I would say the final will almost certainly be played on Sunday. Forecast tomorrow for Nottingham is horrific.
Whilst this explanation is clearly untrue, can you/can anyone enlighten the rest of us as to the disparity in points deduction? Was Somerset's pitch only slightly poor? Was Hampshire's pitch twice as bad as Somerset's, leading to a points deduction for Hampshire that was twice the size of Somerset's?
To be honest you touched a nerve. I was, as you know, seriously angry about that Durham pitch and I expected a far more draconian punishment for it, especially as Somerset have a previous conviction for the same thing. Most of the wickets for the last couple of seasons have been roads, and that was an aberration. And I seriously don’t understand why we got off so lightly.
I guess it also touched a nerve with me for different reasons! I was still pissed at the events of yesterday (the excessive appealing which Gregory got a warning for, the "catch" etc). Having watched the whole day's play, I felt sporting behaviour went out of the window in your desperation to win and it left a bitter taste in the mouth. So the comment was mainly because of that. It just felt like the icing on the unjust cake!
There is a desperation in the county for that first CC title. The fact that we were in with a faint chance in our 150th year made it even more acute. Every fan, and I suspect, the team as well, would happily have swapped the Blast win for the Championship. No excuses for unsporting behaviour though, I agree.
I mean… we were doing every time wasting trick in the book too. I find it crazy you have never won and we have only won twice. There aren’t that many counties!!!!
The overall punishment is more than just double. We incurred a further 20 suspended points, to be deducted if we have another below average pitch in the next year. Whereas Somerset only incurred a further four suspended points. So now what will happen is that we'll get the flattest of flat wickets at home for the next year, for fear of realising those 20 suspended points. And that's no good for anyone.
The forecast is awful. As Tom said yesterday, we're surely looking at the final being moved to tomorrow. (Which would be annoying, because it would clash with the women's final. I'll have to double screen.)
Just getting as far as the toss today is unexpected. That's the XI I would have selected, so I'm happy - but I do accept it's a risk to go in with a 5 man attack which includes Fuller.
Well, it's being played, Hampshire a batting and are currently 33 for 0, after 6 overs. However, the clouds are gathering, so this match is very likely to carry over to tomorrow
