In Colchester there was much rain
The skipper, Maynard and De Bruyn
Could only pray that it might cease
Both teams allowed one point apiece
Their prayers in vain.
At Beckenham there was much sun
And no escape for anyone
A Surrey massacre ensued
Van Jaarsveld and Azhar Mahmood
Both had their fun.
A game is drawn, a game is lost
Whilst Church & Barran count the cost
Of sitting in the burning rays; apropos
A blistered, red and glowing nose
Their skin embossed!
Showing posts with label Essex Eagles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Essex Eagles. Show all posts
Monday, 27 June 2011
Friday, 17 June 2011
The Only Way is Surrey
Essex.
As in ‘The Only Way is...’
As in prefix to ‘girls’ (and assorted connotations that go with it, unfair or otherwise).
As in ‘David’, whose singing voice my dad apparently detests.
As in ‘Ardleigh’, where some of my ancestors came from.
As in the small Czech stallion who ran in one of the mid 1980s Grand Nationals.
As in the cricket team whose fans are most likely to bring on a migraine.
Now, no disrespect is intended here to either Essex players or indeed their vociferous and joyous supporters. It’s just that they do tend to be rather loud when they are doing well against Surrey (and let’s face it; that happens rather a lot).
Imagine my relief when in the T20 game a few days ago at the Oval, the Lions surprisingly gave the Eagles a mauling! All was blissfully quiet, my ears got a rest, and Nasser and his other Sky cronies who obviously detest Surrey to varying degrees were forced to do a bit of a U-turn! Certainly the start of the game didn’t go very well for Surrey: Captain Rory this time decided to have a bat first and then both he and Davies took their evening stroll back to the pavilion in super-quick time! I guess having a turbo opening pair has its advantages and disadvantages, because if we could only get the two of them to stick around a bit longer I could see a series of large, virtually unchase-able scores being posted. Ah, well. Such is cricket!
Ansari impressed on his first team debut, both with the ball and a cool, level headed turn with the bat. It was enough to get him named ‘man of the match’, which made a few of the Rampants laugh given how young and angelic he looked. He may be taking exams at Cambridge at the moment but, as was noted by one of our merry band, he could have been mistaken for one of the boy mascots!
A score of 154-7 didn’t seem that impressive. Certainly it was defendable but you felt that given the superstars which pepper the Essex line-up (who wouldn’t want ten Doeschate on their team, let’s face it) they would readily chase it down. The highest scorer for Surrey was Maynard with 45, and it seemed that one really good partnership between Essex batsmen would soon have the game swinging their way.
And then, lo! A miracle! Arafat, criticised in many quarters for not finding any form in the first half of the season, plucked three wickets out the air including the first ball dismissal of Owais Shah! Napier and Southee also went on to make ducks, with the latter being involved in possibly the most hideous run out imaginable (watch out for it on A Question of Sport next year), and Napier using Bopara as a runner because of an injury he picked up in the match. The idea of having Bopara as a runner is almost as laughable as asking Shah to do the footwork on your behalf. The pair of them are run out kings!
Getting ten Doeschate was really the turning point. He’s one of those players who hook in like a giant tic, and refuse to let go until fully sated. And by then it’s usually too late to do anything about it. Every team should have a ten Doeschate, a Trescothick or a Ramprakash. Or even a Murray Goodwin (can’t believe I said that). When Tendo went for 15 the warning lights were flashing in the Essex control panel. And when Foster controversially went (well, when he could drag himself off the pitch after screaming at the umps) for 31 it was pretty much a mop-up job for Surrey. In the end the South London team, who had fielded like divas during the game, won by a whopping 43 runs!
Bet three years ago you’d never have used the words ‘Surrey’ and ‘fielding like divas’ in the same breath! It shows how far they have come. It was only Surrey’s second ever T20 win over Essex, and I can imagine how delighted they were to get one over their rivals after all the years of pain and misery at their hands.
What a pity then that Friday evening’s match against Somerset was rained off! Poor Churchy, Johnny Barran and the Surrey team made the fruitless journey to Taunton with no play possible. Whilst the dynamic duo of Church and Barran filled the time valiantly, if ultimately in vain, they may take some consolation in that there was hardly a single game that could be played up and down the country due to the rain. Surrey may not be that disappointed to take one point from the encounter: Somerset are a good team with Trescothick in the form of his life. There was a very real chance the sabres, as they used to be known, may well have kebabbed Surrey had the game gone ahead...
But the best thing this week from a Rampant point of view was hearing that Mr R had asked his old team, Stanmore, for a game to help keep him ticking over during the T20 gap. One can only assume that rivals Hampstead must have taken one look at the rival team sheet and sent out for every lucky rabbit’s foot or horse shoe in the county!
It didn’t do any good. 61 no made for a lot of smiley Rampants!
Special mention of the week: Mark Church’s trousers. I don’t normally request pictures of a gentleman’s trousers on Twitter. It strikes me that some people might consider that eccentric at best and downright perverted at worse! However, having seen the much-maligned, oft-talked of garment, I can only say I’ve seen worse. Trust me, I went to art college.
If Smudger’s reading this I can only hope he’s bought some new ones, as that was 15 years ago now, and he only owned the one pair...
As in ‘The Only Way is...’
As in prefix to ‘girls’ (and assorted connotations that go with it, unfair or otherwise).
As in ‘David’, whose singing voice my dad apparently detests.
As in ‘Ardleigh’, where some of my ancestors came from.
As in the small Czech stallion who ran in one of the mid 1980s Grand Nationals.
As in the cricket team whose fans are most likely to bring on a migraine.
Now, no disrespect is intended here to either Essex players or indeed their vociferous and joyous supporters. It’s just that they do tend to be rather loud when they are doing well against Surrey (and let’s face it; that happens rather a lot).
Imagine my relief when in the T20 game a few days ago at the Oval, the Lions surprisingly gave the Eagles a mauling! All was blissfully quiet, my ears got a rest, and Nasser and his other Sky cronies who obviously detest Surrey to varying degrees were forced to do a bit of a U-turn! Certainly the start of the game didn’t go very well for Surrey: Captain Rory this time decided to have a bat first and then both he and Davies took their evening stroll back to the pavilion in super-quick time! I guess having a turbo opening pair has its advantages and disadvantages, because if we could only get the two of them to stick around a bit longer I could see a series of large, virtually unchase-able scores being posted. Ah, well. Such is cricket!
Ansari impressed on his first team debut, both with the ball and a cool, level headed turn with the bat. It was enough to get him named ‘man of the match’, which made a few of the Rampants laugh given how young and angelic he looked. He may be taking exams at Cambridge at the moment but, as was noted by one of our merry band, he could have been mistaken for one of the boy mascots!
A score of 154-7 didn’t seem that impressive. Certainly it was defendable but you felt that given the superstars which pepper the Essex line-up (who wouldn’t want ten Doeschate on their team, let’s face it) they would readily chase it down. The highest scorer for Surrey was Maynard with 45, and it seemed that one really good partnership between Essex batsmen would soon have the game swinging their way.
And then, lo! A miracle! Arafat, criticised in many quarters for not finding any form in the first half of the season, plucked three wickets out the air including the first ball dismissal of Owais Shah! Napier and Southee also went on to make ducks, with the latter being involved in possibly the most hideous run out imaginable (watch out for it on A Question of Sport next year), and Napier using Bopara as a runner because of an injury he picked up in the match. The idea of having Bopara as a runner is almost as laughable as asking Shah to do the footwork on your behalf. The pair of them are run out kings!
Getting ten Doeschate was really the turning point. He’s one of those players who hook in like a giant tic, and refuse to let go until fully sated. And by then it’s usually too late to do anything about it. Every team should have a ten Doeschate, a Trescothick or a Ramprakash. Or even a Murray Goodwin (can’t believe I said that). When Tendo went for 15 the warning lights were flashing in the Essex control panel. And when Foster controversially went (well, when he could drag himself off the pitch after screaming at the umps) for 31 it was pretty much a mop-up job for Surrey. In the end the South London team, who had fielded like divas during the game, won by a whopping 43 runs!
Bet three years ago you’d never have used the words ‘Surrey’ and ‘fielding like divas’ in the same breath! It shows how far they have come. It was only Surrey’s second ever T20 win over Essex, and I can imagine how delighted they were to get one over their rivals after all the years of pain and misery at their hands.
What a pity then that Friday evening’s match against Somerset was rained off! Poor Churchy, Johnny Barran and the Surrey team made the fruitless journey to Taunton with no play possible. Whilst the dynamic duo of Church and Barran filled the time valiantly, if ultimately in vain, they may take some consolation in that there was hardly a single game that could be played up and down the country due to the rain. Surrey may not be that disappointed to take one point from the encounter: Somerset are a good team with Trescothick in the form of his life. There was a very real chance the sabres, as they used to be known, may well have kebabbed Surrey had the game gone ahead...
But the best thing this week from a Rampant point of view was hearing that Mr R had asked his old team, Stanmore, for a game to help keep him ticking over during the T20 gap. One can only assume that rivals Hampstead must have taken one look at the rival team sheet and sent out for every lucky rabbit’s foot or horse shoe in the county!
It didn’t do any good. 61 no made for a lot of smiley Rampants!
Special mention of the week: Mark Church’s trousers. I don’t normally request pictures of a gentleman’s trousers on Twitter. It strikes me that some people might consider that eccentric at best and downright perverted at worse! However, having seen the much-maligned, oft-talked of garment, I can only say I’ve seen worse. Trust me, I went to art college.
If Smudger’s reading this I can only hope he’s bought some new ones, as that was 15 years ago now, and he only owned the one pair...
Sunday, 18 July 2010
It's the final countdown!
So sung Bon Jovi some twenty odd years ago. I'm sure they won't object to my half-inching their song title for this blog post. And, just to try something a little different, today I am going to be blogging live and adding my thoughts as the game progresses, whilst keeping a keen-eye turned to the the Middlesex and Hants games. As two of our number aren't especially Surrey supporters - in fact not remotely - one a Middlesex fan and the other a Hants fan, it's going to make for an interesting afternoon! But, whatever happens in terms of that last qualification spot, at least somebody is going to be happy with the outcome today!
May the best teams win, and good luck to all!
But especially Surrey, Sussex and Essex... (sorry, couldn't resist)!
***********
Gladiators have been stuck in by the Lions. Symonds bowling first. Think we need to get Porterfield out quickly. Pitch playing slowly. 4-0 in the first over.
Middlesex 1-1 in their first over!
Tremlett gets Redmond!!! Woohoooo! 12-1 in the second over! He's a good boy, that Chris Tremlett.
Gidman looking frisky now! Both batsmen very dangerous. 22-1 at the moment. Wonderwoman has turned up in the crowd. Could do with her superpowers! Oh, and the Ghostbusters! I'm afraid I'd have to go dressed as the Stay Pufft Marshmallow Man.
Gidman swings the bat and the first 6 goes hurtling out of sight.
32-1 and Gladiators starting to motor a little. Need a wicket quick-smart.
And no sooner said than done! Gidman gone for 15! 36-2, and well done Mr Tremlett!
Nel aims at the stumps and nearly gets Franklyn. Think he's been taking my advice regarding lobbing grenades.
40-2 after the 6th over. Spriegel coming in to the attack. Come on the 'spin doctor'!
50 comes up in the 7th over. 51-2 and a good over for the Gladiators.
Shah has gone for Middlesex. They are 56-2 in the 6th over.
Porterfield is looking mighty good! Eeeeek! Surrey could do without this at the moment, but the Gladiators (I keep wanting to call them Gladioli) aren't going to lie down and die. 82-2 after 10 overs.
Middlesex 73-3.
I'm missing the trumpeter. I like the tootling to signal a change of bowler!
Yippppeeeee! Porterfield goes! 89-3, with Hamilton-Brown taking a good catch. Thank the lord!
Warner gone for Middlesex. Essex doing okay so far.
Taylor gone for 1! That's two in the last two overs. Fab-u-lous, as Craig Revel-Horwood would say. 91-4 for Surrey.
Dent bowled for 1! 97-5! Unfortunate for Dent: looks like his bat got stuck in the turf and the ball went between the bat and pad, hitting the stumps. Very good news for Surrey!
Hants have lost Jimmy Adams, this is even better for Surrey!
98-6! Snell just gone! Well done Nella!
101-6 in the 14th over. Nails are being bitten.
Good outfield cricket from Surrey. 108-6 in the 15th.
Franklyn gone for 33! Run out! Good arm from Wilson. 155-7 now.
Andre Nel does a pirouette. Rampants may start 'Gunther for Strictly' campaign.
Oops...Spriegel has a ball bobble on him and it goes for 4. Dawson going nicely now.
134-7 in the 18th over. This might be a tricky ask for Surrey after all.
143-7. Not what Surrey would have wanted. Hope RHB and Davies have their batting heads on today.
Lewis gone for 13. 144-8. Tremlett strikes again!
Kirby goes first ball, run-out by Tremlett!
147-9 posted by the Gladiators: 148 for the Lions to win. Middlesex have posted 173, which will take some catching by Essex! Time for a cup of tea!
***********
Scary biscuits time: hold on to your hats folks! Here goes with the Surrey reply.
RHB only knows one way to play...hoping it works for him today. He won't die wondering, that's for sure! 6-0 after the first over.
Hampshire looking ominous, especially given that Sussex have not done so well in their last few games. 196 for Sussex to win.
Davies nearly gone but it just snuck past Porterfield. And now hits a six to clear his mind.
20 off the second over! Surrey need Davies to stay forever, basically, and help get that run-rate down.
Ramps not playing, btw. Sad for the Rampants, but I guess it means we can listen to the game without tensing up like a coiled spring! Davies hits another 6: he's got the bit between his teeth and no mistake!
And again! 39 without loss! Sixes gallore!
Free hit...where's the skipper putting this? Swing and a miss. Oh, well! Let's not be greedy!
The 50 comes up without loss in the fourth over.
54 without loss. The skipper beginning to get his head down. And then a further boundary! So far, it's a dismantling in the powerplay. 60 without loss.
67 without loss after five overs! Wow! Uh-oh...here come the spinners. And I'm not talking about the 70s folk group. Even I would face up to them.
Good point made by Churchy and JB: Surrey have nothing to lose. All they have to do is win, and win in the best way they can. They can do nothing about the other results, and they are indeed playing without fear. It's the only way to do it.
78 without loss at the end of the powerplay is very good indeed!
'Demolition Davies' brings up a fabulous fifty with a six! Wooohooo!
Why the flip did we not play like this against the Gladiators at the Oval?!?
RHB and Davies are having a contest to see who can hit the longest six! 99-0!
Hundred up in the 8th over! 106 in fact. Davies will surely find himself in the England team opening the batting at some point. This is a really classy display! At this rate we might not get to find out if the team is missing Ramps in the middle order.
RHB winning the battle of the sixes at the moment. Rory, size isn't everything! And as I say that, he's lbw for 48. Pity he didn't reach his 50. Now, Roy or Symonds next?
Jason Roy comes on next. Will it be a good day or a bad day for him?
Answer: bad day. 112-2. Roy gone second ball. Ooops.
Symonds dropped by Snell. Hoping Symo the animal has turned up today. We could do with him in a rampaging mood!
Symonds goes for 4. 123-3...please get Davies on strike!!! Please!!!
Johnny Barran wins first prize for non-gratuitous use of the word 'humping'.
Not looking good in the other games for Surrey. Essex struggling, Sussex struggling. And now it's raining for good measure.
Only 13 runs required, and then they have to sit and twiddle their thumbs to see what happens elsewhere.
Davies gone for 73.
Wilson clubs a meaty six with his first ball. Only 6 required now. Wilson gets 4 more...
Gary Wilson smashes a total of 12 off three balls. Lions win by six wickets! Well done boys, whatever happens. 150-4! You were meteoric today!
********
So close in the end. Surrey did all they needed to do, but so did Hants. We shouldn't have to rely on other teams to do us favours, although Sussex have been rubbish in the last few games compared to how they started, so it shouldn't surprise us. So, congrats to Hants and hard luck to Surrey and Middlesex.
Now it's back to the county championship next week!
May the best teams win, and good luck to all!
But especially Surrey, Sussex and Essex... (sorry, couldn't resist)!
***********
Gladiators have been stuck in by the Lions. Symonds bowling first. Think we need to get Porterfield out quickly. Pitch playing slowly. 4-0 in the first over.
Middlesex 1-1 in their first over!
Tremlett gets Redmond!!! Woohoooo! 12-1 in the second over! He's a good boy, that Chris Tremlett.
Gidman looking frisky now! Both batsmen very dangerous. 22-1 at the moment. Wonderwoman has turned up in the crowd. Could do with her superpowers! Oh, and the Ghostbusters! I'm afraid I'd have to go dressed as the Stay Pufft Marshmallow Man.
Gidman swings the bat and the first 6 goes hurtling out of sight.
32-1 and Gladiators starting to motor a little. Need a wicket quick-smart.
And no sooner said than done! Gidman gone for 15! 36-2, and well done Mr Tremlett!
Nel aims at the stumps and nearly gets Franklyn. Think he's been taking my advice regarding lobbing grenades.
40-2 after the 6th over. Spriegel coming in to the attack. Come on the 'spin doctor'!
50 comes up in the 7th over. 51-2 and a good over for the Gladiators.
Shah has gone for Middlesex. They are 56-2 in the 6th over.
Porterfield is looking mighty good! Eeeeek! Surrey could do without this at the moment, but the Gladiators (I keep wanting to call them Gladioli) aren't going to lie down and die. 82-2 after 10 overs.
Middlesex 73-3.
I'm missing the trumpeter. I like the tootling to signal a change of bowler!
Yippppeeeee! Porterfield goes! 89-3, with Hamilton-Brown taking a good catch. Thank the lord!
Warner gone for Middlesex. Essex doing okay so far.
Taylor gone for 1! That's two in the last two overs. Fab-u-lous, as Craig Revel-Horwood would say. 91-4 for Surrey.
Dent bowled for 1! 97-5! Unfortunate for Dent: looks like his bat got stuck in the turf and the ball went between the bat and pad, hitting the stumps. Very good news for Surrey!
Hants have lost Jimmy Adams, this is even better for Surrey!
98-6! Snell just gone! Well done Nella!
101-6 in the 14th over. Nails are being bitten.
Good outfield cricket from Surrey. 108-6 in the 15th.
Franklyn gone for 33! Run out! Good arm from Wilson. 155-7 now.
Andre Nel does a pirouette. Rampants may start 'Gunther for Strictly' campaign.
Oops...Spriegel has a ball bobble on him and it goes for 4. Dawson going nicely now.
134-7 in the 18th over. This might be a tricky ask for Surrey after all.
143-7. Not what Surrey would have wanted. Hope RHB and Davies have their batting heads on today.
Lewis gone for 13. 144-8. Tremlett strikes again!
Kirby goes first ball, run-out by Tremlett!
147-9 posted by the Gladiators: 148 for the Lions to win. Middlesex have posted 173, which will take some catching by Essex! Time for a cup of tea!
***********
Scary biscuits time: hold on to your hats folks! Here goes with the Surrey reply.
RHB only knows one way to play...hoping it works for him today. He won't die wondering, that's for sure! 6-0 after the first over.
Hampshire looking ominous, especially given that Sussex have not done so well in their last few games. 196 for Sussex to win.
Davies nearly gone but it just snuck past Porterfield. And now hits a six to clear his mind.
20 off the second over! Surrey need Davies to stay forever, basically, and help get that run-rate down.
Ramps not playing, btw. Sad for the Rampants, but I guess it means we can listen to the game without tensing up like a coiled spring! Davies hits another 6: he's got the bit between his teeth and no mistake!
And again! 39 without loss! Sixes gallore!
Free hit...where's the skipper putting this? Swing and a miss. Oh, well! Let's not be greedy!
The 50 comes up without loss in the fourth over.
54 without loss. The skipper beginning to get his head down. And then a further boundary! So far, it's a dismantling in the powerplay. 60 without loss.
67 without loss after five overs! Wow! Uh-oh...here come the spinners. And I'm not talking about the 70s folk group. Even I would face up to them.
Good point made by Churchy and JB: Surrey have nothing to lose. All they have to do is win, and win in the best way they can. They can do nothing about the other results, and they are indeed playing without fear. It's the only way to do it.
78 without loss at the end of the powerplay is very good indeed!
'Demolition Davies' brings up a fabulous fifty with a six! Wooohooo!
Why the flip did we not play like this against the Gladiators at the Oval?!?
RHB and Davies are having a contest to see who can hit the longest six! 99-0!
Hundred up in the 8th over! 106 in fact. Davies will surely find himself in the England team opening the batting at some point. This is a really classy display! At this rate we might not get to find out if the team is missing Ramps in the middle order.
RHB winning the battle of the sixes at the moment. Rory, size isn't everything! And as I say that, he's lbw for 48. Pity he didn't reach his 50. Now, Roy or Symonds next?
Jason Roy comes on next. Will it be a good day or a bad day for him?
Answer: bad day. 112-2. Roy gone second ball. Ooops.
Symonds dropped by Snell. Hoping Symo the animal has turned up today. We could do with him in a rampaging mood!
Symonds goes for 4. 123-3...please get Davies on strike!!! Please!!!
Johnny Barran wins first prize for non-gratuitous use of the word 'humping'.
Not looking good in the other games for Surrey. Essex struggling, Sussex struggling. And now it's raining for good measure.
Only 13 runs required, and then they have to sit and twiddle their thumbs to see what happens elsewhere.
Davies gone for 73.
Wilson clubs a meaty six with his first ball. Only 6 required now. Wilson gets 4 more...
Gary Wilson smashes a total of 12 off three balls. Lions win by six wickets! Well done boys, whatever happens. 150-4! You were meteoric today!
********
So close in the end. Surrey did all they needed to do, but so did Hants. We shouldn't have to rely on other teams to do us favours, although Sussex have been rubbish in the last few games compared to how they started, so it shouldn't surprise us. So, congrats to Hants and hard luck to Surrey and Middlesex.
Now it's back to the county championship next week!
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Stylish Styris sneaks it
So near and yet so far!!! Ugh! How frustrating to fall at the very last hurdle!!!
And yet, whilst we are muttering disconsolately and kicking inanimate objects (I refuse to kick either of my cats) let us not forget the brilliant batting of Mr Styris, who snatched the game away from under Surrey’s noses in the final over. And it wasn’t all doom and gloom. I personally didn’t feel the same deflation as I did against Sussex, even although the result serves to widen the contest even further in the Southern group. There is a huddle of teams on the same amount of points, the Lions being one of them, all bunching up for a crack at qualification. A win would have put Surrey in a mighty fine position but as it stands they aren’t dead in the water. Best not to send for the undertakers just yet: there’s still life in this competition!
Essex won the toss (a bad sign if ever there was one) and to many people’s surprise stuck Surrey in first. We all waited to find out if the skipper was going to have one of his Blitzkrieg days or whether he was going to fall for less than double figures, and as it transpired he went for 7. It’s a real pity, because talented or otherwise, if RHB was playing in the capacity of a regular player rather than a captain he might well have found his place in the team coming under scrutiny. That’s not me being harsh, as I have pretty much been in the Chris Adams camp since he came onboard with Surrey. It is true though that Rory’s position does to a degree protect him. Next time out he’ll no doubt be back to blasting quick fire 50s, so it would be wrong to harp on about any blips in form. Every batsman has those.
Fortunately, Davies once again kicked on. I’m a fan of the talented Davies, and I’m even more of a fan of the resilient ‘stick-around-and-bat-long’ attitude he’s taken of late. Jason Roy, having been the hero of a few days ago, was once more batting at three. I think in T20 there’s nothing wrong with him having the third spot, although hopefully it will take the devil and a stick of dynamite to shift Ramps from that position in the championship. Talking of Mr R, he made a much welcome return to the squad in fourth spot in place of Younus Khan, something I had advocated previously. I’m pretty certain my pleas on this blog had zero to do with the team selection, mind you!
Jason Roy certainly showed some very deft shots but it was always going to be difficult to replicate his immense innings of the previous game and Kaneria, who had a very good spell with the ball, eventually had him stumped him for 29 by Foster. Davies contributed a magnificent 89, just when everyone thought there may well be another Surrey centurion in the offing, whilst Ramps made a useful 35 before being stumped by Foster. The only other batsman to put any useful total on the board was Symonds with 17. Batty made yet another T20 duck, whilst Schoey (1) and Walters (7) were both not out at the end but had run out of overs to really add anything worthwhile to the final tally of 187.
187 isn’t a bad score, but whether it was because in the last few games Surrey have posted over 200 and we have suddenly come to expect it, somehow 187 didn’t feel as if it might be enough. And so it actually proved. Had they managed 200 things might have been very different, although much credit has to be given to Essex at the end of their bowling spell. They were in real danger of being trampled by the Lion’s charge and they managed to get right back into it at the death. Between you and me however, we managed to pinpoint the source of the problem as Jean admitted that when Ramps was batting she got up to put the kettle on. The curse of the Rampants strikes again! And just to further prove the jinx exists, Jean further admitted culpability with “I got Batty as well...went for some food...I hang my head!”
Sorry Ramps. Sorry GB. It was Jean wot did for you!
Before the start of the Essex reply those Rampants with access to Sky (who are pointedly reminding we satellite-less peasants that they can see everything we can’t!) informed us that Mr R had not only taken the ball from the umpires and had marked out his run-up, but was shaping up as if he was going to have a bowl! Even with a few test wickets to his name it seemed unlikely, and judging by the grin on his face it must have surprised a few of the Essex team before Tremlett walked up to the plate! Nice joke, sir!
The Surrey fielding was by and large pretty sharp today. When I think back to the awful, ghastly mess of two years back it’s like chalk and cheese. I know there are one or two people who aren’t the biggest fans of Chris Adams but if he has done one immensely important thing it’s to get the team to remember how to pick up and throw the ball! Early success occurred for the Lions when Cook went for 11, and ten balls later Ramps caught Walker for just 1 run. Bopara eventually played a really silly shot at exactly the wrong time and went for 27, at which point Surrey must have thought it was going to be a walk in the park. I’m pretty sure even the most vociferous of Essex supporters, whose raucous yelling and screeching made me wonder if I was being transported back two centuries to a fight in a bear pit, must have thought it could well be curtains for their team.
I even ventured to say that we might be possibly on for a win. Big, big mistake.
If I say that getting Philips out on 30 near the end made little difference you will get an idea of the superhuman effort by Styris. What an incredible piece of batting! He was very nearly caught at the end which would have turned the tables on Essex, but the momentum was very strongly with them in the latter part of the game. There was one massive over where he took twenty plus off a Tremlett over, which was not only a shame from a Surrey point of view but a real pity for Tremlett, who had done a magnificent job with the ball up to that point. You don’t see many maiden overs in T20 but that is exactly what happened earlier. The fact that Essex came back the way they did shows you precisely how massive Styris was.
I actually switched the sound down. It’s not that I didn’t want to hear Churchy or Johnny Barran but, ever the optimist, I was still fairly confident that Surrey would somehow scramble home in that last over. And if they didn’t I wasn’t looking forward to hearing all the braying fans filling up the ground in Chelmsford. Good lord, they really are loud!
I’m pretty glad I switched it off, given the result.
Oh well. Styris’ knock was pretty special, and it took a monumental effort from one man to stop Surrey from winning. I’m not sure Symonds was the right choice to bowl the last over to be honest, but that doesn’t detract from a very fine performance from both teams and from Styris in particular, who navigated the enormous run rate to finely timed perfection with a barrage of boundaries and sixes.
Maybe we should have let Ramps have a bowl after all!
Thursday, 10 June 2010
Solid as a rock
Over the last few years I’ve heard Mark Ramprakash described as ‘The Rock of Kennington’. Which may sound a little bit pompous, but I guess when (in the case of 2007) you score a record 30% of your teams runs you begin to see that as descriptions go, it’s shockingly accurate!
So. How do you move the seemingly unmoveable? An age old question that many a county bowler has asked themselves over the years! And the answer?
Get his team mate to run him out!
That’s a little bit harsh on Usman Afzaal, but as I mused earlier in this blog it is unfortunately true that he has does tend to be involved in a lot of run-outs, be they of his making or otherwise. Some players just happen to have that knack, I guess: Trott, Bopara and Shah in particular seem to have cornered that niche market!
Tonight, in the T20 game against the Essex Eagles, Surrey had performed rather well up to that point. Okay...well-ish. The first thing they did correctly was win the toss, and the skipper stuck Essex in to bat, which looked on the face of it a very good choice. Key wickets fell at the right time with Pettini going for 3, Bopara for 12 and Ten Doschate for 10. Resistance was shown by Flower (24) and Styris (17), but by the end of the Essex innings it was 121 for 8. Hardly a massive total to chase down, you’d have thought.
No doubt Surrey really fancied their chances of doing so. RHB showed some aggression but went early doors for 5, whilst Davies was dropped twice before he eventually went for 15. All the time Ramps looked untroubled whilst all those around him perished. Symonds struck 7, and Younus went to the very first ball. Ramps and Afzaal looked like they would settle into a rhythm until a moment of madness saw the latter accidentally run his team mate out when on 24, with Ramps slipping and not able to make the necessary ground in time. Having viewed the incident later on the highlights it didn't look too bad on Afzaal's part, but the commentary suggested he'd "absolutely stuffed him", and I get the feeling Mr R wasn’t terribly impressed. I can only hope when Afzaal made his way back to the dugout, having committed cricket suicide whilst on 12, that he had cotton wool in his ears to block out a few choice words!
But, as I said the other day, that’s cricket!
Up until that point the running between the wickets had actually been very impressive. There was always a good chance of picking up the necessary runs whilst Schofield was there, with Spriegel playing the accumulator at the other end, but when Schoey went it was pretty much game over, with two sixes needed from the last two balls. It unfortunately proved just too much.
The highlight of the game sounds like it might have been that neat litle breakdance move Mr R pulled whilst on the ground! It was a better performance from Surrey, whose bowling was vastly improved, but they will be dreadfully disappointed not to have been able to chase down a relatively small total with all of their specialist batsmen getting out cheaply.
Three things are clear from this innings, however. Firstly, if Surrey want to do well in the T20 the opening two batsmen are going to have to fire in tandem! I said that I believed Davies and RHB could potentially be an exciting live-wire pair, and I still maintain this, but you have to be in it to win it. Davies had two lives before he was eventually bowled, and the skipper sometimes gives the appearance of being stuck in warp-drive! I'm not going to tell these young men how to ply their trade, or which shots to pull out the locker. That would be a bit like telling Renée Fleming how to sing a Mozart aria! But although there's no real chance to build an innings as there is in the county championship, perhaps they should watch the old man batting at three to see how it is done. Minus the slip, that is.
Secondly, perhaps try to find a way to discourage run-outs when there is absolutely no pressure on the team at that point. There was time enough in the game to - not exactly take it easy, because you can never do that in T20 - but to just lightly keep the foot on the excellerator without burning serious rubber.
And thirdly, Surrey had better make the most of Ramps whilst they still have him, because they are going to find life even more difficult when he eventually hangs up the bat!
So. How do you move the seemingly unmoveable? An age old question that many a county bowler has asked themselves over the years! And the answer?
Get his team mate to run him out!
That’s a little bit harsh on Usman Afzaal, but as I mused earlier in this blog it is unfortunately true that he has does tend to be involved in a lot of run-outs, be they of his making or otherwise. Some players just happen to have that knack, I guess: Trott, Bopara and Shah in particular seem to have cornered that niche market!
Tonight, in the T20 game against the Essex Eagles, Surrey had performed rather well up to that point. Okay...well-ish. The first thing they did correctly was win the toss, and the skipper stuck Essex in to bat, which looked on the face of it a very good choice. Key wickets fell at the right time with Pettini going for 3, Bopara for 12 and Ten Doschate for 10. Resistance was shown by Flower (24) and Styris (17), but by the end of the Essex innings it was 121 for 8. Hardly a massive total to chase down, you’d have thought.
No doubt Surrey really fancied their chances of doing so. RHB showed some aggression but went early doors for 5, whilst Davies was dropped twice before he eventually went for 15. All the time Ramps looked untroubled whilst all those around him perished. Symonds struck 7, and Younus went to the very first ball. Ramps and Afzaal looked like they would settle into a rhythm until a moment of madness saw the latter accidentally run his team mate out when on 24, with Ramps slipping and not able to make the necessary ground in time. Having viewed the incident later on the highlights it didn't look too bad on Afzaal's part, but the commentary suggested he'd "absolutely stuffed him", and I get the feeling Mr R wasn’t terribly impressed. I can only hope when Afzaal made his way back to the dugout, having committed cricket suicide whilst on 12, that he had cotton wool in his ears to block out a few choice words!
But, as I said the other day, that’s cricket!
Up until that point the running between the wickets had actually been very impressive. There was always a good chance of picking up the necessary runs whilst Schofield was there, with Spriegel playing the accumulator at the other end, but when Schoey went it was pretty much game over, with two sixes needed from the last two balls. It unfortunately proved just too much.
The highlight of the game sounds like it might have been that neat litle breakdance move Mr R pulled whilst on the ground! It was a better performance from Surrey, whose bowling was vastly improved, but they will be dreadfully disappointed not to have been able to chase down a relatively small total with all of their specialist batsmen getting out cheaply.
Three things are clear from this innings, however. Firstly, if Surrey want to do well in the T20 the opening two batsmen are going to have to fire in tandem! I said that I believed Davies and RHB could potentially be an exciting live-wire pair, and I still maintain this, but you have to be in it to win it. Davies had two lives before he was eventually bowled, and the skipper sometimes gives the appearance of being stuck in warp-drive! I'm not going to tell these young men how to ply their trade, or which shots to pull out the locker. That would be a bit like telling Renée Fleming how to sing a Mozart aria! But although there's no real chance to build an innings as there is in the county championship, perhaps they should watch the old man batting at three to see how it is done. Minus the slip, that is.
Secondly, perhaps try to find a way to discourage run-outs when there is absolutely no pressure on the team at that point. There was time enough in the game to - not exactly take it easy, because you can never do that in T20 - but to just lightly keep the foot on the excellerator without burning serious rubber.
And thirdly, Surrey had better make the most of Ramps whilst they still have him, because they are going to find life even more difficult when he eventually hangs up the bat!
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