Greetings blog readers. What a time to be a Somerset and England supporter! Somerset beat Nottinghamshire by 132 runs to remain top of the table and England duffed up the Aussies before the Ashes to cruise into the World Cup Final. Happy days!

I watched the semi-final on tenterhooks, partly due to the threat of Starc’s bowling, but also because Sky had threatened to cut me off at any moment due to non-payment. Every run and wicket counted.

England didn’t disappoint and Sky were merciful. Having lost the toss, England started like a wild drag car. Archer hit the bullseye on Finch’s pads sending him fluttering back to the pavilion. Woakes then removed Warner and Handscomb to leave Edgbaston and England fans delirious.

Once more, Smith was England’s nemesis, fidgeting his way efficiently to 85, but in truth the damage was already done. Carey needlessly holed out off the bowling of Rashid and when Buttler miraculously threw the ball between Smith’s scurrying legs to run him out, it was increasingly appearing to be England’s day.

Any doubts as to how England would cope with chasing and facing Starc were soon dispelled by the swagger of Bairstow and Roy. Solid defensive shots and impudent flicks for six were cheered equally raucously. After the dismissal of the openers, Captain Morgan and Joe Root safely steered the ship home with 18 overs to spare. Bring on the final and the Ashes!

Closer to home and Somerset managed another win despite a Nottinghamshire fightback. 44 from Hildreth, 74 from Davies and 51 from Bess helped Somerset amass 326 in their first innings. Nottinghamshire achieved 241 in reply on the back of half centuries from Libby and Nash.

Spin became increasingly important as the match progressed and the foot holes expanded. R Ashwin took 3 Somerset wickets in the first innings. For Somerset, Bess took 5 and Leach 3. In the second innings Ashwin took 5 as Somerset stumbled to 169. A target of 255 always looked too much for Nottinghamshire as Bess and Leach tweaked and teased from both ends.

The only meaningful resistance came from Ashwin who top scored with 41 as his team mates came and went. The wickets were shared by Leach, Bess and Overton. I sat there, as absorbed and delighted as everyone else, cheering every wicket on the way to victory.

The next few days and weeks will be very exciting and potentially glorious. Watch this space cricket lovers. Be excellent to each other and try not to use plastic.

Hi readers. Well it’s been an eventful few days for Somerset and England. Both now have their seasons very much back on track and as, if to celebrate, the sun is shining.

Somerset faced Hampshire on the 30th of June at the CACG in the county championship. After winning the toss again and electing to bat they compiled 408 with a century from Hildreth and 82 from Abell. Hampshire’s spinners frequently dropped short allowing Somerset’s batsmen to capitalise. Abbott was the pick of the Hampshire bowlers, finishing with 6-84.

Day two saw an assured century from Sam Northeast despite hostile bowling from Jamie Overton and accurate stuff from Leach and Bess. The latter accounted for the vital wickets of Northeast and Rossouw in the afternoon session before Overton took 3 more wickets, taking his innings tally to 5. Hampshire finished on 349.

On day 3 Somerset supporters witnessed half centuries from Abell Azhar and Banton to leave Somerset in a commanding position, declaring on 358-8.

Chasing 418 on day 4, Hampshire lost early wickets to Overton and Gregory and never looked like getting close. The only partnership of note between Northeast and Fuller was ended when Leach took the key wicket of the former. Leach finished with figures of 3-14,while Bess chipped in with 2-12. Somerset now sit 15 points ahead of second placed Essex and will be happy with their all round performance.

Meanwhile England have also bounced back in the World Cup after disappointing defeats and near elimination. The welcome return of Roy has reinjected some much needed swagger and self-belief into the batting. This enabled the rollicking starts we have missed against India and New Zealand. This was then backed up by excellent bowling from Archer, Wood, Plunkett and Woakes.

It would be glorious if we could now go all the way after the setbacks. Of course we would probably have to beat Australia, but this would be ideal before the start of the Ashes. Everything is looking rosy therefore, though my only gripe is that more people aren’t able to watch the World Cup and the Ashes on terrestrial TV. These competitions and the upcoming 100 can only do so much. There needs to be more accessible coverage and easier access to nets and other facilities around the country.

Somerset slipped to their first championship defeat of the season against second placed Essex at Chelmsford on the 25th of June. It was a low scoring affair that saw Somerset lose by 151 runs. Essex now trail Somerset by 13 points.

Essex won the toss and elected to bat first, making 216 on a tricky wicket thanks largely to a dogged 80 by Alastair Cook. In reply Somerset made just 131 with Jamie Porter taking 5 for 51.

Alastair Cook again proved it was possible to eek out runs on this pitch by making 47 in the second innings. Groenewald was the beneficiary of conditions this time, also claiming 5 for 51.

Essex made 183 in their second innings and it proved too much for Somerset who were dismissed for 117. Gregory was the top scorer with a quick fire 40 in a losing cause.

Afterwards captain Tom Abell was supportive of his bowlers who were faultless again. He also lamented Somerset’s batting, citing Cook as a model of what could be achieved. He admitted that this area required work going into the second half of the season, but was confident Somerset could bounce back against Hampshire.

In the international arena it seems England are making a mockery of their favourite tag and hurtling towards another World Cup debacle. The impression against Australia was of a side inhibited by pressure and unable to adapt to conditions.

Having won the toss we definitely bowled far too short to exploit favourable conditions allowing Australia to build a solid platform. Australia made no such mistake, bowling full and at the stumps. Behrendorff and Starc blew England away with skilful bowling.

While it can be claimed that several batsmen got themselves out, for the most part England were rendered unable to play aggressively by the quality of Australia’s attack. While Morgan continued to talk up his side’s chances, the rest of the country is looking on nervously and praying for a miracle!

The Somerset tractor boys continue to sweep aside every team in their path as they won for the fifth time in six games on June 10th. This time they travelled to the Spitfire Ground in Canterbury to thrash Kent by 10 wickets inside four sessions. It was the only game to be completed in a rain affected day. Somerset won the toss again and elected to bowl.

They quickly bowled Kent out for 139, thanks largely to the awesome Gregory. Lewis returned from injury to claim 6 for 32 at an economy rate of 2.43. Top scorer was Robinson who made 37. In reply, Somerset were disappointed to only gain a lead of 30, Banton being the top scorer with 63.

It mattered little though as Gregory set about Kent again, this time taking 5 for 29 at 1.59. Kent were all out for 59, the lowest score in the Championship this season. He was ably supported by the consistent Craig Overton who took 3 wickets. Indeed all Somerset’s bowlers performed impressively in tandem, as they have done all season. It didn’t take long for Azhar Ali and Tom Abell to knock off the 30 required for victory. If our batsmen can find some better form then it bodes well for the remainder of the season.

In other news, England convincingly beat the West Indies in the World Cup. Jo Root made an excellent century as stand in opener, while Wood and Archer bowled with intelligence and hostility. The only worries for England now are the injuries to Roy and Morgan. Hopefully they are able to return to action soon. What a glorious summer it will be if England could win the World Cup and the Ashes and Somerset could win the County Championship for the first time. Not that I’m greedy!

A fair bit has happened in the cricket world recently. To start with Somerset secured a 102 win over Surrey at Woodbridge Road, to make it four wins out of five in the County Championship. Somerset won the toss and elected to bat first, racking up 344 thanks largely to a brilliant 137 from George Bartlett with handy 40’s from Banton, Davies and Craig Overton.

In reply Surrey could only reach 231. Foakes(57) and Patel(63) provided the only real resistance to the rampaging Craig Overton who took 5 first innings wickets. The game then seemed to swing in Surrey’s favour when Somerset could only manage 153 second time around. A classy 64 from Hildreth gave the visitors hope however.

Just as inconsistent batting displays have been a theme of Somerset’s season so far, so has match winning performances from our seamers. This time it was Jack Brooks taking centre stage with a 5 wicket haul while Groenewald took 3. Surrey had begun the day on 99 for 2 but collapsed to 131 for 7. Forties from Burns and Borthwick were not enough to prevent Somerset taking another step towards a coveted County Championship title.

And so to the world cup and England’s fortunes. After dispatching a poor South African team in the tournament opener we came up against wounded and determined Pakistan team who had lost 11 games in a row and been bounced out by the West Indies. We included Mark Wood in place of Plunkett, but our attempts to replicate the West Indian game plan failed and Pakistan batted superbly. They produced a performance that everyone knows they are capable of and are a real bogey side for England.

Onwards then to Cardiff to face Bangladesh on Saturday June 6. Luckily I had tickets for this game and so am able to report personally on most of the action. I say most because I missed the early train and so didn’t arrive until almost 1pm. I was greeted by the welcome site of England being 131 for 1 and the unwelcome one of someone sitting in my seat. I soon turfed him out however and sat down to enjoy the action.

There was a great atmosphere in the ground with lots of Bangladesh supporters who mingled amicably with increasingly sozzled English supporters. At one stage a Mexican wave managed 3 or 4 laps before it fizzled out. We were able to delight in a batsman colliding with, and up ending, an umpire as well as a Bangladeshi misfield that resulted in 4 runs. Thankfully the weather was kind. I had brought a macintosh in anticipation of showers but ended up getting quite burnt on one side of my face.

On the field of play Jason Roy took advantage of lacklustre Bangladesh bowling to compile a blistering 153. Buttler was struggling with a hip injury but still raced to 64 while the total was bolstered by cameos from Woakes and Plunkett. Although England’s batsmen hadn’t fully taken off as we know they can, the Bangladesh plan to restrict England will spin bowling didn’t really work.

Bangladesh progressed smoothly enough in their reply, but never really looked like getting the run rate under control. Joffra Archer reached a top speed of 94mph and clipped the top of Soumya’s off stump with a delivery that continued over the boundary without bouncing! Shakib Al Hasan made the most of the fact that Woakes and Rashid were not at their best. His plucky 121 made him the tournament’s leading run scorer. When he was bowled by Stokes however any Bangladeshi hopes and English doubts were erased.

In the end Bangladesh were bowled out for 280 meaning England won by 106 runs. When they were 8 wickets down and I knew the result was certain, I decided to make an early exit and beat the crowds to my train. Unfortunately many others had the same idea and the fact that there was only one train every hour to Taunton meant that any advantage was negated. On top of this there were also rugby matches being played in the Millennium stadium and a Take That concert! In the end I was very lucky to even get a seat. Surely British Rail could provide extra trains on such days, or at least trains with more than three carriages! Anyway I finally arrived back in Taunton at 9pm, sunburnt, stiff legged, but happy.

England now sit second, behind New Zealand but ahead of Australia. Somerset meanwhile are top of division one and leading Hampshire by 15 points. Let us pray that Somerset can win their first Country Championship title and that England their first One Day World Cup. I would say the other two main contenders are India and New Zealand, although Pakistan and the West Indies could surprise us all. What does everyone else think?

A big hello to my multitudinous followers from the Canaries, where I am having a wonderful time despite suffering from CWS (cricket withdrawal symptoms)! In my absence Somerset have only gone and won the Royal London One Day Cup! So now I am in need of a higher SPF, basking as I am in the dual gleam of the sun and the new trophy. It was an emphatic 6 wicket victory over defending champions Hampshire by all accounts. Not being witness to the match I am reliant on trusty BBC match reports which I must endeavour to translate into my own style.

The bowlers put on another virtuoso display. Jamie Overton was man of the match with his 3 for 48, while an excellent new ball spell from Josh Davey left Hampshire reeling on 50 for 3. In the batting department the Somerset heroes were Hildreth and Banton who both made 69. It was fitting that the old guard and the fresh new hope were the principle run scorers.

The joy and relief was no doubt evident for the veteran trio of Hildreth, Trego and Trescothick. The latter watched on from the Lords balcony savouring an all round performance that ended a 14 year trophy drought. Hampshire were missing Vince and Markram on World Cup duty and their batting failed to fire. Somerset supporters couldn’t care less however.

In other news Somerset claimed a 49 run victory over Warwickshire on May 20th at the CACG. It was a low scoring affair with Somerset making 209 and 164, and Warwickshire 135 and 189. Extras made the highest score in Somerset’s first innings, Hannon-Dalby being the chief destroyer with 5 for 18 and an economy rate of 1.59!

Top scorers in Warwickshire’s first innings were Sibley and Banks who both made 26. For Somerset it was Craig Overton’s turn to run amock, claiming 5 for 31 and then completing another superb all round display with 36 runs in the second innings. The bowler enjoying life this time for was Norwell who finished with 7 for 41. A resilient 92 not out from Hain in Warwickshire’s second innings could not prevent a Somerset victory, with Gregory claiming 4 wickets.

I have had a wonderful time in Gran Canaria snorkeling, watersliding, banana boat riding and drinking. I also tried windsurfing, (if that’s what you call repeatedly falling off and climbing back on a board). No matter for tomorrow I return to Blighty and full cricket related mental health as the World Cup begins. Come on England and Somerset!

Another warm day in Taunton and another good crowd at the CACG saw Surrey add just 50 runs to their overnight score. Ricky Clarke made 59 not out and Jack Leach took 3 of the last 4 wickets. Surrey would have been disappointed not to have made more but took an early wicket in Trescothick (4).

In the afternoon Hildreth and Azhar Ali shared a partnership. Ali scored 50 off just 49 balls before he chipped a Gareth Batty delivery low to Ryan Patel at mid wicket when on 60. His dismissal was the first of 3 quick wickets either side of tea with Abell and Bartlett both falling cheaply.

Hildreth then found a solid partner in Davies and would have been expecting another championship century before he gave a caught and bowled chance to Clarke on 90. Davies and Gregory then saw Somerset safely through to the close of play leaving the hosts on 243-5, and the game finely poised.

In other Somerset news, we are of course through to the final of The Royal London One Day Cup, having first beaten Worcestershire on the 10th of May at New Road. Somerset racked up 337 after Worcestershire elected to field. Banton compiled his highest one day score and there were handy contributions all the way down the order.

The Australian Callum Ferguson had a day to forget, having dropped Banton twice before being run out when he had made 21. The Worcestershire reply never took off and they were dismissed for just 190, Azhar Ali bagging 5 wickets with his part-time spin.

So to the semi final against Nottinghamshire the following Sunday at Trent Bridge. Again the hosts elected to field and again Somerset compiled 337. Azhar Ali made 72, Trego 73, Banton 59 and the almost inevitable cameos from Gregory and the Overtons.

In reply, Nottinghamshire could only muster 222 due to excellent Somerset bowling. The principal contributors being Slater (58), Hales (54) and Fletcher (43). So we now look forward to the final against Hampshire at Lord’s. Getting a trophy under our belts would doubtless give us a boost for the remainder of the season and hopefully spur us on to greater glories!

The first day of this game at the CACG was a warm one with a decent crowd, many of whom needed suncream and hats. Surrey won the toss and sensibly elected to bat. Somerset’s seamers struggled and Leach was not his usual accurate self. Thus by tea Surrey were 217-2 with only Stoneman(50) and Borthwick (1) back in the pavilion.

The wait for the next wicket continued until the 75th over when Groenwald had Burns caught by Overton for a well made 107. Elgar also made a century before being trapped LBW by Gregory. Foakes and Jack’s fell cheaply towards the end of the day, meaning Surrey are 330 for 6, and Somerset have lots of work to do to stay in the game.

Somerset finally returned to winning ways at the Cooper Associates County Ground on Tuesday the 7th of May, following three defeats in a row. The victory over Surrey by 5 wickets means that we qualify for a quarter final play-off against Worcestershire at New Road on Friday.

Dean Elgar made 64, and the ever reliable Ben Foakes,46 in an inadequate total of 289 that Somerset surpassed with 26 balls to spare thanks to 93 from James Hildreth and fifties from Bartlett and Banton. The Overton’s were the twin destroyers of Surrey’s batting, sharing 7 wickets.

The preceding Sunday at the same ground was a very different affair with Somerset losing to Hampshire by 7 wickets. After winning the toss and batting first, the hosts were dismissed for just 216. Most of the batsmen made starts but were unable to capitalise. In reply Hampshire made light work of the meagre total, chasing it down with 18.3 overs to spare, with fifties from Markram, Donald and Northeast.

Somerset were also outplayed by Middlesex at the Radlett ground on May the 1st. 106 from Sam Robson and 90 from Nick Gubbins enabled the hosts to post a record total of 346-6. The Somerset chase never got going. Only Azhar Ali (46) and a last wicket stand of 50 between Groenewald and Davey provided any resistance in a total of 246.

In other news relevant to Somerset and England, Jofra Archer is dominating the headlines. Opinion is divided on whether he should be included in England’s World Cup squad. Current England bowlers and several pundits have expressed concerns that it would upset a successful dynamic, while others are keen for him to be included, including Andrew Flintoff who says he would ‘drop anyone’ for Archer.

Personally I would pick him as his talent is undeniable. His pace, ability to bowl slower balls and yorkers at will are match winning ingredients. Minor jiggling should do little to upset a winning formula and actually stimulate healthy competition in the bowling department. We shall see. What does everyone else think?

Alas Somerset’s unbeaten start to the season finally came to an end on Sunday the 28th of April against Gloucestershire at the Bristol County Ground. Having elected to bat, Somerset’s progress was slow, with Azhar’s 43 coming off 85 balls. The innings was given much needed impetus towards the end thanks to another contribution from Overton and a rapid 50 from Gregory who struck 4 sixes.

At first it looked as if Somerset might be able to defend their 249 while the Gloucestershire innings was faltering. However van Buuren managed to get them back on track with 61, while Higgins helped them over the line by hitting 17 in the penultimate over. For once, Somerset’s bowlers didn’t execute their skills as they have been doing, but they remain top of their group in the One Day Cup.

This defeat was preceded by two rain affected games that Somerset won via the Duckworth/Lewis method. The first was against Sussex at Hove where Somerset accrued 283 for 8 after choosing to bat first. This total was thanks largely to 68 from Azhar and 81 from Hildreth, with useful knocks of 44 from Abell and 50 from Gregory. The Sussex innings was stymied by the rain and good bowling from Overton, Davey, Groenewald and Gregory, who shared the wickets to fall. Sussex had reached 62 for 4 at the close, meaning that Somerset won by 68 runs (DLS).

In the following match on the 26th , Essex won the toss and elected to field. Centuries from Azhar and Trego helped Somerset amass 353. It was a wet night that just got wetter, meaning that the Essex reply was constantly interrupted and extinguished in the 17th over, thus handing victory to Somerset by 36 runs via DLS.

Winning this game meant that Somerset had 6 wins from 6 in both the One Day Cup and the County Championship. Their batting has been more consistent than in previous seasons with the young Abell impressing in the four day format. The bowling has been excellent while Gregory and Overton continue to perform with both bat and ball.

In other news within the cricket world, what a shame it is both for and about Alex Hales. Such a talented and destructive batsman and a proven match winner who has obviously succumbed to the temptations that surround all professional sports people. Failing two drug tests in a row hints at a problem or an addiction, so I hope he gets the help he needs to conquer conquer his demons and reintegrate himself into the England team. Whatever the ECB may have said to him regarding selection, they obviously had no choice once the truth became public.

Fortunately for England there are quality reinforcements in the shape of Vince, Malan, Duckett and hopefully a rehabilitated Jason Roy. Finding opening batsmen for the Test side remains more of a challenge however. Personally I’d like to see Bairstow opening alongside Vince, with Malan perhaps slotting in at 3. What does everyone else think?