Out of favour (which I think is justified, given his poor form last season). I don't even think he's in the country atm. He went back home to Zim for Craig's wedding.
This is worse than the Notts game. This is worse than anything we saw last season, other than against Essex. Somerset aren't even very good (when the pitch isn't turning).
Yes I had high hopes for this season, although the injuries aren't helping we should be performing much better than we have been, lack of leadership maybe?
I wouldn't have thought so; not on the pitch, any way. There's enough senior, experienced players there, who should be able to perform regardless of Vince's captaincy. Abbott has held his hands up and admitted that he's off-form atm. But with all our matches scheduled back-to-back, he has hardly had any opportunity to rectify that. No space to squeeze in a few second team matches; barely any space to fit in some decent net sessions (given the rest that the seamers need between back-to-back matches). The fourth seamer spot (ie Wheal in this game) was always going to be a big issue for us this season (in matches where we go with four seamers). We just don't have anyone good enough. Fidel is Fidel. He's taking wickets this season, so I'm fine with his high economy by itself. But it's being joined by high economy of others, hence we are leaking runs at a painfully, painfully high rate. We've conceded 150 runs and counting just to Overton and Bess. Overton and Bess!!! We only scored 230 between all XI players. As for the batting, we still have a pair of openers (whoever they may be) who frankly aren't good enough. That's been the case for at least three years now, arguably longer. And then you throw in Northeast's injury, and Dawson's total lack of form with the bat. Vince and Rilee are frustrating, yes, because they don't score the runs that they should with their talent - but if they had Amla and Northeast around them, and a couple of solid openers above them, then it wouldn't really matter. You don't need a star-studded top six, where everyone is scoring a 100 each game.
Couldn't we push Amla up to open if that is an issue? and Rilee's form is a big issue for me. He only averaged 19 last season in red ball and can't be any more than that this season, that is not a temporary thing, he is a passenger IMO you can't justify being selected on reputation alone. Edit: Rilee will probably score a match saving century in the second innings now!...
This is scheduled to be Amla's last four-day game with us. The one-day competition starts after this, and then he leaves for international duty. I suspect (but don't know) that it's why we didn't decide to open with Amla from the start. We knew he would only be a temporary solution. Plus, taking him away from the new ball in April would increase our chances of getting big/important scores from him. Northeast should be back for our next-day game (in early June), so effectively it'll be a straight swap. Sadly, rather than getting five games from them together, we've only got the one. (And we won it)
I know they're 9 down now, with only 10 and 11 at the crease, and declaring over lunch would avoid the loss of two overs being deduced, but I think Somerset would be mad to declare now. They've got us totally on the floor. An injured bowler, miles behind on runs, leaking runs all over the place. Every extra boundary they hit, every extra over they force us to bowl, is just another kick at us. Sap our confidence even further, going into our second innings (an innings which has now moved from setting Somerset an interesting last day run chase, to just trying to occupy the crease for long enough that they won't be time for a last day run chase - because right now the match will be over before tea tomorrow, with either an innings defeat for us, or an exceptionally straight forward run chase for Somerset). OK, they may lose their 10th wicket with the very next ball bowled. But at least try and smash us in even more.
How long is Holland expected to be out for? He would certainly add something to both the batting and bowling.
He opened the batting in a limited overs for the second team last week, and I think scored a 100 in a very easy run chase (against a very weak Sussex second team, so don't read anything into his runs). I don't recall seeing that he bowled though. Presumably he's not quite there yet then - and his batting alone isn't strong enough to get him into our team.
Much, much better. Amla finishes his red ball stint with us with the fourth highest average in D1, and the top runscorer in D1. He's also the only person averaging more than 50 who doesn't have their average 'inflated' with any not-outs. Shame he couldn't score just 8 more runs, to finish with a nice round 500 from 5 matches. If it isn't to be Steyn, then Amla is very welcome to return in September. (Not that he's leaving yet. Hopefully he can be just as successful in the one-day competition for us now.)
