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Good effort to Gloucester who continue to be more than the sum of their parts. I think Somerset were a little overrated at the start of the season and are a bowler or two light but there is no doubting the ability of that batting line up. When Caddick is back, it will look a lot better.
Somerset vs Sussex CChampionship
Im thinking this one could be a draw, squad wise Somerset are the same as last week, Sussex my pre-season tip for the title look to have slightly the better of the teams but are missing key bowler Mushtaq Ahmed. Sussex batting should be able to cope with Somerset’s bowlers with the experience of Adams, Goodwin and Prior and the talented Luke Wright in their line up, and if Somerset’s top order can see off Kirtly and West Indian Collymore on a pitch which should of dryed out then a draw looks on the cards.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Yes this has draw written all over it. I might wait until the morning to see if Sussex play Rayner or go for an all pace attack. One thing about Somerset is that they are a settled side – I know the names off by heart now – and that can only be a good thing for morale. Any news on Caddick? And why hasn’t Omari Banks featured yet?
Caddick is back in training, but taking it slowly because they want him 100%. i know he’s Somersets best bowler and he makes the team stronger but i just wonder how many more years he’s got left. Banks
it’s a mystery i thought he might have played the one day games or something, i’ll have a check later and see if he has played any second team games.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Thanks for that – good to hear Caddick is on the way back. A replacement should certainly be lined up, but I reckon he might be good for a couple more seasons maximum. As for Banks, I can only assume he hasn’t been considered good enough, which is a bit of an indictment on the decision to sign him (as replacement for Cameron White?) Instead, Blackwell is doing more spin bowling and there is Munday as well. If Banks can’t get in the team as a spinner or as an all-rounder, then it starts to look like a bit of a waste of money.
Banks has been playing for the seconds and recently hit 73 off 46 balls in a twenty20 game and was included in the 2nd team game against Surrey 2nds which started today. Why no first team appearence’s yet, i dont know, only that Brain Rose(director of cricket) said he wants a settled side with not alot of rotation, which makes the signing of Banks a little strange, with Blackwell, Durston, Trego seemingly ahead of him in the all-rounder department.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Somerset vs Sussex CChampionship
squad wise Somerset are the same as last week,
Sorry just noticed Steffan Jones is included in the squad ahead of Mark Turner.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
I know the names off by heart now – and that can only be a good thing for morale.
Their morale, or yours?
Omari Banks’ signing puzzled me, partly as he was never the most gifted Test spinner so offered little added value quality-wise, and partly because I thought it sent out the wrong signals to the remaining incumbent spinners who have been behind both Ian Blackwell and Cameron White at Taunton.
Blackwell aside, Somerset has the aforementioned leggie Michael Munday at its disposal, plus decent enough spinning all-rounder options with Wes Durston (off-break) and Arul Suppiah (slow left arm). Were that still not enough, they’ve yet to blood another, younger leggie in Max Waller. Even with White’s departure, the cupboard is not exactly bare of twirling options, albeit still relatively inexperienced in some cases.
Re: the appearances in the Second XI – Banks turns 26 in mid-July, and my understanding was always that you could only field one or two players over that age in the Seconds on any given day. Is that still the case? With the old boy Keith Parsons seemingly a permanent fixture in the Seconds nowadays (does he captain them?), I’d presume that’s threatening to limit Banks’ options yet further.
(NB any confirmation / correction on Second XI’s age limits would be most appreciated by me in any case, thanks).
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Hello Jeremy
Im not sure on the second X1 rules, regarding the age limit it might of changed as i think, not 100% sure that Parsons, Durston, Jones and John Francis all over 26 all played in the same match this season.
Keith Parsons was captain of the seconds for most of last season, certainly at the end of it, once again im not 100% about this season only that Durston was skipper in one of the games early on.
edit- have just looked up Somerset’s current second X1 championship game vs Surrey which includes J Francis, Parsons and Durston(captain) who are over 26 years of age. Banks was out for 5 1st innings.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Much obliged, Nathan, many thanks!
An inauspicious contribution by yer man Banks there, by the looks of it…
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Their morale, or yours?
Both of course! Since my approach involves combining the stats of the players involved, it is certainly easier when you can scribble the names down from memory.
Hadn’t realised there were quite so many spinners in those parts too. Makes the signing of Banks a real mystery if he wasn’t deemed good enough to go straight into the side.
1 Run away for maximum batting bonus points for Somerset, still favour the draw but fingers crossed for a Somerset win. Is James Kirtley injured? im sure he was included in the squad when i checked last night.
20 wickets fall at Trent Bridge today, following last weeks 20 wickets at Old Trafford i thought there were deducted points for poor wickets/pitch surely Lancashire last week was a case for this, i’ve heard or read nothing but in the past have seen teams docked points for less wickets in a day.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
I think the falling of a certain number of wickets in a day will automatically trigger a response from the pitch inspectorate, but that needn’t result in a docking of points if they’re satisfied good bowling and / or bad batting caused the flurry rather than a substandard pitch.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I think the falling of a certain number of wickets in a day will automatically trigger a response from the pitch inspectorate, but that needn’t result in a docking of points if they’re satisfied good bowling and / or bad batting caused the flurry rather than a substandard pitch.
gc
Yeah your right GC, it’s 16 wickets i believe that triggers the inspection, i understand what you say about good bowling and bad batting plus the weather could play a part but it would be nice to hear or read the findings of these pitch reports. Lancashire also got turned over by Scotland at Old Trafford days before in a very low scoring game plus their match vs Somerset was very bowler friendly. Perhaps their batsmen are not as good as we are made to believe.
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Have just read on teletext that the Trent Bridge pitch passed an inspection from Tony Piggot( was he an ex cricketer?, im sure i’ve heard of him), so im guessing the Old Trafford pitch must have passed aswell because of their league points.
dont mind me though it’s just wishful thinking on my behalf. 
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Yep, Nathan, Anthony Charles Shackleton (oh yes) Pigott, or Tony to his mum, was a mainstay of the Sussex attack throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. He was one of the bowlers on duty in 1993, when Sussex failed to defend 321 against Warwickshire in one of the best one-day finals I’ll ever see.
Cricinfo writes further;
“Harrovian Tony Pigott’s one Test appearance came about by virtue of him being in the right place at the right time. In 1983-84 he was playing for Wellington when England, hit by a late injury crisis, drafted him into the side for the Christchurch Test. The situation was further complicated as Pigott was due to be married, and he had to postpone the ceremony.
The match was a disaster for England who were bowled out for 82 and 93, losing in under 12 hours – Pigott took 2 for 75.
On his day, he was a reasonable brisk right-arm bowler, and also capable of powerful lower middle-order biffing. His first three wickets consisted of a hat-trick against Surrey in 1978, and there were those who felt he could become a good allrounder. But he was increasingly hampered by back injuries, and his career fizzled out after he moved from Sussex to Surrey.
He took over coaching the 2nd XI at The Oval, and in 1997 returned to Sussex as chief executive after being instrumental in a coup to oust the existing committee. But it was not a happy homecoming. He struggled with the complexities of the role, and resigned in 1999 after being increasingly marginalised, citing personal reasons. He now runs a pub in Hurstpierpoint”.
Jeremy
(graysonscolumn)Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
it’s a mystery i thought he might have played the one day games or something, i’ll have a check later and see if he has played any second team games.
dont mind me though it’s just wishful thinking on my behalf. 
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