

That's the kind of collapse that Surrey would be proud of....

I couldn't believe it when I heard.

Village cricket standard.

Heartening for Australia and worrying for England it was high quality bowling....express pace of Pattinson and Starc finding Swing we understand with the 2nd new ball and blowing away the opponent batting.
 
We saw 2 such spells in India also one each from Starc and Pattinson with the 2nd new ball....when the slowness of the pitch is taken out of the equation because of full fast and swinging bowling at 95mph.
 
The question is how often can these two hit such patches.....and how long can they hold their fitness.....sooner than later they will break down at this speed and with such flat out spells
Can they go through even 2 to 3 tests ?

an then Watson finds form bashing the daylight out of bowlers at a run a ball 90

An interesting batting lineup from Australia again. Uzman Khawaja batted ahead of Phillip Hughes, and Hughes batting at 5 and Clarke at 4. I don't think England will mind too much if Hughes gets a few runs today and play the first test.
A stroke filled 90 from Shane Watson, the move up the order, and the backing from the coach, producing early good signs, but the real challenge is in sustaining it.

Once again Siddle was shown up for being a nothing bowler.

Just runs in and pounds it half way down.

Australia should seriously consider 3 out of the following fast men Harris Pattinson Starc and Bird

Faulkner and Siddle won't be giving England sleepless nights.

Cowan looks certain to be carrying the drinks.

Watson and Rogers will play.

Khawaja adds some steel to the number 3 position

Clarke is the engine.

Hughes adds flare at 5, his technique is a little loose to bat in the top 4. But at 5 he can express himself.

Smith or Warner at 6.

Gerry SA wrote:Once again Siddle was shown up for being a nothing bowler.

Just runs in and pounds it half way down.

Australia should seriously consider 3 out of the following  fast men Harris Pattinson Starc and Bird

Faulkner and Siddle won't be giving England sleepless nights.

Cowan looks certain to be carrying the drinks.

Watson and Rogers will play.

Khawaja adds some steel to the number 3 position

Clarke is the engine.

Hughes adds flare at 5, his technique is a little loose to bat in the top 4. But at 5 he can express himself.

Smith or Warner at 6.

Siddle may not have too much going for him as a bowler than pace and an ability to bowl long spells. But he does offer the skipper some control, and his ability to bowl long spells help the captain use his other bowlers in an optimum way. Siddle's pace could be handy on tracks that do not offer too much for the fast bowlers, he showed that in the recent India tour, he was among the very few players who went back without damaging their reputations after the tour. And for a bowler with limited skill sets, his stats are pretty decent.
As for hughes, 3, 4, 5, 6, I don't really think it will make a world of difference. He won't be scoring too much playing a conventional innings as he has major issues against both pace and spin, and though he might get away with a slog fest now and then, that won't work for a test batsman regularly. If he comes in at 5, Graeme Swann would not mind at all!!.

I agree with msp....Siddle is probably the best stock seam bolwer in the world......he is brisk at 135+kph.....and can bowl very, very long spells.....without dropping his speed or control....and letting the likes of Starc and pattinson from the other end to go flat out and attack.

he takes an inning or two to get warmed up to peak speeed and control as we saw in India so these practise games will help him a lot.
Plus he puts a very heavy price on his wicket when batting.

Anyone know what the weather is like in Somerset today?

KP_fan wrote:I agree with msp....Siddle is probably the best stock seam bolwer in the world......he is brisk at 135+kph.....and can bowl very, very long spells.....without dropping his speed or control....and letting the likes of Starc and pattinson from the other end to go flat out and attack.

he takes an inning or two to get warmed up to peak speeed and control as we saw in India so these practise games will help him a lot.
Plus he puts a very heavy price on his wicket when batting.

He was their 2nd best bowler in the India series, and he was their 2nd best batsman as well!!.

with the exception of Ed Cowan everyone got amidst runs.

Now they have quickly decided to bowl and give a prolonged spell it seems to Faulkner and Siddle to gte settled an in rythm.
I wouldn't be surprised when the shine is off Watson has a bowl and Pattinson / Starc do not bowl much

Nick Compton out for 34. Should have at least converted it into a 50. He has another chance next week, and if Bairstow or Root doesn't score big at the top in the England warm-up game, and Compton scores big in the tour game, he could still turn the situation around, but as of now its looking more and more likely that he'll have to give way.

alarming how quickly somerset have collasped both times in this game..

CF wrote:alarming how quickly somerset have collasped both times in this game..

a testimony to the quality of that 95mph pace that Aus has.....which has the ability to take the flatness of the pitch put of the equation.
a perfect game for Australia so far that hopefully they will cap with a win in under 4 days

204 - 4. Aussies lose Hughes and Clarke to Dockrell.

Australi at the threshold of winning in about 3 1/2 days....as Haddin beats the daylight out of a unthreatening slow and medium bowling

a lot of positives for Australia...they will undoubtedly rest Pattinson and Strac and bring in Harris and Bird for the next practise game against worcs.

and give an extended bowling spell to Siddle and Faulkner in the next game.

and perhaps give a game to Smith and Warner in the middle in place of Cowans and Rogers.

and more batting practise to the rest of the batting line up.

KPF, Warner is banned until the first test. So he won't be considered for the next tour game.

msp83 wrote:KPF, Warner is banned until the first test. So he won't be considered for the next tour game.

 
hmm...it might be a blessing in disguise to then play Smith in first test who I believe is one of Australia's top cricketing talent...at par with Waugh brothers

KP_fan wrote:

msp83 wrote:KPF, Warner is banned until the first test. So he won't be considered for the next tour game.

 
hmm...it might be a blessing in disguise to then play Smith in first test who I believe is one of Australia's top cricketing talent...at par with Waugh brothers

Smith certainly is better than some of the first choice batsmen in the Australian side.

It is really a welcome win for Aussies team. A bad series in India then early out from the champions trophy, suspension of David Warner and then sacking of Micky Aurther, and after all these debacle this win will revive the Australian team and they have send a message to the fans that they are not going to give up easily. Though English team looks very strong but this Australian team will not make the roads easy for England. There were strong opposition of Phil Hughes during the Indian tour but he has shown a complete character here. In both the innings his batting has really impressed. I hope this series is going to be interesting.

^ yes that's what we would like to see....a competitive series
England will win...but a tight well fought series is preferable for neutral fans instead of a 5-0 roll-over

Aussie are looking good. I think they're going to surprise a lot of people who have overlooked their very good seam bowlers and the fact that Englands batting has been increasingly fragile.

This could be a very tight Ashes and come down to a few key sessions again.