v Somerset Specsavers Championship Div 1 at Taunton

ONE LAST EMBARRASSING HUMILIATION FOR NEWELL'S NOTTS, AS SOMERSET TAKE A 325 RUN WIN VIA ROOT 66

Mick Newell's 14 season reign ended with humiliating 325 run defeat at Somerset today as Notts batting once again flopped being bowled out for 215. At least Will Root scored 66 not out, the youngster finally given a chance in the last game of the season. Ultimately we lost due to a guy getting a ton with a broken foot, a 19 year off spinner taking a 5 wicket haul in his second game and a batting, bowling and fielding performance that would struggle to grace Division Three never mind our destination next season. As one Somerset member told me 'Your lot need a good kick up the arse', with the added comment to state it was worst fielding performance he can remember in a long long time from a spiritless bunch of cricketers who gave up weeks ago. At least the DoC kept his proud September record intact. The season has been nothing short of shambles the overseas players have just not performed and we appear to have been lumbered with an ageing Australian has-been bowler for next season. We are crying out for experienced overseas batsman captain next season..someone like Chris Rogers but five years younger. Jake Ball was the one beacon amongst the dross and it did not help either him or Notts as he spent half the summer carrying drinks around for England. Also the very sad loss of James Taylor did not help matters nor Chris Read's six week absence thanks to broken hand given to him by Tino Best. But these mitigating factors should not be used as an excuse.

Another sunny morning saw Rogers and Davies add 68 in 45 minutes. Read rotated his spinners with Root, Patel and Carter given a twirl. It was Patel bowling from the Botham Stand End who got the wicket as Davies was stumped by a country mile with 59 (off 61 balls with 6 x 4 and 2 x 6) to his name. The third wicket had added 113 in 21 overs. Trego raced to 55 in 36 balls before being bowled by Patel who had earlier been dropped on 17 by Mullaney running back from slip The fourth wicket had added 78 in 59 balls. Craig Overton got to 21 before he holed out to long on where Tahir who did not bowl in the session took the catch, a third wicket for Samit. Rogers was dropped on 98 off Hutton, Mullaney dropping his third of the innings and he got to his second ton off the penultimate ball before lunch with Somerset declaring at the interval on 313 for five with Rogers on 100 and Gregory on 20. Somerset had scored 188 in the morning session. Notts needed 541 to win.

Mullaney and Libby added 48 when in the 17th over Mullaney (18) played a dreadful shot off the slow left armer van der Merwe to be caught at mid on by Trego. Mullaney had got to 1000 championship runs during the innings. Libby survived a stumping chance on 26, Bess the unlucky bowler. There was a long stoppage as Abell got hit fielding close in and he had to go off injured. Substitute Max Waller then in the the next over ran Libby (26) out with a direct hit as he tried to steal a quick single off Bess, 53 for two.
Another suicidal run out saw Moores run out for 4, 55 for three. Patel joined Lumb at the crease and played a number of pleasing strokes using his feet to the spin trio, Patel was on 28 and Lumb on 31 as Notts got to tea on 112 for three.

The second ball after tea saw the departure of Lumb plumb leg before to van der Merwe for 31. Craig Overton came on from the New Pavilion End and got one to move in briskly to Patel, Samit gone leg before for 37, 138 for five. The Skipper fell for a 20 ball quack falling leg before to Leach to a ball that kept low, 149 for six. Hutton lasted two balls as Leach bowled him with a ball that spun and kept low, 149 for seven. Abell returned but got hit by a Root shot again close in, he went off once more "disabelled" so to speak. Will Root got to a good half ton but shortly after Carter was caught at slip by Trescothick off van der Merwe who picked up his third wicket. Ball smashed a quickfire 11 before departing stumped off Leach. Tahir today gone tomorrow was last out skying the ball into orbit. The leg spinner out for six. Root was left stranded on 66 off 71 balls with nine fours and one six. Leach ended up for four wickets and can consider himself extremely unlucky not to get a Bangladesh call up. However a promising 39 year old Gareth Batty got the nod... I wonder which of the selectors plumped for him..... Good riddance, as one door closes another opens.

Somerset must now hope the game at Lord's ends in a draw.... MAG

LAME RESPONSE LEAVES SOMERSET EYEING VICTORY

HILDRETH MIGHT HAVE A CONFIRMED FRACTURE BUT IT'S NOTTS THAT ARE BROKEN AND WITHOUT FIGHT

Somerset are on the verge of the first ever championship title after yet another feeble batting effort from Notts at Taunton today. 

On a wicket offering turn to the spinners Notts apart from Jake LIbby had no spirit left to fight and were bowled out for a meagre 138. Somerset to everyone's surprise elected to bat again and lead by 332 runs with eight second wickets still standing. Hero of the day was 19 year old off spinner Dominic Bess with figures 22.5 10 43 5. Somerset have been a model club over the last decade well led on and off the pitch and prepared to give youngsters a chance, there is a message in there somewhere....

Somerset batted for 85 balls in the morning under bright sunshine. Ball and Tahir opened up but Somerset last wicket pair made relatively untroubled progress. They gained a crucial fourth batting point and Read turned to Patel to replace Jake Ball. Finally Bess played a loose shot and was caught low down by Lumb at short extra cover as Patel got his first wicket of the innings. Bess had made 41 off 62 balls with four boundaries and one six off the disappointing Tahir. Forty three runs had been added for the last wicket as Somerset closed on 365 all out in a position of total domination. Jake Ball was outstanding with figures of 26 9 57 6.

It did not take long for Notts to lose their first wicket, 21 balls in Mullaney (8) played a poor shot to be smartly caught at backward point by Abell off Gregory, nine for one. The rest of play before lunch was a struggle for Notts but Libby (21) and Moores survived the onslaught as Bess (New Pavilion End) and Leach (Botham End) got considerably more turn than the Notts spin trio. Bess the young Devonian off spinner bowled his five overs before lunch without conceding a run. Notts 35 for one after 22 overs at the break.

Fifteen minutes after lunch the entrenched Moores was caught at first slip off Bess for 10. Libby and Lumb carried on the fight as Rogers rotated his spinners. In the 49th over Libby's long vigil ended as he was caught bat pad at short leg by Abell off Bess. Libby gone for 42 off 151 balls with two fours. Notts 91 for three. The only man in the line up who could bat time had gone. The third wicket had added 53 in 22 overs. Lumb's miserable season continued as he got a leading edge in Bess's next over and was caught and bowled off the off spinner for 29, 92 for four. Patel hit a six and a four but did not last long as he was stumped off Leach for 12, 108 for five. Next out was Read (4) to a run out, a contentious decision. Notts 120 for six off 61 overs at tea with Root on 10 and Hutton on 2.

Notts rolled over and died after tea. Root was caught at short leg by Abell for 10 off the fourth ball after tea. Next ball Carter gormlessly hit the ball straight to Overton at mid off as Leach picked up his third wicket of the innings, 120 for eight. Hutton (2) was next on the conveyor belt skying Bess to mid off, 120 for nine. Tahir hit Leach for 14 in one over but next over Ball was leg before for two. Notts 138 all out. Libby apart a quite pathetic effort.Bess picked up five for 43. He bowled well but if he plays for another 20 years he was never come across more obliging opponents; the Somerset fans guffawing at the sheer ineptitude and lack of fight seen in Notts batting 'effort'.

Somerset with a lead of 227 runs elected not to enforce the follow on. An astonishing decision. The comedy continued as Mullaney grassed Abell on one at second slip, Ball the bowler. The batsman literally had taken a couple of strides back to the Pavilion expecting the catch to be taken. In the eighth over Abell was dismissed leg before to Hutton for 10, 30 for one. Matt Carter came on from the New Pavilion End and with his seventh ball turned one sharply and Trescothick (39) was caught low down by Mullaney at first slip, 60 for two. Somerset accelerated towards stumps as they closed on 105 for two with Rogers on 34 and Ryan Davies on 24. It appears that only one day remains of this truly miserable season for Notts.MAG
SOMERSET PAIR DOMINATE BEFORE BALL BOUNCES BACK FOR NOTTS



Notts fought back well in the last session taking seven wickets for 20 runs in 12 overs as Somerset closed on 322 for nine having won a crucial toss. The day was dominated by three men Somerset pair Chris Rogers and James Hildreth who both scored 100s and added 269 for the third wicket and Jake Ball who bowled superbly throughout taking six for 47 in 22 overs. Somerset though are still well placed on a wicket expected to deteriorate later in the match.

On a cloudy morning Somerset won the toss and elected to bat. Conditions under foot were still damp after eight hours of heavy rain starting at 2pm the previous day. In came Matthew Carter for his first outing since Edgbaston three months ago and Billy Root for his seasonal debut and out went Brendan Taylor and Harry Gurney. Notts opened with Ball (Somerset Pavilion End) and Hutton (Botham End). Tahir was on after 35 minutes after Hutton had bowled four overs. It was Jake Ball who made the breakthrough as Trescothick (25) edged him to Read, 32 for one. In his next over, Ball had Abell (8) caught low down at mid wicket by Jake Libby, a poor shot, 33 for two. James Hildreth took a nasty blow on his foot from a well pitched up delivery from Ball when on 10. After a lengthy stoppage Abell came on as his runner. Ball apart, the rest of Notts bowling was mediocre bowling with too many short balls. Captain Chris Rogers (39) and the incapacitated Hildreth (25) added an unbroken 66 as Somerset got to lunch on 99 for two off 33 overs. It had been very much been their morning.

The agony for Notts continued in the afternoon session as Hildreth batting on one leg but timing the ball superbly and Rogers made hay, Fifteen minutes before tea Rogers got to his ton off 152 balls with a driven four off Hutton. The light was deteriorating as Somerset got to tea on 215 for two on 68 overs with Rogers on 104 and Hildreth on 71. Ominously Patel got one to turn substantially just before the interval.

Fifteen minutes after tea, Hildreth emulated Basher Hassan's effort at Canterbury many moons ago by getting a hundred with a runner with a single off the vastly disappointing Tahir. Notts looked forlorn but as least the new ball was due and the light was getting much better. 

In the fifth over with the new ball, Jake Ball the only Notts bowler to show up today finally removed Rogers caught at second slip by Mullaney. Rogers had scored 132 off 20 balls with 18 fours. Jake has spent much of the afternoon limping around in the field with a minor foot injury. The third wicket had added 269 runs in 71 overs the highest against Notts beating the previous one that stood tall for 24 years by Dick Harden and Chris Tavare. That fixture was also the last of the season was at Taunton and ended in heavy defeat for Notts. Next over Hildreth (135 off 235 balls with 17 fours and one six) edged Hutton into Read's gloves as Somerset were now 308 for four. He must have left to one of longest standing ovations in cricket history as he limped off very slowly towards the Caddy Shack at square leg. Gregory when on one was then dropped in the gully by Lumb off Hutton's next over. Ball was left frustrated next over as Patel dropped a regulation catch at third slip as Trego on three was the lucky batsman. Gregory though did depart soon after dragging on to Tahir for two, 322 for five. The sun was now out and spectators in the upper tier of the New Pavilion had magnificent views of the Quantock Hills to the north of Taunton. Jake Ball bowling as well as ever then had Trego leg before for nine, 322 for six. Ball then went nap as Craig Overton edged to Patel at third slip to leave with a blob to his name. The procession continued as van der Merwe was leg before for a duck, 322 for eight. Then the excitement continued as Davies edged the now on fire Ball and Mullaney took a smart catch at second slip, the stumper had become the third Somerset batsman to depart for a duck in 12 minutes. It had been a truly crazy last 50 minutes as seven wickets had fallen as at Notts fans finally had something to cheer. MAG





Hopefully his last squad ever for Notts, Mick Newell has announced the following for the last game of this miserable campaign 2016 as:


Jake Ball, 
Matthew Carter, 
Harry Gurney, 
Brett Hutton, 
Jake Libby, 
Michael Lumb, 
Tom Moores, 
Steven Mullaney, 
Samit Patel, 
Chris Read (captain), 
Billy Root, 
Greg Smith
Imran Tahir.

If Newell is true to form, expect Root and Carter to miss the cut. Strangely Brendan Taylor isn't selected to travel to the Cider Country.



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With Somerset on a roll and Notts on a dive, only one result looks to be on the cards at Taunton. Somerset need a win to keep the pressure on Yorkshire and Middlesex, Notts need a transfusion


Already relegated and changing his job at the end of the month, could Mick Newell break free off the shackles of fear and fear of failure, and select an eleven based on merit and not past reputations?

Could there be debuts for Ben Kitt and Anuj Dal? Could there be a seasonal debut for Will Root? Matt Carter has to play after last season's game at Taunton, doesn't he? Or will Newell remain faithful to the end to his team that have failed so very badly all season?