Thank god the innings has ended, i'd end up completely pissed....9/40 is the 6th best Hants figures ever...take a bow Kyle... Edit FU Tom...
Are these the best bowling figures in an innings this season or did someone else match 9 in an innings? Could have been Robinson of Sussex against Middlesex. Whatever the case, he must have been nigh unplayable, nagging away on a pitch just short of a length with something for the bowler to feast on. A lead of 50 odd runs could be more than a matchwinning margin unless the pitch begins to flatten out. I am sure more on here, even ardent Hampshire fans would love Somerset to win this match as they search for their first Championship title. The other scenario is Surrey somehow winning at Chelmsford. Aren´t Essex due to lose there sometime?
I just hope Hants bat for a little while tomorrow morning, thus taking the sting out of the pitch to enable Somerset to chase down, let´s hope, a modest total. What is a modest total on this pitch? Tom alluded to 200-250 I think, but that is not taking into account the demons within either the pitch or inside the minds of the players. Also keep fingers crossed for a Surrey win.
Gloucestershire look like having to chase down a smallish total at Worcester. Fingers crossed for Saint Magic.
We have a decent lead in the context of the game, no question. If we lost Abbott and Fidel in the next two balls, we'd have something to really defend. But I can't help but feel that Bess-RVDM partnership could come back to bite us. A 50 run lead here is fantastic. But a 100 - 110 run lead would have basically been match over.
What’s made this such a bowlers game Tom? Are conditions going be even more bowler friendly in 4th innings? Any change in conditions expected tomorrow?
The pitch has played a big part. Been plenty of movement off the pitch. Perfect conditions for a quality swing bowler like Abbott.
I've been at work today, so have only been watching for the past hour (when Somerset have been entirely on the defensive). But watching yesterday, there were times when the ball was swinging to second slip. Hugely favourable seamer conditions. That said, traditionally it does get easier to bat here.