Certainly Alsop is the better batter. To be honest, I've not seen enough of either's keeping to make a judgement. The fact Alsop is presumably already in our one-day team might mean that he takes the gloves if Lewis isn't fit, so as to free up a space for someone like Ervine or Berg (remembering that Topley and Crane still need to come in, probably in place of Wheal and Fidel). Then again though, Dickinson did do well when he opened in the t20 last season. That said, Lewis came out today in his usual position, and hung around for a while. So it might not be anything serious. What appears to be a bigger issue is Dawson's finger injury. He's become one of our most important white-ball players in recent years, and being out injured for any sort of length of time (like with Northeast) just rules you out of the entire one-day competition.
Plus, our final four-day game before the one-day stuff starts, is a trip to Taunton. OK it won't spin as much in May as it will later in the season, but you still want to go there with at least one spinner. So if Dawson can't make it, then we're probably looking at having to play Brad Taylor, given that Crane isn't ready yet.
Five to six weeks out for Dawson. Lewis is fit. Berg will come in for Wood tomorrow. Alsop or Taylor will replace Dawson, depending on how the wicket looks. And Crane returns ahead of schedule to challenge Wheal for the final bowling spot.
Interesting decision by Somerset to bowl first. Hampshire obviously wanted to bat first hence why there was a toss. Maybe the lack of spinners in Hants team contributed to their decision.
Yet again Kyle is in before we have even got a batting point on the board, the top order is a shambles this season.
But why pick two spinners if you seek to bowl first? Very bizarre from both of us (I imagine we'll be the only side this season to go to Taunton without a spinner.).
We're doing a decent enough job, given that we only selected four bowlers, and one them (Abbott) got injured before being able to bowl a ball. (Why can't we just have one season where our players don't get injured on a weekly basis.)